Healthy Electrolyte Drinks: No sugar added, stellar taste

You probably know electrolytes are important for your health, right? But what about all those sugary drinks people guzzle down in order to get their electrolytes?...not so much. 

If we need electrolytes for optimal health, why do they usually come in a bottle full of sugar and chemicals?!

Why are electrolytes so important?

Electrolytes are minerals in your body that have some essential jobs. When they’re dissolved in water, they carry a positive or negative electric charge, which helps regulate chemical reactions in your body. 

Since your body is over 60% water, there are electrolytes doing critical jobs through almost all of your body’s fluids and cells!

They’re important because they help to (1, 2):

• Regulate cell hydration
• Stabilize blood pressure
• Contract muscles
• Send nerve impulses
• Keep the pH of your blood in a healthy range

If you have more electrolytes than you need, your kidneys filter them out of your body. But low electrolyte levels can be bad news! 

Luckily, you get electrolytes through your food and drinks, making it easy to keep your levels balanced by adding in some electrolyte drinks as needed.

What do electrolyte drinks do?

Electrolyte drinks help replace the electrolytes you lose through sweat and other fluids. They’re a quick and easy way to replenish the minerals your body needs.   

Key electrolytes in your body include:

• Sodium 
• Potassium
• Chloride
• Calcium
• Magnesium

The most common electrolytes found in electrolyte drinks are sodium and potassium.  They’re essential for cell hydration, nutrient absorption, energy production, and proper brain and muscle function.

When you’re low on sodium or potassium you could experience symptoms like (2):

• Muscle weakness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Confusion and irritability
• Changes in heart rhythm 

When do you need electrolyte drinks?

Electrolyte drinks are a great idea if you’re:

• In excessive heat
• Doing an intense workout
• Losing body fluids due to illness
• Sweating substantially
• Drinking more than one or two alcoholic beverages

Out for a bike ride on a hot afternoon? Kids playing in a long summer soccer tournament? Got hit with a stomach bug? 

These are all scenarios where you should focus on replenishing electrolytes to keep your body functioning at its best.

The problem is, the majority of the electrolyte drink options are…underwhelming to say the least.

What electrolyte drinks are most common?

Quick! What’s the first electrolyte drink that comes to mind?

If you’re like most people in the U.S., , you probably thought: Gatorade!

While Gatorade and its buddies Powerade, Prime, and Pedialyte may deliver the electrolytes you need, they also come with a LOT of extra ingredients you may want to avoid. 

We’re talking:

• Added sugar
• Artificial sweeteners
• Artificial colors
• Artificial flavors
• Artificial preservatives

Are you sensing a pattern? 

The vast majority of electrolyte drinks are – sorry to say it – artificial junk. 

In order to make these drinks cheap, hyper-palatable, and visually appealing, they’re made with low-quality, unhealthy ingredients. 

With good marketing, these sub-par beverages are presented as a healthy option for everyone, including young children, athletes, and people who are ill. 

Healthy electrolyte drinks: no sugar added

What about electrolyte drinks with no sugar added, no artificial garbage, no preservatives? 

Does that unicorn actually exist somewhere over the rainbow?

We’re happy to report that it does!

With a healthy dose of sodium and more potassium per serving than Gatorade, Good Wolf Probiotic Refreshers pack an electrolyte punch you can pour with confidence. 

Level Up Your Electrolyte Game with Good Wolf Probiotic Refreshers 

At our family-owned fermentory in Portland, Oregon, we craft exceptionally healthy, fantastically delicious drinks to help you replenish your body’s electrolytes and stay hydrated more easily. 

Our Refreshers contain the all-important sodium, potassium, and other trace minerals. 

These come from:

• The natural mineral salt from Utah’s salt mines that we use in our fermentation process
• The organic Pacific Northwest apple juice and the other real and fresh ingredients we carefully select  

In addition to the benefits of electrolytes and proper hydration, Good Wolf Probiotic Refreshers offer even more! Each 12-ounce can contains at least two billion CFUs of probiotics, supporting excellent gut health along with hydration. 

Time to reach for a Good Wolf

When you’re looking for a healthy electrolyte drink – no sugar added, no artificial junk…just wholesome, healthy hydration – crack open a smooth, gently carbonated Good Wolf Probiotic Refresher. 

Throw a few cans of our bright Hibiscus Lemon Refresher in your cooler for your picnic on a hot summer evening.

In charge of the post-game snack for your kiddo’s team? Our best-selling, naturally-sweet Marionberry Refresher will be a hit!

Sweating it out at the beach? Stock up on our tropical Pina Colada Refresher to cool off.

Fill the fridge with our Ginger Yuzu Refresher for those times when someone in the family isn’t feeling well and needs an electrolyte boost + the stomach-soothing effects of ginger.

Level Up Your Electrolytes

References:

National Institute of Health: Electrolytes

Cleveland Clinic: Electrolytes

Author: Molly Brumfield