My husband recently told me he was thinking about buying a certain name-brand sports drink. And an idea sparked in my head. Why not make some? I’m always looking for ways to save money, eat healthier, and reduce waste. So challenging myself to make homemade Gatorade using what I had in the fridge was a no brainer. This easy recipe is made without coconut water because I didn’t have any on hand (and we both don’t personally love it). But it was still tasty and my hubby gave it a 9/10! Here’s how to make your own natural Gatorade.
Easy Homemade Gatorade Recipe (Without Coconut Water)
Why make homemade Gatorade?
Making a homemade sports drink ensures all the ingredients are clean. If you’re looking to avoid any unwanted additives/colorants, this is a huge reason to make your own!
The most important part of this sports drink is the electrolytes. Electrolytes balance fluid levels inside and outside cells, regulate blood pressure, and help your muscles contract.
If you’re into exercising, you lose a lot of electrolytes through sweat! But you can get electrolytes through mineral-rich foods, such as sea salt and citrus fruits. Adding those into your homemade Gatorade helps you retain your fluids, ensuring you’ll get all the benefits you need!
Making your own Gatorade also reduces waste, because most Gatorade comes in plastic bottles. It’s also a great way to use up what’s on hand, reducing food waste. You can sub lemons and limes for 1/2 cup of orange juice if you only have oranges, for example.
And the best part? There’s no plastic packaging with any of this. If you recently watched The Plastic Detox on Netflix, you’d know how important this is! Microplastics are literally inside of us, effecting our fertility rates and causing all kind of health problems – so why not cut back whenever we can?
If you’re an athlete, love the flavor of sports drinks, or recovering from a nasty sickness – you need to give this a try!
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 cups water (or sub with green tea)
- 2 tbs cane sugar (or sub with honey/maple syrup)
- Sprinkle of sea salt (~1/4 tsp)
Note: Use fresh squeezed lime and lemon juice! You can usually find them package free at the grocery store too. And when you’re done with the rinds, use them to make DIY citrus vinegar cleaner before composting!
Directions:
- Add all the ingredients into a wide mouth mason jar and give it a good shake with the lid on. Or stir! Add some ice (optional) and serve with a reusable straw.
Taste: It tastes similar to a lemonade, but with some zing, and less sweet! Super refreshing on a hot day.
Storage: This will keep in the fridge for up to a week – but Steve and I downed ours the same day!
What did you think of this homemade Gatorade recipe? Should I try making other flavors? Let me know in the comments!
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