Which electrolyte drink do you think tastes the best?

Flying Squid@lemmy.world to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world – 49 points –

I'm not eating and I need to keep my electrolytes up. I've been trying different drinks and there pretty much all awful. The best I've had so far is pineapple coconut water. The worst is Powerade Zero fruit punch.

It seems like whatever stuff they put in there in these drinks is the problem because many of them have this horrible bitter taste they try to hide with flavoring.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

And yes, I know Brawndo has electrolytes. Very droll.

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I am going to second making your own. Most electrolyte solutions are only sodium chloride, potassium chloride and sugar.

Morton's makes a thing that is literally this without the sugar. It's called "lite salt". https://www.mortonsalt.com/article/morton-lite-salt-mixture-nutritional-facts/

Any "lite salt" should do the trick. You will also need a multivitamin/multimineral as well but if you are just looking for an "electrolyte" replacement drink... It's just lite salt, water and sugar. If you want to get fancy you can add magnesium and calcium.

Is it salty? Yes. It's salt. Electrolytes are salts.

How do I make it not salty? Add sugar.

Why are the things like propel bitter? Fake sugar + salt tastes bitter to some people. Most Gatorade/propel blends also need to be low cal so they use fake sugars. Gatorade originally had like 60grams of sugar in a bottle. That doesn't sell well anymore. You, however can go nuts and use as much sugar as you like.

Is there electrolytes that don't taste salty? No. They are salt.

What other options do I have? Pills. But if you aren't eating you might not absorb them well.

Edit: after reading some other posts I am going to add the following.

Gatorade is potassium and sodium salt + sugars, artificial sweetener and flavors. You can check the nutritional facts. It only provides sodium and potassium... No calcium or magnesium. Gatorade is literally "lite salt" plus sugar, flavorings, artificial sugar and water.

Monk fruit, stevia and the like all have bitter aftertastes.

Personally my favorite artificial sweetener is erythritol. Incidentally it is the only artificial sweetener that doesn't cause an insulin response. Monster zero energy drinks are sweetened with it for a flavor profile.

Don't forget magnesium! I like Natural Calm, which becomes magnesium citrate when mixed with water. Avoid magnesium oxide, which is typically used as a laxative.

Mix it all with your preferred flavoring, such as Mio drops. Keto forums call this ketoade/ketorade.

Side note: different sweeteners are radically different. Stevia, sucralose, saccharine, aspartame, erythritol, etc all have different properties. Some have weird flavors, feels, or gastro effects, and affect each person differently. Saccharine is often called bitter; stevia is often described as metallic; erythritol has a cooling mint-like feeling.

Most commercial electrolyte mixes don't supplement magnesium.

I did mention it... But it was in the middle of the wall of text.

I appreciate your better breakdown of the artificial sweeteners.

It's pretty important to keep sodium, magnesium, and potassium in balance. If I wasn't eating and depending on an electrolyte drink for these I'd make damn sure it had all three and in reasonably correct proportions.

Morton's lite salt contains magnesium carbonate, which is an over the counter laxative. I tried using lite salt in lemonade as a sports drink while exercising in really hot weather and the results were... explosive.

Interesting. I wonder how much you used? I can imagine that a 1/4 tsp of the salt has enough magnesium carbonate to be effective... But I don't know how much is in it (otherwise it should be on the label since magnesium does have an rda)

Quite a lot. I was road biking long distances in the summer in the American southeast and replaced all of my table salt with lite salt thinking it would help with recovery. It was 3-4tsp per day, about half in food and half in lemonade. The drink would set me running for the can.

Potassium citrate mixed that with table salt for a recovery drink wound up working really well instead. Based on that, I assumed it was one of the other minerals from the lite salt that was setting me off. Magnesium being the most likely suspect.

Just get Pedialyte or Liquid IV packets. They work wonders for me.

For the Pedialyte, pour a third of the bottle into about a liter and you'll get more out of it.

For Liquid IV, a half packet into a liter of water is probably enough to not be overwhelmed by flavor. But you can use more or less depending on your taste.

