Gatorade vs Powerade: Sugar, Sodium and Electrolytes

Per 12 fl oz, Powerade lists 240 mg of sodium and 80 mg of potassium versus about 160 mg and 50 mg for Gatorade Thirst Quencher, sugar is close (21 g vs about 20 g), Powerade is sweetened with high fructose corn syrup and Gatorade with sugar and dextrose, and neither lists caffeine.

Key takeaways

• Gatorade Thirst Quencher sweetens with sucrose (table sugar) and dextrose, whereas Powerade relies on high fructose corn syrup.
• Per 12 fl oz scaled serving, Powerade provides 240 mg of sodium and 80 mg of potassium, compared to Gatorade's approximately 160 mg of sodium and 50 mg of potassium.
• Powerade includes magnesium chloride and calcium chloride in its electrolyte blend alongside added vitamins B12 and C, which Gatorade omits.
• Both lemon-lime formulations use Yellow 5 for color and both list glycerol ester of rosin and gum arabic (acacia).
• Neither traditional sports drink contains caffeine or zero-calorie artificial sweeteners like sucralose.

At a Glance: Gatorade vs Powerade Nutrition Facts

When comparing the labels of Gatorade Thirst Quencher Lemon-Lime and Powerade Lemon Lime or Mountain Berry Blast, the primary challenge is reconciling declared serving sizes. Gatorade's common 20 fl oz ready-to-drink bottle lists nutrition for the entire bottle as a single serving, whereas Powerade reports its nutrition panel based on a standard 12 fl oz serving (such as 2.5 servings per 28 fl oz container).

Per the Open Food Facts listing for the 20 fl oz bottle, Gatorade Lemon-Lime contains 140 calories, 36 grams of total carbohydrates, 34 grams of total sugars (all added sugars), 270 mg of sodium, and 80 mg of potassium. Powerade's product page lists, per 12 fl oz serving, 80 calories, 21 grams of total carbohydrates, 21 grams of total sugars (all added sugars), 240 mg of sodium (10% Daily Value), and 80 mg of potassium (2% Daily Value).

Scaling Gatorade's 270 mg of sodium and 80 mg of potassium per 20 fl oz down to 12 fl oz is simple arithmetic: roughly 162 mg of sodium and 48 mg of potassium. Gatorade's own page gives the same 270 mg of sodium per 20 oz. This aligns with the footnote on Powerade's product page, which states: "Per 12 fl oz: POWERADE - 240mg (Sodium), 80mg (Potassium); Gatorade Thirst Quencher - 160mg (Sodium), 50mg (Potassium)."

Nutrient / Attribute	Gatorade Thirst Quencher Lemon-Lime (Per 20 fl oz bottle)	Gatorade (Scaled arithmetic per 12 fl oz)	Powerade Lemon Lime / Mountain Berry Blast (Per 12 fl oz panel)
Calories	140 kcal	~84 kcal	80 kcal
Total Carbohydrates	36 g	~21.6 g	21 g
Total Sugars	34 g	~20.4 g	21 g
Added Sugars	34 g	~20.4 g	21 g
Sodium	270 mg	~162 mg (160 mg per footnote)	240 mg (10% DV)
Potassium	80 mg	~48 mg (50 mg per footnote)	80 mg (2% DV)
Primary Sweeteners	Sugar (sucrose), Dextrose	Sugar (sucrose), Dextrose	High Fructose Corn Syrup
Electrolyte Mineral Salts	Salt, Sodium Citrate, Monopotassium Phosphate	Salt, Sodium Citrate, Monopotassium Phosphate	Salt, Sodium Citrate, Magnesium Chloride, Calcium Chloride, Monopotassium Phosphate
Added Vitamins	None listed	None listed	Vitamin C (20% DV), Vitamin B12 (35% DV)
Colors (Lemon-Lime)	Yellow 5	Yellow 5	Yellow 5

Is Gatorade or Powerade Better for You?

Neither label makes one objectively better: per 12 fl oz, Powerade has more sodium and potassium and added vitamins B12 and C, Gatorade has slightly less sugar (about 20 g vs 21 g) and no high fructose corn syrup, and both carry Yellow 5 in the lemon-lime flavor. Gatorade's page describes its Thirst Quencher as ideal for longer-duration, moderate- or high-intensity training or competition.

Using the per-12-fl-oz figures on Powerade's page, Powerade has 50 percent more sodium (240 mg vs 160 mg) and 60 percent more potassium (80 mg vs 50 mg) than Gatorade Thirst Quencher.

Both regular formulas list all of their sugars as added sugars: 34 g per 20 fl oz bottle for Gatorade and 21 g per 12 fl oz for Powerade.

Sweetener Systems: Sucrose and Dextrose vs High Fructose Corn Syrup

Per 12 fl oz serving, Powerade contains 21 grams of added sugars, while Gatorade contains approximately 20.4 grams (derived from its 34 grams per 20 fl oz bottle).

