Sometimes we take one step forward and slink back two. Not so hard to happen with food and beverage promises about healthy life changes. We take the oath to skip the diet drinks and increase our water. Then we decide that plain water does not suit our purposes sufficiently and need to give it a boost from a beverage that promises to give us a little more energy. With me so far?

Plain water does not seem to do the trick when exercising during the hot, humid days. Our bodies crave a little more; replenishment does not come easily. We find strength in the energy water aisles, but often when we read the labels, we are back to square one.

Look at the very popular, and I might point out, quite tasty, PowerAde Zero. All the flavor choices make it especially appealing. People are drinking the 32 oz. bottles as if they are merely flavored water. They’re not. They contain sucralose (Splenda) which gives them a sweet quick kick, but this product makes all our efforts at going natural a questionable process.

Same with Propel’s Vitamin Enhanced Water. Glaceau’s VitaminWater Zero has Truvia and Fructose. Even Gatorade, the original company that figured out the value of electrolyte beverages, is in this confusing “what is sugar space” with its G2 products, but they’ve upped the ante a little.

The new Gatorade Natural (G Natural and G2 Natural) drinks are just that: Natural replenishment products that give the same great taste we’ve come to expect from our boosters, but this time they left the questionable ultra-sweet sugars out of the mix. They focus entirely on providing a healthy, natural electrolyte approach to speed up the replenishment period of exercise.

I’ve tried all these energy boosting drinks, but this time I think I’ve found a mate: G2 Natural. This summer they introduced the product to Whole Foods Market customers in several regions of the country. This is a logical partnership: natural food; natural drink. After my perfect ace, my spiked berry or mango water seems to be doing the trick!

Sure you can have any of these drinks straight, but a little boost and a lot of water works for me in rehydrating my otherwise spent existence.

Hope you’ll be able to go natural soon.