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The Secret Behind Gatorade & How to Replenish Electrolytes Naturally

Let’s face it – Gatorade (and Powerade, etc…) is one of the worst things you could possibly put in your body. It’s made up of mostly chemically treated & refined sugar (as much as a typical soda), artificial colors, and other ingredients that are dreadful for your body.

One of the worst ingredients is Brominated Vegetable Oil which is added to some flavors to keep the drink from getting cloudy and the artificial flavor suspended in the drink. This controversial substance is linked to serious health consequences like skin rashes, severe acne and thyroid disease and is banned in Europe and Japan! (Update: Gatorade recently decided to phase out this ingredient due to a recent successful petition, but Powerade still contains it)

The new natural version of Gatorade still has chemically processed refined sugars and questionable natural flavor to cover up the fact there is absolutely no fruit juice in this drink to make their fruity flavors. To think athletes and exercise enthusiasts have started drinking this makes me sad.

Even more upsetting, my parents (sorry Mom and Dad!), not knowing any better at the time used to serve me Gatorade to make sure I was hydrated anytime I was under the weather. It was the remedy of choice for hydration in my household growing up…I remember orange was my favorite flavor and is the worst one for you.

Gatorade does do one thing. It replaces electrolytes. But what is the big secret behind the ingredients that do this? To replace electrolytes you don’t need some tricky formula, man made chemicals, refined sugars or colors. All you need is simple real food sources that provide a few key minerals like sodium, chloride, potassium and magnesium.

Here are 4 ways to replenish your electrolytes naturally and give your body some serious nutrition at the same time. Remember to choose organic ingredients whenever possible.

  1. Juice Celery + Apple + Lemon – This juice combination works wonders for replacement of electrolytes. The celery has a natural source of sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, and phosphorus. Apple provides additional potassium and natural sweetness. Lemon is the highest electrolyte containing citrus fruit.
  2.  

  3. Stir Sea Salt + Baking Soda + Lemon Juice + Maple Syrup into 8 ounces of Water – This is a great natural remedy for serious endurance athletes – You might think drinking baking soda is a little weird, but it’s been used for centuries to treat various aliments. In this case, it’s added to the mix because it makes the body less acidic and provides an additional source of sodium bicarbonate.
  4.  

  5. Shake Raw Coconut Water + Chia Seeds – Raw coconut water has a ton of electrolytes and potassium that will not only help you stay hydrated but also keep your body from getting any cramps. It is completely natural and very low in sugar. Combine this with a packet of chia seeds and you have a 1-2 punch! Chia seeds are an incredible energy food – full of omega 3 fatty acids, protein, fiber. These seeds have the ability to keep you from getting dehydrated because of they can hold 9 times their weight in water! There are travel packs available that don’t need refrigeration either – perfect for just throwing in your gym bag or purse.
  6.  

  7. Blend Frozen Banana + Almond Milk + Kale – This smoothie is extremely hydrating. The banana provides a good source of potassium and magnesium which help regulate your fluid stores. Almonds are extremely rich in magnesium and potassium. When you make your almond milk, make sure you add sea salt (store bought almond milk already has salt added to it). Kale is a superfood and another excellent source of magnesium and calcium.

Now go outside and sweat, so you can enjoy one of these yummy combinations!

Food Babe

P.S. After I wrote this article, 2 news agencies reported about sports drinks – The Atlantic and NPR. These are must reads, check them out.

Specifically, The Atlantic reported that scientists 40 years ago were paid by these sport drink companies to tell us we would not be able to sufficiently hydrate ourselves with just water, that our children didn’t drink enough at meals, and that we would lose performance during sporting events if we didn’t drink this artificially flavored and colored salt water. These companies even developed school outreach programs to get to even more children to buy into the thought of drinking sports drinks at an early age. Are you shocked? I certainly am.

