Early in the development of Gatorade, researchers learned that athletes are more apt to hydrate effectively with a properly flavored beverage than with water alone. This phenomenon has been proven repeatedly in field and lab studies involving the measurement of athlete’s hydration practices with varying beverages. (1) Therefore, it was very important to create a product that would taste best when an athlete was hot and thirsty and retain the optimal 6% carbohydrate concentration.
Since the flavor preferences of athletes are so critically important to hydration practices, the staff at GSSI have worked diligently to develop a wide range of Gatorade flavors to suit the differing palates of competitors all over the world, without altering the carbohydrate-electrolyte profile of the original Gatorade formula.
