Best Hydration Powders of 2022
Best Hydration
Powders of 2022
Which brand is worth all the hype? I explored more than
20 hydration supplements to find out.
How We Picked Our Top Hydration Options
The research for this article was conducted by Monika Sta Maria Monika (@monikastamaria) a professional model, road cyclist and brand ambassador for Rapha and Specialized SEA, based in New York City. Monika bought, tasted and analyzed over 40 hydration powder brands and products.
Best Hydration Powders of 2021
Which brand is worth all the hype? I explored more than
20 hydration supplements to find out.
How We Picked Our Top Hydration Options
The research for this article was conducted by Monika Sta Maria Monika (@monikastamaria) a professional model, road cyclist and brand ambassador for Rapha and Specialized SEA, based in New York City. Monika bought, tasted and analyzed over 40 hydration powder brands and products.
Studies show that 75% of Americans are dehydrated, meaning water alone is not enough for the average person. In these cases it is essential to find additional electrolyte sources for optimum rehydration.However, most hydration products on the market are littered with poor ingredients and loaded with sugar. Yes, those colorful sports drinks you love so much? Not the best for you. So, what is the best option when looking for proper hydration? Our team conducted extensive research on more than 20 hydration supplements and narrowed down our list to the top three hydration powders on the market. When choosing a product, we want to look for the ones that are the most natural because those will be the most healthy and effective for your body.
Before we dive into our top three, let’s take a look at signs that tell us we’re dehydrated, the importance of getting electrolytes in our bodies, and what ingredients make an effective hydration powder.
Signs of Dehydration
Dehydration can occur for anyone, but it is especially dangerous for people who are active, young children, older adults, and people who are ill or have a chronic disease2. When your body loses more fluid than it is taking in, your body can’t carry out its normal functions and you can become dehydrated. Dehydration can be dangerous if not remedied.
Common signs of dehydration include:
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Extreme Thirst
- Confusion
- Dark-colored urine
It is extremely important to begin hydrating as soon as you notice any of the signs above. Left unchecked, dehydration can lead to serious complications such as heat injury, seizures, urinary problems, kidney problems or low blood volume shock.
Importance of Electrolytes
Water alone isn’t enough to keep us hydrated. Electrolytes play an important role in hydration. You probably have heard the word electrolytes many times in your life, but it is important to know the role they play in hydration. Electrolytes are electronically-charged minerals that help regulate hydration in our body.4 Not only do electrolytes help hydrate us, they also help our body stay balanced and can help us recover when we are sick. The most important components of electrolytes include calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, and sodium.5
In order for our bodies to stay hydrated and balanced, it is extremely important to replenish the electrolytes in our bodies, especially on a hot day, after exercising or after a night out drinking.
Ingredients Effective at Hydrating Our Bodies
Not all hydration powders are created equal. Some powders contain artificial flavors, sugars and food dyes to increase taste and appeal to make their product more marketable.
Ingredients to Avoid in Hydration Powders
Added Sugars: – Added sugars, such as dextrose and pure cane sugar, can often be used to speed the absorption of electrolytes in our bodies. However, more natural sugars can be used to accomplish the same thing.
Added Coloring: – Added coloring is often used in sports drinks and is an unnatural ingredient used to make the product look more appealing and serves no purpose in taste or hydration.
Artificial Sweeteners: – Artificial sweeteners, such as sucralose, are added to products to boost taste. The sweeteners are unnatural and don’t serve any real purpose for hydration.
Fillers and Preservatives: –Such as Tapioca Dextrin, can be used to help make a product gluten-free, but has no nutritional benefits.
BE CAUTIOUS OF AMAZON PAID REVIEWS
Amazon is the go-to for millions of people looking to purchase products. However, most don’t realize that up to 60% of the positive reviews are written by paid promoters.6 Some of them are also promised free products in exchange for positive feedback.
Key Ingredients To Look For in Hydration Powders
Organic Coconut Water Extract: Contains magnesium & potassium citrate which helps with water adsorption, fluid balance, and maintaining normal cell functions.
