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Can solid food be isotonic?

I know that Isotonic drinks contain similar concentrations of salt and sugar as in the human body, which makes the drink feel refreshing. Osmosis and so on. Isotonic drinks are not limited to what is branded as sport drinks - a mix of juice and sparkling water can also be isotonic.

Thus I was wondering, if there could be solid isotonic foods. It should be possible for a type of food to contain similar concentrations of salt and sugar as in the human body right? Does that exist? If so, does it feel as refreshing to eat as it feels to drink isotonic drink? If it doesn’t, why not?

Inb4: frozen isotonic drinks are not the answer I am looking for.

notacat ,

I was going to say that I don’t think being isotonic had any relation to how refreshing a drink is except in terms of taste. But then after thinking about it, salt does affect the rate of water excretion into the urine and water retention in blood. And because of this phenomenon they always recommend low salt diets for people with high blood pressure. So I guess in a way, a low salt diet would be considered more “isotonic.” But solid food will inherently not be isotonic due to containing more carbs and amino acids than water.

laurelinae OP ,

I don’t think being isotonic had any relation to how refreshing a drink is

Having the same proportions of electrolytes and water as the human body means that no electrolytes are passing through the cell barriers to establish such an equilibrium. Isotonic drinks tasting refreshing is probably just an evolutionary development to make us choose drinks that are easier on the body.

So I guess in a way, a low salt diet would be considered more “isotonic.” But solid food will inherently not be isotonic due to containing more carbs and amino acids than water.

Thank you! This is a good answer.

Ropianos ,

Not really as isotonic drinks are about having the same proportions of water and electrolytes as your blood.

Imagine completely evaporating a isotonic drink. Now you’ve got a pulver left. Obviously, this isn’t going to be refreshing (unless you mix it with water again)

incogtino ,

So if you dehydrate an isotonic drink, it would by definition no longer be isotonic

laurelinae OP ,

I didn’t think about this, but it makes perfect sense. Somebody else also posted that solid food by definition would require too many carbs and amino acids so that the relation to water and electrolytes can by definition not be isotonic to the human body.

silent_clash ,

I think probably not, because the concentrations of salt and sugar aren’t just relative to each other but also relative to the water content. You can eat trail mix, cookies with added sodium, something like this, or a homemade version to replenish carbs + sodium after strenuous workouts, but you will still need to drink water as well.

laurelinae OP ,

the concentrations of salt and sugar aren’t just relative to each other but also relative to the water content

Thank you! I didn’t think about this.

jjagaimo ,

You could use gelatin to make a kind of jello. I’ve seen them promoted as a way to get dementia patients to remember to drink water, by making it appear more snack like and appealing so that they will eat it on their own

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