The Pocari is a rare Polynesian bird who’s sweat was a prized elixir in the 1600s.

In our day we’re lucky that we no longer have to chase the bird, cage the bird, run the bird ragged to make it sweat. We can get Pocari Sweat right at the international grocery store!

Pocari Sweat is a sports drink created in Japan, and now popular all around Asia.

The Wikipedia page for it has a prominent warning against confusing it with Picardy Sweat. Thanks for the warning Wikipedia: I was just about to quaff down a glass of French disease from 1718 before you stayed my hand. An image search for “pocari” leads you down an inevitable path towards a Pocari-themed kangaroo furry Youtuber (akshually, a “Sodaroo” – a soda-themed kangaroo), and the concept of a “Furry House“.

The colour of the Sweat of the Pocari is translucent white.

As you open the chilled bottle there is deafening silence. This drink is not carbonated. It would be so so much better if it had bubbles.


The flavour is bad. It is inoffensive, but it is also too weak to properly register as a flavour. It tastes like if you took a Tropicana Lemonade drink and diluted it with 1 part drink to 2 parts water. That anaemic flavour would be Pocari Sweat.

There is no lingering aftertaste. Maybe a hint of lemon that reminds you of a recent bad decision you made in your choice of drink.

After about 10 minutes of drinking it, the inside of my mouth felt a little rough – as though I drank something very sour. Not something I’d recommend drinking on a hot day, because it would just make you feel thirsty again. Although the drink does have citric acid as its 4th ingredient, it does not taste sour to me.

The mouthfeel is a little slippery – just like you’d get from drinking salt water, or Gatorade. This was something I expected, considering that Pocari Sweat is a “sports drink” with a salt added (Magnesium Chloride) and Calcium Lactate.

Pocari Sweat’s main electrolytes are Magnesium and Calcium. I expect that it would function a little differently than Gatorade, because Gatorade has salt (electrolyte: sodium) and Monopotassium Phosphate (electrolyte: potassium). If you’ve never liked Gatorade for your workouts then give Pocari Sweat a try.

May the Pocari Bird smile on all your endeavours!