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Looking for a healthy alternative to store-bought sports drinks? You’ll love this refreshing homemade electrolyte drink made with simple, all-natural ingredients. It’s perfect for rehydrating after a tough workout, during a cold or the flu, or anytime you need a boost of hydration.
Who doesn’t have a soft spot for those bright blue sports drinks? They’re nostalgic, refreshing, and… well, unfortunately filled with artificial dyes and refined sugars that we’d rather skip.
So many people use these drinks to re-hydrate. Whether it is due to hot weather or fever, making your own homemade electrolyte drink keeps the unhealhty additives to a minimum.
And since our homemade electrolyte drinks have been such a hit this summer, I knew I had to create a “Crush-approved” blue electrolyte recipe that actually fuels your body with all the natural electrolytes your body needs.
Table of Contents
- What Are Electrolytes?
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Variations And Substitutions
- How To Make Your Own Homemade Electrolyte Drink
- Rachel’s Tips For The Best Results
- How To Serve This DIY Electrolyte Drink
- Storage Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- More Hydration Ideas You’ll Love
- Homemade Blue Electrolyte Drink Recipe
What Are Electrolytes?
Electrolytes are minerals that help maintain fluid balance, muscle function, and nerve signaling. You lose them through sweat, illness, and intense exercise. Learn more about what electrolytes are, why they’re important, and the best natural sources in our complete guide.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It’s cold, refreshing, and exactly what you need after a workout or a long day in the sun. It’s a blue homemade hydration drink you’re going to keep coming back to again and again.
- Blue Hawaiian: Coconut water, pineapple, and lime give this coconut water electrolyte drink a fantastic flavor that makes you feel like you’re on an island.
- Nothing Artificial: Everyone loves sports drinks like blue Gatorade. But have you ever stopped to read the ingredient label? In this homemade drink, there are no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. So how do we get the blue color? Blue spirulina! It gives this DIY drink that natural bright pop of blue color!
- Naturally Sweetened: The sweetness comes from the natural ingredients in the drink like pineapple, and honey.
- Kid Friendly: When you kids try this, they’re going to want it over any store bought drink that contains too much sugar!
Ingredients
These are the simple ingredients that make this Blue Hawaiian homemade electrolyte drink recipe the natural way to help you stay cool and hydrated.
Coconut Water: We’re using organic unsweetened coconut water as our base because it’s nature’s ultimate electrolyte drink, packed with potassium to keep your muscles happy.
Sea Salt: A pinch of sea salt is the secret weapon that helps your body actually hang onto that hydration instead of it just passing through.
Lime Juice: Fresh squeezed lime juice can offer more of the delicate fresh citrus compounds than bottled versions, including some vitamin C and aromatic plant compounds that start to decline after juicing, processing, pasteurizing, and sitting on a shelf.
Pineapple: Frozen pineapple gives a hit of natural energy and sweetness.
Blue Spirulina: This superfood gives us that gorgeous “ocean blue” color along with a massive antioxidant boost, but without any of that “pond water” flavor you might expect from green spirulina.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations And Substitutions
- Make It Vegan: To make this DIY blue drink vegan, just replace the honey with maple syrup or your favorite vegan sweetener.
- Ice Options: If you don’t feel like making the round ice cubes using a mold, you can also use pre-made ice. I like the kind from my countertop ice maker best because it makes pellet ice and it’s always readily available without doing extra work!
Flavor Variations:
- Citrus Flavor: Replace the pineapple with a ½ cup of freshly squeezed orange juice or grapefruit juice.
- Blueberry Lemon: Replace the pineapple with frozen blueberries, then add the juice of 1.5 lemons.
- Peach Flavor: Swap the frozen pineapple for frozen peaches.
- Strawberry Margherita: Replace the pineapple with frozen strawberries. (If you still use the blue spirulina it may even turn purple!
Use these other drink recipes on our site as flavor inspiration when dehydration hits! Whether you are looking for a berry flavored natural electrolyte drink to try, a watermelon lemonade, or my favorite strawberry copycat pink drink from Starbucks! Just add these flavors with a little bit of sea salt and coconut water and you have a DIY electrolyte drink in any flavor you want!
