Best On The Job Drinks

Today is National Hydration Day, a reminder that staying hydrated is especially important for laborers who work in hot conditions far away from air conditioning and refrigerators. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that over 4,000 U.S. workers (or 11 daily!) are seriously injured or die from heat stress every year. However, heat illness is 100% preventable with the right precautions, and staying properly hydrated is one of many ways employees can stay safe in the heat. Hydrating may seem simple, but is drinking water still the best option? Do electrolyte-replacing beverages have benefits over water? What about energy drinks? Here are five tips to help workers stay hydrated from Magid:  1. Drink cool water rather than warm water. Drinking water while working in hot weather lowers heart rate, hydrates internal organs, and improves focus. Not only is cool water more appealing to drink, it also has more benefits over warm water such as preventing body temperatures from increasing to dangerous levels. 2. Give out beverages with additional nutritional and mineral benefits. Certain varieties of electrolyte-replacing beverages absorb into our bodies quicker than water, so choose electrolyte-replacing beverages after an hour of hard work in the heat over water. These beverages help replace salts or minerals we lose after an hour of exposure to high temperatures. Some products have twice the potassium with less sodium and calories than common sports drinks. (Sqwincher fits that bill and is available in liquid form, powder packs, and freezer pops, pictured left.) But remember ...