8 Refreshing Summer Drinks with Electrolytes

Make tasty homemade summer drinks with electrolytes by combining mineral-rich fluids, unrefined sugar, salt, lime juice, fruit, and more.

Does the summer heat have you feeling weak-kneed and lightheaded after coming in from the garden, or walking outdoors?

When the weather’s hot, it’s essential to protect your health by getting enough electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and bicarbonate.

If this is you, it’s likely due to depleted electrolytes and dehydration.

Jump to:

• Summer drinks for hot weather
• Get your FREE cookbook!
• What are electrolytes?
• Electrolyte benefits
• Electrolyte deficiency symptoms
• Get Your Smoothies & Drinks Ultimate Guide
• Electrolyte-rich summer drinks
• Summer drinks to try
• 1. Ayurvedic gatorade
• 2. Unrefined sugar in drinks
• 3. Juice ice cubes
• 4. Banana smoothie
• 5. Coconut water
• 6. Cucumber and lemon water
• 7. Herbal teas
• 8. Salt water
• Other recipes you may enjoy
• Tried this recipe? We’d love your review!

Summer drinks for hot weather

Hot weather is of particular concern because heat causes sweating, and sweating drains your body’s stores of electrolytes.

A lack of electrolytes can cause muscle spasms, nerve twitching, and general weakness.

Due to the heart’s reliance on electrical function, it can even cause heart rhythm disturbances and seizures.

Regular consumption of summer drinks with electrolytes will keep you feeling cool and calm all summer long.

What are electrolytes?

Electrolytes are substances that conduct electricity when dissolved in water.

Electrolytes interact with each others, and with cells in your tissues, nerves, and muscles.

Sodium and potassium are major electrolytes that are essential for heart function, but there are countless automatic processes in the body that rely on a small electric current to function optimally.

Electrolytes are critical for hydration, because electrolytes regulate fluid levels at the cellular level, enabling the regulation of blood pH, and maintenance of tissue health.

Without electrolytes, your kidneys struggle to hold onto water, so you can end up dehydrated due to loosing all your liquids through your urine.

Electrolyte benefits

It can be helpful to know the role that each major electrolyte plays in your body.

1. SODIUM supports fluid balance inside and outside of the cells, nerve impulses, muscle contraction (including the heart), and blood pressure.
2. POTASSIUM supports normal heart rhythm, muscle contraction, and balanced fluid levels in the cells.
3. CALCIUM promotes strong bones and teeth, but it’s also critical for muscle function, nerve transmission, and blood clotting.
4. MAGNESIUM supports energy, relaxation, strong bones, and normal blood pressure.
5. CHLORIDE assists in fluid balance, blood PH, and stomach acids for digestion.
6. PHOSPHATE plays a key role in metabolism, as well as in the structure of nucleotides, which are the building blocks of your DNA.

Electrolyte deficiency symptoms

Either too much—or too little—of one or more electrolytes can cause the following signs and symptoms, according to Medical News Today.

1. irregular heartbeat
2. weakness and fatigue (associated with improper balance of electrolytes)
3. twitching and muscle spasms (associated with general electrolyte deficiency)
4. changes in blood pressure
5. excessive tiredness
6. numbness
7. dizziness and lightheadedness (associated with excess sodium)
8. nausea and vomiting (associated with low sodium or potassium)
9. headaches (associated with low magnesium)
10. bone disorders
11. nervous system disorders
12. seizures
13. convulsions

Note that since you can also have too much of an electrolyte, especially salt, it’s important to keep moderation in mind at all times.

Electrolyte-rich summer drinks

It’s clear that you don’t want to mess around with your electrolytes. They are seriously important to maintaining your overall balance.

At the same time, it isn’t hard to get adequate electrolytes, as long as you focus on hydrating with electrolytes.

I’m going to show you exactly how to hydrate with electrolytes.

The first thing to know is that you don’t need to buy electrolyte powders, packets, or colored water, which are usually full of added sugars and chemicals.

Drinking more water alone isn’t the solution either.

Your body is likely to struggle to absorb the plain water, and that’s because you need the electrolytes to support absorption.

Summer drinks to try

Fortunately, you can make your own summer drinks with electrolytes by combining water, mineral-rich fluids, unrefined sugars, mineral salts, lime juice, fruits, fruit juice, coconut water, and more. 

Read on, and I will share with you my eight of my favorite electrolyte-rich drinks that are tasty, homemade, and free from harmful sugars and additives.

1. Ayurvedic gatorade

My number one recommendation for you is Ayurvedic gatorade.

You will find many recipes for Ayurvedic gatorade on the Internet, but this is the one I make.

As you may know, Ayurveda is a traditional system of healthcare originating in ancient India that uses personalized food and lifestyle recommendations to restore health, and I am an Ayurvedic nutritionist.

Ayurveda is truly “food as medicine,” and Ayurvedic gatorade is a gem that I have shared with countless friends and family who found it crave-worthy and refreshing.

To make Ayurvedic gatorade, you’ll need:

1. 4 cups of filtered room-temperature water
2. 1-2 teaspoons unrefined sugar or maple syrup
3. 1-2 pinches mineral salt (such as Himalayan pink salt)
4. 1-2 teaspoons lime, freshly squeezed

Simply combine and stir very well to dissolve the salt and sugar crystals, then enjoy.

