Powerade Option Versus Gatorade Propel

Fitness Water Never Tasted so Good?

One of the largest rivalries in soft drink history has spilled into the flavored water business. But this isn’t just any flavored water, it’s water that’s supposed to not only rehydrate you, but also supply your body with much-needed vitamins and minerals. Welcome to the wonderful world of non-carbonated water beverages, where marketing schemes have switched from enticing athletes to hooking anyone looking for a low-calorie drink or snack beverage.

Marketed under the Quaker Oats Company, (which is part of PepsiCo), Gatorade offers Propel, a flavored water providing various vitamins and minerals. With hopes to tap into the bottled water market, Propel was released to the public in 2000. Propel featured fewer calories, less sugar content and less carbs than regular Gatorade. In 2002, the product made more than $100 million in sales. PepsiCo claims that the product is “fitness formulated,” “lightly flavored,” and “vitamin enhanced.”

The Coca-Cola based company of Powerade released Powerade Option to the public in 2005. They obviously felt that they needed to create a bit of competition for their rivals at PepsiCo. Marketing their product as a “low-calorie sports drink,” they’ve been trying to make leeway on the popular Propel brand.

What’s In These Waters, Anyways?

Calories: Both Propel and Option offer 10 calories per 8 ounce serving.
Carbohydrates: Propel contains 3 grams, while Option contains only 2 grams.
Sodium: Propel contains 35mg to Option’s 50mg.
Sugar: Both Propel and Option contain 2 grams of sugar.