Gatorade, PowerAde, electrolyte pumped-up sports drinks… they’re good for you, right? You see athletes chugging down bottles of the neon-colored liquid in every ad and real life, surely they do something, and they do. They help you maintain your body’s balance of electrolytes during or after periods of heavy exercise. But when you look closer, you’re really just paying an outrageous price for glorified, brightly colored, sugar water. An overload of processed and refined sweetener (in the case of sports drinks, high-fructose corn syrup) is never a good thing. And while artificial flavors and colors don’t technically do much for your health, a part of me just shies away from the idea of ingesting things that are “fake.”
We’ve been led to believe by certain companies that we need an extra-special drink to recover from some sweat. First of all, there is a huge difference between athletes that work out hardcore for hours, and those dedicated to fifteen minute morning workout routines. Secondly, our bodies are smart, staying well hydrated and eating healthy is usually enough to maintain a balance of electrolytes. For those times that you do have a heavier workout though, make your own sports drink. It’s easy, quick, and naturally refreshing.
Ingredients: Lemons, limes, oranges, salt, honey, water, coconut water, sugar, strawberries.
Why the ingredients: There isn’t much need to delve into why each ingredient is included. They all fall under the blanket statement of being a good source of electrolytes, tasty, or both.
