Homemade Sports Drink

shutterstock_exercise woman running on trail sunset

Every sports drink that I make uses the following ingredients in varying amounts –I vary the recipe depending on why I am drinking it–if I am drinking it during a race, a long training run, or after either to replace my electrolytes, for example.

I prefer coconut water as a base, and use water to dilute it a bit, (usually 2:1 ratio works well for me) and then add variations of fresh squeezed citrus fruits for natural flavor–plus lemons and limes are very alkalinizing, and oranges are refreshing.

Of course adding a natural, simple sugar, and a natural salt with minerals is necessary, too, for energy and electrolyte balance.

Here are your basic ingredients:

Coconut water “Nature’s Gatorade” = same ph as our blood, contains 13 times more potassium than gatorade, which is important for muscle function.

Raw organic honey or grade B maple syrup: rich in minerals, easily digestible sugar for good energy, few allergy or reactions to natural sugar (unlike artificial sweetners which are neurotoxic) and I feel like it reduces phlegm (mucous) for me.

Sea salt/celtic salt/himalayan salt: for electrolytes and minerals.

Freshly pressed organic juices such as lemon, lime, and orange contain vitamins, enzymes and easily digestible natural fruit sugars that help maintain energy throughout a workout, and add safe, refreshing, natural flavors and along with some color, too.

So when I make my homemade electrolyte drinks, I use the above ingredients, and mix/match them up for flavor, etc. I find that a 2:1 ratio of coconut water and water works best for me. The possibilities are endless, really.

Here is my favorite homemade sports drink:

Coconut and Lime Sports Drink:

2 cups coconut water

1 cup water

1/2 cup freshly squeezed juice from an organic–you can use lemon or orange if you prefer

1/8-1/4 tsp celtic sea salt/pink himalayan salt

2 T (you can add up to 4T) raw organic honey (you can use grade B maple syrup if you prefer)

I blend this in my blender to make sure the honey/maple mix well, but you can vigorously shake a blender bottle if needed instead.

I recommend playing with the drinks and testing them while training–you never know how the sugars are going to affect your gut since everyone is different. For example, my husband needs more sugar than me– I add can only tolerate about 2T of honey/maple to my drinks or I get GI distress. But my husband can tolerate up to 4 T (1/4 cup). Also, I ajust the salt and minerals according to the intensity and duration of my runs–more salt and more mineral drops for longer runs, less for shorter runs.

So play with the ingredients, mix things up, listen to your body, and see what works for you, your training and racing!

And have fun mixing it up!

Live Life Optimally,

Kristie