How to Make a Homemade Sports Drink That’s So Much Healthier Than Store-Bought

Colorful recipes for “nature’s sports drink” are popping up on social media feeds, and enthusiasts say the DIY blends are healthier than the store-bought stuff. Although the recipes vary, most typically contain coconut water, salt, and citrus, and they claim to offer the same benefits as commercially made electrolyte drinks.  

Sports drinks contain electrolytes, sugars, and minerals to replenish your fluids after strenuous exercise. And experts say DIY versions can be healthier because you’ll get electrolytes that help with rehydration while controlling ingredients that you’d rather not have, like added sugar, says Kaytee Hadley, MS, RDN, and founder of Holistic Health and Wellness in Richmond, Virginia. 

Health Benefits of Homemade Sports Drinks

“Making your version allows you to control what’s going in your body, so you can get the nutrients, and possibly even antioxidants, while hydrating,” explains McCall McPherson, Physician Assistant-Certified (PA-C), founder and lead physician associate of Modern Thyroid Clinic in Texas. “Store-bought electrolyte drinks are often filled with high fructose corn syrup, food dyes, and preservatives.” 

Similar to store-bought sports drinks, homemade versions will help you stay hydrated. The basic ingredients contain electrolytes, or minerals that help speed up fluid absorption. Some of these minerals include potassium, sodium, magnesium, and calcium. 

How to Make Homemade Sports Drinks

To make a basic electrolyte drink, Sahar Bejis, registered dietitian at Inner Health Wellness in Walnut Creek, California, recommends the following:

• 2 cups coconut water
• 1 cup filtered water
• Juice of ½ lemon or lime
• ⅛ tsp. Himalayan pink salt

You can tweak the recipe to suit your preferences, explains Hadley. “Consider adding fresh herbs like mint for flavor or ginger if you’re nauseous or vomiting,” she recommends. “The beauty is that you can adapt the recipe to meet your needs on any given day, whether you’re sitting in an air-conditioned office building, running a 10k, or vomiting from an illness,” she says.

Benjamin Barlow, MD, chief medical officer at American Family Care, recommends adding fresh fruits and vegetables with natural electrolytes such as celery, cucumber, tomatoes, watermelon, cauliflower, strawberries, and snap peas.

When to Drink Electrolyte Drinks

Dr. Barlow recommends drinking electrolyte beverages after activities that lead to significant fluid and mineral loss, for example, sweating heavily during an intense workout or when you’re outside in extreme heat for a long time.

“They can also support rehydration during illness, particularly when dehydration occurs due to vomiting or diarrhea,” he explains. “However, it’s important to note that in cases of severe dehydration, especially from illnesses like diarrhea, medical-grade oral rehydration solutions (ORS), which contain a carefully balanced ratio of electrolytes and glucose, are recommended for safe and effective rehydration,” he says, and talk to your doctor if you are concerned about dehydration.