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300 responses to “The Secret Behind Gatorade & How to Replenish Electrolytes Naturally

  1. Although I never liked Gatorade, even as a child, I’d have barfed on you before I swallowed a drop of any of those concoctions above. For that matter, if I had an upset stomach they’d probably come right back up now. Although I love coconut, coconut water is disgusting and in a few years when they’ve moved on to the next ‘health’ fad, you won’t be able to find it any way. Best just to use the old standard of a bit of salt and sugar in water. With little real flavor (although you can mix it with a bit of juice of you want), it’s far less likely to cause vomiting than the ones above.

    1. Sandi, lighten up, hun. Coconut water has been around forever, it’s just more popular now. Just because you don’t like healthy things doesn’t mean they are disgusting. Get some therapy so you can become a more positive person.

      1. I’m from the Caribbean surrounded by coconut trees, my grandma used to give us coconut water in an empty stomach when we had stomach problems. They even used it to make an alcoholic beverage that I never tried because I was under age but it looked delicious. Coconut water is old, really good and delicious in a hot day. This article doesn’t specify that the recipes should be use to give them to sick children.

      2. Seriously, Sandi. Although everyone is entitled to their opinion, Food Babe provided a lot of great info plus 4 very good recipes to keep you healthy. They are much smarter for you than refined sugar and salt in plain water. You definitely should try one.

      1. I have consumed all those things at one time or another in my nearly 60 years, and I know exactly what triggered my gag influence when I was a kid. Anything thick or viscous was a ticket to vomiting, as was anything sweet, including soda. Clear broth, with maybe a few noodles was it (not out of a red and white can) and ice water. I really don’t think that when a child is ill is the time to be throwing fibrous food like kale (which we had for dinner tonight because we like it), or chia seeds into an already upset tummy. Use a little common sense. Bland and lots of fluids.

      2. Sandi seems to have a pattern here of dwelling on her childhood and barfing when Food Babe’s point is to eat and drink smarter.

    2. I too thought coconut water was “disgusting” until I found the right one. Most cans and sippy paks of coconut water have 12 -22 grams of sugar and some add oil of some type – really? Not to mention the price! Cocohydro coconut powder has 5 grams of sugar per serving and it tastes yum. I recommend the pineapple flavor. I’m just sayin’.
      nurse cynthia

      1. Don’t buy any of those canned ones. Buy the actual ones. Walmart always have them in grocery. Nothing tastes like natural ones.

    3. Sandi, we are very healthy eaters, I have 3 young children, I would never give them Gatorade, and I agree with your point wholeheartedly. While interesting concoctions, these alternatives do not match up with the article; they simply are not viable options for most children during a sporting event or a puking event. I would’ve loved to have seen some real options for these situations since they do present a frequent challenge around here.

      1. Hi Lisa,

        Curious to know why the above are not viable options for most children in your opinion. Is it due to taste, convenience or accessibility of these products? I’m a mother of two and do my best as well to try and get my kids to eat as healthy as possible, with a few treats here and there.

        My first thought went to making these in advance and storing them in an empty glass juice container and have the child bring that specific concoction to their sporting event so they can consume it while their sport is in progress. My next thought was in how we need to teach our children that commercials and other gimmicks aren’t always what they seem ie: how Gatorade is entering our public systems schools to promote their product and teach false information saying they need more than water, and more specifically, they need Gatorade (though they haven’t infiltrated the schools my children go to, yet). It’s crazy how money dictates so much of what we can’t seem to control. But, I digress.

