A while back I wrote about those fabulous little drink tabs to add to your water for electrolytes and vitamins. I’m a fan of Nuun Active Hydration Electrolyte Enhanced Drink Tabs for exercise (and sodium replacement), except for their inclusion of artificial sweeteners and preservatives. I wouldn’t swear them off because of those ingredients, but I wouldn’t want to be poppin a tab 24/7. Yet, beyond exercising, sometimes I want to spice up my water with something natural and without all the extra sodium/calories in order to stay hydrated. Water does get boring, and sometimes I won’t drink enough in a day! I’ll admit, I do like to indulge in kombucha teas as a water alternative, but that’s an expensive little habit that I have to monitor.

Nuun has a reasonably priced tab that fits the bill for enhanced hydration alone: the Nuun All-Day Hydration Tabs. Nothing artificial*, no preservatives, less sodium, lots of vitamins/minerals, and ~7 calories. I got a chance to try these guys, and I approve. Take a look at what they offer:

Active Ingredients
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Thiamin
Riboflavin
Niacin
Vitamin B-6
Vitamin B-12
Pantothenic Acid
Magnesium
Zinc
Selenium
Manganese
Chromium
Sodium
Potassium		 Level
750 IU
60 mg
200 IU
15 IU
750 mcg
850 mcg
10 mg
1 mg
3 mcg
5 mg
20 mg
750 mcg
3.5 mcg
100 mcg
6 mcg
60 mg
200 mg
Other ingredients: citric acid, sorbitol, natural flavors, stevia leaf extract, natural color, wheat germ oil.

Only 60 mg sodium, that’s 300 fewer mg’s than the Active Hydration. Nice. And if you count it up, there’s 17 vitamins and minerals in each tabs, important for athletes, recreational exercisers and even sedentary people. I tried the Blueberry Pomegranate and Tangerine Lime. If you’ve tried one of these effervescent tabs before, the All-Day is pretty much the same, just a little less “punchy.” It’s a mild, tasty flavor, best in cold water. That said, I do think I get a bit of that vitamin/minerally taste in these — more than I taste in the Active Hydration tabs.

So that asterisk on “nothing artificial,” though. The All-Day tabs do have sorbitol, which is a sugar alcohol that is categorized as an artificial sweetener but it is found naturally in fruits. You have to be careful with sorbitol consumption because too much can cause GI distress, and have a laxative effect causing diarrhea. But one All-Day tab is not going to harm you or leave you on the toilet. The other sweetener used is stevia, which is derived from plants and natural. Both are better alternatives than other artificial sweeteners out there, and obviously a lot better than real sugar that you’ll get in sodas, juices, etc.

BOTTOM LINE: I like the taste of the Nuun All-Day Hydration tabs, and can feel good about sipping one during the day — or even at night when I want flavor but not the extra calories — knowing I’m avoiding the extra sodium and calories and giving myself a good boost of vitamins and minerals. And oh yea, this is important: These tabs might even ease that obnoxious little thing called a hangover, according to Nuun’s FAQs and even anecdotal evidence I’ve heard around town. So if you plan on indulging after your next race, be sure to pack a bottle of these tabs instead of the aspirin or Ibuprofen. Keep it real, folks.

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Cost: On the Nuun website they’re $29.95 for a 4-pack, which has 60 servings (15 per tub). A slight discount when  you buy multiple 4-packs. Also saw tubes of 15 going for $8 at different stores, and potential deals on Amazon. You’re looking at about $2 +/- per serving. Cheaper than a kombucha for $3 or more, and worth the extra buck or so than just water!