Instant Hydration vs Nuun: sodium, sugar and cost compared
Label data checked . Amounts are per 12 fl oz of finished drink unless a table says otherwise.
Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix has 67% more sodium than Nuun Sport per 12 fl oz (375 mg vs 225 mg). Nuun Sport has 0.8 g sugar per 12 fl oz; Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix has none. Nuun Sport costs less per liter as mixed ($1.58 vs $3.88 for Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix).
Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix vs Nuun Sport, side by side
| Nutrient | Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix | Nuun Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Format | powder stick | tablet |
| Drink volume | 12 fl oz (355 mL) | 12 fl oz (355 mL) |
| Calories | 8 kcal | 11 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 0.8 g | 3 g |
| Sugars | 0 g | 0.8 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0.8 g |
| Sodium | 375 mg | 225 mg |
| Potassium | 353 mg | 113 mg |
| Magnesium | 75 mg | 19 mg |
| Calcium | 128 mg | 9.8 mg |
| Chloride | not on label | 30 mg |
| Caffeine | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Nutrient | Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix | Nuun Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Format | powder stick | tablet |
| Drink volume | 1 liter (33.8 fl oz) | 1 liter (33.8 fl oz) |
| Calories | 21 kcal | 32 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 2.1 g | 8.5 g |
| Sugars | 0 g | 2.1 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 2.1 g |
| Sodium | 1,057 mg | 634 mg |
| Potassium | 994 mg | 317 mg |
| Magnesium | 211 mg | 53 mg |
| Calcium | 359 mg | 27 mg |
| Chloride | not on label | 85 mg |
| Caffeine | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Nutrient | Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix | Nuun Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Format | powder stick | tablet |
| Drink volume | 16 fl oz (473 mL) | 16 fl oz (473 mL) |
| Calories | 10 kcal | 15 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 1 g | 4 g |
| Sugars | 0 g | 1 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 1 g |
| Sodium | 500 mg | 300 mg |
| Potassium | 470 mg | 150 mg |
| Magnesium | 100 mg | 25 mg |
| Calcium | 170 mg | 13 mg |
| Chloride | not on label | 40 mg |
| Caffeine | 0 mg | 0 mg |
Shaded cells mark more electrolytes, or less sugar and fewer calories. Carbohydrate and caffeine are not marked, since more or less depends on your use.
Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix label checked . Source (opens in a new tab)
Nuun Sport label checked . Source (opens in a new tab)
Nuun is owned by Nestlé Health Science.
Sodium per liter
Sweat carries about 230 to 1,610 mg of sodium per liter[1]. Both gauges use the same scale, so the markers line up.
Cost per serving and per 1,000 mg sodium
| Measure | Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix | Nuun Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Price checked | $55.00 for 30-stick box | $7.49 for 1 tube, 10 tablets |
| Cost per serving | $1.83 | $0.75 |
| Cost per liter | $3.88 | $1.58 |
| Cost per 1,000 mg sodium | $3.67 | $2.50 |
Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix price checked at Instant Hydration . Source (opens in a new tab)
Nuun Sport price checked at Nuun . Source (opens in a new tab)
Sugar, sweeteners and caffeine
- No sugar sources in the ingredients. Sweetened with stevia and monk fruit.
- Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix has no caffeine.
- 0.2% carbohydrate as mixed, which we estimate as hypotonic.
Ingredients
Instant Hydration Blend (Sel Gris French Grey Sea Salt), Magnesium Bisgylcinate Chelate, Potassium Chloride, Calcium from mineralized algae], Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, Malic Acid, Organic Stevia Leaf Extract, Organic Monk Fruit Extract, Natural Color from Tumeric Extract.
- Sugar from dextrose. Sweetened with stevia.
- Some Nuun Sport flavors have caffeine (up to 40 mg per serving); the others have none.
- 0.8% carbohydrate as mixed, which we estimate as hypotonic.
