Hydration Drinks for People with Diabetes: Best & Worst

Staying hydrated is especially important if you’re living with diabetes. Water is always the best choice, but when you’re sweating, exercising or recovering from illness, your body may need a little electrolyte support—minerals such as sodium, potassium and magnesium that help regulate fluid balance, muscle function and nerve signaling—to stay properly hydrated. The challenge is that many traditional sports drinks are packed with added sugar, which can spike blood glucose levels.

So what’s safe to sip instead? We spoke with family physician Dr. Mitzi Rubin about the best hydration drinks for people with diabetes—and which ones to skip.

Best Hydration Drinks

If you’re looking for a hydration drink that can also give you a little energy during exercise, skip the sugary options. Instead, choose low- or no-sugar drinks and pair them with a healthy snack for balanced energy and blood sugar control.

Water

Water is the best choice for everyday hydration. Adding a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt gives it a mild electrolyte boost to help your body stay balanced. You can also add herbs, vegetables or fruit for flavor without added sugar—try mint or basil, cucumber or celery, or slices of lemon, lime, orange or strawberry for natural taste without artificial ingredients.

Coconut Water

Coconut water has fewer grams of sugar than most fruit juices. One cup provides about 46 calories, almost 2 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber and 6 grams of naturally occurring sugar. The fiber in coconut water slows digestion and helps prevent blood sugar spikes. It also naturally contains electrolytes—potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium—to support hydration. Just be sure to choose an unsweetened version, since some brands add sugar.

No-Added Sugar Orange Juice

Though it’s not the first thing that comes to mind for hydration, orange juice with no added sugar can be an option for people with diabetes. Like coconut water, it naturally provides sugar to fuel your body. One cup of orange juice has about 110 calories, 2 grams of protein, 1 gram of fiber and 20 grams of naturally occurring sugar. Choose options without added sugar, and if you want to lower the sugar content, dilute it with water.

Ultima

Ultima is a stevia-sweetened hydration powder that mixes easily with water for a zero-sugar, zero-calorie electrolyte drink that also includes 100% of the daily value for  vitamin C. Each serving delivers key minerals like potassium, magnesium and sodium to replenish your body, and the plant-based flavors are free of artificial colors, carbs or added sugar.

Nooma

If you are looking for a hydration drink that has no artificial ingredients, is USDA organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan-friendly, keto, paleo and has no added sugar, Nooma is for you. While it does have 5 grams of sugar from coconut water, those sugars are naturally occurring and are not “added sugar.” As a bonus, their packaging is eco-friendly and created for sustainability.

Propel Water

Propel is available in ready-to-drink bottles and powder packets, offering a zero-sugar, low-calorie source of electrolytes, vitamin C and zinc. It comes in a variety of fruit flavors—like berry, grape and kiwi strawberry—without artificial coloring.

SmartWater

For those looking to hydrate while avoiding sodium, SmartWater provides calcium, magnesium and potassium with no sodium, no sugar, no calories and no artificial colors.

Power Water

Made by Powerade, Power Water is a zero-calorie, zero-sugar alternative to regular Powerade that also provides a boost of vitamins B3, B6 and B12.

Worst Hydration Drinks

Everyone should limit sugary beverages. With no fiber or protein to slow down the body’s insulin response, sugary drinks wreak havoc on blood sugar, making them especially harmful for those with prediabetes and diabetes if not controlled.

Gatorade and Powerade

Both traditional Gatorade and Powerade are chock full of sugar. One 20-ounce bottle of Lemon-lime Gatorade contains a whopping 34 grams of added sugar and 140 calories. Similarly, 20 ounces of Powerade Fruit Punch also contains 140 calories and 35 grams of added sugar.

Just one of either of these drinks would put you well over the recommended maximum of 25 grams of added sugar each day.

Vitamin Water

Vitamin Water Refresh is also among the high-sugar hydration drinks, with 27 grams of added sugar and 100 calories in one 20-ounce bottle.

Liquid IV

Touted as a lower-sugar, higher-electrolyte alternative to traditional hydration drinks, Liquid IV still contains 11 grams of added sugar.

Hydrating Foods Count

Don’t forget the value that hydrating foods bring to the table. For people with prediabetes and diabetes, choosing foods with a low glycemic index that are also hydrating provides a double win.

Rubin recommends including vegetables like cucumber, celery, zucchini, yellow squash, jicama and romaine lettuce. All have a high-water content while providing fiber to slow down the body’s insulin response. Fruits such as watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, plums and kiwi are hydrating, have fiber and provide a sweet flavor without added sugar.

Hydration 101

Proper hydration is extremely important for everyone. Hydration impacts our health at the cellular level, supports adequate brain function, regulates internal body temperature, transports nutrients in our bloodstream and breaks down lipids in our bodies. Staying hydrated is especially important for those with chronic conditions, such as diabetes.

When the body is not adequately hydrated, symptoms can range from mild to severe depending on the level of dehydration.

• Mild dehydration can cause feeling thirsty and having dry lips, mouth or eyes.
• Moderate dehydration can cause constipation, rapid heart rate, fatigue, irritability and brain fog.
• Severe dehydration: can be life-threatening, causing dizziness or fainting, dry skin, heat exhaustion or heat stroke, low blood volume and even kidney failure.

The key to avoiding dehydration and its potential dangers is simple: drink enough water each day to support your body’s needs.

The exact amount of water varies from person to person and should consider factors like age and sex. For an estimate, Dr. Rubin shares that “the average, healthy adult needs a minimum of 64 ounces of water each day to be properly hydrated.” Other sources, like the United States Geological Survey—a scientific agency of the U.S. government, suggest that adult males need around 100 ounces of water and adult females 75 ounces of water daily.

Daily intake is important. Hydration is not something you can do just before an event or after a workout or a big race. Hydration has to be constant. The goal is to stay consistently hydrated by drinking a minimum of 64 ounces of water each day—more if possible, and then to supplement with additional water when you are sweating heavily, spending time in the heat or exercising.

Electrolytes and Their Impact on Hydration

Electrolytes are essential for basic life functioning and maintain electrical neutrality in cells; we get electrolytes from the food and drinks we consume. Sodium, potassium and chloride are the main electrolytes, along with magnesium, calcium, phosphate and bicarbonate. When electrolytes are imbalanced—either too low or too high—basic bodily functions can be disrupted.

When the body becomes dehydrated due to excessive sweating, illness such as vomiting or diarrhea, or taking certain medications, electrolytes can deplete and create an imbalance that may require electrolyte supplementation.

“Water is always best,” explains Rubin, “but you may need electrolyte replacement if you are exercising and sweating in the heat for more than an hour or if you are taking a medication that may reduce your body’s electrolytes,” explains Rubin. Diuretics, stimulants and certain diabetes medications can reduce electrolytes in the body.

Our Expert Take

Making sure you’re properly hydrated is essential for your overall health. If you have prediabetes or diabetes or are at risk of these, skip the sugary sports drinks and go for water (or any of these options) instead.

Aim for at least 64 ounces of water a day and increase your intake during exercise, hot weather or illness. If you need extra electrolytes, look for drinks without added sugars or artificial ingredients. And when in doubt, talk with a health care provider about which hydration options are best for your individual needs.