Spectroscopy of Sports Drinks

Beverages designed to replenish vital nutrients have been around since the late 1920s, when they were first developed to provide essential nutrients to the sick. In the decades since then, these beverages have grown to a multibillion dollar industry globally. Consumers are faced with a dizzying array of choices, with drink composition ranging from simple water, sugar and electrolytes to more complex mixtures containing natural ingredients with added vitamins and nutrients. Inspired by the recent proliferation of sports drinks and the vast array of choices consumers have available, we were curious to explore the composition of several sample beverages using modular spectroscopy.