Why I Ditched Store-Bought Electrolytes (and What I Drink Now Instead)

If you listened to episode #16 of the Glucose Glow Up Podcast, you heard me share how I’ve been switching up what I drink on the regular—especially my electrolytes. One big change? I stopped using LMNT and started experimenting with homemade alternatives.

Here’s what I’ve been loving lately.

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Listen on Apple and Spotify!

My Go-To Homemade Electrolyte Drink

I’ve moved away from store-bought electrolyte packets and now make my own hydrating, glucose-friendly blend.

My Recipe:

• 6 cups organic coconut water
• 2 cups filtered water
• ½ tsp pink Himalayan salt (freshly ground)
• Juice of 2 limes
• Juice of 2 lemons

This combo gives me natural electrolytes, tastes refreshing, and doesn’t cause glucose spikes.

Tip: If I want something simpler, I’ll just mix water, a pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lime.

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Still Missing That LMNT Kick?

Truth? I was still kind of missing the salty punch of LMNT. My husband too—he needed something with a bit more oomph than my light, fruity mix.

So I did some digging and found out LMNT actually shares homemade versions of their formula on their website. (Ironically helpful? Yes.)

🔗 Here’s their DIY LMNT recipe

That inspired me to try a few things myself. I started researching individual ingredients like magnesium and potassium chloride, and landed on these two from iHerb:

• Seeking Health Magnesium Malate Powder
• NOW Foods Potassium Chloride Powder

I also use pink Himalayan salt, but you can use any salt you like. I’ve tried regular table salt, but I personally prefer the flavor and trace minerals in the Himalayan one.

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My LMNT-Style Salt Mix: How I Batch It

To simplify things, I make a big batch of electrolyte mix that lasts for 30 servings. Here’s the ratio I use:

• 75g sodium chloride (salt)
• 11.5g potassium chloride
• 11.7g magnesium malate

This gives me 30 servings at about 3.3g per serving. My kitchen scale isn’t super precise, so I usually just scoop around 3g per drink, and that works great for me.

Want to make a half batch for 15 servings instead? Just cut the recipe in half:

• 37.5g sodium chloride
• 5.75g potassium chloride
• 5.85g magnesium malate

I store the dry mix in a small glass jar or airtight container and scoop as needed. Super easy to add to water and fresh fruit for a hydrating, glucose-friendly drink!

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Why I Said Goodbye to LMNT

LMNT was one of my favorite hydration go-tos especially for breastfeeding… until I learned this:
It contains a high amount of maltodextrin—a highly processed carb that can spike blood sugar. And it’s sneakily listed under “natural flavors,” which felt like a red flag for me.

So I stopped using it.

More on that in this blog post →

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Homemade Electrolyte Flavors

Using my salt mix as a base, I’ve been adding fresh fruit and lime to keep things fun and flavorful. I usually mix about 3g of the salt mix into 16oz of water, add lime juice (except in the strawberry lemonade version), and then drop in some fresh fruit.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Orange Salt

• ~16oz water
• 3g salt mix
• Juice of ½ lime
• ¾ to 1 mandarin orange, broken into pieces

Watermelon Salt

• ~16oz water
• 3g salt mix
• Juice of ½ lime
• 2–3 small chunks of fresh watermelon

Citrus Salt

• ~16oz water
• 3g salt mix
• Juice of ½ lime

Strawberry Lemonade Salt

• ~16oz water
• 3g salt mix
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2–3 fresh strawberries, sliced

Raspberry Salt

• ~16oz water
• 3g salt mix
• Juice of ½ lime
• ¼ cup fresh raspberries (lightly pressed against the side of the glass to release juice—don’t blend!)

A Few Notes:

• Don’t blend these. Just stir and let them sit a bit—flavors develop better that way.
• Always use fresh fruit. Frozen doesn’t hit the same.
• Lime juice adds flavor and supports electrolyte absorption—so I include it in almost every version.
• Add as much water as you need or pull back on how many grams of the salt mix you use

These homemade drinks are a simple way to stay hydrated without extra or unknown ingredients. Let me know if you try one of the flavors, or come up with your own combo!