        I would love to hear your thoughts 🙂

    4. She is focusing more on the exercising factor to replace electrolytes and water, not so much on keeping a child who has a sick stomach hydrated. Yes, when someone has the stomach flu, there is very little they can keep down (my mom always made me Jello to eat and broth to sip when I was sick to my stomach). But again, this is geared towards a normally healthy person staying hydrated when doing something that involves a lot of movement or sweating. =)

    5. The lemon baking soda mix seems like a great idea even for a sick kid. Don’t understand how it could cause vomiting. I will give this a try with the exception of subbing out maple syrup for raw manuka honey. Manuka works wonders on upset tummies, and has been clinically proven to decrease the nasty symptoms of norovirus. Also has been shown to reduce cough more effectively than cough medicine in children. The baking soda is alkaline rich and likewise may reverse some of the acidity rich conditions of an upset tummy and a sick body that bacteria thrive in. Standard sugar (beet sugar) spikes glucose and has very high acidity and should be completely avoided as it will have nothing but negative effects in a sick body.

    6. I second that you need some therapy. Not only are you a negative nancy, on top of that you use your own personal taste as a measure to qualify foodbabe’s recipes. Don’t like it? Don’t try it. Coconut water will be harder to find because it’s a current fad? Yeah maybe if you live in a cave.

      Word of advice: Write when you have CONSTRUCTIVE criticism to give or are giving people a review of the actual recipes. No one gives a crap how you ‘feel’ about these recipes vs gatorade. This is not an afternoon tea club, go on your merry way….and don’t forget your midol!

    7. Dear Sandi, Poor Sandi, I hope you will try really hard to get the help you seem to need to resolve your childhood fears. After your 60+ years don’t you think it’s way past time? Food Babe is doing her absolute best to provide to millions a healthier food path. You’re entitled to your opinion, of course, it just seems so sad you have such a narrow mind, maybe your diet adds to this, and you and yours are missing opportunities to be healthier. Good luck!!!

      1. ok lets stop beating up on Sandi….what is the best coconut water …and don’t tell me the one that says ” natural ” i don’t buy that term any more…ty

    8. I used to hate coconut water too, but then I started living on an island where the locals drink fresh coconuts. Coconut water is delicious if you can get your hands on a fresh coconut and not that disgusting stuff that’s boxed and has pulp in it. Real coconut water doesn’t have pulp floating around in it. FYI, the fact that you dislike all of the ingredients above make you sound like a five year old. I highly doubt you’ve tried all those combinations before.

    9. I have had all the above, not necessarily in those combinations and love them. Especially coconut water, it’s delicious! I’ve even put baking soda in my apple cider vinegar and it is fine. If it’s not for you, then to each their own. But those 4 ideas sound great to me.

  2. This is nice and all for the American public than access these foods. What you are forgetting is that simple sugar/salt solutions (literally that’s it) have cured the cholera epidemics in 3rd word countries. The ingredients you suggest to use add vitamins, but most of their content is unnecessary. Table sugar (2 Tbsp) + table salt (1 Tbsp) and viola: a cheap, easy, universal and albeit unappetizing fix for dehydration. This is because the sodium channels in small intestine are actually glucose symporters and therefore require the presence of glucose to take up NaCl. Water follows salt.

    1. Tyler – thank you for the information. I’m inclined to do your version for simplicity’s sake. Does the ratio of sweet to salty have to be 2:1 for max absorption? And Instead of sugar, can I use raw honey – meaning will it have the same function as the sugar?

    2. Unless you’re living in a food desert, I think most Americans can access celery, apples, and lemons.

    3. Vani is not forgetting that simple drink solution, she just knows that regular old table sugar and table salt aren’t good for you. She has come up with some solutions.

  3. Ladies & gents- meet COCOHYDRO, the #1 Gatorade, etc. replacement.

    Nutrient-dense, delicious, sustainable – just pour water and drink to your health!
    By removing the water before shipping across the ocean, COCOHYDRO is the only responsible…. *AND BY FAR THE BEST TASTING COCONUT WATER EVER!*

    A natural way to attain ultra hydration with NOTHING artificial… YES!
    Make your own coconut water just how you like it –
    available in Pineapple, Pom Raspberrry, and (my fave!) Lemon Lime.

    *disclaimer – i don’t sell cocohydro… im just in love with it and the guys who make it.

