RECIPE: A Healthy, All-Natural Gatorade Alternative

Here’s a guest post from Jen Campbell of Tennis Life Magazine:

Playing tennis in the heat of summer means a little extra sweat… okay, a LOT of extra sweat. And while it’s extremely important to hydrate well no matter what time of year it is, it’s especially important in the summer.

I used to think that Gatorade or other similar sports drinks were the best way to replenish fluids and electrolytes during and after a match or workout. Sometimes I would even drink it as a water substitute because I thought it was healthier…and it had flavor. I mean, Gatorade has sodium and electrolytes, so it must be better than plain water, right?

Wrong! Gatorade and other heavily branded sports drinks are loaded with processed sugars and chemicals, some of which may be linked to hyperactivity in children and cancer! Yikes!

I don’t know about you, but I have a few concerns about these ingredients:

• Yellow 5:  An artificial color that creates a yellow color in many different foods and drinks. Studies have shown that this artificial colorant and several of the others may be linked to hyperactivity in children and cancer.  While it is approved by the FDA for consumption in the US, it is banned in some parts of Europe, and in other places, anything containing this ingredient must carry warning labels.  It provides absolutely no positive health benefit and its sole purpose is to make your drink look more appealing.
• Sucrose Acetate Isobutyrate: An emulsifier that helps keep the other ingredients from separating in your drink.  It is considered safe for humans in limited quantities, but studies in dogs have indicated enlarged livers as a result of long-term ingestion.
• Monopotassium Phosphate: Also known as a fertilizer and fungicide… WTF?!

As far as I tell, NONE of these ingredients are necessary, and they all seem unfit for human consumption, so I created my own version of the popular sports drink that only contains GOOD things for your bod! Make a little for now, or make a lot and keep it stored in your fridge (for a few days.)

Serves 1  |  Total calories: 140  |  Total potassium: 456mg  |  Total sodium: 120mg

Ingredients

• 1 cup Coconut water
• 1/8 cup Lemon juice, freshly squeezed and strained
• 1/8 cup Lime juice, freshly squeezed and strained
• 1 Tbsp Raw, unfiltered honey
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt

Directions