[Sca-cooks] Sugar free sports drink alternative

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

I only drink Gatorade or its analogs when i actually *need* it. It 
isn't meant to be an ordinary beverage, but to be drunk after great 
physical exertion or in a situation with extreme (and i mean extreme) 
heat or in which one has been perspiring excessively (and that's not 
just a question of personal comfort).

Folks who think it tastes nasty have no need of it, not that it's 
some kind of option. If Gatorade tastes bad, you should be drinking 
water or juice, not Gatorade.

When Gatorade tastes good or innocuous, that's when you may actually need it.

Merely being in a situation that's unpleasantly hot or causing you to 
perspire may not actually be extreme enough to cause you to *need* 
Gatorade. You may be uncomfortable, but you may be fine.

I have actually needed Gatorade or its analog a few times.

Until recently i have been an actor at Renaissance fairs in 
California, both the big mother-of-all-fairs, and small fairs, and 
small fairs in Nevada. We are always careful to keep hydrated - we 
just drink water or lemonade (ok, some others drink alcohol to 
excess, but that's not me).

At "the big fair" in NoCal (now dead and gone) we had a few weekends 
over 100 F. That actually doesn't bother me terribly if i'm in a 
loose summer dress, but in thigh high cotton socks, below-knee cotton 
bloomers (not period but to keep the dust out...), a farthingale, two 
skirts, linen shift, corset, bodice (lined, interlined, and boned) 
with long sleeves, coif and hat, it can get a bit warm. We had a big 
drink dispenser "back-stage" with a Gatorade analog. We were 
encouraged to taste it occasionally. If it tasted bad, we were 
encouraged to drink water. If it tasted good or innocuous, we were 
encouraged to drink it until it tasted bad.

Once at the Las Vegas fair, i was sure i'd been hydrating properly. 
After fair, our "guild" got into our mundanes and went looking for 
dinner. I mentioned to the guy who was giving me a ride that i was 
thirsty. He offered Gatorade, i rejected it, he said to take a taste 
- it was orange. I said, gee, that's odd, i don't remember Gatorade 
tasting like watered-down Tang. He encouraged me to drink more, 
since, in fact, it did NOT taste like watered-down Tang...

There's no reason for people to drink Gatorade or its analogs if they 
don't need it - and when it tastes "nasty" they have no need of it.

It's only when it tastes like watered down Kool-Aid that you do need it.
-- 
Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM)
the persona formerly known as Anahita