    1. Hi Jim. Almond milk is EASY to make by yourself. On the picture you see milk and nuts, not the package. A few weeks ago the Food Babe posted a great recipe of almond milk. And you are right, carageenan doesn’t belong into the kitchen! 🙂

  4. Since I read this post a couple of weeks ago, I have been drinking the salt,lemon,maple, mix. I love it, esp when it kicks in, I feel like I could go for a long time at work. Thank you.

  5. Over the years, like many, I have lost my taste for sodas and sports drinks and all of that junk. Basically, all I drink is water.

    However, recently I have been placed on a medication which can make me sweaty and with that, dry mouth and excessive thirst. So, I have started drinking more water.

    Fast forward to my three year old brother’s birthday tonight and I am feeling just a bit off, and also have an insatiable craving for a surgary drink. So, I ended up drinking a sierra mist. I haven’t had soda for so long and even when I did drink soda, I almost never would finish a can or bottle. But this time, I drank the whole thing within minutes and few hours later felt much better.

    All soda is bad of course. However, Sierra Mist is the least bad of them all. No caffeine, only carbonated water, sugar, citric acid, natural flavor, and potassium citrate. The 12 oz cans do contain a lot of sugar though, 37 grams.

    I am going to try some of these methods. If I don’t like them, maybe I will drink a sierra mist every now and again to replinish my electrolytes.

  6. I am taking kale, frozen banana and almond milk
    How much should I be taking a day
    Please reply by email
    P.s should kale be ground down first to make the cup dosage
    My Chinese natural doctor told me to build up my electrolytes so I chose to go natural instead of store drinks

  7. I’m sorry to say this but you lost all credibility in the very first sentence of this article. Gatorade is one of the WORST things you can put in your body, then you go on to say “as much as a typical soda” so your saying soda is the WORST thing for your body as well. You do realize what the word WORST means right? “It isn’t good for you.” Fair enough. “You should drink A instead of B.” Fair enough. But the WORST thing to put in your body is Gatorade? Not only is this statement not true, but it makes you look very silly and uninformative. When you are suggesting things for people’s health hyperbole’s have no place.

    1. I don’t usually correct people’s comments because everyone makes mistakes. But when you attack Food Babe the way you did, it’s hard to ignore.

      Your comment lost all credibility and YOU look very silly when you quote Food Babe and then criticize HER based on YOUR misinterpretation of what she said. She said “Gatorade (and Powerade, etc…) is one of the worst things you could possibly put in your body.”

      ONE OF the worst things… Not THE worst thing. You do realize what “one of” means, right? The term “one of” implies there are multiple. There are multiple “worst things” you can put in your body, and Gatorade is ONE OF THEM.

      In the future, if you want to comment on something you read, please be sure you understand what you read so that you don’t end up looking “very silly and uninformative”.

      1. What R M said is very valid. Just because you stand by what Food Babe said and swallowed every word of the article as fact does not give you the right to attack this person’s comment. We are all entitled to opinions. For Food Babe to say that Gatorade, Powerade and drinks of that type to be one of the worst things to put in our body is a misdirection. Will these drinks kill us? No, probably not. I’m not defending the big corporations manufacturing these chemically altered beverages. I’m just saying there are far worse.

  8. Could Food Babe please elaborate why she recommends sea salt in her recipes without specifying why table salt shouldn’t be used? I know quite a bit about salts, and make it a point to cook for my family with sea salt only for blood pressure, etc. but for me personally, with low thyroid, I use iodized salt. I can be feeling very zapped, and lick a little iodized salt off my palm for an almost instant pick me up. I don’t have blood pressure issues. I’m planning to use iodized salt in these recipes (for myself) instead of sea salt, unless Food Babe can change my view I’d be better off with Sea salt. Thank you for the help!

    1. My doctor wanted me to go on a “no added salt” diet and when I asked her about iodine, she told me that I will get sufficient iodine from other processed foods that I eat containing salt.

