Understand the evidence score.
This is an editorial index of public documentation and independently verified testing for the named variant. The weights are our published choices, not a scientifically validated measure of hydration performance, safety or suitability. A 70 does not mean 70% effective. Missing testing earns no points, but is not evidence of a failed test.
Five criteria. Every point explained.
| Criterion | Maximum | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Mineral disclosure | 30 | 10 each for a numerical elemental sodium, potassium and magnesium amount per named serve. Salt compound mass alone is insufficient. Calcium is displayed when declared, without bonus points. |
| Preparation & consistency | 20 | 5 for stated serve mass; 10 for stated water volume or an explicit range; 5 when checked critical label quantities and directions have no identified conflict. Conflicts remain visible and lose those 5 points. |
| Independent testing | 30 | 15 for independently verified banned-substance screening; 5 for microbiology; 5 for heavy metals; 5 for elemental mineral-content verification. Each requires a matching product/flavour and identified batch or independent register entry. A brand icon or generic claim earns no points. Multiple reports in one scope do not double-count. |
| Price information | 10 | 5 for a checked single-pack public price and original currency; 5 for a declared number of serves. These points measure calculable pricing, not cheapness. |
| Ingredient disclosure | 10 | 10 for a checked ingredient list for the exact named variant. No extra points for vitamins, amino acids, natural claims, flavours or sweetener preferences. |
Total = sum of these five components, maximum 100. The complete breakdown appears in every record. Manufacturer declarations remain declarations even after we check their publication. Scores can change when reports, labels or prices are updated.
Keep the use cases separate.
Low-carbohydrate electrolyte drinks, carbohydrate sports drinks and amino-acid blends have separate tabs. As an editorial grouping rule, drinks with at least 20 g carbohydrate/L at every stated dilution are placed in the carbohydrate sports-drink group; amino-acid blends are identified separately by formulation purpose. The remaining group also includes products making a no-added-carbohydrate claim when numerical amounts are absent, with that limitation shown. These groups are not regulatory classifications.
Evidence ranks use the score within the displayed group and market, with ties sharing a rank. Search and testing filters do not manufacture a new rank. A one-product group has no competitive winner. Higher sodium or magnesium, less sugar, customer reviews, country of origin and affiliate relationships do not improve the score.
Use the same denominator.
Mineral amounts are elemental mg per labelled serve. Sodium mg/L = sodium mg per serve × 1,000 ÷ labelled water mL. Carbohydrate g/L uses the same formula. Cost per serve = public single-pack price ÷ declared serves. Cost/L = cost per serve × 1,000 ÷ labelled water mL.
For a water range, we show the lowest and highest resulting concentrations and costs, not an invented midpoint. For example, NZProtein Unflavoured’s 585 mg sodium in 300–600 mL becomes 975–1,950 mg/L. Shipping, subscriptions, coupons and multipack discounts are excluded. AUD and NZD are never combined using an assumed exchange rate. Zero is used only when explicitly declared; dashes remain unknown.
Testing is specific, and limited.
Top Athlete Pine Orange batch 36DTA018 has HASTA banned-substance and Eurofins microbiological sample reports. The HASTA report explicitly says independent batch testing only, not HASTA Certified. True Protein’s HASTA Electrolyte is separately listed in the independent certification register; its standard NON HASTA product cannot inherit that status.
Testing points relate to the identified evidence, not a guarantee that the jar delivered to you is the same batch. Banned-substance screening does not establish heavy-metal purity or mineral accuracy. Neither it nor microbiological testing establishes clinical hydration effectiveness. Current records have no verified heavy-metal or mineral-content reports, so those scopes earn zero points. Check your purchased batch.
Document disagreements instead of guessing.
Top Athlete: use the nutrition label/main directions, 12 g in 300 mL; disclose the conflicting FAQ’s one scoop in 500 mL. True Tropical: the main table declares 334 mg sodium, while another panel declares 333 mg; show both in the exception note and use the main table for calculation. Clean Nutrition: use its elemental mg declarations, flag inconsistent mmol rows and leave undeclared total sugar unknown. Each identified critical conflict removes the consistency points.
Choose based on your situation.
AIS guidance distinguishes fluid/electrolyte replacement from carbohydrate fuelling. Needs vary with the session and individual sweat losses. The evidence score helps inspect documentation; sodium concentration, carbohydrate and price help decide whether that product fits your intended use. Follow the current pack’s directions.
Sources and further reading
Published by 1% Better. Founded by Shirley Zu. How we research and prepare our content.