As soon as you enter the sports drink aisle all you see is the word electrolytes everywhere. What are they, and do you have to pay top dollar for them if you want to hydrate on the trail?

An electrolyte solution is merely a solution that can conduct electricity. The fluids in our body have a salt concentration similar to seawater, so they can conduct electrical impulses and keep everything in working order. When we sweat we lose sodium chloride (salt), which needs to be replenished so we can keep exerting ourselves. This is why all sports drinks will have salt in them. Unfortunately, they might have other things in there that you don’t want, like sucrose syrup.

Here’s an easy way to replenish your electrolytes on the cheap. It’s a simple three-ingredient sports drink that is refreshing and tasty.