  9. The natural recipes sound great ,definitely gonna think twice about drinkng gatorade from now on , i like the purple one lol but i am always open to trying new ,healthy recipes and these sound very doable 🙂 thxs forinfo and making me more aware

  10. Here is my question…
    To what extent do we need to replenish electrolytes? How much do we need to be exercising, sweating, etc that our bodies are depleted that much of electrolyes? I’m going to start that investigation:) if anyone knows…would love to hear!

  11. You might want to try a squeeze of fresh orange juice or lemon juice or my favorite a squeeze of lime and a squeeze of lemon in plain carbonated water. And then a little Stevia (Provided you have a source or way to carbonate water)

    I drink a “sports drink” made of plain water, a pinch of sea salt, a squeeze of lemon (or lime or orange or lemon and lime) and a bit of stevia. I’d have to guess it is like – a pinch of salt, 1/4 packet of stevia and a tablespoon of the citrus fruit. if mixing the fruit, a teaspoon of each.

    I generally make it up ahead of time like so…
    Juice of one lemon
    Juice of one lime
    packet of stevia
    about 1/4 teaspoon of unrefined sea salt
    Gallon of Spring Water
    Fill up 4 water bottles, stash in fridge then go ride, workout whatever…

    1. It is true that some sea salts contain a host of valuable trace minerals. I used to get terrible headaches from hard workouts or working hard outside. I tried Gatorade, which reduced the intensity of the headaches. I tried some Oral Rehydration Salts that my RN wife got for me, and they did a little better than Gatorade, but I still got the headaches. I finally came across a low sodium sea mineral concentrate called Ionic Sea Minerals. I take a teaspoon each day, and the headaches are gone for good. I also add a teaspoon to 2 quarts of water and drink it when I play a few sets of tennis. The Ionic Sea Minerals have the four major electrolytes which are: magnesium, sodium, potassium and chloride. It is also a wonderful source of trace minerals. http://www.max-well.us/Ionic%20Sea%20M.asp

      1. You should listen to Paul. Much like The Hair Club For Men, “I’m not just the owner – I’m also a member.” =)

      2. It is true, Jason. But I was first a member, enjoying the benefits, and was so impressed that I became the owner. Trace mineral electrolytes are more important than most people realize. It is now my privilege to not only make them available here in the USA, but to also get them to children living with HIV in Africa. http://AidtheChildren.com

  12. What about just rehydrating with an electrolyte enriched water, like Smart brand? I’ve run 3 marathons without ever touching the electrolyte drinks…. good ole fashioned water and some electrolyte pills and I was good to go.

  13. Never touched the stuff and as for drinking anything but some wine WITH meals….NEVER!

    Growing up, my father’s mantra was “don’t wash it down”! You dilute your digestive juices if you drink water, soda, juices, etc., with your meals and all you need do is think about all the indigestion out there! If the hydrochloric acid is too weak from dilution, it cannot break down your food properly.

  14. What can you use to replace the calories that Gatorade provides via the sugar? I hate having to take in all that sugar but I also need some calories when on a long bike ride or triathlon. I do make many similar smoothies with ingredients similar to the above but those would not be possible to take out on a 5 hour ride in the heat of the summer.

  15. Can you tell me anything about the carbonated wated machines are the any good or do they have any adverse effects on you?

  16. The original version invented by the Florida gators football team in the 60’s
    didn’t have sugar in it and was far more effective

  17. Thank you for sharing the four drinks above. They all sound great.
    I LOVE coconut water, it is delicious. Its really helps if you aren’t feeling so great. Within about 20 minutes of drinking it, you will start to feel better.

    Also, thank you for sharing the facts about Gatorade. I had an idea that it wasn’t great due to the sugar content, but I never thought about the chemicals. Not sure why it isn’t banned here in the U.S. like other countries.

    Thanks again!!!

