Natural alternative to Gatorade?

[aigel]

I really like regular Gatorade after a long workout in the heat. But I am getting tired of drinking "yellow 5" and other artificial stuff. I can actually live with active ingredients that aren't natural, but really don't need the antifreeze look. I found that they have a product called "G series Natural" now, but can't find it in powder form. What do you endurance sports guys and gals use for an electrolyte sports drink which has all natural ingredients?

Cheers,

George

[enzo1]

coconut water...

[id10t]

Various salts and water. Basically, you are sweating out a bunch of stuff - gotta put it back.

Lots of water, a banana, a few salty pretzels or salted nuts.

Local legend (I'm in G'ville) has it that the original stuff smelled and tasted like the stuff it was replacing - sweat....

[id10t]

Various salts and water. Basically, you are sweating out a bunch of stuff - gotta put it back.

Lots of water, a banana, a few salty pretzels or salted nuts.

Local legend (I'm in G'ville) has it that the original stuff smelled and tasted like the stuff it was replacing - sweat....

[azasadny]

My wife makes me homemade lemonade and put tart cherry juice and a little bit of Stevia (natural sweetner) in it. I drink PowerAde Zero at work. Coconut water is great, too, it's just expensive...

[peppy]

pickle juice

[enzo1]

Stevia is great sugar alternative, I actually prefer it...

[vash]

Originally Posted by enzo1

coconut water...

^^^x100!

excellent source of hydration..i get them about $1.00 each at my local chinese grocery store.

i've heard skim milk is a great hydrator too.

[Hugh R]

Dihydrogen monoxide

[KaptKaos]

Chocolate Milk

[red-beard]

You can make "Gatorade" out of just about anything.

For "natural", start with a fruit juice you like. You want to dilute it down to about 100 calories in 20 oz. Now mix in "Lite Salt". This is a mixture of Sodium Chloride and Potassium Chloride. I use 1/4-1/3 tsp per 20 oz. You may need less, depending on how much electrolytes you sweat.

I use regular kool-Aid. (Yes, I am a kool-aid drinker )

I don't like how sweet regular sucrose makes the drink. I use a mixture of dextrose and sucrose. For 64 oz here is my mix:

1 tsp lite salt
1 package of kool-aid
64 oz water
3/4 cup dextrose
1/4 cup sucrose

if you like it sweeter, adjust the ratio to more sucrose. Less sweet, more dextrose.

Dextrose is found at home brew stores or at Amazon.

[BobbieShen]

I use a mixture of dextrose and sucrose

[aigel]

Holy cow guys, I was looking for a powder I can order and mix with water and now you guys have DIY drink mixes going with full recipes! That's crazy! This must be a DIY board or something!

I am all about making my own food, but mixing a sports drink?

I will try the coconut juice! I don't work out that much, that it will become expensive ... not more than good beer anyways!

Cheers!

G

[osidak]

off topic but beware there are people that can be very allergic to Stevia - The first and last time my son had some he was in the hospital for about 12 hours with and pretty severe allergic asthma attack.

Now that said I am interested in the better alternative to gatorade

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

Dihydrogen monoxide

That's some dangerous stuff there, don'cha know? Kills thousands every year!

[Nostril Cheese]

Drink Brawndo. It's got electrolytes.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by enzo1

Stevia is great sugar alternative, I actually prefer it...

I prefer xylitol. The name sounds bad, but it's sugar made from birch sap. It's a little hard to find, but most health food stores probably have it.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

Drink Brawndo. It's got electrolytes.

It's got what plants crave!

[red-beard]

I guess it depends on what you are doing. In the bicycling we do, we need the calories. If you don't need the cals, you can substitute a no cal/lo-cal sweetner.

[svandamme]

you're all wrong.