Homemade Sports Drink

By: Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert


If you follow this blog, there is a high likelihood that you care about your health and take part in an exercise program.

You probably spend a good deal of time trying to figure out how to best feed & hydrate your body for optimal health that includes:

• Improved body composition
• Fat loss
• Increased energy
• Gains in athletic performance
• Enhanced sleep cycles
• Stable blood pressure
• Lower cholesterol levels

In that process, perhaps you have or still rely on sports drinks to hydrate after a workout for replenished electrolytes - that's what the sports drink marketing folks have made you believe...right??

The sports drink were originally intended for professional athletes that expend a ridiculous amount of energy, at incredibly high intensity, for an extended amount of time (hint: hours).

For those athletes, consuming the original formula that replenishes the authentic loss of electrolytes, makes absolute sense.

For those of us that are not performing at the caliber of professional athletes, the ingredients in today's sports drinks are not necessary and are even doing more harm than good.

This is most assuredly true for young athletes.

Take a look at the ingredients in your typical sports drink label and you'll more than likely see this:

1. High Fructose Corn Syrup
2. Color dyes
3. Additives
4. Preservatives

The first ingredient is what the product contains in the highest amount of all ingredients!

Your body does not need high fructose corn syrup to replenish anything lost during a workout. Period.

A much better alternative can be made at home and you can feel good about the ingredients you are consuming and the fact that you are not exposing your body to the sugar-crisis that contributes to so many health problems - this is most especially true if you have young athletes in the home.

Ingredients

1 c lemon juice (between 6-8 lemons, depending on size)
1/2 c raw honey or maple syrup
1 tsp unrefined sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda (Baking soda can possibly neutralize muscle soreness or delay muscle pain from lactic acid build up.  Plus, it neutralizes the citric acid!)

Place ingredients in a pint mason jar.
Shake until combined.
Keep concentrate in fridge.
You can either add this concentrate to 1 gallon of water or add 1-2 tblsp (depending on personal taste) to each 8 ounces of water (1 cup) - which works well for young athletes to take in their own water bottle.

Tips:

• I have poured this concentrate into ice trays and dropped a couple of the frozen cubes into our young athletes water bottles that are filled with water.
• I have used oranges instead of lemons, or a combination of both.  Limes work great as well!
• Did you know that Gatorade has 30mg of potassium per 8oz serving and lemon juice has 37mg potassium per 1oz serving?  Ideal electrolyte replacement without the need for high fructose corn syrup!  :)