Ayurvedic Gatorade Hydration & Electrolyte Drink

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Every time we talk about the importance of hydration in my Ayurveda training, this Ayurvedic gatorade recipe is brought up by the teachers as the #1 way to encourage assimilation of water into the bodily cells.

We call it Ayurvedic gatorade since gatorade is known for its electrolytes, and this drink is all natural, so that’s why we add the word “Ayurveda.”

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.

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

This simple drink is made from four all-natural ingredients: water, unrefined sugar such as maple syrup, mineral salt, and fresh lime juice.

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

Electrolyte-rich ingredients

SUGAR OR MAPLE SYRUP: The sugar contains potassium, and maple syrup contains potassium, calcium and magnesium.

SALT: contains both sodium and chloride

LIME: contains potassium, calcium, and magnesium

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

Unrefined sugar

Most people with an interest in healthy eating are wary of sugar, and for good reason, so you might be surprised to learn that 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.

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

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

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

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

I view this as a “medicinal dose of sugar.”

Pure sugarcane

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

I am referring to pure sugarcane that has been mechanically blended, and then the liquid evaporated.

There are no chemicals or heat involved in the processing, and nothing is removed from the whole sugarcane, nor is anything added.

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 pure sugarcane is NOT brown sugar, organic sugar, raw sugar or so-called cane sugar. These are just variations of white sugar that are only slightly better than refined sugar.

Ayurvedic Gatorade Recipe

More summer drinks