One good way to rehydrate after an intense workout is by consuming sports hydration drinks, and in this article, I’ll be talking about two popular options: LMNT and Gatorade. Which one offers you more when it comes to post-workout hydration?
LMNT pre-mixed powder is ideal for those on a paleo–keto diet because of its all-natural ingredients, high sodium content, and sugar-free formulation. Whereas Gatorade is effective for hydration and replenishing electrolytes and carbohydrates lost during exercise.
LMNT vs. Gatorade – What Are the Key Differences?
| Per Serving | LMNT | Gatorade |
| What it does | Replace electrolytes in the body lost through exercise | Replaces carbs, sugars, and electrolytes in the body lost in exercise |
| Calories | 10 | 50 |
| Caffeine | 0 | 0 |
| Sugar | 0 | 34g |
| Flavors | 9 | Wide variety of flavors, old and new |
| Sodium | 1000mg | 270mg |
Overview of LMNT?
LMNT is an energy-boosting electrolyte powder with a high sodium content. It gives you a mental and physical push whether you’re going to the gym or tackling a busy day ahead. It is sugar-free, gluten-free, and keto-friendly, which is great for those looking to reach ketosis and maintain a fat-burning state.
It comes in travel-friendly pouches so that you can easily bring it along with you wherever you are. Simply add each pouch serving to water, and you’ll have a ready-made electrolyte drink in your hands. Plus, it comes in nine different flavors to suit any taste.
The New York-based brand was officially launched in 2018, and has grown steadily from there. Even though they are still considered newcomers in the industry, they’ve since started shipping their products all around the world, proving that they’ve got the right formula for a keto-friendly electrolyte drink.
Overview of Gatorade?
Gatorade is a huge brand in the energy drink industry, and they’ve been around for as long as I can remember. They come in both ready-to-drink bottles and in powder mixes, but for the purposes of this article, I will be talking about the powder mix version of Gatorade.
It is marketed as a sports drink, and it has been specially formulated to replace electrolytes and fluids lost during strenuous exercise.
With endorsement from athletes all over the world, Gatorade has become a household name in sports drinks. In fact, some people even swear by it as a hangover cure, on account of its electrolyte and carbohydrate replacement abilities in the body.
The Gatorade powder mixes come in a wide variety of flavors, and you can find the powder both in sachets as well as large value-sized tubs.
LMNT vs. Gatorade
When it comes to post-workout hydration, both LMNT and Gatorade are pretty much similar in that respect.
However, if we’re talking about sugar content, LMNT seriously blows Gatorade out of the water. An average 20oz serving of Gatorade Blue has 270mg of sodium, and 34g of sugar.
This is not including the artificial flavoring and coloring that goes into making the iconic Gatorade colors in their drinks – with names like Glycerol Ester of Rosin, Monopotassium Phosphate, Blue 1, and the list goes on.
An average serving of LMNT electrolyte powder mix is 1000mg of sodium, 220mg of potassium, 60mg of magnesium, Stevia, Natural Flavors, and no artificial ingredients.
This means that LMNT is a fully natural electrolyte replacement sports drink, unlike Gatorade, which contains more than a few chemicals in its formulation that you can’t pronounce easily.
LMNT also contains triple the salt of any other supplement available in the market, including Gatorade. This helps in athlete performance, aids in sleep quality, and improves brain function.
Do I need that much sodium?
Sodium is a crucial electrolyte that keeps our bodies working at optimal performance levels. As a mineral, it carries electrical charges through our nerve impulses around the entire body, while regulating fluid balance so that our entire body stays hydrated effectively.
Too little sodium and you will experience cramps, fatigue, headaches, and trouble sleeping. A serious case of sodium deficiency in the body is called hyponatremia.
Recommended Resource:
One key ingredient in most sports hydration drinks is salt or sodium chloride. It’s added to sports drinks because it helps to replenish the sodium lost through sweat during exercise. We created a great resource about the use of salt in sports drinks called Why Salt Is in Sports Drinks Like Gatorade?
This happens more often than you think to athletes during exercise, affecting around 15% of endurance sports athletes. In the worst scenario, athletes who suffer from hyponatremia after prolonged sodium deficiency during exercise may experience seizures and eventual brain damage.
Both LMNT and Gatorade contain sodium in their formulation, but when it comes to sodium content between the two options, the scales are tipped in LMNT’s favor – with 1000mg of sodium a serving as compared to Gatorade’s 270mg of sodium average per serving.
Which is best for me?
When considering which electrolyte mix is best for you, consider your diet and the intensity of your exercise.
In recent years, Gatorade has gotten a bad rep because of its purportedly high sugar and carb content that has added to the issue of obesity.
However, in most cases, this is a direct result of consuming Gatorade recreationally while not engaging in physical activity – when this scenario happens, people consume more carbs and sugars than they exert, which leads to an overabundance of carbohydrates and sugars that turn into fat.
With that said however, Gatorade is fine for those who do strenuous exercise of over 60 minutes, and require a quick electrolyte, carbohydrate, and sugar boost to replenish what they’ve lost through sweat and exertion. However, because of its high sugar content and artificial flavorings, it is not suitable for those on a strict keto diet.
LMNT is specially formulated for keto and paleo diets. Its founder, Robb Wolf, created the product out of a desire to make commitments to strict diets like keto and paleo just a little easier to manage while not compromising exercise and strenuous physical activity.
So, if you’re looking for a keto-friendly, paleo-friendly, gluten-free, and sugar-free electrolyte powder mix drink to recharge and rehydrate after a hard workout, LMNT could be the best choice for you.
If you’re not bothered about strict diets and just want a quick and easy sports drink to pick up and replenish your electrolytes after hard exercise, Gatorade is a good choice.
Conclusion
After doing some research, the conclusion is that LMNT electrolyte mix has a strong target market – and that is those on a keto or paleo diet that want an all-natural electrolyte mix drink to effectively replenish all the nutrients they’ve lost after a strenuous workout.
Gatorade also gets the job done, however, some might be put off by the high sugar content and the addition of artificial flavors in its formulation.
However, there’s no question that Gatorade is a very well-known brand in the industry, and while they have gained a worldwide following, it may not be feasible for them to try and break into a niche market like LMNT already has and have had continued success in.
