The Best Hydrating Drinks and the 1 That Outperforms Will Gross You Out

Climate change is real, our environment is suffering and we're starting to feel the effects. Some of the highest temperatures on record are being beaten in recent years all over the world. With the sun beating down on us, we're going to be sweating more, and our bodies working overtime to maintain a normal temperature. Outdoor activities like cycling will need a lot more breaks for hydration in order to stay healthy and cool. 

Plain Water. Water is the healthiest option, also the easiest to access and cheapest. Water keeps well throughout the day and does not contain additives that will cause your body any harm in the future. Ideally, you'll want to drink 4oz - 6 oz every 15mins - 20mins during the activity. For every pound of water weight you lose during exercise, you'll need about 20oz of water to replenish and maintain normal health. 

Sports Drinks. Experts say it depends on the drink. Vitamin Water is misleadingly named, it does not contain enough for your daily recommended amounts of vitamins and is loaded with sugar. Sugar is unbelievably damaging to your body, and taking in more sugar during strenuous activity is bad for you. Gatorade or Powerade are popular sports drinks that do not contain as much sugar and has electrolytes. Be wary of sports drinks that include caffeine, as the caffeine might speed up your heart rate while you're doing an activity that is already pushing your heart rate to high limits. 

Coconut Water. Coconut water has less calories, less sugars and less sodium than the average sports drink. It does have higher levels of potassium. This is actual coconut water, and not the coconut flavored drinks that tout themselves as coconut water. 

Fruit Juice. What's even more effective than fruit juice, is fruit juice diluted with water. Diluted fruit juice contains a healthier amount of sugar than fruit juices alone. It will also have the natural vitamins and antioxidants that come with the actual fruit. 

Milk. Skim, whole, plain milk. It doesn't count if it's chocolate milk or strawberry milk, nor does it count if it's a plant based milk. This is 100% from a cow and it's the best damn drink to hydrate your body with. Kind of gross when you think about it, milk and outdoor activities don't really mix, but it is scientifically proven to help your body retain water and has natural sodium and protein that's good for your body.