WHEN IT COMES to training it is essential to ensure you have an adequate supply of fluid to help replace the fluids you lose through sweating.
During exercise if you feel thirsty it is already too late to start hydrating and it will take some time before you are ‘topped up’ again, by which time the game – or the performance – you sought is long gone beyond you.
Staying properly hydrated doesn’t mean gulping two litres an hour before kick-off, rather a steady, regular intake in the weeks, days and hours before the start, not to mind throughout the event.
Here, we’ve spent hours in the lab concocting some really tasty energy drinks to ensure you kill it on the day…
1) Hot tea and lemon
Arguably one of the oldest known sports drinks and was first made by Maurice Garin, the Italian-born French cyclist who claimed notoriety as being the winner of the first Tour de France in 1903.
However, before he became famous for that feat he won a 24-hour race in Paris 10 years previously and one of the things that gave him the strength to cover a whopping 700 kilometres in one day was his favourite hot tea and lemon drink. Today, the drink is still used – with green tea now the preferred choice.
To make; In a 500ml bottle fill it two-thirds with luke-warm water. This provides a base – and the boiling tea you’ll pour in next won’t melt the bottle. Then tip in 2-3 tablespoons of honey and you’re ready to go. There’s caffeine in most green teas – but check to be sure – while it also contains anti-oxidants. To sweeten the tea further add some pineapple juice. A number of specially-designed sports bottles are now insulated inside to ensure the tea stays hotter for longer.
2) Glucose and orange
Our own personal favourite comes straight from the supermarket baking aisle. Glucose is an important energy source needed by all the cells and organs of our bodies. In powder form it comes in a small blue and orange bag and will last months if you’re only having one or two 500ml drinks a day.
To make; use any cordial as your base – Davy Fitzgerald’s MiWadi orange and pineapple is great. Tip in 3-4 teaspoons of the glucose, a pinch of salt and you’re ready to go.
3) Coconut and raspberry
Coconut water is potassium-rich and arguably the best isotonic drink out there, hence the hefty price tag for a 250ml carton. To save on money, go to a health food shop and ask for the coconut powder (500g) and while you’re there, pick up some spirulina. This looks and smells atrocious — think gloopy green mush but when mixed with water it’s not so bad. Spirulina contains essential amino acids, and B vitamins such as B1, B2, and B6, and magnesium. The latter has been proven to offset cramping. Mix in one spoon to 500ml of coconut water mixture.
4) Apple cider drink
As bitter as one could imagine it’s certainly not everyone’s favourite, but the benefits – which include improved digestion and better immune function offset any downsides. The drink has only three ingredients and to make it you simply fill up your water bottle almost to the top. Next, pour in three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and two teaspoons of honey and give it a good shake. Maple syrup can be used instead of the honey if you’d like a change and like the previous drink, this one contains magnesium.
5) Lemon and lime
Another very sweet number this one is fabulous on a hot day. The mix involves; 100ml of lime juice, freshly squeezed, 100ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed, 300ml of water, a pinch of salt two tablespoons of honey, glucose or maple syrup. Shake well. Consume.
Enjoy!