  18. Ummm hello wasn’t this article written about the bad things in Gatorade? If it’s so bad for you than why is it that every time I’ve visited the children’s pediatric hospital with anyone of my 4 children the doctors bring in a bottle of light colored Gatorade? Is it because it has all these bad things in it or because it helps rehydrate a kiddo who’s been puking and squirting fluids from both ends? Option 2 it is… All those conceptions this person has posted as an alternative are ok ideas for adults but what child on this earth would drink anyone of those??? Coco water my kids drink not daily but at least once a week. But chunky green blended drinks would end up all over my house if I asked on of my kiddos to attempt to drink. It would either be puked up or spit out… Not at all a useful article.. I’ll stick to gatorade

    1. My daughter is 6 and her greatest love is “green juice”, which is usually a mix of spinach, kale, carrot, orange and apple juice. To be honest, some of her friends have been a little hesitant to try it when they are over, but usually once they do, they really like it as well. Green juices do not have to be “chunky”, to be honest I dont know of any that are, sometimes we will blend some up with oatmeal in the morning for some fiber etc but it sounds like I may switch that to chia seeds.

      1. Exactly, Jamie, if you raise your child used to these kind of healthy drinks as opposed to the horrible crap you find in stores, then they won’t be puking it up. My babies love green juice too and what they like to call blood juice (anything with beets in them.) Instead of complaining, people, spend your time getting your kids used to these healthy choices!

    2. I saw doctors smoking, drinking alcohol …. you, of course, proved beyond the reasonable doubt that Gatorade is healthy because you saw a doctor with a bottle of it.

  19. I want to be open to new things….I wish parents would realise their role and present healthy food options to their children…remember your role is teacher first but if you r closed minded what chance does your child have to learn new things…as for chunky things get a vitamix…

  20. You don’t have to be a genius to understand, that ‘hydration’ is a stupid word for drinking water, exactly like ‘parenting’ is a nauseatingly wrong noun that is used instead of ‘raising children.’
    I suspect, if you do parenting, then you are also concerned with hydration. If you simply raise your kids – then you give them clean water and forget it.
    When Gatorade just appeared on the shelves for the first time some years ago, I immediately felt suspicious: “It might be worse than Coca-Cola.” I still feel guilty I bought it twice for my kids over all these years, even though it was on hot beach days in the middle of summer.

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  22. Trish: Maybe you are the one who should go away. I don’t agree with Sandi but she has a right to her opinion.

  23. What about using baking soda that is full of GMOs like Arm & Hammer?? That’s not particularly good for us, either…. Make sure if you do the baking soda thing, use aluminum free baking soda.

  24. I see the ingredients on Gatorade; which I do not drink; however, I’m wondering why so many athletes drink this if it’s so terrible? I’m sure they are aware of the ingredients and they are athletes. Yes I’m sure some are endorsing for $$$$ but many do drink this on a regular basis. Are they not concerned with keeping their bodies healthy? Being an athlete does not make a person healthy but I wonder why so many known athletes that drink this would put their bodies in jeopardy.

    1. Elizabeth: The answer is that athletes require huge amounts of calories and electrolytes. Sedentary people do not. For athletes, their massive caloric intake is required for them to build and maintain lean body mass, and to supply energy during athletic performance. If sedentary people eat like athletes, they become fat. If athletes ate as much as normal weight, sedentary people then their performances and capabilities would suffer dramatically. Gatorade is good for athletes. It isn’t good for sedentary people. The key is to figure out where you fit on that continuum – from sedentary to elite athlete – and manage your intake accordingly. One size does not fit all. That point seems to be missed by most of the commenters here.

