Originally developed at the University of Florida in 1965 (and named after their sports teams--"The Gators") Gatorade was intended for athletes such as football players who endured rigorous workouts in the hot sun. But somehow this potent drink has become a staple of our popular culture, and its combination of sugars, salt and electrolytes can be anything but healthy for all but the most strenuous exercisers. The fact is, for just about all of us, including children, water remains the healthiest drink either with meals or during and after exercise.
"For most children engaged in routine physical activity, plain water is best," said Holly J. Benjamin, MD, a member of the executive committee of the AAP Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness. "Sports drinks contain extra calories that children don't need, and could contributor to obesity and tooth decay. It's better for children to drink water during and after exercise, and to have the recommended intake of juice and low-far milk with meals. Sports drinks are not recommended as beverages to have with meals."
Even worse are "energy drinks"--which contain huge amounts of stimulants including caffeine, guarana and taurine. Some of these drinks contain more than 500 mg of caffeine--the equivalent of 14 cans of soda!! Combine that with huge amounts of tooth rotting and obesity causing sugar, and you've got a formula for health disaster. To make things worse, some schools actually have "pouring contracts" where they are paid to promote and serve unhealthy sodas and sports drinks.
Good old fashioned tap water, not only remains the healthiest drink but it's the least expensive as well.
So please enjoy football season, but remember not to let energy drinks and sports drinks blitz the dental and overall health of you and your children. To maintain maximum dental health, be sure to keep you regularly scheduled dental check ups and cleanings. Call us today at (250) 338-9085 and we will be more than happy to schedule appointments for you and your family.
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