I remember that I had tried a lot of different diets in order to lose weight. Finally, I found one that worked for me, called for ketogenic diet. At the same time, I understood that I needed to continue to combine my healthy diet with regular exercise in order for me to lose weight. I was used to taking Gatorade and Powerade with me to the gym; however, these two drinks are not keto-friendly because they are high in carbohydrates. Even though water works well for me, I wanted to switch it up from time to time. That was where Gatorade Zero came in handy.
Is Gatorade Zero keto and low carb-friendly?
If you like to drink Gatorade, can you switch the Gatorade Zero and still adhere to the ketogenic diet? Learn more below!
Short Answer: Gatorade Zero Is Keto Friendly
First, Gatorade Zero is technically friendly to the ketogenic diet. This is a sports drink that is made without sugar. In actuality, it only contains a single gram of carbohydrates per serving. As a result, it will fit the macronutrient profile of the keto diet well. On the other hand, there may also be better options.
Long Answer: There Might Be Better Options
Even though Gatorade Zero does not contain any sugar, it does contain a wide variety of flavors, colors, and artificial sweeteners. Even though it does fit the macronutrient profile of the ketogenic diet, it isn’t the perfect drink.
If you drink Gatorade Zero from time to time, it may not have a long-term impact on your health. On the other hand, if you are looking for keto-friendly drinks that use natural flavors instead of artificial sweeteners, there are several other examples you should note.
The Ingredients: What Exactly Goes Into Gatorade Zero?
It is important to take a closer look at what exactly goes into Gatorade Zero. This is a drink that is designed to help you replace electrolytes. When you exert yourself at the gym, you consume not only water but electrolytes as well. A few examples of electrolytes include potassium, sodium, and chloride. In order to power your muscles, you need to replace the electrolytes. That is where sports drinks come in handy.
A lot of sports drinks contain carbohydrates; however, Gatorade Zero healthy replace your electrolytes without packing a lot of sugar into each serving. Similar to other sports drinks, Gatorade Zero also comes in a wide variety of flavors. These include berry, grape, orange, Glacier cherry, fruit punch, lemon-lime, and Glacier freeze.
What Are the Nutrition Facts of Gatorade Zero?
In order to understand if this drink is compatible with the keto diet, it is important to take a closer look at the nutrition facts. Some of the most important nutrition facts for a 20 fl oz serving include:
- Gatorade Zero contains 5 calories
- Gatorade Zero contains only 1 gram of carbs
- Gatorade Zero does not contain any fat or protein
This is a drink that has very few calories despite containing two important electrolytes which are potassium and sodium. As a result, this drink can be a great way to replace lost electrolytes during or after exercise.
If you are someone who works out and plays sports regularly, you are going to lose electrolytes in your sweat. Even though you do need to replace the water you lose, you also have to replace the electrolytes you lose as well.
Does Gatorade Zero Use Artificial Sweeteners?
Given the name of the flavors associated with this drink, it is obvious that Gatorade Zero is available on a wide variety of flavors. On the other hand, if this drink does not use sugar to produce its flavors, where do they come from?
That is where the artificial sweeteners enter the picture. Because the string does not have any sugar, it uses artificial sweeteners that do not drive up the carbohydrate content. These sweeteners include:
- The first is called acesulfame potassium, usually shortened to Ace-K. This is a sweetener that is also used in a wide variety of diet sodas. It is a common replacement for sugar in drinks that do not contain calories.
- The other artificial sweetener is called sucralose, also known as Splenda. Lots of people have been adding Splenda to their drinks for years as a replacement for sugar.
These sweeteners are responsible for the taste of Gatorade Zero. Even though these sweeteners do make Gatorade Zero compatible with the keto diet, they are not necessarily healthy. It is important for everyone to be familiar with some of the risks of drinking artificial sweeteners regularly, as they could lead to harmful health complications.
What Are Some Other Drink Options on the Keto Diet?
It is true that Gatorade Zero will probably not knock you out of ketosis because it does not contain any sugar. On the other hand, if you are someone who drinks Gatorade Zero regularly, you may get tired of artificial sweeteners. Fortunately, there are alternative options you can try. For example, you may want to try:
- Think about drinking sparkling water. Sparkling water uses carbonation combined with water from mineral springs. If they are flavored, make sure they do not contain carbohydrates.
- You may also want to look for drinks that are sweetened with Stevie, which is a natural sweetener. You may want to consider Stur or True Lemon.
- You may also want to shop for keto-friendly energy drinks such as EBOOST and Kill Cliff.
- Of course, you can also drink old-fashioned water. Even though this may not be the most enjoyable beverage, it does not contain artificial sweeteners or carbohydrates.
These are just a few of the many options that are available if you are looking for a drink that is compatible with the ketogenic diet. Take a look at the nutrition facts carefully. You want to find drinks that contain few to no carbohydrates. Also, take a look at the ingredients list. When you can, stay away from artificial sweeteners.