  25. If you think all Gatorade does is supply electrolytes and hydration, you are sadly mistaken. The MOST important thing you get from such drinks is precisely the sugar, because when you’re exercising hard, you burn so much sugar that your body can go into a catabolic state — due to lack of fuel, it starts breaking down its own muscle to use as an alternative source. Taking in that simple sugar while you workout hard keeps you fueled — as well as hydrated — and prevents such breakdown from occurring. I’m diabetic (so you’d think sugar would be even worse for me) and my endocrinologist specificially prescribed Gatorade when I work out to keep my blood sugar stable. The same principle works for everyone. When you work out hard, water won’t do it. You need Gatorade power!

    1. BAM! This ^^^^. The other commenters here should read this. If you train hard, you need Gatorade, or a similar product, unless the only goal of your training is to shrink (i.e., lose weight). When training for performance, simple carbs are essential.

      1. But this doesn’t mean you need artificial dyes, flavors, etcetera. You need sugar, water, electrolytes. You can make your own or buy natural versions. Knudsen sells a natural version, Thrive has many recipes. Gatorade did a lot of research and has the formula for sugar to water down perfectly for maximum absorption, this is why many athletes use it. But you can copy the formula!

  26. This article is highly misleading. Gatorade is not “one of the worst things you could possibly put in your body.” Gatorade is intended for athletes who are (i) training for performance; or (ii) actually performing (i.e., in competition). It is true that sedentary people do not need, and probably should not consume the amount of sugar and electrolytes contained in Gatorade. But for athletes, these ingredients are essential to their training and their performance. The key is for people to use good judgment. Each person must decide where they fall on the continuum from sedentary person to elite athlete, and modify their intake accordingly. In short, the “problem” is that Gatorade and similar products are mass marketed and over-consumed by people for whom they were not designed, and for whom they are not beneficial and may even be harmful. But I guess that fact is less “sexy,” and generates fewer “page hits” than saying that these products are inherently bad. Said differently – YOUR marketing is just as misleading as gatorade’s marketing.

  27. I can’t survive on the electrolyte supplements you mention. I need to consume at least 3 liters of Gatorade etc. a day. I have salt wasting nephropathy and need extra electrolytes to survive. I would like to duplicate the electrolyte composition of Gatorade in just plain spring water.
    Any suggestions?
    Thanks

  28. If you have ever had serious digestive issues like ulcers, colitis, extreme diarreah, kidney problems, etc. ( as opposed to sweating during exercise or a simple tummy ache) and actually PASSED OUT from dehydration, you would know that Gatorade is toxic waste despite whatever electrolytes it may offer. The added acids are deadly to people with ulcers. The sugar content is deadly to people with pancreatic and liver issues or to diabetics who may need hydration. Some of the poor quality minerals in these sports and pedia formulas can trigger off severe diarreah which people with IBS/IBD, chrohns and colitis do not need more of and this in turn removes electrolytes from the body. As digusting as some of the NATURAL sources above may sound to those who prefer to live from plastic bottles and cans, they are REAL FOODS that DO HEAL and REPLENISH! This is good advice! I am going to try this right now to not end up in the ER again because I had a CT Urogram which triggered off severe nausea and diarreah and left me seriuos dehydrated. For those who actually like gatorade and red and white canned soups, etc, rest assured, that if those things have not killed you yet, then apples, lemons, maple sugar and the rest of the list certainly won’t! And you will save a lot of money in addition to saving your body and health. Best regards to all seeking good health. PEACE!

  29. Thanks Food Babe! Great useful and concise info with a perfect visual. I’m now a new fan!

  30. I want to make the Coconut Water and Chia Seed Shake! I have ground Chia Seeds, will they be OK to use and will I get the same effect as with whole Chia seeds?
    Thank you!

  31. Hey, you can also use fresh citrus juices like lemons and oranges to give your electrolytes a boost. I just posted a delicious recipe for lemon rice on my blog. It’s really simple and my whole family loves it.

  32. Are you crazy?

    Everything she listed sounded delicious, and I would of eaten any of it as a kid. ‘

    Coconut water is delicious. I could drink 100 ounces a day or more if it were there for the taking. So… That’s just your opinion, okay, man?

