A nice cold beverage is tempting after a good long run. I earned it, right?
While professional athletes will need to comply with strict diet plans, I am just a mortal trying to enjoy life. In a world where everything seems to be turning from bad to worse, a drink is sometimes what I need for that positivity.
Soda and Beer are common drinks that gives me the motivation to complete my run. Yes, Yes, Yes, it’s bad to drink these excessively, but what about just a can?
After studying nutrition and running (see nutrition for runners), I decided to give these 2 drinks a mash up. I’ll explore what’s inside these drinks, when is the better moment to drink them, and what effects they have on me.
After you read this, you’ll know which drink to choose from, and tell the naysayers that you’re not a bad person for choosing to drink these.
So here we go, the battle between Soda vs. Beer.
I’ll be using John, a 70kg 155lb healthy recreational runner, as the standard for my analysis.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, his daily needs for select nutrients are:
2900 calories, 400g carbohydrates with 38g fiber, 56g protein, 80g fat, 3.7L/125oz water, 1500mg sodium, 3400mg potassium, 90mg Vitamin C
In a 30-minute 3-mile run, John
- consumes 372 calories https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/calories-burned-in-30-minutes-of-leisure-and-routine-activities
- sweats 0.9L/30oz of water
- loses 850mg in sodium
- uses 50g carbohydrates for fuel
- can absorb up to 70g of carbohydrates per hour
Soda and Running
Amongst a selection of “soft” drinks, I chose Coca-Cola Original to analyse. It is the most representative soda in the US as 1 out of every 6 cans of soda sold is the Coca-Cola Original/Classic.
Coca-Cola Classic.
Nutrients of a 12oz Coca-Cola Original: (From the US Coca-Cola site)
| Calories | 140kCal |
| Carbohydrates (Sugars) | 39g (High Fructose Corn Syrup) |
| Water | 12oz/355mL |
| Sodium | 45mg |
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Caramel Color, Phosphoric Acid, Natural Flavors, Caffeine 34mg
Analysis of John drinking this can of coke:
- Calories: The calorie content is equivalent to 10 minutes of running.
- Hydration: Half the water of John’s lost sweat is recovered
- Electrolytes: A miniscule amount (5%) of John’s lost sodium is replenished.
- Carbs: The sugars in the coke can quickly recover most (80%) of the carbohydrates used. The quantity is also at an absorbable quantity.
- Caffeine: A small amount equivalent to about half a shot of espresso.
Verdict:
For performance, this can of coke can be beneficial. The simple sugars are quick and easy to absorb but won’t last to support a run over an hour later.
During the run, the sugars can provide a quick short energy boost. After the run, the sugars can give a quick boost if you are low on blood sugar from the run.
The major concern for coke is the use of the notorious High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) as its sugars. Coca-Cola uses HFCS 55, which is 45% Glucose 55% Fructose.
HFCS causes harm when the body has no need for the quick energy or when too much is taken into the body at once. Excess can be damaging to your body and easily converted to fat resulting in diabetic and obesity problems.
Your body is especially limited in fructose absorption. Fructose intake of over 15-30g per hour is converted to fat regardless of your body’s energy needs, and is harmful to your liver. This can of coke has 21g of fructose, barely within the limit.
Coca-Cola in some countries use Sucrose (white sugar) instead of HFCS, which slows down the sugar absorption slightly. This makes the can of coke slightly less harmful to your body.
For the other ingredients, the miniscule amounts of sodium and caffeine may only result in a negligible effect on your performance and alertness.
One side effect of coke is its potential of making you feel a bit more bloated because of the gas. This might affect you if you plan to use coke during your run.
As long as you recover normally with other food and water, and not solely rely on coke, ONE CAN of Coca-Cola Classic can provide much more positives than negatives for your run and recovery.
However, the second and third can will easily take the sugars beyond your body’s needs and health limits. This will be exponentially harmful to you.
Diet Coke
Diet Coke is different from Coca-Cola Classic by replacing all the Carbohydrates with Sweeteners. This results in close to zero calories, HFCS, and one-tenth the sodium, so Diet Coke does not provide any benefit to support your body’s energy needs.
The zero calories may be attractive to runners who have a goal of weight loss, it provides virtually no benefit besides as sweet water.
The risk of diet coke is the sweeteners that is used.
Sweeteners are made from some chemicals that could lead to neuron damage, which can result in depression, ALS, and Alzheimer’s disease.
The sweetness from sweeteners can also activate your body’s mechanisms to capture energy from sugar. When no real sugar actually enters the body for capturing, your body feels tricked. Over time, your body gives up on these natural mechanisms and result in metabolic syndrome, which develops into chronic illnesses.
Diet Coke provides virtually zero benefits for runners and have a high risk to your body. If you have to choose one type of coke, choose Coca-Cola Classic.
