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.

  • fkn
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    2 years ago

    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.

    • @[email protected]
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      12 years ago

      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.

      • fkn
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        22 years ago

        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)

        • @[email protected]
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          12 years ago

          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.

    • @[email protected]
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      12 years ago

      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.

    • @[email protected]
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      2 years ago

      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.

      • fkn
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        42 years ago

        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.

  • @[email protected]
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    82 years ago

    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.

    • Flying SquidOP
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      32 years ago

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

      • @[email protected]
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        32 years ago

        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.

        • Flying SquidOP
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          12 years ago

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

          • @[email protected]
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            2 years ago

            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.

            • Flying SquidOP
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              12 years ago

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

              • @[email protected]
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                12 years ago

                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.

                • Flying SquidOP
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                  12 years ago

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

      • @[email protected]
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        52 years ago

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

        • Flying SquidOP
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          22 years ago

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

          • @[email protected]
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            2 years ago

            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.

  • SolidGrue
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    2 years ago

    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!

      • SolidGrue
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        42 years ago

        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.

    • @[email protected]
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      12 years ago

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

  • @[email protected]
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    2 years ago

    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.

    • milkjug
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      12 years ago

      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.

  • @[email protected]
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    22 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

  • @[email protected]
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    2 years ago

    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.

    • @[email protected]
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      22 years ago

      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?

      • @[email protected]
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        12 years ago

        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!

  • @[email protected]
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    2 years ago

    Not a doctor or a medical practitioner, but I’m not in favour of sports-drink from Prime, Gatorade and G-Fuel, owing to their unhealthy amount of sugar and caffeine, and would prefer the ORS electrolyte.

    Tender coconut is pretty good, but you can also try overnight-soaked basil seed with raisins. Add sugar as per your serving, but raisins will provide you with sweetness anyway.

    Another good recommendation is pomegranate juice or banana smoothie. You can also not go wrong with custard-apple milk shake, but it might be a little tiring to de-seed them.

    • @[email protected]
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      32 years ago

      Sneaky caffeine content pisses me off. Bought a big thing of BCAAs at the store and didn’t realize until trying some it’s got caffeine in it.

      I struggle with anxiety and caffeine is something I need to precisely control in order to keep from freezing up at work.

  • @[email protected]
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    2 years ago

    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.

  • @[email protected]
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    2 years ago

    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

  • @[email protected]
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    22 years ago

    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.

      • @[email protected]
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        2 years ago

        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?