Honestly, not a drink: the Pedialyte freezer pops.

Someone recommended that to me before. I'm not a huge fan of popsicles, but I may have to resort to those. Thanks.

Get the drinks then. They also have powder to mix with water. Fruit punch, berry blast, and orange are my and my kids favorites.

I will look into the powder. That sounds like a good option. Thanks!

All their products are usually in the baby section at grocery stores.

Oh and you’re welcome. I give it to my kids instead of juice and they don’t know the difference.

You can make your own. Rehydration solutions are sugar, sodium, and potassium. You can use regular table salt for the sodium and “cream of tartar” in the spice section (it’s a powder) is a source of potassium.

If you are interested, look up how much to use and then go wild. The premade bottles like Gatorade are exactly the same ingredients. They might have a bit of citric acid to make it tangy so the salty is covered and it gets rid of dry mouth.

I think those flavors are the problem. Although the coconut water doesn't have them. So I'm not sure.

That’s what I’m saying: make your own without those things and you know exactly what’s in it.

Also, just curious if you use pot regularly. Long term daily use >10 years is associated with morning nausea and cramping and dry heaving, mouth watering and hot flashes. Hot baths or showers tend to stop the immediate symptoms. It’s called hyperemesis syndrome and goes away when people stop smoking/consuming.

  • there is current debate about whether this is a withdrawal symptom or a toxicity syndrome and it’s being studied.

I get it mild and prevent the worst parts by not smoking after 9pm the night before.

I mean... I have an ulcer. They detected it. I don't think I need to find other reasons.

Ulcers usually wouldn’t cause morning nausea on their own. There is a different set of symptoms like pain with or without food consumption, seeing black specks in vomit that look like coffee grounds, and so on.

Also, you may have two problems. You can have both going at the same time and shouldn’t stop at the first possible explanation for your discomfort.

I'm sorry, but I'm not particularly interested in medical device from people on the internet I don't know.

That’s very wise. Just keep it in mind especially if you use pot.

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I'm on a keto diet, and I NEED the electrolytes. I found this recipe and it's been helping me so far. https://www.ketofitnessclub.com/blogs/drinks/electrolyte-drink

I'd be interested in anyone's takes on that recipe, hopefully I'm not poisoning my liver or something...

Edit: I just read your previous post, so you probably shouldn't try this recipe as it uses apple cider vinegar which I believe would aggravate your ulcer.

You're getting a little sugar from the fruit juice.

Vinegars always been difficult for me to drink. But it looks super interesting do you like it?

Weird that I don't seem to get notifications for comment replies using Sync, so sorry for the delayed response.

I don't enjoy drinking the apple cider vinegar, HOWEVER, it has has a huge positive impact on me in combination with keto. It goes down hard, but extremely worth it for me!

Pocari Sweat. It's a Japanese drink but you can find it in the US. Awesome flavor and it should have a good balance but check it out.

I've seen that in stores. Admittedly, the name always turned me off. I'll check it out. Thanks!

I read your previous post. This sounds like hell. I'm sorry you're going through this awful shit.

L-Glutamine can actually help treat H. Pylori over a six week period. It's pretty inexpensive, and it would be a good test while you wait. Take 5 grams twice daily mixed into whatever liquids you can manage to get into your system.

If it doesn't help the problem, then there's at least a reasonably good chance that H. Pylori isn't the culprit. I hope that you obtain relief very soon.

I have myself cucumber water everyday, it's fantastic but I don't know if it will help you specifically : blend cucumbah in some wotah, add enough wotah that it becomes nicely fluid, deep jungle green, then filter it. Or don't, if you want fibah. Pinch of salt, squeeze of lemon, good to go.

Coconut water, definitely. I like the kind with turmeric and ginger in it.

