How to Make Homemade Gatorade

Sports drinks are popular to replace lost electrolytes during the sweat of exercise. Follow this DIY recipe to make fresher Homemade Gatorade.

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jars of homemade gatorade.

Healthy drinks like this homemade electrolyte drink recipe are easier than people think. We also love this Warm Almond Milk and this Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix. Check out all of our Healthy Drink Recipes for inspiration.

IN THIS POST: Everything you need to Make Homemade Gatorade

Why we love this recipe

We’re all familiar with those brand-name sports drinks that line the shelves at the grocery store.

The sugar in some of these drinks is combined with artificial flavors.

This recipe is using fresh and natural ingredients.

jars of diy electrolyte drinks.

Personally, I avoid these drinks and have never been much of a soda pop drinker. However, I wanted to provide a healthier DIY version for two reasons.

Firstly, I have a man in the house who is a big fan of sugary drinks. I have been able to steer him towards stevia-sweetened fizzy drinks and this homemade version of Gatorade just gives him a bit more variety to choose from.

Secondly, electrolyte drinks have more of a purpose than just flavor. If you are an athlete or, if heaven forbid you become afflicted by some horrible flu, then you will need to rehydrate with something other than water.

This is where the sodium in sports drinks comes into play. Just a tad of salt helps your body retain the fluid you are taking in when you drink. This also works for people who exercise heavily to replace electrolytes lost through sweating and aid in muscle repair.

These are easy-to-make, healthier alternatives to store-bought sports drinks.

Ingredients

  • freshly squeezed citrus lemon juice, lime juice, and orange juice.
  • filtered water – we use a Propur Water Filter
  • sea salt – in my experience, Redmond’s Real Salt is the BEST!
  • sweetener – we use organic cane sugar but you can also switch up the sweetness by substituting the tablespoons of sugar for raw honey or maple syrup.
mason jars, sea salt, sugar and citurs fruits on a counter.

Equipment

mason jars with lids – we use 16 oz./500 ml size.

a box of mason jars.

How to make this recipe

Step 1

First, squeeze the juice! The fresh stuff beats powder any day of the week.

fresh fruit juice in a container.

Step 2

Next, add the ingredients to a mason jar. Split it up into 4 jars – two with the lemon-lime flavoring and two with the orange.

Step 3

Then, shake it all together. It is that easy. Leave a bit of room at the top of the jar for shaking before drinking.

Insert action shot here:

a hand shaking a jar.

These drinks taste so good! I am partial to the lemon-lime flavor but they are both pretty delish. And both are a fabulous sources of vitamin C.

Recipe variation

Add more bang for your electrolyte buck by using coconut water instead of cold water. It boasts potassium, sodium, and magnesium. Coconut water may also help to replenish the body’s nutrient supply of trace minerals.

Storage

Store the jars, sealed in the fridge for up to a week. Give them a good shake before drinking.

jars of homemade gatorade.

FAQS

Are these drinks low in calories?

Each serving is about 60 calories.

Can this drink be blended?

Yes! Add a few ice cubes and pulse it in a blender until you reach your desired consistency.

jars of homemade gatorade on a counter with orange and lemon lime.

More healthy drink recipes

**This recipe was originally posted on August 21, 2013, updated on June 21, 2019, and updated again on October 5, 2022, with updated recipe notes, writing, and photos.**

If you’ve tried our Homemade Gatorade, please rate the recipe and let me know how it turned out by leaving me a comment below. I’m always interested in feedback!

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jars of homemade gatorade.

How To Make Homemade Gatorade

Sharon Rhodes
Sports drinks are popular to replace lost electrolytes during the sweat of exercising or for rehydrating when sick. Follow this DIY recipe to make easy Homemade Gatorade.
4.83 from 242 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 67 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

LEMON-LIME FLAVOR

  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 cups filtered water
  • teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons organic cane sugar

ORANGE FLAVOR

  • ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 2 cups filtered water
  • teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons organic cane sugar

Instructions
 

  • Shake all ingredients together and store in the fridge for up to a week.
  • Split this into four 16 oz./500ml mason jars. Two of each flavor.

Video

Notes

Storage

Store the jars, sealed, in the fridge for up to a week. Give them a good shake before drinking.

Nutrition

Serving: 4Calories: 67kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 0.3gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 158mgPotassium: 96mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 70IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 0.1mg
Keyword homemade electrolyte drink, homemade gatorade, homemade sports drink
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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48 Comments

  1. Hello, I woke up to my 16 yo son saying that he had been throwing up and having diarrhea for hours. He asked for Gatorade, which I don’t stock. I found your recipe and made him the lemon-lime. He asked for 1 tsp. maple syrup and a bit more water per portion, but then said it was good! So thankful to have a real version that I could whip together with zero notice that is better for him. Note that I used bottled juices, since that was all I had. He didn’t mind. 🙂

    1. Aw, that is amazing Jennifer! Thanks so much for the great comment. I’ve used this recipe many times for the same reason. Hope your son is feeling better – and that he knows what a great mom he has. 🙂

    2. Hi, just curious if we could use carton orange juice in place of the fresh if that’s all we have on hand at the moment?

