Home > Facts > Food Facts > Gatorade Facts

Gatorade Facts

Gatorade Facts
Gatorade is a sports drink that is made up of water, carbohydrates, and electrolytes, designed to help replenish the body after physical activity. The drink was developed in 1965 by University of Florida researchers, and was first made and sold by Stokely-Van Camp. In 1987 Gatorade was bought by the Quaker Oats Company. In 2000 PepsiCo purchased the brand and by 2010 it was the company's fourth most successful brand. Gatorade accounts for 3/4s of the sports drinks sales in the United States alone. The earliest Gatorade formula included phosphate, potassium, sugar, sodium, and water. The inventors almost called the new product "Gator-Aid" but chose not to use the word 'aid' because it suggested a scientific basis.
Interesting Gatorade Facts:
Gatorade is the only beverage permitted for drinking on the bench at an NBA game, other than water.
Gatorade is often given to refugees because of its ability to help those who are seriously malnourished.
Gatorade tried to market Gatorgum for a short period of time. People preferred to quench their thirst with a drink as opposed to chewing gum.
Gatorade drinkers in Russia and Australia can buy rainbow Gatorade. It's a mix of different flavors.
Worldwide, Gatorade has a 46% market share of the sports drink sales.
The first batch of Gatorade that was made during its development cost researchers $43. The researchers included Robert cade, Dana Shires, Alejandro de Quesada, and Harry James Free.
There was once a substance in Gatorade that the FDA banned in 1969. It was called cyclamate, which is a carcinogen that is known to cause bladder cancer. Cyclamate was replaced with fructose, which is becoming known as an ingredient that can contribute to type II diabetes and obesity.
The value of the Gatorade brand is estimated by Forbes to be worth at least $4.8 billion.
Royalties are paid to the University of Florida for the development of the Gatorade drink and the deal to use the mascot of the university's football team for its brand. At least $150 million has been paid to the university so far.
Gatorade has a research lab all of its own called the Gatorade Sports Science Institute.
Gatorade is available for purchase in 86 countries around the globe. The flavors and bottles are not always the same in different parts of the world but the drink is basically the same formula.
There have been at least 26 Gatorade flavors discontinued since Gatorade was first launched. Some of the flavors that have been discontinued include lemonade and Gatorade AM.
The first three Gatorade flavors were orange, fruit punch, and lemon-lime and they continue some of the most popular. Orange and lemon-lime were introduced first under the Gatorade Thirst Quencher line, and fruit punch came along 20 years later.
The first shower of Gatorade at a sports game occurred during an NFL regular season game.
In the beginning Gatorade tried to claim that the drink moved through the body faster than water - 12 times faster. It was later found that this was not true. This claim had to be removed from the ads.


Related Links:
Facts
Food Facts
Animals Facts