If someone is very dehydrated though, you want oral rehydration solution, which everyone with a kitchen should know how to make:

  • 1 liter (quart) of clean water
  • 70 grams (6 tablespoons) of white sugar¹
  • 3 grams (½ teaspoon) of table salt

If you have them, also add some other electrolytes (or have the dehydrated person eat a banana, which contains potassium bicarbonate):

  • 2½ grams (¼ teaspoon) of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
  • 2½ grams (¼ teaspoon) of potassium chloride (sodium-free "salt substitute")

¹ This is what the official recipes say, but it's probably okay to cut it in half if the dehydrated person doesn't also need the calories.

I’m not a nutritionist by any means, but I was under the impression that coconut water is a mild laxative. Not sure if that’s the case with commercial products though.

Could take a supplement. Most are useless but some do serve a use in the right circumstances. I take magnesium for leg cramps for example. Could do a mix of Calcium, magnesium, potassium, with just water. Throw to the back of the throat, no taste at all. A multi vitamin might do the trick too, like one-a- day. But you will need to research them.

One potential issue with this solution is most suppliments suggest being taken with a meal. If you are able, milk is an electrolyte source as qell, so that might serve the meal requirement.

Good luck, I've had ulcers most of my life, surgery 3 times for them, they suck, a lot

Thanks for the good wishes. Do they make electrolyte supplements?

Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, these are all electrolytes and can easily be found in helth food stores. However, there is also tablets that contain these together with salt.

They do. But they're more expensive than just table salt.

I stick to electrolyte water the most. I know sugar can help with absorbing electrolytes but I don't like sugar much.

I like the BodyArmor water the best, followed by probably Smart Water and Essentia. They're all fairly similar; I'm splitting hairs with taste. I'll buy whatever is the cheapest or on a sale.

Nuun isn’t so bad.

But your sense of taste may be altered by not eating. You may have to just accept that keeping the electrolytes up means choking down a nasty substance. Think of it as your medicine.

Pokari Sweat.

I survived on that stuff when I did a one week Kebdo training camp in Japan. It's fantastic!

I buy boulder salt and add it to water with mio-type flavorings. Boulder Salt Electrolyte Powder and Hydration Pack | Oral Rehydration | Natural Alkaline Salt for Energy and Stamina | No Sugar | 8oz Bag | 113 Servings https://a.co/d/eNwrtPS

Isn't it salty though?

That's what we're going for right? You want electrolytes it's going to taste salty

Most of them taste bitter, not salty.

If I had to guess, I would think that's from their artificial sweeteners having a bitter aftertaste.

I've done the same thing. And to keep my electrolytes up - bouillon cubes. One in the morning one in the afternoon.

I prefer the beef bouillon myself.

If I can't get bullion cubes then I just make a cup of salt water, using the "low salt" half potassium half sodium salts. And I just chug that down as fast as I can.

If you have bone broth, adding salt to that in the form of a bouillon cube is just complementary

Bouillon cubes have electrolytes?

Yes. Usually one gram of salt per cube.

If you want to add potassium to that you're welcome to as well, the bullion flavor will mask the potassium and salt flavors

Yup. If chicken stock or beef stock is palatable to you it is an excellent electrolyte source.

That is the best suggestion so far. I love chicken broth. Thanks!

If you read my other reply and nolijil's follow up you can add potassium and magnesium to chicken broth without affecting the flavor at all and it will be nearly a complete electrolyte source. If you can take a couple of Tums a day for calcium as well you will have all of the primary electrolytes covered.

Look into Better than Bullion soup base. It's rather better tasting than the cubes, and you can get it in all kinds of flavors like roasted garlic, mushroom, shrimp, lobster, etc, in addition to their classic beef, chicken, and vegetable bases.

Amazon and Costco both carry them. The soup aisle at your local grocery might also have a selection.

Now, admittedly I was born and raised in Florida, but Gatorade yellow, orange, and red have simply never been improved upon.

The old ones in glass bottles.... talk about god's nectar. On a hot day as kid nothing beat it.

You could just feel the electrolytes being replenished, LOL. Plastic bottles are still fine, but it's not quite the same.

The original ones, yes. But modern Gatorade is just sugar water, with very little electrolytes

I think you've confused my 12-year-old self with someone who knew or cared about nutrition or food science.

