[at-l] re: gatorade, was Salt Tabs

[nealb@midlandstech.com (William Neal)]

As I messaged earlier, I HATE GATORADE.  But I worked in a company where it
was salt or Gatorade.  And for some unexplained reason, I became the chief
mixer.  Here are some tips.

Try adjusting according to your taste and the info below.  If the taste is
too salty or too weak when you adjust the mix to water ratio, try adding a
non-sports powder like Kool-Aid or Wyler's.  I found one sports mix (store
brand) that I could stand, and it tasted pretty good with a lemonade mix
added and some powdered sugar.  I also added just a bit more water than
called for. 

Also, try and "drive in" as much oxygen as you can.  In some gourmet
cookbooks (over the years) (especially ones dealing with drinks) I've seen
the recommendation to get as much "air" into the drink as possible since
it's the oxygen that gives the drink it's taste.  Hot liquids tend to drive
oxygen out and cold liquids tend to keep it in; which is what water out of a
hose may taste as tempting as "nothing".  One book recommended pouring hot
coffee/tea from a "height" to replace the air that the heating of the water
drove out.  I usually start low near the rim of the mug and pull the pot up
slowly.  Slowly or it'll splash.  OUCH! on bare legs or laps.  Then as it
comes near the top, I lower the pot.  For cold drinks, I just shake real
good when I mix it and right before drinking.

William, The Mixer Turtle

PS	Powdered sugar mixes in cold liquids better than sugar.  A southern
sugar company use to make powdered sugar in tiny packets.  I don't know why.
But I found out that powdered sugar mixed into plain ice tea quicker and
better than plain sugar.  

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Henderson [mailto:michaelh@ospreypacks.com]
Sent: Wednesday, May 08, 2002 4:07 PM
To: AT List
Subject: [at-l] re: gatorade, was Salt Tabs


Felix writ:

>>>   I use LOTS of Gatorade mixes. Have for years. For work, not for
hikin'.
Grape is my favorite. The best part is that you can mix them to your
flavor/strength preference. I like it a bit 'stronger' than the bottled
stuff.    <<<


A former rowing coach of mine who studied athletic physiology told me that
Gatorade is about 2x as strong as it should be.  Apparently the body needs a
LOT of fluid to process all the minerals and salts in Gatorade, so it will
actually dehydrate you unless you drink water with it.  She recommended
making it with the powder at 1/2 strength.  Some flavors are horrible at
half strength, and some are much better.  The orange seems to taste good to
me at any strength.

ke kaahawe