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This homemade electrolyte drink recipe uses all natural ingredients like coconut water. Easy and quick to make, this recipe doesn’t contain any dyes or large amounts of sugar. Just simple electrolytes in a refreshing drink!
This recipe takes inspiration from my homemade electrolyte popsicles, which have been a lifesaver for me when my family is sick with a stomach bug or diarrhea, or if I ever have a migraine attack.
And instead of spending a lot of money on powders, this DIY electrolyte drink is extremely cost effective. Mixed with ginger, this drink brings anti-inflammatory power that settles the stomach. Want more fruity flavor? Don’t miss this homemade Gatorade.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I love this homemade electrolyte drink as an alternative recipe to the store-bought brands (Pedialyte) that can contain dyes and artificial ingredients. Here are some of the benefits!
- Easy – Only 5 simple ingredients.
- Lower sugar – These have about 4g of sugar per serving, instead of 36 grams per serving in store-bought electrolyte drinks.
- Dye free – No yellow #5 when you make a lemon lime version! These also don’t contain artificial flavors.
- Hydrating – These contain natural electrolytes from coconut water and pink Himalayan salt.
- Inexpensive – More cost effective than packaged electrolyte salts.
As someone who lives with vertigo from vestibular migraine and also had hyperemesis gravidarum in pregnancy, I have tried so many different natural treatments. A few of my favorites besides this include homemade ginger juice, ginger turmeric shots, and this anti-inflammatory smoothie.
Ingredients
- Coconut water – This is a natural source of electrolytes as it contains potassium, magnesium, and sodium. It has other health benefits and antioxidants.
- Ginger – Fresh ginger adds flavor and can be a natural remedy for nausea.
- Honey – I like to use honey here for it’s anti-inflammatory properties.
- Unrefined mineral salt – An essential part of electrolyte drinks is sodium. Unrefined mineral salt is a great boost to replenish minerals lost when you’re sick or during exercise. I always use Redmond’s Real Salt (DIZZYCOOK for 15% off). You could also use another brand of Celtic or Himalayan salt as well.
- Lime – This one is optional for those following a migraine diet, but I find lime and lemon flavors can really aid with nausea, plus gives a more traditional electrolyte drink flavor.
For the full list of ingredients as well as amounts, see the recipe card below.
Substitutions
- Ginger – Simply omit, but it won’t be as refreshing or spicy!
- Lemon/lime – These are optional (and not HYH), but I especially love lime with the ginger. For a low histamine option, pomegranate or cranberry juice would also be great!
- Honey – Would recommend using maple syrup, but prefer the natural benefits of honey!
How to Make A Homemade Electrolyte Drink
- Step 1: Combine the coconut water, grated ginger, honey, and salt in a blender. Blend on high till fully combined and the ginger is mixed throughout.
- Step 2: Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to strain out the ginger pulp, into a larger storage container.
To finish, pour the mixture into a glass of ice and top with sparkling mineral water, if desired.
Storage Information
Refrigerator – This natural electrolyte drink will keep in the fridge for up to 5-7 days in a sealed storage container. Shake before using to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated throughout.
Freezer – This mixture freezes great in to popsicles. See my DIY electrolyte popsicles for more info.
Powdered Electrolyte Mixes
While most electrolyte powders can also contain high amounts of sugar and artificial flavors, there are a few that are unflavored if you ever want to boost the electrolyte content of this drink.
- Buoy – I love Buoy on the go! This link gives you 20% off and if you sign up for their chronic illness program you can get an extra 35% off on top of my discount. These drops are unflavored and contain no additives! If the lime doesn’t work for you, try their rescue salts.
- LMNT unflavored – Very high sodium. It tends to overpower the flavor of any drink, but it’s an unflavored option.
- Trace Minerals – A great mix that you can find at Whole Foods.
You could mix any of these into this DIY electrolyte drink as well instead of the mineral salt, but I would only recommend that for adults who are instructed by a physician.
Benefits of Electrolytes
Electrolytes are minerals found in the foods we eat and help maintain a balance of fluid throughout the body. The most important ones being sodium, magnesium, potassium, and chloride.
While most people don’t need to drink electrolyte drinks daily, some may benefit from it if losing that balance. A few reasons this may happen:
- Nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting from migrainous vertigo, pregnancy with vestibular migraine, or illness.