The sugar contains potassium, maple syrup contains potassium, calcium and magnesium, the salt has both sodium and chloride, and the lime contains potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

Wow! That’s 5 electrolytes in this simple summer rehydration drink.

2. Unrefined sugar in drinks

Most people with an interest in healthy eating are wary of sugar, and for good reason, but a small amount of the right sugar can be extremely medicinal, especially in the summer. 

Ayurvedically, unrefined sugar is used to aid absorption of nutrients into the cells, and it is also a cooling substance.

A small spoon of unrefined sugar in any drink gives you electrolytes and nutrients that can be really supportive.

I would like to specify that the type of unrefined sugar I am referring to here is truly unrefined.

Imagine pure sugar cane which has been mechanically blended, and then the liquid evaporated.

Unrefined sugar is a whole food that’s rich in iron, potassium, and other essential nutrients.

Examples include jaggary, Panela’s, muscovado, rapadura, or whole cane sugar. True unrefined sugar must be sought out, and it will cost a few dollars more, but it’s worth it.

Please note that it is NOT brown sugar, organic sugar, raw sugar or cane sugar. These are just variations of white sugar that are only slightly better than refined sugar.

Studies have shown that unrefined sugar is actually blood sugar normalizing and anti-inflammatory.

I would add that these benefits will vary by the individual, and would only be true if enjoyed in very small amounts, such as in Ayurvedic gatorade.

A guideline I use is about ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of sugar per hour, and only 1-2 times in a day.

You can view this as a medicinal dose of sugar.

3. Juice ice cubes

One of my favorite (and easiest) summer drinks is to add 2-3 frozen juice cubes to a cup of room temperature water.

Most people have heard that room temperature or warm water is preferred over cold water for overall health.

Just 2-3 juice cubes in an entire glass makes the water a little colder, but not ice cold.

This can really hit the spot after sweating on a hot day.

The juice contains electrolytes, as well as a bit of natural sugar to cool the body and soothe the nervous system.

When selecting a juice to freeze in your ice cube trays, opt for the highest quality juice you can find, and avoid added or artificial sugars.

My favorite juices that are high in electrolytes, are:

1. Apricot juice (potassium)
2. Pomegranate juice (potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium)
3. Mango juice (potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium)
4. Cherry or tart cherry juice (potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and melatonin)

To make juice cubes:

1. Pour juice into ice cube trays and freeze
2. Transfer to a ziplock bag for storage
3. Add 2-3 cubes to 12 ounces of room temperature water
4. Enjoy!

4. Banana smoothie

Bananas are naturally sweet, and a great source of potassium, magnesium and calcium.

According to Ayurvedic wisdom, bananas are a little hard to digest just because they are so sweet.

To remedy that, it’s advised to enjoy bananas with lime and cardamom.

Both lime and cardamom offer digestive support for the banana and balance out the flavors.

A blended banana smoothie with a good pinch of cardamom powder and half a lime will replenish and restore you.

For the liquid, consider using coconut water or just plain water.

To make banana smoothie:

1. 1 banana
2. 2 cups water or coconut water
3. pinch cardamom powder
4. ½ lime, freshly squeezed
5. pinch of salt (if using water)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

5. Coconut water

Not only is coconut water loaded with electrolytes potassium, sodium, calcium, and manganese, it also contains a small amount of fat that soothes and cools the liver.

Since coconut water is higher in calories (45-60 calories in 8 ounces) than water, you would want to limit your intake to about 8 ounces in a day.

Remember moderation!

6. Cucumber and lemon water

A few slices of cucumber and lemon in your water is a surprisingly electrolyte-rich summer drink.

If you’ve ever tasted this, you’ll know what I mean because you can feel the water penetrate into your cells.

Cucumber water is thought to help lower blood pressure, since the potassium in the cucumbers helps to regulate the amount of sodium the kidneys retain.

It’s so easy to make also. No, you don’t need to visit a spa, or a 4-star hotel, to experience the zen of cucumber water.

All you need to do is cut a few thin slices of washed cucumbers and lemons and add them to your water. The longer it soaks, the more flavor and electrolytes you’ll get.

7. Herbal teas

Many herbal teas contain small amounts of electrolytes, such as hibiscus, nettles, and chamomile.

You can have an herbal tea warm or cool in the summer for a refreshing drink. Add lemon, or a bit of unrefined sugar for a homemade “iced” tea.

The vitamin C in ginger, rosehip, berry blends, and lemon, aid in the absorption of minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. 

A pinch of salt can also be added for the calcium and chloride benefits.

One of the biggest benefits of choosing herbal teas over coffee—or even green and black teas—is to avoid the diuretic loss of water from the caffeine.

My personal favorite summertime herbal tea is lemon balm and hibiscus.

You want about 80% lemon balm, and 20% hibiscus.

Add some mint in there too if you love mint.

I promise you can’t go wrong with an herbal tea in the summer.

8. Salt water

The simplest and easiest way to increase your electrolyte intake is to add a pinch of salt to your water.

That salt is going to support deep tissue hydration, and it’s especially helpful for Vata types who are on the dry side.

Be sure to use a high quality mineral salt, such as Himalayan pink salt, soma salt, or Redmond Real Salt.

I don’t recommend adding salt to your water every time.

Instead, I would advise you to mix up your electrolyte intake throughout the day.

Have salted water one time, then an herbal tea, then juice cubes or an Ayurvedic gatorade, or simply add cucumbers to your water.

Other recipes you may enjoy

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