While the absolute carbohydrate amounts are nearly equivalent when scaled to the same volume, the sugar types listed in the ingredients differ completely. Gatorade Thirst Quencher lists "sugar" and "dextrose". In contrast, Powerade lists "high fructose corn syrup" (HFCS) as its second ingredient after water.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance on high fructose corn syrup, the most common forms contain either 42 percent or 55 percent fructose; Powerade's page does not say which it uses. The FDA notes that it is not aware of evidence showing a safety difference between foods containing HFCS 42 or HFCS 55 and foods with similar amounts of nutritive sweeteners that have comparable glucose and fructose balances, such as sucrose. Neither regular formula lists a high-intensity sweetener such as sucralose or acesulfame potassium.

Sodium and Salt Sources: How the Electrolyte Bases Differ

Per 12 fl oz serving, Powerade supplies 240 mg of sodium compared to Gatorade's approximately 160 mg to 162 mg. Powerade's panel puts its 240 mg at 10 percent of the Daily Value.

Both ingredient lists name two sodium sources: "salt" and "sodium citrate." Gatorade's page says its Thirst Quencher contains sodium and potassium electrolytes; Powerade groups its minerals under "ELECTROLYTES" in the ingredient list.

For readers exploring how mineral compounds function across grocery aisles, our review of Sodium Beyond Salt: 6 Scanned Labels With Sodium Additives explores these functional salts in more detail.

Potassium, Magnesium, and Calcium: The Electrolyte Comparison

Powerade lists both potassium (80 mg per 12 fl oz) and magnesium chloride on its label, whereas Gatorade lists potassium (80 mg per 20 fl oz) but does not include magnesium.

Both drinks list monopotassium phosphate. On a like-for-like 12 fl oz basis, Powerade provides 80 mg of potassium (2% Daily Value), while Gatorade supplies about 48 mg to 50 mg.

Where the electrolyte profiles diverge entirely is in secondary minerals. Powerade includes a dedicated electrolyte blend inside its parenthetical ingredient list: "ELECTROLYTES (SALT, SODIUM CITRATE, MAGNESIUM AND CALCIUM CHLORIDES, MONO-POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE)." While Powerade discloses magnesium and calcium chlorides in its ingredients, the quantitative milligrams for calcium and magnesium are not stated on the primary online nutrition panel. Gatorade Thirst Quencher does not list calcium or magnesium sources in its formulation.

Dyes, Emulsifiers, and Preservatives: Yellow 5, Gum Acacia, and EDTA

Gatorade Lemon-Lime and Powerade Lemon Lime both use FD&C Yellow No. 5, while Powerade Mountain Berry Blast uses FD&C Blue No. 1.

Under federal regulations (21 CFR 74.705 for Yellow 5 and 21 CFR 74.101 for Blue 1), foods containing Yellow 5 must declare it by name (FD&C Yellow No. 5) in the ingredient list, and batches of both colors must be certified. For a recent dye-labeling recall involving Gatorade, see our Gatorade undeclared yellow dyes report. On April 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the FDA announced an initiative working with the food industry to phase out six synthetic petroleum-based dyes, including Yellow 5 and Blue 1, from the food supply "by the end of next year" (end of 2026). Neither brand's reformulation plans are covered here.

Both lemon-lime formulas also list:

• Glycerol ester of rosin: Under 21 CFR 172.735 it is used to adjust the density of citrus oils in beverages, at no more than 100 parts per million of the finished drink.
• Gum acacia (or gum arabic): Gatorade lists it as gum arabic, Powerade as gum acacia.

Powerade Lemon Lime also includes "calcium disodium EDTA," which carries an explicit on-package function declaration: "(TO PROTECT COLOR)." For more on how brands label these functional additives, read our guide on To Protect Taste: 6 Scanned Labels That Explain Their Ingredients. Furthermore, Powerade Mountain Berry Blast introduces modified food starch, medium chain triglycerides, and sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB), which is permitted under 21 CFR 172.833 up to 300 mg/kg as an emulsion stabilizer.

Micronutrient Additions: B and C Vitamins

Neither Gatorade Thirst Quencher Lemon-Lime nor Powerade Lemon Lime or Mountain Berry Blast contains caffeine.

Powerade labels declare the presence of "VITAMINS B12 AND C (CYANOCOBALAMIN AND ASCORBIC ACID)." A 12 fl oz serving of Powerade supplies:

• Vitamin C: 20% of the Daily Value (as ascorbic acid)
• Vitamin B12: 35% of the Daily Value (as cyanocobalamin)

Gatorade's lemon-lime ingredient list has no added vitamins.

Flavors differ in additives (Mountain Berry Blast swaps Yellow 5 for Blue 1), so scan the exact bottle you buy with the Aurascan app to see every ingredient.