Team Talk
Older readers may well remember the first time they heard the word ‘isotonic’.
It was the early 1990s. A young John Barnes entered a changing room in a famous advert for a sports drink, muttering the words, “After 90 minutes of pure hell you’re gonna get thirsty…”. He slurped down a sports drink before adding, “Isotonic means it’s in balance with your body fluids.”
Cue a generation of schoolchildren quoting the advert for months in playgrounds up and down the UK.
Thirty years later, isotonic drinks sports are still around. And now you can find an isotonic beer.
Introducing Stride
Stride is a new 0.5% isotonic beer that’s a revolution for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer drinkers alike.
Which of you would consider, after putting your body through 26.2 miles of pure marathon hell, cracking open a chilled can of alcoholic beer?
As you are reading this, we’d wager it’s a high percentage of you.
But after the first refreshing sip, how much do you actually enjoy the rest of that beer knowing that, in reality, it’s making your recovery more drawn-out? And rather than adding precious hydration – the thing your body is screaming out for – it’s doing the exact opposite.
Drinkaware says that the diuretic properties of alcohol mean that drinking too much can lead to dehydration and cravings for carbohydrate-heavy food, plus your performance the next day will be adversely affected too.
So why should you reach for a can of Stride 0.5% isotonic beer after doing sport?
As if by magic we have listed 10 reasons for you below…
1. It can aid your recovery
As mentioned earlier in this very article, the word ‘isotonic’ is usually associated with sports drinks.
But there’s no reason it can’t be associated with Stride too, because Stride is isotonic.
But what does that actually mean?
Without taking a deep dive into the dictionary definition of ‘isotonic’ (mainly because it features phrases such as ‘semipermeable membrane’ and ‘osmotic pressure’), in simple terms it means a liquid has the same concentration of particles as blood.
What this means for you is that if you drink Stride, the 0.5% beer will be absorbed quickly by your body, replacing salts, minerals, sugar and water that your body used or lost during your workout.
So knock back a can of Stride and you’ll instantly begin to feel better, while actively helping your body recover.
This is something Bavarian athletes, from runners to skiers, have known for a while, choosing to opt for a frosty bottle of non-alcoholic beer post-training and competition over a sugar-laden sports drinks.
2. It reduces inflammation
Forget gingerly easing yourself into an ice bath – what will
A 2012 study by Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that when runners were given non-alcoholic beer in the three weeks prior to the 2009 Munich Marathon and for two weeks after, they exhibited lower levels of inflammation and fewer upper respiratory infections than the control group.
It’s worth noting that the study participants drank 1.5 litres of non-alcoholic beer a day. Given that the
NHS recommends you
drink 8 x 200ml glasses of water a day, the non-alcoholic beer
provided
Glass of Stride 0.5% isotonic beer with your morning porridge? Don’t mind if I do.
3. It contains magic hops
OK, they’re not actually magic. We’re not in some kind of fantasy, make-believe land here.
But it turns out the reason that non-alcoholic beer has these impressive anti-inflammation properties is down to chemical substances called polyphenols.
And the ingredient that provides polyphenols? Hops.
Those tiny, flavoursome green buds that impart bitterness, flavour and aroma to Stride 0.5% beer are also the reason why you will feel so refreshed the day after drinking.
And we know what you are thinking – why don’t the hops in normal beer have the same effect? Well, experts think that the alcoholic properties of regular beer cancel out the recovery properties of polyphenol, meaning you miss out on those polyphenols working hard to reduce your inflamed muscles.
4. It quenches your thirst
After a hard day of work followed by a tough workout, you need something that will feel like you’re gulping back ice-cold glacial streams directly into your parched mouth.
That’s just what Stride feels like – due to the perfect levels of carbonation and the optimal level of hops, your whistle will be instantly and most definitely whetted.
5. It contains less sugar than sports drinks
As an isotonic drink, Stride 0.5% non-alcoholic beer has numerous benefits for those who take part in sport, not least that its sugar levels are significantly lower than sports energy drinks.
Some leading sports drinks contain as much as 18g of sugar per 500ml. Stride Dive In Pale Ale contains only 0.7g of sugar in 330ml, meaning less calories to undo your hard work.
The average pale ale contains around 180 calories. Stride Dive In Pale Ale has 43 calories, and Stride On Track Pale Lager just 33 calories.
6. It boosts your vitamin B12
B12 is a vitamin that you may be familiar with, especially if you’re vegan.
The wonder vitamin’s job is to help look after your body’s blood and nerve cells, and if it starts slacking or becomes depleted you might begin suffering the effects of anaemia.
Vitamin B12 is found in most meat and dairy products, so if you remove them from your diet you need to find sources elsewhere.
Stride 0.5% isotonic beer is one way to boost your intake – each can is a rich source of Vitamin B12.
7. It helps reduce the risk of heart disease
A big one, this – a number of studies by medical professionals have shown that knocking back non-alcoholic brews can actually help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
For example, this study found drinking non-alcoholic beer can help stop blood clots forming in your arteries, providing “cardiovascular benefits”. It’s also been shown to aid towards lowering cholesterol.
While there’s still research to be done in this area, it’s clear that your heart and arteries will give you a hearty fist bump for choosing Stride.
8. It’s a step towards reducing your overall alcohol consumption
If you’re worried about your current alcohol consumption levels, switching to Stride 0.5% isotonic beer is a perfect way to take the first steps towards lowering your intake.
One of the NHS’s tips on cutting down your alcohol intake to under the recommended 14 units a week is ‘have a lower strength drink’ and ‘take a break’. Stride covers both of these steps, while still providing you with the hops hit and ice-cold refreshment you crave.
9. It aids your mental health
Over-consumption of alcohol is a health risk for many reasons, not least its link to depression and the very fact that alcohol in itself is a depressant that can affect your brain’s chemical balance.
This article from the BMJ links to studies that found that excessive alcohol intake has been associated with worsening depression, increased suicide risk and delayed recovery from psychiatric conditions.
Not only can reducing or eliminating alcohol from your diet help reduce depression, but also research has found that drinking non-alcoholic beer actively helps reduce anxiety. Participants who were given non-alcoholic beer in this 2012 study found that they experienced lower anxiety levels as well and slept better due to the sedative qualities of hops.
10. Zero hangovers
Of course, one undeniable benefit of drinking Stride 0.5% isotonic beer is that you won’t be left fuzzy-headed the next morning.
Wake with a clear head and energy to face whatever the day throws at you, while you look forward to cracking open another Stride at dinner (or lunch (or breakfast)).