During training, fluid ingestion should consist primarily of:

• A. Milk
• B. Juice
• C. Water
• D. Sports drink

Answer: (C)

During training, staying properly hydrated is crucial for performance and safety. Water is the preferred fluid because it quickly replaces the fluids lost through sweat without adding calories, fats, or sugars that can slow digestion or upset the stomach during intense activity. Milk is harder to digest and can cause GI discomfort under heat and exertion. Juice brings a lot of sugar and calories, which can also disrupt fluid absorption and digestion during strenuous work. Sports drinks have electrolytes and carbohydrates and are helpful for very long or extremely sweaty evolutions, but they’re not needed as the default fluid. So, the best answer is to keep fluids primarily as water.