Can Maple Water Replace Your Go-To Sports Drink?

Staying hydrated while you work out is extra important during the summer. As someone who hydrates fastidiously while marathon training, I find it a chore to swig more fluids—especially plain water. For longer runs, I usually rely on a sports drink, but the artificial sweetness can be cloying. Could maple water be a natural alternative?

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I decided to try Maple 3, which is sourced in Canada and contains 46 nutrients, minerals and electrolytes. Off the top, I really like its delicate flavour—something that Ashley Charlebois, an Ottawa-based regis­tered dietitian and certified exercise physiologist, says makes it a good alternative for people who find water boring. “It’s got a bit more flavour without a ton of extra calories.”

What is the electrolyte content of maple water?

But depending on the length and intensity of your workout, maple water on its own might not cut it. “In general, you need 30 to 90 grams of carbs per hour of exercise,” says Charlebois; maple water contains 8 g per 375 mL. Its electrolyte content is also “pretty low,” she notes. (You need to ingest around 500 to 700 mg of electrolytes per hour of exercise. A 500-mL bottle of sports drink contains around 300 mg, while 375 mL of maple water contains around 50 mg.)

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If you still prefer maple water to sports drinks for long workouts, Charlebois recommends using it alongside energy gels or chews. (I’ve found that it nicely balances out the sweetness of my go-to gummies.) On its own, it’s great for refuelling during shorter workouts.

Maple 3 Pure Maple Water, $28 for a six-pack of 1-L containers, amazon.ca.