There were a few high-profile stories last year about the health benefits of drinking pickle juice in place of sports drinks to battle dehydration and muscle cramping while working out or playing sports. As nasty as it sounds, several high school and college football players swear by it.

Low in fat, low in sugar, high in potassium, with a needed shot of sodium and vinegar, pickles and their juice have the ingredients that make for decent re-hydration. It's just hard to get past the disgusting factor.

One way to get the benefits of pickle juice, without gagging, is to grab one of Bob's Pickle Pops.

They're made from the actual juice of squeezed pickles - not the brine they soak in. After a few hours in your freezer you've got some picklescicles to throw in your cooler, good for rehydrating after a day of beach volleyball with those blondes vacationing from Ohio. And it's perfectly acceptable to offer them a pickle to suck on.

$19.95 for 20
www.bobspicklepops.com