Food Healthy Drinks

5 Recipes for Homemade Sports Drinks That Are Healthy and Delicious

Amy Marturana Winderl

September 17, 2015

Neon-colored sports drinks may make you nostalgic for your childhood growing up on a soccer field or basketball court. But by now you've learned that sugar and artificial coloring isn't exactly the healthiest way to supplement a sweat session. You do need a way to replenish electrolytes, though, and one way to do that is through a homemade sports drink.

"Electrolytes are like the power lines of our body—they conduct electrical signals that maintain fluid levels, acid-base balance, and muscle function," explains Caroline Kaufman, MS, RDN. When you lose water through sweat, as you know, out go the electrolytes, too.

And one way to replenish? Make your own healthy drinks, which is super easy. "You want your DIY recipe to include water, sugar, salt, and a source of potassium like orange juice," Kaufman suggests. A simpler formula of water, maple syrup (a good source of potassium), and salt, will do the trick, too.

Ready to give it a try? Here are five easy recipes for healthy sports drinks. Just make sure you choose high-quality coconut water and salt with its natural mineral content intact (think Himalayan sea salt, instead of the refined table variety) to get the most out of each sip. —Amy Marturana

Cucumber Lime Electrolyte Refresher

½ cucumber
2 limes, peeled
1½ cups coconut water

Juice the cucumber and lime in a juicer. Mix the juice with coconut water. Enjoy chilled or over ice.

Homemade Gatorade Recipe

3 cups water
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt

Toss all ingredients in a blender and mix well. Enjoy chilled or over ice.

Watermelon Electrolyte Booster

1 quarter of a watermelon, seeded
2 large glasses of coconut water
A pinch of Himalayan sea salt

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Enjoy!

Herbal Cooler

4 cups herbal tea (something citrus preferably)
2-4 Tbsp raw honey or maple syrup
1/4 tsp. sea salt
A few drops of trace mineral drops, such as Concentrace (optional)

Mix all ingredients thoroughly, and store in the fridge. Drink chilled or over ice.

DIY Electrolyte Sports Drink

1/2 liter of ginger water (recipe below)
1 liter of water
Juice of 3 small lemons
1/2 tsp. sea salt (you can add a bit more if you’d like)
Stevia to taste

Ginger Water:

1 medium-sized ginger root
1 liter of water
Liquid Stevia, to taste

Cut ginger into large coins and place into a large pot. Add water. Bring water to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let steep until cool. Add liquid stevia to taste and store in airtight container in the fridge.

Mix all ingredients together, chill, and enjoy!

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