My 9-Year-Old and His Soccer Buddies Approve of this Low-Sugar Sports Drink

• Taste: 18/20
• Healthiness: 19/20
• Aesthetics: 20/20
• Value: 16/20
• Environmental Impact: 18/20

TOTAL: 91/100

It is a scientific fact that, after a soccer game, 9-year-old boys feel entitled to an energy drink. Ideally it is blue, and ideally they get it all over their uniforms. But what’s a mom to do if she doesn’t want her child chugging something with 80 calories and 36 grams of sugar? Indeed, according to a 2014 study at the University of California at Berkely, the consumption of such sweetened sports drinks may contribute to childhood obesity—not to mention cavities. (My kids’ dentist recently told me she would ban soda and juice before candy for many of her patients.)

So clearly, I was intrigued when I was sent a case of Local Weather, a new sports drink made with natural electrolytes (coconut water and pink Himalayan salt) and with only 6 grams of sugar and 35 calories per serving.

Another selling point for me was the environmental impact—as opposed to plastics (only 8 percent of which are actually recycled), Local Weather’s aluminum bottle (including cap) can, according to the brand, be fully recycled in less than 60 days. In fact, it takes less energy to recycle aluminum than it does it does to create new aluminum.

I tried the fruit punch and orange-clementine flavors myself and found them delightful–lighter than your typical energy drink, and without that sticky coat-your-teeth feeling. But the real test, I knew, would be my third-grade son and his soccer buddies. Here’s what they had to say:

“It has a lot of fruity flavors. I’m really getting strawberry.”

“It doesn’t taste sugary, but it’s also better than Prime. I love it. I’d drink this over Prime.”

“I feel really hydrated. In fact, I have to pee.”

“I like the idea of a tin bottle. It just looks cool. Mom, can we have this after practice next week too?”

So there you have it. Kid-approved. Mom-approved. Now if only we could come to a one-ness about getting muddy soccer footprints all over the car seats, we’d be golden…