Drinking enough pure clean water is one of the most important things we can do for overall health. For times of exercise and exertion, a homemade natural sports drink recipe can also be helpful.

Here’s why:

Plain water can get boring after a while and it doesn’t contain high levels of electrolytes lost during exercise. It is helpful to add electrolytes and minerals to help rehydration after times of high-intensity exercise or lots of sweating.

Why Not Regular Sports Drinks?

Before you stop by the store for a Gatorade on the way to the game, try making your own natural version! It is easy, just as fast, and a lot healthier.

Regular sports drinks contain ingredients like:

Water, sucrose syrup, glucose-fructose syrup, citric acid, natural grape flavor with other natural flavors, salt, sodium citrate, monopotassium phosphate, red 40, Blue 1.

They also typically have fruit-like flavors but labels that say “contain no fruit.”

I’m all for re-hydrating, but are the monopotassium phosphate, mystery “natural flavors” and artificial dyes really necessary?

Around here, for times when more than just water is needed for hydration (softball games, triathlons, labor, etc.), we make our own version, which I prefer… never much liked Gatorade or Powerade myself anyway.

Natural Electrolyte Sports Drink Recipe

Coconut water is one of the simplest sports drink alternatives and can be used as is.

Apparently, coconut water is similar in structure to the fluid used in IV rehydration. For this reason, it was used during the Pacific War as an IV electrolyte replacement. Use it alone or add a teaspoon of fresh lime juice for flavor.

Coconut water contains more potassium than sports drinks, and more natural sources of sodium. A lot of athletes swear by it these days, and I had it on hand during my last couple of labors.

The only downside to coconut water is the price. If you want an inexpensive (yet still healthy and tasty) alternative, this recipe is the next best thing.

Natural Homemade Sports Drink Recipe

You can make this recipe a variety of ways and the ratios are the most important part. The base is any healthy liquid of choice and some good options are:

• Herbal teas
• Green tea
• Coconut Water
• Plain water
• Some people like these new Bai drinks as a base as well

To turn the basic liquid into a sports drink, add some or all of these ingredients:

• Salt– A high quality salt adds sodium and other minerals
• Calcium or Magnesium– Adding a high quality calcium magnesium powder helps replenish minerals (I like this one)
• Juice– Optional but adds sweetness and natural sugars if needed during exercise
• Natural Flavors– I’m not talking about the more pleasant sounding name for the not-so-nice additive MSG. Add natural flavors in the form of fresh ginger, fresh herbs or even natural flavored stevia extracts

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