Ingredients
Citric Acid, Dextrose, Sodium Bicarbonate, Potassium Bicarbonate, Sodium Carbonate, And Less Than 2% Of Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Oxide, Calcium Carbonate, Stevia Leaf Extract, Avocado Oil, Beet Juice (For Color)
Which to pick
Each reason below is a measured difference in the label data.
Pick Instant Hydration if
- you want more sodium: 375 mg vs 225 mg per 12 fl oz
- you want no sugar: 0 g vs 0.8 g per 12 fl oz
- you want more potassium: 353 mg vs 113 mg per 12 fl oz
- you want more magnesium: 75 mg vs 19 mg per 12 fl oz
Pick Nuun if
- you want the option of a caffeinated flavor: up to 40 mg per serving
- you want the lower cost per liter: $1.58 vs $3.88
- you want the cheapest sodium: $2.50 vs $3.67 per 1,000 mg
Where to buy
Some links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you buy, and it never changes the data or rankings. Affiliate disclosure.
Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix
Full Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix labelAll Instant Hydration drinks
Other Instant Hydration vs Nuun matchups
Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix vs Nuun Zero Sugar
Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix has 2.5 times the sodium of Nuun Zero Sugar per 12 fl oz (375 mg vs 150 mg). Neither has any sugar.
| Per 12 fl oz | Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix | Nuun Zero Sugar |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium | 375 mg | 150 mg |
| Potassium | 353 mg | 94 mg |
| Magnesium | 75 mg | 15 mg |
| Carbohydrate | 0.8 g | 3 g |
| Sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Calories | 8 kcal | 11 kcal |
| Cost per liter | $3.88 | $1.58 |
Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix label checked . Source (opens in a new tab)
Nuun Zero Sugar label checked . Source (opens in a new tab)
Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix price checked at Instant Hydration . Source (opens in a new tab)
Nuun Zero Sugar price checked at Nuun . Source (opens in a new tab)
What the data can't tell you
- How they taste. We compare labels, not flavor.
- What they cost near you today. We checked Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix at Instant Hydration on Sep 24, 2026 and Nuun Sport at Nuun on Sep 24, 2026.
- How much sodium you lose. That depends on your sweat; the sweat rate calculator gives an estimate.
- Older records. The USDA food database has older figures for Nuun Sport that differ by more than 10%. We use the current label.
FAQ
Which has more electrolytes, Instant Hydration or Nuun?
Per 12 fl oz, Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix has 375 mg sodium, 353 mg potassium and 75 mg magnesium. Nuun Sport has 225 mg sodium, 113 mg potassium and 19 mg magnesium. Per liter that is 1,057 mg vs 634 mg sodium.
Does Instant Hydration or Nuun have more sugar?
Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix: 0 g sugar and 8 kcal per 12 fl oz, sweetened with stevia and monk fruit. Nuun Sport: 0.8 g sugar and 11 kcal per 12 fl oz, sweetened with stevia.
Which is cheaper, Instant Hydration or Nuun?
Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix worked out at $1.83 a serving, $3.88 a liter and $3.67 per 1,000 mg sodium (30-stick box at Instant Hydration, checked Sep 24, 2026). Nuun Sport worked out at $0.75 a serving, $1.58 a liter and $2.50 per 1,000 mg sodium (1 tube, 10 tablets at Nuun, checked Sep 24, 2026). Prices change often, so treat these as a snapshot.
How does Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix compare with Nuun Zero Sugar?
Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix has 2.5 times the sodium of Nuun Zero Sugar per 12 fl oz (375 mg vs 150 mg). Neither has any sugar. Nuun Zero Sugar has 4 times the total carbohydrate of Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix per 12 fl oz (3 g vs 0.8 g). Per liter as mixed, Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix costs $3.88 and Nuun Zero Sugar costs $1.58.
Does Instant Hydration or Nuun have caffeine?
Instant Hydration Premium Electrolyte Drink Mix has no caffeine. Some Nuun Sport flavors have caffeine (up to 40 mg per serving); the others have none.