  33. Baking soda makes my hear flutter or something. When i don’t take it, no problem. Why is this? Am I sodium sensitive? Do I need more potassium to balance it?

  34. The only thing I have learned here is what I already know. One size does not fit all. At my age, I’ve heard it all starting with baby formula is better for your baby than your own breast milk, the fluoride in water is good for your baby’s teeth and for everybody, all fat will clog your arteries, you will die soon if you do not take multiple vitamin supplements, equal is good because sugar is bad, global cooling is causing major problems, global warming is causing major problems, exercise will keep you young (no mention of what it does to your joints in later life), drink Gatorade, drink V8 juice, don’t drink anything but water, you can’t trust modern medicine only alternative medicine, get a great suntan, stay out of the sun as it will give you melanoma cancer, eat meat, do not eat meat…….it turns out everything is actually bad for us. When you think you have found the true answer, you realize there was something you did not know and that you never had the true answer……Is it any wonder Sandi is skeptical because we are the same age and we’ve already heard it all and had so many “wonders” pitched to us through the years only to find out they faded and were OK, but not wonders. This is what I do know for my family for absolute sure: If my husband consumes V8 juice, he will produce a kidney stone. If he adds large quantities of Gatorade to V8 Juice, he will produce multiple painful stones. His company furnished the Gatorade during the 105 degree, humid summers in Texas he worked in all day long climbing 40 foot poles manually (before they used bucket trucks). I do keep a small container of Gatorade for the diarrhea and vomiting I have had to keep my electrolytes in check so I can stay out of the hospital from dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Pedialyte is good to keep but not found everywhere. If you are dehydrated, the doctor will hospitalize you. Once is enough if you know what to do. Is it right for you? I don’t know you and your body. I am a diabetic. I MUST keep quick sugar with me at all times. Is that good for you? I don’t know you, I just know me. I am always open to new suggestions, but I have learned to do so with a tad amount of skepticism as it’s wise after what others have deemed the truth and the light in the past, only to realize, their truth was short lived. It was once thought diabetes was caused by sugar, only to find out it is not caused by sugar, the truth is…they don’t know to this day what causes type I or type 2, only what might help. It is healthy to question what ANYONE is prescribing for YOUR health. I don’t care who they are.

  35. I’m going to blend all the above ingredients into one super drink from my high intensity work outs. Any objections?

  36. I’m going to blend all the above ingredients into one super drink for my high intensity work outs. Any objections?

  37. Can you find out what is in boxed Franzia wine (chardonnay), I would like to know all the ingredients in this product. Thank you so much. I saw you on Home and Family and I was very impressed with you.

  38. I dont have any of the other ingredients so, for my 20 year old college student son, who was losing it from both ends, I mixed the sea salt, baking soda, natural maple s. formula just to avoid going to the store. He took a sip and gagged. added a ton of water, took a gulp, gagged and puked. He was able to consume Gatorade without gagging . He is only losing it from the lower end now but up so often I will give him what keeps him hydrated in his current state. I am a champion for natural especially since I saw my ex pass from cancer I know was fuel by sugar the doctors said he COULD eat as long as he was eating. Tragic.

  39. Thanks for the simplified version on how to replenish electrolytes. I am a high endurance athlete that just recently received test results from my doctor. According to the results, my electrolytes are a tiny bit off (doctor’s words in the letter), I have been experiencing cramping and spasms in legs (calves) and feet, yet the reading shows my potassium and sodium levels just a bit too high. That combination seems strange. What would be your solution to get all things in order, my electrolytes, while lowing my sodium and potassium? Could the coconut water and chia seeds be the answer? Please advise. Thank you!

    1. Magnesium! Most people are deficient and its necessary for so many functions! Many nutrients work best when balanced with others. Try a good quality magnesium, i bet it will help with your legs cramps and spasms.

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