Skip to main content

Five Summer Rehydration Tips from a Chief Nutritionist

drinking water staying hydrated
Aidan Meyer / Unsplash
Raise a glass of electrolytes and toast to checking your pee color.

Sports hydration company Nuun (pronounced noon), has managed to compete and even surpass in specialty retail the giant Coca Cola electrolyte brand Gatorade, thanks to its expert knowledge of sweat, rehydration, and what exactly the body needs to stay #fresh.

Recommended Videos

So even if you have the best water bottle to rehydrate with, don’t forget about the juice inside.

Nuun’s Chief Nutritionist Vishal Patel, also known as the “professor of electrolytes,” sat down with The Manual to talk summer rehydration tips that will keep you healthy, happy, and replenishing key nutrients lost in sweat… whether you’re ending a tough workout or a weekend of exploring.

Plus, Patel busts a couple hydration myths we had no idea were bull…

1. Water Alone Does Not Hydrate You

Patel says that although water will provide the base fluid you need to hydrate, what he’s learned over the past several years is that electrolytes with a small amount of carbohydrate are the key to hydration.

They play vital roles in the absorption of fluid, so the exact drink you choose to guzzle during or after exercise has to be in a specific concentration of carbs to electrolytes to fluids for proper delivery.

nuun hydration
Photo Cedit/nuun Image used with permission by copyright holder

“In general, during recovery you want to make sure the fluid has a 1-4 grams of carbohydrates per 16 fluid ounces. For moderate exercise this is a good target and as your body is under more stress during harder or longer workouts, you need more carbohydrates to deliver fluid. Just do not to exceed 18 grams of carbohydrate per 16 ounces.”

He adds that if a sports drink has 0 calories or is above 80 calories per 16 ounces, it’s not optimized for proper hydration and should, therefore, be dumped.

2. Electrolytes, Electrolytes, Electrolytes – Get Em All

When choosing a rehydration beverage, you want to make sure you get a balanced blend of five electrolytes; Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, and Chloride.

“In general, you want more sodium than potassium during exercise and a slightly higher concentration of potassium for rehydration. But note: you need all of them!” Patel says.

Nuun abides by this electrolyte creed for its own Nuun Active tabs, and unlike many rehydration pills and potions on the market, its flavors taste delicious; not like a mouthful of salt or spoon of sugar. (Nuun flavors these with the plant based sweetener monk fruit and a touch of stevia leaf.) Our faves: Tropical, Orange, and Fruit Punch.

nuun/PR Agency Modcraftstudio Image used with permission by copyright holder

FYI: electrolytes don’t just replenish what is lost via sweat, they’re also essential for proper absorption.

Patel adds, “During exercise, the focus for hydration should be on absorption; the right type and amount of electrolytes carbohydrates will help achieve that and will supply oxygen to your muscles. The remaining electrolytes being consumed will aid in replenishing what your body cannot through its stores.”

3. Boost Your Testosterone (Hoo-ah!)

Proper hydration increases and maintains your testosterone levels. So make sure to pause between beers so you can keep that manly figure.

Plus, ever hear your doctor say that drinking more water will give you more energy? Even the slightest bit of dehydration can alter cortisol levels that can reduce testosterone flowing through your system.

This contributes to the energy that the body needs, especially during exercise, so if you’re hitting the pavement for an outdoor workout or playing in your men’s league, don’t let simple hydration be the reason you’re not performing your best.

4. Stop Chugging!

Slow your roll when rehydrating after a workout.

nuun/PR Agency Modcraftstudio Image used with permission by copyright holder

“Drinking too much too fast can alter natural hormone response to help the body naturally repair itself,” says Patel.

5. Monitor Your Hydration

Ok, we all check our pee, but instead of doing it for pure curiosity, use it as a gauge to measure your hydration.

You want to aim for a pale yellow color. But Patel comforts us saying we shouldn’t be alarmed with one adverse result, since the food we eat within an hour of taking a wiz can affect its color.

“If you prefer a more scientific approach, purchase urine analysis strips, which measure your urine specific gravity (USG). This test will spit out a number that determines how concentrated your urine is. A value below 1.020 is what you want to aim for.”

This test can also give you loads of data including helping determine if you’re getting enough protein to recovery.

Jahla Seppanen
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Born and raised off-the-grid in New Mexico, Jahla Seppanen is currently a sports, fitness, spirits, and culture writer in…
Can you microwave coffee? What you should know about proper reheating
Don't dump cold coffee just yet
Man drinking a cup of coffee

Imagine this: You've managed to make it out of bed, head downstairs, and patiently await a freshly brewed cup of coffee as you turn on your coffee maker. You take the first deliciously warm sip and place your mug down. Soon, your attention is quickly on the next thing on your to-do list, whether getting ready for work or unloading the dishwasher. Before you know it, an hour has passed, and you realize your warm cup of coffee is still sitting there, mostly full and cold. This common occurrence may leave you wondering: "Can you microwave coffee?"
Can you microwave coffee?

Instead of wasting a cup of cold coffee, you can reheat your room-temperature coffee in the microwave. However, if you've ever done this, you may notice that the coffee tastes different once reheated. Microwaving your coffee causes it to become more bitter, thanks to the natural acids within coffee. Chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and quinic acid are all present when you initially brew your coffee. Yet, these compounds are released even more when you reheat your cup. In turn, you may be left with more bitter coffee than the original cup. If you can get past the slight changes in taste, your coffee is still safe to consume even after reheating.
How to reheat coffee in the microwave

Read more
Discover Rome’s best-kept secret with the Negroni Formidabile
A shot of Roman amaro adds an anise kick to the classic cocktail
Amaro Formidabile

On a recent trip to Rome, I discovered something wonderful. Not the stunning architecture or the beautiful art, or the incredible history of the Roman Forum -- though those are pretty great too -- but a new to me amaro called Amaro Formidabile. The amaro is handmade in Rome, using a long list of botanicals including cinchona, wormwood, gentian, kola nut, star anise, and more, and it has all the fruity sweetness of something like Montenegro, but with a solid bitter backbone more reminiscent of Fernet.

What I like best about it though is the strong punch of anise that rushes to the front, making it almost reminiscent of Ouzo, but without the harshness and with more fruity, floral flavors supporting in the background. The Romans love to drink this amaro simply: just chilled, or perhaps over ice, but sipped alone after a meal as a tasty digestif. It's a great way to see off a delicious, indulgent Roman meal of artichokes with pecorino romano, stuffed courgette flowers or fiori di zucca, then a big hearty bowl of cacio e pepe.

Read more
How to mix Mexico’s other spirit, Sotol, into fall cocktails
Learn how to use this Mexican spirit in fall-themed cocktails
sotol fall cocktails ez2a6539 scaled jpg

You know tequila, and in recent years if you're into drinks then you've likely come across mezcal too. But Mexico has more spirits to offer than just these two -- like Sotol, a distilled spirit made from succulent plants. Brands like Hacienda de Chihuahua Sotol are small family-owned operations which promote sustainability and biodiversity as part of the spirits-making process.

While Sotol is traditionally drunk neat, especially after a meal, it can also be used in cocktails and mixed drinks. While it is often used as an alternative to tequila in drinks like a margarita or as an alternative to white rum in drinks like a mojito, there are also cocktails designed to specifically complement its flavor profile.

Read more