PowerBar Sports Drinks

Last week I realized that, although I was poking fun at Energy Drinks, I really had no clue what is in the majority of "sports nutrition" products. On that note, I might try and do a weekly "what is in this?" post, but with a little twist... namely, comparing two products.

For the first (well, second) in this series, we'll look at the difference between PowerBar Endurance and PowerBar Recovery. PowerBar Endurance is meant for consumption during activity, whereas PowerBar Recovery is meant for post-workout. So, (1) what do they contain and (2) what is the difference between the two?

Explanation of Ingredients:

• Maltodextrin, Fructose, Dextrose: these are all sugars... sugar = energy
• Sodium Chloride: salt... electrolyte replacement
• Whey Protein: a dietary protein supplement... in this case, it is used for muscle repair, but it may also have anti-inflammatory and/or anti-cancer properties
• Citric Acid: a common preservative found in a whole bunch of foods
• Sodium Citrate, Magnesium Citrate, Potassium Citrate: mainly used to regulate acidity... although some add a mild, tart flavor, while others have some interesting effects (I am guessing at higher does)
• Calcium Silicate: an anti-caking agent and an antacid (also used in a lot of building materials... weird)
• Natural Flavor: I hate this "ingredient" because you can't go to the grocery store and by a can/jar/bag/etc. of "natural flavor"... and if it's so "natural", why did they have to add it (I don't see sweetness listed as an ingredient for sugar)?!?
• Turmeric Color: a natural, orange-yellow food coloring agent (tumeric itself has many health benefits)
• Annatto Color: a natural, red food coloring agent (may taste slightly peppery)

Analysis of Ingredients + Nutritional Info:
Basically, the only difference in terms of ingredients between the two is the addition of whey protein to the Recovery formula (this adds 3g of protein per serving). From a nutritional perspective, the Recovery formula contains slightly more calories (90 vs. 70 per serving), sodium (250g vs. 190g per serving), and carbohydrates (20g vs. 17g per serving) compared to the Endurance Formula.

#20's Thoughts (just in case you were interested):
Water + Sugar + Electrolytes = your typical sports drink ... + Protein = your typical recovery drink. Oh, and "natural flavors", forgot that one! I wonder why caffeine isn't commonly added to sports drinks (I mean, they do to other "running nutrition" products)? #20