Homemade Electrolyte Drink

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my electrolyte drink recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice tastes best, but you can use bottled for convenience, or even lime juice if you prefer.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – A great natural source of electrolytes! It also adds a tangy kick to the electrolyte beverage.
• Sea Salt – Provides sodium.
• Potassium Chloride – This is usually labeled as a sodium-free salt replacement like this.
• Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – Let me be real, a blend of lemon juice and ACV is going to taste pretty sour on its own! While many drinks like this have added sugar, I chose Besti to sweeten my homemade electrolyte drink. This natural sweetener has zero calories, is gentle on blood sugar, and unlike artificial sweeteners, it has no aftertaste. It’s also perfect for mixing into drinks (both hot and cold), because it dissolves effortlessly! You could use my zero sugar simple syrup instead, but I don’t recommend most other sugar substitutes because most don’t dissolve well.

Flavor Variations

This recipe has a lemony flavor, but you can easily adjust it! Here are some ways I mix it up sometimes:

• Minty Watermelon – Add a handful of fresh mint leaves to the homemade electrolyte drink and swap the water for watermelon juice.
• Citrus – Swap the lemon juice for a mix of other juices, such as orange juice, grapefruit, and lime. I still like to keep some lemon so that it’s not super sweet.
• Berry Blast – Add 1/4 cup of mixed berry puree (blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries). This one is my favorite!
• Coconut – Replace the plain water with coconut water (I always look for no sugar added). This will add some extra calcium and magnesium, but not a huge amount.

Common Questions

• What are electrolytes? Electrolytes are essential minerals that conduct electricity when dissolved in water, including sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium, among others. According to the National Institutes of Health, the right electrolyte levels help with fluid and PH balance, move nutrients and waste in and out of cells, and make sure that nerves, muscles, heart, and brain work the way they should.
• What drinks have electrolytes? Coconut water and bone broth are two of the best natural electrolyte drinks. Fruit juices, cow’s milk, and store-bought sports drinks also have them, but I’m not a fan because they’re so high in sugar. My sugar free electrolyte drink is a great alternative!
• Can I drink electrolyte water every day? Yes, it’s okay to have one homemade electrolyte drink every day, especially if you are active or on a keto diet (to avoid keto flu), but don’t overdo it. Cleveland Clinic has a good overview on this.