Pedialyte Cure-All: Fact or fiction?
Sports drink replacer, muscle cramping remedy, hangover cure. these are just a few of the ‘off-label’ reasons adults are turning to Pedialyte. And it’s not just by chance.
Pedialyte’s bio on Instagram notes that it’s ‘Not just for kids, adults can use Pedialyte, too. Get the secret to advanced rehydration.’ In fact, nearly all of Pedialyte’s social media posts are geared toward adults, not kids, with hashtags like #notjustforbabies and subtle references to hangover prevention: ‘Don’t let super Sunday turn into a miserable Monday.’ Or, ‘You know it’s going to be a good weekend when you purchase Pedialyte ahead of time.’
[For a deeper look into how Pedialyte strategically repositioned their product, including their very-targeted social media and traditional media ad campaigns, I highly recommend this “Vox” article: “How Pedialyte Got Pedialit.”]
So just how does this medical-grade blend that’s designed for kids with diarrhea or vomiting measure up to traditionally-marketed sports drinks?
Pedialyte’s website features a side-by-side comparison of Pedialyte and traditional sports drinks, noting that Pedialyte has 2x the electrolyte sodium while traditional sports drinks have 2x the sugar of Pedialyte.
And while it’s true – ounce for ounce, Pedialyte does in fact have more sodium than Powerade or Gatorade – it’s also worth noting that, like Powerade or Gatorade, every variety of Pedialyte (with the exception of their ‘Organic’ version) also contains two types of artificial sweeteners and multiple artificial food dyes.
Instead, opt for low- and no-sugar alternatives that are free of artificial dyes and sweeteners, like Nuun, SOS and/or pickle juice.
Pedialyte | $5.49 [$1.83 per 12oz serving]
Per 12 ounces: 35 calories – 9 grams carb – 9 grams added sugar – 370 mg sodium – 280 mg potassium
Ingredients include dextrose (sugar), minerals, artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium, artificial food dyes including Red 40, Blue 1 and/or Yellow 6.
Pedialyte Advanced Care | $5.49 [$1.83 per 12oz serving]
Per 12 ounces: 25 calories – 6 grams carb – 6 grams added sugar – 370 mg sodium – 280 mg potassium
Ingredients include dextrose (sugar), minerals, artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium, artificial food dyes including Red 40, Blue 1 and/or Yellow 6.
Pedialyte Advanced Care with 33% more Electrolytes | $8.29 [$2.76 per 12oz serving]
Per 12 ounces: 25 calories – 6 grams carb – 6 grams added sugar – 490 mg sodium – 280 mg potassium
Ingredients include dextrose (sugar), minerals, artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium, artificial food dyes including Red 40, Blue 1 and/or Yellow 6.
Pedialyte Sport | $5.49 [$1.83 per 12oz serving]
Per 12 ounces: 30 calories – 9 grams carb – 5 grams added sugar – 490 mg sodium – 470 mg potassium
Ingredients include dextrose (sugar), minerals, artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium, artificial food dyes including Red 40, Blue 1 and/or Yellow 6.
Pedialyte Stick Packs | $10.99 [$1.37 each]
Per stick pack: 25 calories – 6 grams carb – 6 grams added sugar – 240 mg sodium – 180 mg potassium
Ingredients include dextrose (sugar), minerals, artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium, artificial food dyes including Red 40, Blue 1 and/or Yellow 6.
Pedialyte Freezer Pops | $6.79 [$0.84 per serving]
Per two-pop serving: 15 calories – 3 grams carbs – 3 grams added sugar – 100 mg potassium
Ingredients include dextrose (sugar), minerals, artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium, artificial food dyes including Red 40, Blue 1 and/or Yellow 6.
BETTER BETS | Molly’s Top Picks for Electrolytes
electrolyte-rich, plus all-natural, little or no added sugar, zero artificial sweeteners, zero artificial colors
Nuun Sport | $6.25 per 10 servings [$0.62 per serving]
Per tablet: 10 calories – 4 gram carb – 1 gram sugar – 300 mg sodium – 150 mg potassium
No artificial sweeteners or colors (sweetened with stevia; colored with vegetable juice extracts)
SOS | $15 per 20 servings [$0.75 per serving]
Per stick pack: 10 calories – – 3 grams carb – 3 grams sugar – 350 mg sodium – 190 mg potassium
Ingredients include sugar, salt + other minerals, sweetened additionally with stevia
Pickle Juice | price varies by brand [$0.15 to $0.67 per serving]
The acetic acid in pickle juice can help relieve a cramp within seconds
per 2.5 ounces: 0 calories – 0 carbs – 0 sugar – 470 mg sodium – 24 mg potassium
Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD is a registered dietitian + nutrition journalist in New Orleans, and founder of Ochsner Eat Fit nonprofit restaurant initiative. Tune in to her podcast, FUELED | Wellness + Nutrition and follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @MollyKimballRD. See more of Molly’s articles + TV segments at www.mollykimball.com, and sign up for Eat Fit Wellness Bites weekly newsletter, here.