The classic Kool-Aid you may have grown up with just got a major “glow-up.”
As Food & Wine reports, the brand, best known for its vibrant red, cherry-flavored drink mix and its smiling pitcher mascot, the Kool-Aid Man, recently announced a new electrolyte drink mix.
As consumers have become more health-conscious, Kool-Aid is the latest company to transform one of its tried-and-true products into a “better-for-you” functional beverage. Last summer, Pepsi added prebiotic fiber to its classic cola, and this past fall, Starbucks turned its popular cold foam into a protein-packed powerhouse.
The Improvements
Kool-Aid’s new electrolyte drink mixes are available in three flavors: tropical punch, grape, and blue raspberry lemonade. Each serving contains 15 calories, is sugar-free, and includes the four main electrolytes sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
Most notably, perhaps, is that this is Kool-Aid’s first powder without artificial dyes. Instead, it’s colored with vegetable juice and spirulina extract. This is part of Kraft Heinz’s broader commitment to remove Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) colors from all of its products by the end of 2027.
For comparison, the brand’s traditional tropical punch mix contains 100 calories and 25 grams of sugar per serving. “Kool-Aid Hydration gives fans a new way to enjoy the flavors they know and love with added electrolytes on the go,” said Ashley Tople, vice president of marketing, hydration, for Kool-Aid, in a statement.
What’s In Kool-Aid Hydration?
The new electrolyte mixes are certainly “healthier” when viewed solely through the lens of calorie and sugar content, but a serving also contains 330 milligrams of sodium, which is 14% of the FDA’s recommended daily value.
“It is very high in sodium, which is primarily important in terms of fluid retention and muscle contraction during long-term exercise sessions,” notes Megan Couturier, a registered dietician and sports nutritionist with JM Nutrition. “For most, drinking plenty of water pre- and post-exercise is sufficient.”
For people who would benefit from drinking electrolytes, which Couturier says include high-intensity athletes and those participating in endurance exercise lasting 60 to 90 minutes at a time, the sodium levels are spot on. “I often see ‘electrolyte’-branded supplements with little to no sodium,” she says. “So, seeing that dosage, I am satisfied.”
To make it sugar-free, Kool-Aid’s electrolyte packets are sweetened with aspartame, the same sweetener commonly found in certain diet sodas, sugar-free gums, and yogurts. Other popular electrolyte brands, such as LiquidI.V., LMNT, and Nuun, use stevia, a plant-based sweetener.
Aspartame can carry negative connotations, including the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifying it as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” in 2023. However, Couturier says “aspartame in this quantity would not be of concern.”
Where Can You Get It, Plus a New Sneaker Collab!
Kool-Aid’s foray into the hydration space signals that customers are looking for drinks they love with added functional benefits. For the casual gym-goer, this electrolyte mix may seem too salty and probably isn’t necessary daily, but this new option blends classic flavors with nutritional benefits that are helpful after strenuous activity.
Kool-Aid Hydration is now available at retailers nationwide, including Walmart, Amazon, and Target. To celebrate the launch, Kool-Aid has also partnered with Nike and Memphis Grizzlies player JaMorant for a second consecutive year on a custom sneaker. This year’s sneaker, the Kool-Aid Ja 3, is inspired by pink lemonade and will be available via the SNKRS app and at select retailers nationwide.
In the words of the Kool-Aid Man, “Oh yeah!”
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Photo Credit: PJ McDonnell / Shutterstock.com