Pink Himalyan Salt:Packed with electrolytes such as chloride, calcium, potassium, magnesium and sodium to help balance your body’s PH and regulate blood sugar.
Lemon Juice:Contains Vitamin C to help improve the immune system, repair tissues and can even help lower blood pressure. Also contains citric acid which helps stabilize flavor.
Sodium Citrate: Regulates the amount of water in the body
Natural No-Carb Sweeteners: Extracted from natural sources such as stevia extract or monk fruit extract. Natural sweeteners create a great taste without the need for added sugar or artificial flavoring.
Other Helpful Ingredients:
- Vitamin B
- Vitamin C
- Organic Flavors
Our ranking methodology
This comprehensive list was made after extensive research and analysis, measuring the full value of each product by considering the ingredients, safety, efficacy, refund and return policies, and overall customer satisfaction. We also collect research from the latest studies and clinical trials to ensure that our criteria take into account the most important details, presenting you with the results, and, in the process, saving you time and money.
Our 2021 Best Hydration Powders Reviews
After extensive research, we are proud to present the following list of our favorite hydration powders on the market today. To paint the whole picture, we listed pros and cons of each product and identified the overall ranking and grade.
1. Cure Hydration
by Pawlabs
KEY INGREDIENTS INCLUDED
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
VALUE
RETURN POLICY
PROS
Real ingredients
- No added sugar
- Powdered coconut water
- Pink himelayan sea salt
- Lemon juice
- Most natural option
- Cheapest per packet cost
CONS
Slightly less packets per order than the others on our list
THE BOTTOM LINE
Our overall #1 pick goes to Cure for providing the highest quality hydration powder with the most natural ingredients across the board.
While some brands say that added sugars are needed for faster absorption of electrolytes into the body, Cure uses the natural sugars from coconut water to accomplish this same function, without any added sugars. Cure contains 4x the amount of electrolytes than leading sports drinks.
KEY INGREDIENTS YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR:
- Organic Coconut Water Extract
- Pink Himalayan Salt
- Lemon Juice
- Sodium Citrate
- Natural No-Carb Sweeteners
- Organic Flavors
2.Basis Clean Hydration
by VetLabs Direct
KEY INGREDIENTS INCLUDED
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
VALUE
RETURN POLICY
PROS
- 1000mg of electrolytes
- Only 4g of organic cane sugar
- No added coloring
CONS
- Has added sugar when compared to Cure, but still a small amount when compared to the rest of the market
THE BOTTOM LINE
Basis comes in at # 2 on our list as it comes packed with more electrolytes (1000mg) when compared to our third choice, Liquid I.V. (850mg).
When compared to Liquid I.V., Basis has ⅓ the amount of sugar per single serving and half the calories. Basis contains zero added coloring and is derived from monk fruit, never stevia, for flavoring.
KEY INGREDIENTS YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR:
- Sodium Citrate
- Potassium Citrate
- Citric Acid
- Natural No-Carb Sweeteners
3. Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier
by Zesty Paws
KEY INGREDIENTS INCLUDED
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
VALUE
RETURN POLICY
PROS
- Cellular Transport Technology (CTT®)
- 5 essential vitamins
- 3x more electrolytes than traditional sports drinks
CONS
- Dextrose and pure cane sugar on top of natural flavors
- Contains stevia leaf extract
- Most expensive per packet cost
THE BOTTOM LINE
Liquid I.V. takes the number 3 spot on our list. Liquid I.V. uses their Cellular Transport Technology (CTT®) in their product. CTT is a fancy term describing how sugar makes electrolytes absorb faster, which is how all hydration drinks work and can be achieved using any natural sugars. Liquid I.V. contains 5 essential vitamins (B3, B5, B6, B12, C) to help support healthy cell function, repair tissue and improve the immune system. It also contains three times more electrolytes than traditional sports drinks. Despite its strong pros, Liquid I.V. ranks third on our list as it is the least natural option and it contains dextrose, pure cane sugar.
KEY INGREDIENTS YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR:
- Sodium Citrate
- Potassium Citrate
- Citric Acid
- Vitamins B and C