- Exercise or sweating.
- Migraine attacks can upset the balance of electrolytes.
- POTS patients can often require a higher amount of sodium to manage.
This recipe is meant for the average person, but can be edited to increase the sodium content based on your doctor’s recommendation. Coconut water provides a natural source of potassium.
Electrolyte Recipes
Drinks
Strawberry Cortisol Cocktail Recipe (No Orange Juice)
Drinks
Pomegranate Non-Alcoholic Sangria
Recipes
Easy Green Apple Juice
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review in the recipe card! Don’t forget to tag me @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram, and follow along on Pinterest for more great recipes!
Homemade Electrolyte Drink with Coconut Water
Ingredients
- 3 cups unflavored coconut water
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon Redmond's real salt or similar/himalayan salt
- 1 lime, juiced (optional)
- 1 can/bottle sparkling mineral water (optional)
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the coconut water, ginger, honey, salt, and lime juice (if using). Blend till combined – about 1 minute.
- Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to strain out the ginger pieces, into a larger storage container. Pour over ice and top off with about 2 oz of sparkling water (or however much you prefer).
Notes
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 7 days, or freeze into electrolyte popsicles.
- Lime juice should be omitted if sensitive to citrus/on HYH. Or you can add lemon and lime juice for a lemon lime flavor. It works all ways! You could even just add a slice of lime and squeeze it into the drink versus using the juice.
- For high nausea days, I find adding lime, serving over ice, and adding sparkling water hits the spot. It also makes a great mocktail. Using sparkling mineral water will increase the electrolyte content.
- If you want to serve this as a sports drink, you can omit the sparkling water and add it over ice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What do you think of Re-Lyte for pre-made electrolytes?
It’s good! I have a discount for it here. It’s 15% off with DIZZYCOOK – because of the higher sodium content I usually recommend it for people with POTS or who find high sodium to be helpful. I also recommend the unflavored version for more migraine friendly ingredients, but if that doesn’t bother you I think it’s a good brand.
This was absolutely delicious! I didn’t have a lime so I used a lemon. Tomorrow I’m grocery shopping so I’ll pick up some limes. It really was a fabulous mocktail. My husband & I loved it. And both of us have been discussing the need for electrolytes. Perfect!! Thank you Alicia.
Thank you so much!! I’m glad you guys enjoyed it!
This was absolutely delicious! I didn’t have a lime so I used a lemon. Tomorrow I’m grocery shopping so I’ll pick up some limes. It really was a fabulous mocktail. My husband & I loved it. And both of us have been discussing the need for electrolytes. Perfect!! Thank you Alicia.
I’ve made this three times so far! As a runner (with chronic migraines), I’ve tried my share of electrolyte drinks (some have a flavor that is too sweet, while others mess with my stomach due to sugar content). I love the fact that this is so simple to make and there are no “fake flavors” or added sugar in this drink.
Thank you so much, Katie!! I’m glad you enjoy it. It’s a favorite for me too. 🙂
Are you aware that Buoy contains Blood orange and Lime in their drops? I bought the unflavored hydration drops at your recommendation and they aren’t even HYH compliant. I checked the other kinds and they also have citrus in them.
Hey – Yes! I’ve called it out a few times (particularly in emails) where I say you can do the rescue salts if you’re super sensitive to it. But after speaking with them on this, the amount of this added is so incredibly tiny, especially if you’re using just a squirt in water daily. You can’t even taste the flavor of it. And their citric acid does not come from mold as well. Overall I still feel it’s one of the best on the market comparatively, the risk is pretty low for people to be sensitive (versus something like lemonade), and I personally like to use it. I do serve the Mediterranean Migraine Diet as well which allows citrus if people aren’t individually triggered to it, so it’s really up to everyone to decide what’s best for them.
Made this as part of a clear liquid diet (be sure to filter well through a sieve lined with a coffee filter to remove all citrus and ginger pulp – clear liquids should contain no solids). A delicious and easy on the stomach substitute for commercial electrolyte drinks with artificial colors and preservatives.
Thanks for the information on the pulp being removed – very helpful for someone else! 🙂
This is so refreshing! I’ve used this during a migraine attack and it helped a lot.