Beer and Running
Beer has been my favorite go-to drink for a reward after a run. I’ll start the analysis with one of the more popular international beers: Heineken.
Heineken
Nutrients of a 12oz Heineken: (From the Heineken site)
| Calories | 149kCal |
| Carbohydrates | 11g (Malted Barley) |
| Water | 12oz/355mL |
| Sodium | <10mg |
| Alcohol | 5%=14g |
Ingredients: Water, Malted Barley, Hop Extract
Analysis of John drinking this can of Heineken:
- Calories: The calorie content is equivalent to 10 minutes of running.
- Hydration: Half the water of John’s lost sweat is recovered
- Electrolytes: Practically no sodium is replenished.
- Carbs: The carbs in the beer can recover little (20%) of the carbohydrates used. It is not quick for John to convert this into usable energy.
- Alcohol: Yeah, there’s alcohol. Your body doesn’t need it.
Verdict:
For performance, this can of Heineken has very limited nutrients useful for your run. During the run, the slow release of energy from the carbs is likely not going to help you quick enough.
Of course, the major concern for beer is the alcohol.
Alcohol increases your urine production, which results in loss of useful minerals. Alcohol will also cause lower quality sleep, so alcohol before a run is likely not a good idea for performance.
During the run, alcohol can lead to bladder issues, and could lead to injury due to your impaired judgment and balance.
After the run, alcohol can also slow exercise recovery by impairing blood flow, absorption of nutrients, and protein utilization.
However, research also shows that a dose of approximately 0.5 g/kg body weight is unlikely to impact most aspects of recovery. This is 35g for John, about 2.5 cans of Heineken.
Beer drunk before or during a run can impair your performance. Beer drunk after a run has limited nutritional benefits, but also minimal negative effects if you limit yourself to one or two cans. As long as you run over 10 minutes per can of beer, there should not be caloric surplus that results in overweight.
If a can of beer can motivate you to an extra run, you are already a healthier person! Just beware of the side effects – lots of unhealthy snacks and forgetting to drink enough water for hydration after you pee.
Heineken Light
The light alcohol-free version of Heineken is different from regular Heineken by having two-thirds the calories (99kCal), two-thirds the carbohydrates (6.8g), and two-thirds the alcohol (3.3%)
This is a good option if you mainly drinking for the social aspect and the taste, with fewer side effects that come from the lowered alcohol.
Heineken 0.0
The alcohol-free version of Heineken is different from regular Heineken by having half the calories (75kCal), a bit more sugar for the taste (4.6g), and close to zero alcohol (<0.05%).
You can get the taste (or close enough) of beer with none of the side effects from alcohol. The extra sugar could give small amounts of quicker energy to your body. There is even a study claiming that non-alcoholic beer before exercise could help maintain electrolyte homeostasis during exercise.
Other Styles of Beer
I love craft beer and there seems to be an endless selection of beer styles, all with their unique properties. From Stout to Belgian White, from IPA to Lager, the nutrient content is similar.
If you are interested in a comparison, Molson Coors has a list of their beer and their nutrients for you.
Should I Drink Soda or Beer?
| Drink (12oz/335mL) | Soda (Coca-Cola Original) | Beer (Heineken) | 70kg 155lb Male 30-minute 3-mile run burn |
| Calories | 140kCal | 149kCal | 372kCal |
| Carbohydrates | 39g (High Fructose Corn Syrup) | 11g (Malted Barley) | 50g |
| Water | Almost 12oz/355mL | Almost 12oz/355mL | 30oz/900mL |
| Sodium | 45mg | <10mg | 850mg |
| Others | Caffeine 34mg | Alcohol 5% (14g) | Caffeine: Recommended Daily Limit 400mg Alcohol: 35g to materially affect recovery |
If you have liver issues, I can’t answer this for you.
Otherwise.
If you are looking for some performance boost during your run, go for soda.
If you are looking to calm your body after your run, go for beer.
Both will offset 10 minutes of your running if weight loss is your goal.
If all you are drinking is only one can, soda or beer causes negligent damage to your body. The second can of soda and the third can of beer is when the potential negative side effects happen.
Choosing one over the other generally doesn’t make a difference. Just make sure it is drunk in moderation and make sure you don’t purely use the soda or beer as recovery.
Your body still needs sufficient carbs, minerals, and vitamins for recovery, which soda or beer doesn’t provide.
If a soda or beer motivates you to an extra run, you are already healthier.
Go run and enjoy your feel good after-run coke or your social beer!
Will you go for soda or beer? Let me know in the comments below! Cheers!
Further reading:
Want to learn more about how nutrients affect you? Read The Complete Guide to Nutrition for Runners.
Want to start running? Read How to Become a Runner: A Comprehensive Guide for Your First Two Months.
Want to run for weight loss? Read Can You Lose Weight By Running?
