Typically when we think about electrolyte drinks, a neon-colored, flashy-labeled beverage being guzzled down by a muscular athlete comes to mind. But did you know you can easily make your own natural, nutrient-packed versions? And that you don’t have to be a bodybuilder or marathon runner to benefit from them?
Electrolytes are essentially minerals (calcium, potassium, magnesium, etc.) in your body that carry an electric charge, and they’re important for many reasons. They help regulate fluid levels and blood pH; they play a part in muscle and nerve function; they’re used for the maintenance and repair of body tissues.
If you’re eating a healthy diet that includes foods rich in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium–you should be getting enough electrolytes. It’s when you push yourself physically–whether scurrying through spin class, gardening for a few hours or hiking all afternoon–that you need to worry. Electrolytes are lost when you sweat.
Drinking a fortified sports drink is one way to replenish them–but why spend extra money on name brands and worry about artificial colors and flavorings when you can mix up your own with ingredients you already have on hand?
Here are a few of my favorite recipes:
Frothy Lemon-Pear Chiller
6 cups water
3 large lemons, peeled and chopped
1 pear, cored and chopped
3 Tbsp. oil (coconut, flax or olive)
6 Tbsp. (or to taste) natural sweetener (honey, maple syrup, liquid stevia, etc.)
1 tsp. sea salt
Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Add crushed ice, if desired.
Creamy Coconut Refresher
4 cups water
2 cups coconut milk
1 tsp. natural sweetener (honey or liquid stevia)
1 tsp. sea salt
Add ingredients to a shaker bottle and shake to combine.
Easy Citrus Sipper
4 cups water
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup lime juice
Juice of one orange
¼ tsp. sea salt
Add ingredients to a shaker bottle and shake to combine.