How To Make Your Own Homemade Electrolyte Drink
- Add your cold coconut water, frozen pineapple, freshly squeezed lime juice, blue spirulina, sea salt, and raw honey (if using) to a high speed blender.
- Blend for about a minute, just until the pineapple is finely broken down and the drink is smooth and frothy.
- Pour into two large glasses with ice if desired, and serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Love Rachel
Rachel’s Tips For The Best Results
- Adding raw honey to your drink is a personal preference, because everyone likes something different. If your pineapple is super ripe and sweet you may not want to add the honey. If your pineapple is more on the tart/sour side, you’ll likely want to add some honey to balance it out. Start by adding less, then taste test and adjust until you love it!
- ALWAYS use freshly-squeezed lime juice from an actual fresh lime.
- Get the most juice from your fresh lime by rolling and pressing the whole lime back and forth very firmly with your hands on your counter or a cutting board before cutting it.
- Definitely invest in a good, high speed blender for all the drinks and smoothies you make. It will just make life easier.
- If you are looking for a super high quality electrolyte powder to use when you’re traveling or just don’t have the time to make your own (but still want quality ingredients without the junk), I highly recommend the Just Ingredients electrolyte powders. I love these so much!
How To Serve This DIY Electrolyte Drink
Serve immediately with or without ice. If you choose, garnish the glass with a fresh pineapple chunk.
To make this at-home drink look just like the ones in the photos, use these large glasses, this round ball ice mold, and these cute glass straws.
Storage Tips
You can make this drink ahead or store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Things that you may notice over time:
- Separation: This may naturally occur after sitting in the fridge, so just stir or shake before serving.
- Loss of color: Over time, the color of the spirulina can fade slightly, but it is still okay to drink up to 3 days.
Recipe FAQs
Can I just put salt in my water for electrolytes?
Salt provides sodium, but for complete proper hydration, your body actually needs other electrolytes in addition to that such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, chloride, and phosphorus. For more information, you can read this article: What are Electrolytes? What They Do and Where To Get Them
What is the best homemade drink to replace electrolytes?
The best homemade electrolyte drink should include coconut water, fresh citrus juice, a pinch of sea salt, and honey.
What is the best natural electrolyte?
Coconut water is the best natural electrolyte provider being rich in many of the minerals needed for hydration.
What are the signs of electrolyte deficiency?
The most common symptoms of electrolyte deficiency are muscle cramps, headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, and increased thirst.
Did you try this Homemade Electrolyte Drink recipe? If so, it would mean so much to me if you would comment and rate this recipe!
🩷Rachel
More Hydration Ideas You’ll Love
Homemade Blue Electrolyte Drink
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsweetened organic coconut water, chilled
- 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
- 1/4 cup lime juice, about 2 fresh limes
- 1 tsp blue spirulina powder , add to desired color
- pinch of sea salt
- 1-2 tsps raw honey, optional
Instructions
- Add your cold coconut water, frozen pineapple, freshly squeezed lime juice, blue spirulina, sea salt, and raw honey (if using) to a high speed blender.
- Blend for about a minute, just until the pineapple is finely broken down and the drink is smooth and frothy.
- Pour into two large glasses with ice if desired, and serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
- Love Rachel
Video
Notes
- Adding raw honey to your drink is a personal preference, because everyone likes something different. If your pineapple is super ripe and sweet you may not want to add the honey. If your pineapple is more on the tart/sour side, you’ll likely want to add some honey to balance it out. Start by adding less, then taste test and adjust until you love it!
- ALWAYS use freshly-squeezed lime juice from an actual fresh lime.
- Get the most juice from your fresh lime by rolling and pressing the whole lime back and forth very firmly with your hands on your counter or a cutting board before cutting it.
- Definitely invest in a good, high speed blender for all the drinks and smoothies you make. It will just make life easier.
- If you are looking for a super high quality electrolyte powder to use when you’re traveling or just don’t have the time to make your own (but still want quality ingredients without the junk), I highly recommend the Just Ingredients electrolyte powders. I love these so much!
Storage Tips:
You can make this drink ahead or store the leftovers for up to 3 days if they are in an airtight container. Things that you may notice over time:- Separation: This may naturally occur after sitting in the fridge, so just stir or shake before serving.
- Loss of color: Over time, the color of the spirulina can fade slightly, but it is still okay to drink up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
