Powerade is a drink that you ought to make space for in your gym bag. When you work out and sweat, you tend to lose a lot of electrolytes. This drink is designed to replenish those electrolytes.
Specifically, it contains four electrolytes – sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Take swigs of it before long workouts to ensure you have the stamina to lift some extra weights.
Besides these electrolytes, Powerade also contains a ton of Vitamins, like Vitamin B3, B6, and B12, which are instrumental in keeping the body at its best health.
Throughout the years, Powerade has been releasing a wide range of sports drinks with varying levels of success. From classic flavors like Fruit Punch and Grape to more obscure options like Strawberry Lemonade and Twisted Blackberry, there’s a flavor for every taste bud. But which is the best?
Available flavors include:
- Blue Raspberry Cherry
- Citrus Passionfruit
- Fruit Punch
- Grape
- Kiwi Pineapple
- Lemonade
- Lemon Lime
- Melon
- Mountain Berry Blast
- Orange
- Strawberry Lemonade
- Tropical Mango
- Twisted Blackberry
- Watermelon Strawberry Wave
- White Cherry
For our taste test, we sampled all 15 flavors of Powerade. We judged them based on the following criteria:
Taste – Did it taste good? Was the flavor too weak or overpowering? Was it pleasant to drink or did it have an aftertaste?
Color – Does the drink look appetizing? Does it make you want to take a sip?
Dominance – How much does the flavor stand out from other flavors in similar categories? The dominance factor was used when we had two or more very similar flavors that were difficult to differentiate between. For example, we had two different lemonade-based Powerade flavors (Lemon Lime and Berry Lemonade) which were so similar in taste that we had to determine how dominant each flavor was compared to one another.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s get into some rankings!
Table of Contents
9. Twisted Blackberry
The taste is delicious and reminds me of a blackberry cooler drink – but with a twist! I was worried that Powerade decided to discontinue it since I haven’t seen it as much recently, but thankfully it’s still on the market.
The blackberry taste is natural, so it provides a nice tartness to cut back on the sweetness that cherry drinks have.
I think they are better served cold and would enjoy them even more if they were a bit colder. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a refreshing drink.
8. Lemon Lime
Unlike the white cherry, with this flavor, you do get a strong citrus taste. It’s a classic taste, but nothing that would blow your mind. A chilled bottle of this flavor is not a bad choice for hot summer days.
Buy it only if you like the sourness of lime in your drink. However, let’s warn you, it tastes nothing like freshly squeezed lemonade. The artificial flavoring is quite apparent.
7. Strawberry Lemonade
It has a great amount of flavor and only tastes slightly artificial. There’s a hint of real strawberry and lemon in their ingredients, but I can’t say how much exactly. I think it’s just enough that it makes you feel like you’re drinking something sweet and summery, but not so much that you feel like you’re drinking straight-up candy!
I really like the easy-to-drink nozzle that comes with it. I think it is a great product and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for something refreshing to drink on a hot day.
6. White Cherry
This flavor of Powerade is refreshing to look at, almost like a freshly squeezed lemonade. But don’t we all know the age-old adage that looks can indeed be deceptive? You might go for this with the hopes of tasting a juicy cherry. But all you get is a bland, watered-down cherry taste.
If you are just getting initiated into the world of Powerade, better to start with a different flavor.
5. Grape
One of the stronger flavors of Powerade, this one hardly feels like a sports drink. Though not made with fresh grapes, it does manage to have a strong smell of the fruit. You get a sense that you are drinking something fresh. Though in truth, it is just a flavor.
The best part is that it doesn’t seem watered down like other flavors, and has an intensity that is just right. With the right balance of flavor and sweetness, this is one of Powerade’s best.
4. Orange
While this is not an extraordinary drink, there is little reason to dislike it. It has a subtle orange flavor and a sort of tartness that comes with the orange flavor. Though the bottle says that it contains added sugar, you can hardly taste the sweetness in it.
It’s very unlike Tang or Kool-Aid. Having said that, the mellow flavor makes it easy to drink whole bottle bottoms up.
3. Melon
Right when you open the lid of the bottle, you are hit with a strong melon smell. This can be very appetizing, especially after a long and sweaty workout. The taste, in comparison with the smell, is weak. But have no doubt, it is a refreshing drink and has a clear melon taste. However, it is not strong enough and almost seems watered down.
You will like it as long as you keep in mind that the main reason you are drinking it is for the electrolytes.
2. Fruit Punch
Say fruit punch, and what comes to mind is an excessively sweet Hawaiian punch. This drink is a stark contrast to any of the fruit punch variations that you have tasted. It is super mild but with the taste of fruit punch intact. It is smooth, and not overwhelmingly sweet.
Packed with just 80 calories, and with all the necessary electrolytes, this fruit punch might be the only one you can have guilt-free.
1. Mountain Berry Blast
This flavor is popularly known simply as the blue drink. Initially called Mountain Blast, Powerade decided to change its name to Mountain Berry Blast – and for the right reason. It has a clear unmistakable flavor of blueberries coming right through every sip. It is as refreshing to taste, as it is to look at. The sweetness is just right, with borderline tartness. This is Powerade’s best-tasting drink.
If you are a gym bunny, you probably have found yourself in the grocery store wondering which Powerade flavor to buy. It can be a daunting task, given there are so many to choose from.
Our ranking of the 9 best Powerade flavors should help you grab your drink without confusion the next time you are at a store. This means more time for those squats and burpees! May the power be with you.
