Joseph signed up for a homeschool basketball league last year and I did what a lot of other parents probably do: tucked the typical sports drink in his bag each time he went to practice. One day, as we were grocery shopping, Joseph walked up to me and stuck a bright red and black bottle in my hand. “Can I try this?” he asked. “It’s supposed to be better than the other drinks.” He was a fan of BODYARMOR from day one, and we immediately made the switch. Today’s post, sponsored by BODYARMOR, will explain why choosing a premium sports drink for your young athlete can make a difference.
Store shelves are loaded with sports drinks and energy drinks for active people. But a lot of them contain caffeine, artificial colors and artificial flavors, things you would rather your active teen steer clear of. I think BODYARMOR has an edge because it relies primarily on coconut water for sweetness, and also contains good things like electrolytes and vitamins. Through the Mom It Forward Influencer Network, we received a sample of BODYARMOR 16 oz. sports drinks and a cooler bag. There were several flavors in the tote that Joseph hadn’t tried yet, so he was one happy young man!
BODYARMOR choices include fruit punch, orange mango, strawberry banana, tropical punch, blackout berry, mixed berry, grape, watermelon strawberry and lemonade.
While the ideal might be to pack a banana and a bottle of water in my son’s sports bag, the reality is that he is far more likely to reach for a cold, tasty beverage while playing hard and working up a sweat. If he prefers a sports drink for hydration, then I’d prefer one that’s lightly sweetened with coconut water, and fortified with electrolytes, and important vitamins; BODYARMOR is also low in sodium and high in potassium. And it tastes light and fresh thanks to the natural flavors and sweeteners.
There are no artificial dyes in BODYARMOR; it’s colored naturally from the fruits, veggies and vitamins inside. I do want to stress that sweetened sports drinks are designed to provide fuel and hydration during vigorous activity; they are not meant to be consumed on an everyday basis, or to serve as replacements for water, milk, etc.
Here’s the full ingredients list from the Fruit Punch flavor: Filtered water, Pure Cane Sugar, Coconut Water Concentrate, Citric Acid, Dipotassium Phosphate (Electrolyte), Vegetable Juice Concentrate (Color), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Magnesium Oxide (Electrolyte), Calcium D-Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Natural Fruit Punch Flavor With Other Natural Flavors, Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Zinc Oxide (Electrolyte), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin A Palmitate (Vitamin A), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)
Speaking of working up a sweat, Joseph and Catherine have been helping to drain, scrub and filter the backyard pool in anticipation of summer fun. It’s hard work but the payload is worth it!
If I could improve one thing, it would be the sugar content, which is currently about 36 grams per 16 oz. bottle. That’s a heck of a lot less than a soda, but I’d still like it to be lower. If you don’t mind the taste of stevia, BODYARMOR does have a low-cal option called Lyte, which has 20 calories and 8 grams of sugar in each 16 oz. bottle.
You can learn more about BODYARMOR using this link; if you are in the Cincinnati area, it’s available at retailers like Kroger and Meijer. And right now, you can get 50 cents off a bottle of BODYARMOR with this coupon.
Follow BODYARMOR on social media:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drinkbodyarmor/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrinkBODYARMOR
Heather Johnson says
I had not heard of BODYARMOR drinks until this post. I will have to check out the brand this summer. Staying hydrated is super important, especially when my kiddos and I are running around outside in the heat!
Lucy Mills says
My son would enjoy this drink! I haven’t seen it but now I’ll be on the lookout for it.
Elia says
My kids love this sports drink and so do I. It’s perfect for summer fun !
Bailey says
This is a neat brand! I’ve also never come across it. I agree a Banana might be the best choice, but not always the most accepted choice. Sometimes you need options, and this one looks great for kids!
Katie Andersen says
I saw Bodyarmor pop up in the stores when it first started rolling out. All of the high schoolers went for it and I really wondered if it was as good as it said, or just fancy packaging. Thanks for this!
Leigh Kitchens says
The Body Armour sports drink is at least an improvement over the content of the usual brands. I don’t know what it is about regular sports drinks but make me nauseous every single time I break down and try one. Since this one is more natural I wonder how I would fare with it. I might have to try one.
Wendy says
This is a brand that I have never seen, but this review has put it on my shopping list. Thank you for this in-depth description and ingredient list. While I am not a huge fan of sports drinks, I do understand their appeal. I would love to have a healthier option in the fridge.
Amber Ludwig says
Oooh we are always go go go! This sounds perfect to keep up hydrated in the hot summer!! Thanks for sharing it!
Ronald Gagnon says
I have heard of this product, but never tried it…but I like the idea that it uses natural coconut water as the sweetener
Calvin F. says
Nice, always think that sports drinks have so much sugar so bad for teeth, but these are nice.