This real-food Lemon-Ginger Electrolyte Drink was one of the very first recipes I published here. And I decided recently to add it to my Fab 'n Fast collection. Because it IS!
It comes courtesy of Susan Linke, my colleague at LEAP Mediator Release Testing. BRAVA!
I see the kids (everyone is a kid to me) at my hospital drink electrolyte and hopped-up caffeine (another topic for another day) drinks many times daily. Electrolyte drinks are notoriously chock full of allergenic stuff like nine kinds of sugar, artificial colors (I can't believe that some of them are BLUE ... who drinks BLUE drinks?), citric acid, which chews up tooth enamel, and other artificial ingredients.
Many people are sensitive to the over-dyed quality of these. And sugar ... do I HAVE to reiterate over and over again the dangers to your health of all this sugar ... 34 WHOPPING GRAMS ... ALMOST 3 TABLESPOONS of sugar in ONE DRINK!
I used to use Pedialyte to rehydrate people, especially when I worked inpatient with eating disordered individuals. But it has artificial sweeteners, which aren't great either.
Water is really the best way to hydrate. But it CAN get boring ... So here's a great alternative. And no artificial colors or ingredients here. The electrolytes, too, come from real food.
I substituted the high-glycemic-index agave nectar originally in the recipe with other Paleo-friendly sweeteners ... and even offer a sugar-free version using a very safe non-chemical sweetener (it comes from a LEAF). Drink it up FOR REAL!
AuthorJill PlaceHere's an electrolyte drink made from real food and other good ingredients ... perfect for food sensitive folk and those that embrace a Paleo lifestyle. Drink it UP!
Finely grate ginger and, using a flexible spatula, press solids into a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl; discard pulp. You should have about 1 tsp. ginger juice.
Combine ginger juice, lemon, lime juice, sweetener, and salt in a large measuring cup or pitcher. Stir in mineral water. Pour over two glasses filled with ice.
You can make the lemon-ginger mixture one day ahead. Cover and chill. Then stir vigorously before adding mineral water.
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