Homemade Gatorade

July 12, 2022

It’s the season of summer heat, so let’s talk electrolytes and rehydration fluids. When I mention electrolytes, the first thing that comes to mind for most is Gatorade. However, this famous sports drink is filled with chemicals and a ridiculous amount of sugar. It is a far cry from what its main inventor tried to accomplish in 1965. That’s why I’ve created a healthier, homemade Gatorade option!

Gatorade History

In 1965, University of Florida (UF) football coach Dwayne Douglas noticed that his players were losing a lot of weight during training and games, some up to 18 pounds (8.1 kilograms)! They weren’t urinating, despite drinking a lot of water, and players were suffering from heat stroke. Douglas teamed up with Dr. Robert Cade — a kidney disease specialist at UF — to talk the problem out. Cade worked with UF’s College of Medicine to develop a drink to replenish what these athletes were losing through their sweat: carbohydrates (aka sugar), salt and electrolytes. Electrolytes are a set of minerals that your body needs to maintain healthy fluid levels and regulate its muscle function [source: MedlinePlus]. The only problem was that the drink was disgusting, so Cade’s wife proposed adding lemon juice to make it a little more palatable. This was all well and good until Quaker Oats got involved in 1983, and then Pepsi bought Quaker Oats in 2001. What started out as a great solution to a serious problem, became a marketing phenomenon plagued by chemicals and greed. Needless to say, I never recommend Gatorade.

The Electrolyte Story

Let’s take a look at how electrolytes compare in Gatorade vs. Food. The marketing world has made us believe that nothing out there compares to Gatorade when it comes to rehydration for the stomach bug or from a tough practice on the sports field. Actually, they convinced us that the only way to become remotely athletic is to drink Gatorade. Here is the rest of the story:

Gatorade Vs Food Comparison Per Serving Size

Homemade Gatorade Recipe

Ingredients:

32 oz of green tea, herbal tea, Harmless Harvest Coconut Water, or Plain Water
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tsp Unflavored Natural Calm Calcium-Magnesium Powder
1/4 cup 100% raw unpasteurized juice or 1-2Tbsp Raw Honey
Feel free to add slices of lemon, lime, orange, strawberries, grapes

Instructions:

Steep the tea or warm water/coconut water slightly
Mix all ingredients except the Honey. Adjust honey to taste. Be careful, Flavored Natural Calm is sweetened with stevia and other flavors. If you choose to use this, make sure you taste the concoction before you add honey.

Electrolyte Breakdown of Ingredients:

32 oz of Harmless Harvest Organic Coconut Water
- 45mg Sugar
- Calcium 120mg
- Potassium 1620mg
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
- 575mg sodium
1 tsp Natural Calm Calcium-Magnesium Powder =>
- 85mg Vit C
- 35 IU Vit D3
- Calcium 70mg
- Mag 103mg
- Potassium 32mg
- Boron 88mg
1 Tbsp Honey
- 16gms sugar