Rehydration Solution Recipe

Gatorade's expensive, power drinks have god-only-knows-what in 'em, and water might not be enough.

Our bodies depend on proper electrolyte balances for nerve and muscle functioning. When we sweat, the chemicals that ensure these electrolyte balances are depleted in our system. I've copied this info from Wikipedia on electrolytes, as it says it better than I can:

All known higher lifeforms require a subtle and complex electrolyte balance between the intracellular and extracellular milieu. In particular, the maintenance of precise osmotic gradients of electrolytes is important. Such gradients affect and regulate the hydration of the body, blood pH, and are critical for nerve and muscle function. Various mechanisms exist in living species that keep the concentrations of different electrolytes under tight control.

Both muscle tissue and neurons are considered electric tissues of the body. Muscles and neurons are activated by electrolyte activity between the extracellular fluid or interstitial fluid, and intracellular fluid. Electrolytes may enter or leave the cell membrane through specialized protein structures embedded in the plasma membrane called ion channels. For example, muscle contraction is dependent upon the presence of calcium (Ca2+), sodium (Na+), and potassium (K+). Without sufficient levels of these key electrolytes, muscle weakness or severe muscle contractions may occur.

So, now that you know why you need a cheaper version of Gatorade, I'm giving you the recipe! Please note this recipe calls for Morton's Lite Salt, because it has the appropriate chemical constituency to help restore electrolyte balance! I'd say worth it's weight in gold, but we all know that just doesn't apply anymore!

This is a better balanced rehydration solution chemically.

1 Quart water
1/3 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Morton's Lite Salt (potassium and sodium)
10 teaspoons sugar or kool-aide-type flavoring (sugared or sugar substitute)

Also if you're leaving the full amount of sugar in, just buy unflavored koolaid and put a pinch of that in it.

Though this is the recipe as given to me, my suggestion to the calorie-conscious would be to cut the sugar only by half and add sugar substitue for the balance.

Of course, to my way of thinking the wisdom of decreasing the sugar for this recipe is akin to drinking a good whiskey with diet Coke, but YMMV...

You probably can even water this down a little bit, but if you're laboring or playing hard in weather conditions that make you sweat a lot, I wouldn't.

I'm also thinking that mixing a batch of the dry ingredients and keeping a small container of it in a BOB would be a very good thing, and the dry mix would also be a light carry for other outdoor activities...

good post, thanks, i will try it

Or you can just buy electrolyte packs and add them to a bottle of water

Quite true, you certainly can pay for a ready-made product.

Me, I just like knowing to do stuff in more frugal ways!

Being the kind of person that sees supply lines being cut at some point in the future, being able to make my own from recipe also helps me prep for myself and family.

That is very True, you can get those Electrolyte packs pretty cheap though. I buyt them every time I am at the grocery, but you can never be to prepared