Sustain Active Hydration vs. Gatorade: what's in each drink

Melaleuca's Sustain Active Hydration is a powder packet you mix into water. Gatorade Thirst Quencher comes ready to drink. Per 16 fl oz, Gatorade has about 112 calories and about 27 g of sugar, compared with 25 calories and 5 g in Sustain. You can mix Sustain at home or grab a bottle of Gatorade on the way out.

How Sustain and Gatorade compare

Both drinks replace fluid and electrolytes during sports and other sweaty activity. Sustain comes in a dry packet; Gatorade comes in a bottle. Gatorade's label gives numbers for a 20 fl oz bottle. The table also shows those numbers scaled to 16 fl oz by multiplying them by 0.8.

A 16 fl oz serving is 0.8 of a 20 fl oz bottle. Multiply each bottle-label number by 0.8: 140 calories becomes 112, 34 g of sugar becomes about 27 g, and 270 mg of sodium becomes about 216 mg.

What Melaleuca says about Sustain

Melaleuca describes the packet as "energized by a 4-in-1 electrolyte complex to rehydrate your body, sustain muscle performance, and maximize your activity!" Its directions say to empty one packet into 16 fl oz of water and stir. An 8 g packet has 70 mg sodium and 47 mg potassium. It also contains 54 mg calcium, 15 mg magnesium, 10 mg vitamin C, and smaller amounts of vitamin E, riboflavin and vitamin B12, according to Melaleuca.

Organic cane sugar and sucralose give the drink its sweetness. Melaleuca calls it gluten-free. Sustain comes in Orange, Lemon and Raspberry Lemonade, with 20 packets in each box.

How Gatorade Thirst Quencher comes

You can drink Gatorade straight from a 20 fl oz bottle. Twist the cap and pour. The Target listing shows Lemon-Lime at $2.79. Each bottle has 140 calories, 34 g of sugar, 270 mg sodium and 80 mg potassium.

Single-serve powder sticks are another Gatorade option if you'd rather mix your own.

What a 16 fl oz drink costs

A Sustain packet costs about $0.95 at the regular price and about $0.65 for members, according to Melaleuca's pricing. At Target, a 20 fl oz Gatorade bottle costs $2.79. For a kid who brings a drink to every practice, that difference adds up over a season.

Prices can change, so check the maker's site or your store before buying. For Melaleuca's other supplements, see the vitamins and supplements guide.

Which one fits your household?

Sustain suits a household with water bottles handy. Mix a packet at the tap and you're done. A 16 fl oz serving has 5 g of sugar, compared with about 27 g in Gatorade, plus 54 mg of calcium and 15 mg of magnesium. Member pricing brings the cost to about $0.65 per drink, and the box fits easily in a pantry.

For a grab-and-go routine, Gatorade is the easier fit. You can pick it up at major retail stores during a regular grocery run, and kids can open a bottle themselves. Its powder sticks are another option if you want an easy-to-carry drink mix.

Questions about Sustain and Gatorade

How much water does one Sustain packet make? One packet mixes into 16 fl oz of water, according to Melaleuca's directions.

How many packets come in a box? Each Orange, Lemon and Raspberry Lemonade box holds 20 packets. Melaleuca lists all three at $19.00 regular / $12.99 member.

Where can you buy each one? Sustain is sold through Melaleuca's online store, with lower member pricing for members. Gatorade Thirst Quencher is sold at major retail stores, including Target.

For the sports bag, think about what your kid will actually drink. If they refill at the kitchen sink, a packet at $0.65 member costs less per drink and has less sugar. If they grab a bottle on the way out, Gatorade's $2.79 bottle is ready to drink.

Sources

• Sustain Active Hydration: Orange Packets, melaleuca.com
• Gatorade Lemon Lime Sports Drink - 20 fl oz Bottle, Target