Quick Facts: Sugar in Electrolyte Drinks
- A small amount of sugar improves fluid absorption—not just flavor.
- Zero-sugar is fine when sweating minimally or sipping casually.
- Nuun maintains hydration effectiveness with minimal sweetness.
- Choose Nuun Zero Sugar for everyday hydration without added sugar and Nuun Endurance for more intense activity.
A Hydrating Formula Backed by Science
Whenever you break a sweat, reach for Nuun Sport to optimize your rehydration. Each tab is packed with electrolytes and only 1 gram of sugar — the perfect balance to help your body absorb water efficiently.
Shop NowIs sugar good for hydration?
Hydration seems simple enough: If you drink a glass of water, boom! You’re hydrated. But drinking water does not necessarily mean absorbing water.
The water you drink will always get delivered to your stomach, but what next makes all the difference. It can either get absorbed by your small intestine and distributed throughout your body, aiding everything from immune health to exercise recovery. Or it can keep moving through your system and out of your body before it has the chance to do much good.
Luckily, decades of scientific research have revealed that there is a magic formula for effective hydration: a little sugar and a little salt added to plain water give it the staying power for maximal absorption and optimal effects.
Whether you're an athlete pushing for the next level or someone striving to maintain a healthy lifestyle, understanding the functions of these key electrolytes can enhance your performance and wellbeing.
The science behind sodium-glucose transport
Well, since about 1960. That’s the year that a doctor named Robert Crane identified the glucose “cotransport,” the concept that sugar activates the absorption capabilities of the small intestine. His work and the work of many others contributed to what is now known as Oral Rehydration Therapy, a profound scientific breakthrough that revolutionized treatments during cholera outbreaks for dangerously dehydrated patients.
This discovery has had wide-reaching implications, from elite athletics to everyday health, and is the foundation of modern hydration science. It’s been studied countless times since the 1960s, and the power of sugar still holds up.
How sugar helps your body absorb fluids faster
Imagine for a moment that you’re super thirsty, but you don’t have a cup. So, you go to the sink and put your hand under the running water. You might catch a tiny bit for a quick sip, but mostly it streams right out of your hand and down the drain.
Not very efficient, not very quenching. And believe it or not, this is pretty much what your body does with plain water.
Now imagine what a big difference a cup makes. With this basic tool, you can get the water from Point A to Point B effectively and efficiently. It’s simple yet game-changing, and just like that, you’re not so thirsty anymore.
That’s essentially the role that sugar plays in helping your body absorb water. When paired with electrolytes in just the right ratio, sugar gets the water exactly where it needs to go: absorbed via the small intestine.
Do you need sugar for electrolytes?
For everyday activities and average workouts, you just need a little pinch of sugar to ensure that the water you drink is getting absorbed into your body. Nuun Sport is formulated with 1 gram of sugar, just enough to help water and electrolytes do their thing.
How much is 1 gram of sugar?
+Just a pinch. It’s around a quarter of teaspoon, or about 4 calories’ worth.
You’ll see a wide range of sugar content from healthy sports drinks to not-so-healthy ones, but a gram of sugar is all you need for an average workout. That’s how much is contained in a tab of Nuun Sport, which is specially formulated for everyday exercise or anytime you break a sweat.
When is low or no sugar beneficial?
If you aren’t regularly working up a sweat and simply need a little boost with everyday hydration, a low- or no-sugar electrolyte drink, like Nuun Zero Sugar might be the way to go.
Diabetics or people who need to monitor their blood sugar levels may want to avoid electrolyte drinks with sugar, unless they’re using the carbohydrates from these drinks to keep their blood sugar levels steady. Talk to your doctor about using sports drinks to manage your glucose levels during a workout or vigorous activity.
Electrolyte drinks with and without sugar: A comparison
| Feature / Benefit | With Sugar (e.g., Nuun Sport) | Sugar-Free (e.g., Nuun Zero Sugar) |
|---|---|---|
| Hydration Effectiveness | Enhances absorption through sodium-glucose transport, ideal during intense exercise | Effective for casual hydration and low-intensity activity |
| Energy Support | Provides quick energy boost for endurance training | No energy boost—best paired with meals or snacks |
| Calories per Serving | Low (~15 cal per serving with Nuun Sport) | 0 calories |
| Best Use Cases | Long runs, cycling, marathons, hot-weather workouts | Everyday hydration, light activity, keto-friendly |
| Who Benefits Most | Endurance athletes, high-sweat situations | Daily users, people watching sugar or calorie intake |
| Nuun Example | Nuun Sport (with a small amount of sugar + electrolytes) | Nuun Sport (with a small amount of sugar + electrolytes) |
Sugar Is Sweet, as Long as It’s Working for You
Sugar gets a bad rap, but in the right quantity and context it can be a powerful tool to support your fitness and wellness goals. Thanks to decades of research, we know it’s an essential part of maintaining healthy hydration.
So, when you see a little bit of sugar in an electrolyte drink, don’t sweat it. Or better yet: get sweaty and keep hydrating, knowing that sugar and science have your back.