  2. 5 stars
    This is so yummy!! My husband and I love this recipe after our long bike rides. Didn’t have fresh lemon juice, so I used some bottled juice and it turned out lovely! Nice and bright with the orange juice. I even add a little extra powdered vitamin C for my daily dose. Excited to try the lemon lime next!

  3. 5 stars
    Wow, these are great! My kids love Gatorade but I hate buying it with that long list of ingredients. I filled their bottles with this and they loved it. Thanks!

  4. 5 stars
    I never buy the store bought drinks because of all the sugar. So I’m so glad I found this recipe. These are perfect post workout drinks and they taste great!

  5. 5 stars
    LOVE this idea for homemade electrolyte drinks…and love that it’s much healthier! Can’t wait to try making this myself! Thanks for sharing!

  6. 5 stars
    Oh this is so convenient for those days where you wake up and feel like death, with no electrolyte drinks in the house.

  7. 5 stars
    I love this recipe because you know the store bought stuff isn’t very good for you with either too much sugar or aspartame.

  8. 5 stars
    These are SO MUCH BETTER than Gatorade. Although I never liked the store bought stuff and love fresh citrus so I knew these would be good! Great option for my active boys too!

  9. 5 stars
    Excellent recipe! I tried both versions and both were excellent. I did not have cane sugar on hand, so I used 2 Tbsp. of white granulated sugar and it still turned out great. I am bummed to think of all the money I have wasted buying store bought Gatorade instead of making a healthier version for a fraction of the cost. Thank you so much for the great recipe!

    1. I totally agree about saving that money! And sparing the environment from that plastic is nice too. 🙂 You could also try honey as a cane sugar substitute if you have that on hand. Thanks, Michelle!

      1. 5 stars
        Very true! Win-win all around – healthier, cheaper, and no plastic! Honey sounds awesome as well. I am about to make another batch today, so I will give the honey a try. Thanks!

  10. 5 stars
    I didn’t have lime or orange so I just made lemon flavour and it’s just lemonade tbh but it’s the best lemonade I’ve ever had

  11. 5 stars
    Made this as soon as I Saw it, used high pulp orange juice and bottled lemon juice.
    Had my doubts but, AMAZING!!!
    I also used bottled water.

    1. I love it too! High pulp OJ sounds great. You could also use coconut water if you wanted an extra electrolyte boost! Thanks, Lee. 🙂

  12. 5 stars
    LOVE IT!!!!!!!!! My 5yr old wanted gatorade and I had no intentions of going out today. “If you look, you shall find” and boy did I find a hitter!……..She loved it!!!!! Thank you!

    1. I 100% agree! There is no comparison with fresh juice. Thank you, Brooke! So glad you gave this recipe a try. 🙂

  13. 5 stars
    Thank you so very much! My athletic son loves Gatorade and for his baseball game last night in the sweltering heat, I put this in his water bottle and he flipped out he love it so much! So, so glad to be done with buying that stuff!

    1. Omgsh Abigail this is the BEST comment. Thanks so much. I’m happy your son loved it. He’s lucky to have you. 🙂

  14. 5 stars
    Such a great idea for sports drinks! I love this recipe for my son and replenishing his electrolytes after soccer. So much healthier than buying a sugar filled sports drink. And the bonus is that he loves it!

      1. 5 stars
        I’ve been making a rendition of Gatorade for months now. I use Himalayan pink salt instead of sea salt and freshly squeezed lemon/lime. I X’d the sugar as I’m watching my sugar intake. But, I will try the freshly squeezed orange!!! Thanks for sharing this.

    1. 5 stars
      Thanks so much for this. I was knocked down today with a migraine. Feeling a little bit better. But threw up most of this morning. I am too weak to go to the store. But managed to make this because I am dehydrated and need to replinish my electrolytes. I searched homemade gatorqde and drinking it now. What a lifesaver!

  15. 5 stars
    I just made these last week and like both flavors much better than store bought Gatorade. Thanks, I’m going to make some more today! Also thinking I could add some Tequila and make them into a margarita drink too 🙂

    1. I never thought about making these into ‘adult’ beverages. 🙂 Great idea, Kim! Maybe this weekend …

  16. Great Idea! Thanks, I love my Vitamin Water or Gatorade during and after my zumba workout. We have been doing the clean eating since finding out I have hypertension. Can’t wait to give these a try. I will be sure to update my post after I make them.

    1. Thanks Candi! These are the best for post workout recovery. Keep up with the clean eating! 🙂

    1. Do you have to add the sugar? I mean, if you don’t, well that dimish the electrolyte effect? If you have to have it sweet, can you add honey instead?

      1. Hi Mary Lou! You can totally add honey instead – that works perfectly also. Sugar is more for adding a carb to boost energy.

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