Beer Versus Gatorade....hmmmm

Yesterday, after lightly trotting 16 miles, I concentrated on some recovery.  Food, liquids etc.  I put in 50 miles or so the last 24 hours and wanted to restore my body a bit.

After some Cytomax and some food, I decided to hit a liquid carbohydrate or two in the form of Bear Republic's  Racer 5 IPA.  (Delicious!)

The arguing voices in my head justified the luxury by convincing me that beer was the ultimate recovery beverage after a hard series of work outs.

So, I last night I decided to Google some information and now feel I can make the argument that beer is an okay recovery beverage in moderation!  Below, I have compared the "natural" nutritional information on beer versus high fructose corn syrup sweetened Gatorade.   You be the judge...what would you rather consume to recover?

BEER
Macronutrients:
Water: 327.38 g
Calories: 153
Protein: 1.64 g
Carbohydrates: 12.64 g
Fiber: 0 g
Total Fat: 0 g
Micronutrients:
Calcium: 14 mg
Iron: 0.07 mg
Magnesium: 21 mg
Phosphorus: 50 mg
Potassium: 96 mg
Sodium: 14 mg
Zinc: 0.04 mg
Vitamin C: 0 mg
Thiamin: 0.018 mg
Riboflavin: 0.089 mg
Niacin: 1.826 mg
Pantothenic Acid: 0.146 mg
Vitamin B6: 0.164 mg
Vitamin B12: 0 mcg
Folate: 21 mcg
Vitamin A, IU: 0 IU
Vitamin E: 0 mg
Vitamin K: 0 mcg
Phytonutrients:
Phytosterols:
beta Carotene: 0 mcg
beta Cryptoxanthin: 0 mcg
Lycopene: 0 mcg
Lutein and Zeaxanthin: 0 mcg



Now, I present Gatorade...

Total carbohydrate in an 8 fl oz. serving is 16 g and the total sugar content is 13 g

The electrolytes in Gatorade replenish key minerals. According to Gatorade, an 8-oz. drink consists of 93 mg of chloride, 36.6 mg of potassium and 95 mg of sodium.

Gatorade contains zero protein. It is not an energy drink, but rather a replacement of water. The sports drink contains added nutrients that replenish the nutrients lost due to physical activity.

Drinking Gatorade also balances the pH of an athlete’s body, which helps him consume fluids easily. The pH level in Gatorade is 3.3.

Gatorade does not contain any saturated or trans-fat neither cholesterol. However, an 8 fl oz. serving contains one percent iron and 2 percent Vitamin C.

An 8 fl oz. serving contains 50 calories. A bottle will generally contain approximately 150-200 calories.



So beer...a potentially better recovery drink!

Natural,more potassium, less calories per bottle,a touch of protein, calcium, niacin....heck, this is as good as a One A Day Vitamin!!!

You make your own decision and don't laugh at mine !!!!

E