Are you tired of feeling sluggish and fatigued after a long day in the sun? Do you have a hard time getting through a workout at the gym? Have you ever had a hard day at work that just doesn’t seem to end until you get home, where you can kick back and relax?
If so, it might be time to consider electrolyte supplements. Today, we’ll be focusing on two brands that sell electrolyte supplements: LMNT and Nuun. Both brands offer a wide range of flavors, so you’re sure to find something you love.
But first, what exactly is an electrolyte?
Table of Contents
What are Electrolytes, and why should we care about them?
Electrolytes are minerals that help keep your body in balance. They’re important because they help maintain a proper fluid balance in your body and control the activity of your muscles and nerves. If you don’t have enough electrolytes, it can lead to dehydration, which can cause a number of problems including nausea, headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and muscle cramps.
Electrolyte supplements are used to replace lost electrolytes in the body. These electrolytes include sodium, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and chloride. You can get them from food but sometimes the body needs more than what it gets from food alone. That’s where electrolyte supplements come into play. They help to replenish lost electrolytes so you can keep going without feeling sluggish or fatigued.
If you’re not sure how much sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride you should be getting each day, don’t worry. The recommended daily intakes are listed below:
- Sodium – (1500 mg for people under 50, 1300 mg for people over 50, 1200 mg for people over 70)
- Potassium – (4700 mg)
- Calcium – (1000 mg for people under 50, 1200 mg for people over 50)
- Magnesium – (420 mg for men, 320 mg for women)
- Chloride – (2300 mg for people under 50, 2000 mg for people over 50, and 1800 mg for people over 70)
What is LMNT?
LMNT is a powdered electrolyte mix that has been developed to help you stay hydrated and energized during high-intensity activity, like workouts, or long-distance runs.
It contains a mixture of sodium, potassium, and magnesium in powdered form, so you can toss it into your water bottle or hydration pack to get the electrolyte boost you need.
It does not contain carbs, so it’s an ideal option for those who are following a low-carb diet. It comes in a variety of flavors, so you can mix up your routine with different flavors and keep things interesting.
What is Nuun?
Nuun is a hydration tablet that contains electrolytes. It comes in tablet form, which you can add to water, and also as a powder, which you can mix with water.
Nuun was created for athletes who want to improve their performance during workouts or races, or simply want to boost immunity when they feel under the weather. It can be used by anyone who needs an extra boost of energy before a workout or run.
Developed by a team of medical professionals and sports nutritionists, Nuun contains natural ingredients and provides electrolytes to help you stay hydrated at all times.
How Do They Compare Nutritionally?
Nuun offers a variety of products to suit different needs, while LMNT has only one formula.
Nuun is more customizable than LMNT because you can choose between various levels of electrolytes per serving. With LMNT, the formula is simple, with 1000 mg Sodium, 200 mg Potassium, and 60 mg Magnesium per serving.
While LMNT contains no sugar, Nuun has a few grams of sugar in most of its products.
Nuun Immunity3 has 6g of sugar, while the other formulas have less than 3g per serving. The difference between these two brands isn’t huge—but it’s enough to make a difference if you’re trying to cut calories from your diet because a daily drink could add up over time.
LMNT does not contain chloride—an essential mineral for cell function and fluid balance, nor does it contain calcium, which is crucial for bone health, blood clotting, and muscle contraction.
Side-by-Side Comparison Table
The table below compares the electrolytes in both drinks:
Hydration Drink Mix | Sugar | Sodium | Potassium | Chloride | Calcium | Magnesium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LMNT Recharge | 0 g | 1000 mg | 200 mg | 0 g | 0 mg | 60 mg |
Nuun Sport | 1 g | 300 mg | 150 mg | 40 mg | 13 mg | 25 mg |
Nuun Daily | 0 g | 200 mg | 125 mg | 75 mg | 30 mg | 20 mg |
Nuun Vitamins | 2 g | 100 mg | 150 mg | 75 mg | 15 mg | 15 mg |
Nuun Instant | 5 g | 520 mg | 385 mg | 250 mg | 20 mg | 8 mg |
Nuun Immunity3 | 6 g | 385 mg | 285 mg | 200 mg | 15 mg | 15 mg |
If you’re looking for a simple solution to your electrolyte needs, LMNT is the way to go. If you want more flexibility in adjusting your electrolytes depending on how active you are or if have special nutritional needs—Nuun might be a better choice.
Varieties, Flavors, and Taste Comparison
If you’re looking for a portable, convenient way to stay hydrated during your workout then both Nuun and LMNT will do the trick. LMNT comes in only ready-to-mix packets, while Nuun offers customers a choice of tablet or ready-to-mix packet.
When it comes to taste, both products have their pros and cons. LMNT flavors can be a little saltier because of their high sodium content (which is great for replenishing electrolytes), but some people may find them too salty for their liking. On the other hand, Nuun flavors are often fruitier than those offered by LMNT (see below), which some people may prefer over the more savory flavors from LMNT.
The LMNT comes in eight great-tasting flavors:
- Citrus Salt
- Watermelon Salt
- Mango Chili
- Orange Salt
- Raspberry Salt
- Lemon Habanero
- Raw Unflavored
- Chocolate Salt
Nuun has the widest variety of flavors, with a total of 15+ different types.
- Citrus Fruit
- Fruit Punch
- Grape
- Lemon Lime
- Orange
- Strawberry Lemonade
- Tri-Berry
- Tropical
- Watermelon
- Cherry Lemonade
- Fresh Lime
- Mango Orange
- Blueberry Tangerine
- Orange Citrus
- Wild Berry.
Both are refreshing and hydrating, so they’ll help you feel better fast. They taste best when you drink them cold or with ice (like most sports drinks).
Price Comparison
LMNT is a little more expensive than the Nuun tablet at $1.50 per packet. However, if you subscribe and save, you get the price down to $1.30 per packet—that’s a savings of 10%.
If you’re looking for the same benefits in tablet form, Nuun is one of the better options out there. The prices vary depending on the version you purchase, but they generally start at around $0.75 per tablet or serving. If you want to save even more on this product, you can sign up for Subscribe & Save and get an additional 15% off.
You can purchase a packet of Nuun Instant for $1.99 and a packet of Nuun Immunity3 for $2.49. Both are powdered forms of Nuun, which you can add to water to make an electrolyte drink. LMNT appears less expensive in comparison to them because it does not contain much electrolyte content.
Which is better, LMNT or Nuun?
When it comes to convenience and ease of use, there’s no denying that Nuun and LMNT have a lot in common. Both of these products are designed to be mixed with water, so you can take them on the go without any fuss.
And they’re both available in dozens of flavors—though Nuun has the edge on this one, with a wide range of products including pre-workout formulas and special formulations for daily immunity, rest, and recovery.
However, we recommend using LMNT if you’re looking for something salty or if you’re looking for something that is sugar-free. Nuun tablets are less expensive than LMNT, but Nuun powdered forms are more expensive than LMNT packets.
While Nuun comes in both caffeinated and noncaffeinated formulas, LMNT is caffeine-free.
Both brands mix well with water, but if you’re looking for convenience over taste you might prefer the Nuun tablets instead.
Final Thoughts
Both LMNT and Nuun are fantastic products that will help you get the hydration you need to perform at your best. They’re both great in their own ways and they both have their pros and cons.
If it were my choice, I’d probably go with Nuun just because it’s so easy to carry around and use on the go. It’s also cheaper and has a wider range of products.
But this is a personal choice; what works for me might not work for you!
If you’re unsure whether Nuun or LMNT is right for you, talk to your doctor or check out the labels on each product to see what they contain and make sure they suit your personal needs.