I see your posts around quite a bit. Sorry to hear you're going thru this.

Gatorade used to be made with pickle juice. I like to cut the brine from lacto-fermented pickles into water, 1 part brine to 3 parts water. Plus there's natural probiotic yeasts in there and extracts from the vegetables. Lots of salt, but that's probably not the top of your concerns right now.

Take care!

Gatorade was made with pickle juice? Really?

And thanks.

Oops, evidently not. I'm repeating some bad info. Still, there have been studies that pickle juice does help with dehydration. Plus it's yummy.

Happy to see someone else posted pickle juice. But I prefer pickle juice straight from the jar.

Before work every day, I go to the Dollar Tree next door to buy drinks for the day. I've been buying the various random flavored waters, and whatever other drinks are sugar and caffeine free. Found this stuff called Reward, in a square bottle talking about electrolytes and whatnot, back of the bottle making it seem like they're claiming to be some knock-off Pedialyte. They claim to have a bunch of flavors, but I've only ever seen strawberry kiwi. Tastes a lot better than I expected. Kinda over-sweetened, if anything.

OK so lots of comments about healthy alternatives and such.. but you asked what taste best, well to me that's the Gatorade glacier cherry. I buy the individual powder packs and mix my own, and I get the zero sugar one, but imo that's the best flavor.

I just got that yesterday to try since I'm trying everything in the store. It's not as terrible as a lot of the others. I can't say I love it, but I'll drink it.

Powerade is like the discount Gatorade.

When I was abroad, my favorite was BodyArmor Blackout Mixed Berry (apparently they're discontinued).

Gatorade. Water sucks. Gatorade tastes better and quenches your thirst better, too!

(I especially like the AM/PM exclusive flavor)

I hate Gatorade.

I've only really had 3 that weren't simply "salted" water:

Gatorade, Powerade, and Electrolyt.

Powerade has less sugar, but tastes sweeter somehow, which is I don't like it.

The electrilyt is a cheaper Pedialyte, and it burns for some reason. Like swalloing nicotine gum spit (which is very unpleasant if you've never experience it; imagine heart burn but backwards).

I wanted to like Propel but it just tastes like water someone dropped a single drop of fruit juice into. Which makes it worse than just water.

All three of those are literally salted sugar water... What do you mean not just salted water?

Hammer Fizz is my go-to. Taste is great, very low sugar, potassium sodium and magnesium. The caffeinated cola flavor is my favorite.

Reading your previous post, would a cannabis tincture or concentrates help with the appetite? Assuming all food doesn't just straight up make the condition worse.

No, sorry, cannabis doesn't help. But thanks.

That's a shame. I have had something similar and it's turned into a life long merry go round of symptoms, sometimes winding back to where you are now. No doctor has been able to diagnose it and I have had every test available. I really wouldn't recommend it, it has serious malabsortpion problems and I truly believe it all started by not eating for almost 3 weeks straight because I was too nauseous to keep anything down.

Would you be able to swallow a pill and keep it down for more than 30 minutes?

My favorite is "skratch labs", though it is... gatorade-adjacent.

Gatorade Lemon Ice.

Pretty sure they don’t make it anymore. Unless it was discontinued and then recontinued.

I last bought it ~25 years ago…

Pocari sweat

Its not the best tasting electrolyte drink sorry, but it helps me when i need electrolyte and i enjoy it compared to gatorade

PS: it taste citrusy(if thats a word) and not so sweet compared to gatorade

There's this like knockoff Pedialyte brand called electrolit I really like some of the lighter flavors of. Coconut, think there's a cucumber lime etc. There's a cucumber lime Gatorade that seems to very im availability depending on where you live that I really like too.

I like the brand LMNT. They are a little more expensive compared to others but the flavor variation is a good switch up if you don't want to make your own (I like watermelon salt personally).

They also have an article on how to make your own at home

Tbh I made my own as a means of adding extra Potassium to my diet. i.e potassium bicarbonate, citric acid and my flavoring of choice (one was cherry and the other was mango)

I hate to admit it but Prime actually tastes really good.