Somewhere in the past few decades, maybe after we put a man on the moon, it seemed we started to believe that the more engineered something was, the better. Sports drinks got so techy they were barely recognizable as something you’d willingly put in your body—with a list of ingredients to match. But over the past few years, our tastes have shifted. More of us frac34; cup freshly squeezed orange juice: simple drinks that provide fuel without all the artificial ingredients and processing. It just makes sense.
In the spirit of eating and drinking stuff you don't need an industrial plant to cook, here are five sports drink recipes you can follow at home—with the all-natural stuff you’re after. Cheers!
Related: The Best Carbs for Runners
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This easy-to-make, maple syrup-flavored recipe is delicious and settles well because it is not acidic, says recipe developer and author Nancy Clark, RD. “When you are working out for more than an hour, enjoy this all-natural sports beverage to energize your workouts,” she says. (If you dig natural syrups, try this molasses recovery shake, too.)
3 ¾ cups cold water
¼ cup pure maple syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
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Shake well and enjoy!
Note: Maple syrup is also a tasty alternative to energy gels. Put some in a small flask and take nips during extended exercise.
Related: What Does All That Weird Stuff in Exercise Food Actually Do?
“Greaterade”
When the Golden State Warriors decided to ban commercial sports drinks and started making their own with Himalayan sea salt, Chef John of FoodWishes in San Francisco was inspired to try his own—with less sugar. “You can tweak this recipe to create your perfect formula," he says. (This is how much sodium you really need each day.) This makes about 9 cups.
8 cups fresh cold water
3 tablespoons honey, or other sweetener to taste
½ teaspoon fine Himalayan pink salt (mine was coarsely ground, so I used a rounded ½ teaspoon), sea salt, or any pure salt
¾ teaspoon calcium magnesium powder (I used cups fresh cold water)
pinch cayenne
¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 lemons, juiced
2 limes, juiced
Pour 1 cup of water into a large pot.
Add honey, salt, calcium-magnesium powder, and cayenne.
Place pot over low heat and whisk until ingredients are dissolved.
Remove from heat and allow to return to room temperature.
Add juices to room temperature mixture in pot.
Pour in remaining 7 cups water and whisk until well blended.
Workout Punch
This tangy, sweet punch courtesy of Clark and Rodale's Organic Life has just enough carbs to keep you fueled, while the water-sodium combination enhances hydration.
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp. salt
¼ cup hot water
¼ cup orange juice (not concentrate)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 ½ cups cold water
Dissolve sugar and salt in the bottom of a pitcher of hot water.
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Chill for 30 minutes.
Chug!
Limon Delight
With a minute of preparation the night before, you can have a tasty sports drink base ready to roll when you are, says sports nutritionist Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, co-author Bike Your Butt Off. “Infuse water with any fruit flavor you prefer by slicing the fruit into a pitcher of water and letting it sit overnight,” she says. Citrus fruits like the lemons and limes provide a refreshing vitamin C – rich liquid for any season.
Bottle of infused water
5 Tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
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Watermelon-Mint Slushy
Research shows that cooling your core with Tested: The Nike Vomero before exerting yourself in the heat can make hard rides in high temperatures more comfortable and help you prevent overheating. As a bonus, the star player in this fruity slushy from Rodale's Organic Life is watermelon, which is brimming with the antioxidant lycopene to frac14; teaspoon salt from UV damage, as well as anthocyanins to help tame inflammation.
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1 cup seltzer or flat water
1 cup cubed watermelon
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
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Juice of ½ lemon
In a blender, pulse the ice to the size of pebbles.
Add the water, watermelon, mint, agave, and lemon juice.
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Related: 3 frac12; teaspoon fine
Iced Green-Ginger-Mint Tea
Sometimes a run is just a run. And when you’re going out for a simple jaunt, a simple beverage is in order. This zingy green tea from Rodale's Organic Life is perfect for just that occasion. It’s naturally high in flavor and loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories while being low in calories. Mint has been shown to provide mental energy during exercise. You can add as much or as little honey as you’d like.
3 bags green tea
2 slices lemon
1 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and smashed
2 sprigs mint
Dash honey simple syrup (2-3 tablespoons honey mixed with 2-3 tablespoons boiling water)
Add everything to your pitcher, pour in cold filtered water, and leave it for a few hours—sun is wonderful, but not necessary, while it steeps.
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The article Make These Healthy Homemade Sports Drinks originally appeared on Bicycling.
