We’ve all heard of Gatorade and Gatorade Zero. It’s a great drink when we’re feeling a little demotivated, dehydrated, or need a little boost of energy.
It was first developed for athletes that needed a lower sugar alternative to electrolyte drinks. But what about when we are on a keto diet?
In 2018, PepsiCo released a brand new version of Gatorade, and this time it was sugar-free.
It was a response to concerns from customers over sugar content and the concern that Gatorade users sometimes wanted the Gatorade brand and benefits, but did not want to calories.
Although athletes consumed the drink at first, different consumers started to reap the benefits but wanted a drink with no sugar.
Gatorade Zero was introduced without sugars but with the same amount of electrolytes as the Gatorade Thirst Quencher which was the original line.
Therefore, Gatorade Zero is a sugar-free drink with lots of different flavors. But is it keto-approved? Will it kick you out of ketosis? Here’s how explanation and review.
Ingredients and Nutritional Information of Gatorade Zero
Gatorade Zero has four different flavors you can choose from. These flavors include glacier cherry, lemon and lime, orange, and glacier freeze.
It has only around 5-10 calories in each bottle, 0g of fat and 0g of protein, 1g of carbs, 75g of potassium, and 270g of sodium.
The sizes of the drink are either 12fl oz which is the regular serving size, 32 fl oz, 28 fl oz, or 16.9 fl oz.
The ingredient label says it contains water, sodium citrate, citric acid, monopotassium, hum arabic, salt, phosphate, sucralose, natural flavoring, sucrose acetate isobutyrate, acesulfame potassium, glycerol ester of rosin, and finally some food coloring.
Gatorade zero contains an ingredient known as gum arabic. This is a natural thickener and gives the beverage a bit of the body. Gum arabic is added as a natural plant polysaccharide.
The sweeteners used in Gatorade zero are non-caloric which means they contain zero or few calories.
They are known as Acesulfame Potassium and Sucralose and they are declared safe by the US FDA for human consumption.
However, these often deter those on the keto diet from consuming too much, especially if you are a strict-ketogenic dieter.
Sweeteners in Gatorade Zero
Gatorade zero uses plenty of sucraloses and acesulfame potassium to make the drink sweeter in the absence of sugar.
These are both artificial and it should be noted that sucralose has a high glycemic index ranging from 0 to 80.
This index is how quickly a type of food can raise blood sugar. The baseline is glucose and this has an index of 100.
Moreover, despite it being sugar-free, these sweeteners are the reason why the drink can be drunk on a low-carb diet, but those who are serious keto-dieter may avoid it in case it takes them out of ketosis.
Electrolytes in Gatorade Zero
Electrolytes are very important when it comes to hydration and other basic life functions.
They help with the maintenance of electrical neutrality in cells, generation of cells, and the conduction of potentials in the muscles and nerves of the body.
The electrolytes have an imbalance sometimes and this can lead to problems with bodily functions.
For example, you could become dehydrated and an imbalance could even lead to a life-threatening condition. Gatorade Zero contains electrolytes to help balance them out again.
Gatorade Zero Benefits
The drink has been popular for years and it can successfully replenish electrolytes after an electrolyte imbalance where plain water will not cut it.
Since it has low sugar and carb content too, it is great for those on a low-carb diet.
Most people who drink Gatorade and Gatorade zero are people who need the extra electrolytes such as very active people or athletes.
But for everyday drinking, you might be wondering just how important electrolytes are to the body.
As we have mentioned, they facilitate a lot of everyday human functions.
Electrolytes are distributed throughout the fluid in your body and used as electrical energy as they are essentially charged ions.
They are vital to controlling and regulating blood pressure as well as balancing water levels and keeping a correct body pH. They also help with muscle contraction including in the heart.
Common electrolytes include magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, and chloride.
Gatorade Zero has plenty of electrolytes in the form of potassium and sodium but concentrations might vary with each electrolyte water that is available on the market.
Since Gatorade Zero has no sugar and only 2 grams of carbs, you are not going to experience a sugar spike with the drink.
The artificial sweeteners that are used have been proven to show little or no effect on blood sugar at all.
When Should You Consume Gatorade Zero?
Generally, you can consume Gatorade zero anything but is often drank with physical activity to replace the electrolytes you use in action.
It is better to drink it one hour after exercise but can also be taken when you experience signs of dehydration such as feeling fatigued, dizzy, dazed, or have a headache with a high heartbeat.
Can You Drink Gatorade Zero On The Keto Diet?
Ultimately, Gatorade Zero is a great drink when you are on a low-carb diet as it contains few calories, only 2g of carbs, and no sugar.
For this reason, it is also acceptable for ‘diety-keto’ people to drink and might not kick you out of ketosis.
However, as we have mentioned earlier in the article, it does contain artificial sweeteners and these are what strict-ketogenic dieters want to avoid.
Final Thoughts
We hope you have enjoyed this article and learned a little bit about Gatorade zero, including whether you can drink it on a keto diet.
Ultimately, although strict keto dieters sometimes avoid it, it is generally recommended on a low-carb diet when you need a helping hand to replenish those electrolytes and help you feel great again after exercise.
Hi, I’m Aubrey, and I have been a chef for close to 8 years. Cooking has always been a passion of mine, as long as I can remember. I loved my play kitchen when I was a kid, and would offer my parents my own (albeit gross) cookie recipes to taste!
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