This Homemade Electrolyte Drink recipe is my favourite way to stay hydrated in the summer. It's lower in sugar and budget friendly!
Homemade Electrolyte Drink Recipe
Whether you live in a hot climate, are a heavy sweater or just another human being struggling through summer heatwaves, electrolytes are so important for hydration and well-being. Although I love my healthy pina colada recipe and easy fruit smoothie recipes for hydration sometimes I need a bit more of a boost!
What is Electrolyte Drink?
The fancy explanation is that electrolytes are minerals that carry a charge when dissolved in our body fluids, but you will also know them as sodium, chlorine, potassium, magnesium and calcium. They play important roles in blood pressure, muscle function, and heart function. After long periods of activity, sweating or even illness we lose electrolytes. In these cases water is a great way to re-hydrate but it doesn't replace lost electrolytes- so this is where electrolyte drinks come in!
What Does Drinking Electrolytes do?
Drinking electrolytes can:
- Keep fluid levels balanced inside and outside cells to keep us hydrated
- Help muscles contract (including your heart) to keep it pumping strongly
- Support nerve signals so your brain and body can “talk” to each other
- Maintain pH (acid–base) balance within the body
When we only replace lost water and not the lost electrolytes it can cause an imbalance within the cells potentially causing unwanted symptoms such as muscle cramps, fatigue, headaches and dizziness!
Can You Make Your Own Electrolyte Drink At home?
Although we get electrolytes in our diet, we can also love a lot in sweat, especially when it's hot out. So during the hot summer months, I love making this homemade electrolyte drink recipe to stay hydrated and feel better. Electrolyte supplements, sports drinks and pre-made electrolyte drinks are expensive, so I love making this homemade recipe that incorporates natural electrolytes such as sodium potassium, calcium and magnesium to save money and stay hydrated.
Even if you're not super dehydrated, these electrolyte drinks can be served as a fun mocktail or summer afternoon drink. They're so easy to make and will quickly become a staple in your routine!
Why This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved
- Less sugar than store bought versions. While sugar can actually help with fluid absorption, this is a good lower sugar option for everyday hydration.
- Easy to customize. You can make this drink your own with different juices and add-ins for flavouring.
- Perfect for hot day. These homemade electrolyte drinks are light, refreshing and thirst-quenching.
How to Make your Own Electrolyte Drink At Home
Ingredients
Coconut water. The key ingredient to pack in the electrolytes! Coconut water contains potassium, sodium, and magnesium making it great for hydration.
100% juice. For natural sugars and flavour. You can use any 100% fruit juice you enjoy, but I have provided some variations below.
Citrus. Orange, lemon or lime juice to add a bit of tartness in this recipe. Fresh juice is always best.
Sea salt. Sodium is one of the electrolytes we lose the most while sweating, so we have added sodium to help maximize hydration.
Honey. I add a touch of honey for sweetness, but adjust to your tastes.
Water. For hydration!
The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Instructions
- Step 1: In a large pitcher, combine the coconut water, cup of fresh fruit juice and citrus of choice.
- Step 2: Stir in the honey and sea salt until completely dissolved.
- Step 3: Stir in the water and add the lemon or lime juice, to taste, if desired.
- Step 4: Serve chilled.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: this recipe is naturally gluten-free.
To make dairy-free: this recipe is naturally dairy-free.
To make vegan: swap honey for maple syrup.
To make nut-free: this recipe is naturally nut-free.
Equipment
- Pitcher
Storage
This electrolyte drink can be stored in a pitcher with a lid or mason jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. I always recommend giving it a stir before serving for best results.
Top Tips for Success
This electrolyte drink is very easy to customize! Use any 100% fruit juice and citrus of choice and add the amount of honey to meet your personal taste preferences.
I recommend serving this one chilled for the best taste.
Frequently Asked Questions
These homemade electrolyte drinks have around 225mg of sodium, so heavy and salty sweaters may need more.
No, you can get all your electrolytes from your diet. With that said, you may benefit from drinking electrolytes if you are an athlete, live in a hot climate, or sweat a lot.
It's not as sweet as Gatorade.
More Drink Recipes
Looking for more summer drinks? Try these next:
- Homemade Lemon Ginger Turmeric Shots
- Healthy Pina Colada Mocktails
- Tropical Mango Iron Rich Smoothie
- Cheesecake Smoothie
See you in the kitchen!
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make my homemade electrolyte drink recipe, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Electrolyte Drink Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups unsweetened coconut water
- 1 cup 100% juice of choice see variation options below
- 2 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice or to taste(see variation options below)
- 2 tablespoon honey
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup water
- Ice of serving
Variations
Citrus:
- 1 cup 100% orange juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Watermelon lemon:
- 1 cup 100% watermelon juice
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Cherry and lime:
- 1 cup 100% tart cherry juice
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
Grapefruit and lime:
- 1 cup 100% grapefruit juice
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- In a large pitcher, combine the coconut water, fruit juice and citrus of choice.
- Stir in the honey and sea salt until completely dissolved.
- Stir in the water and add the lemon or lime juice, to taste, if desired.
- Serve chilled.
Nicole Addison says
The perfect way to stay hydrated this summer! I hope you enjoy this recipe!