9 Ways to Get Electrolytes After a Workout

What comes to mind when you hear “electrolytes”?

A sports drink, right?

Well, it has electrolytes, but there’s more to that than just a bottle of your favorite sports drink after a workout.

Electrolytes are essential to keep the human body functioning. An electrolyte is a substance that conducts electricity when dissolved in water. Electrolytes in your body include sodium, potassium, calcium, bicarbonate, magnesium, chloride and phosphate.

So, do you need it after a workout? Of course!

I’m not going to dive into all the science and medical side of it but it pays to know that both aspiring and pro cheerleaders alike can benefit a lot from electrolytes after all the dancing, jumping and kicking during a performance at the game or workout at the gym.

When you sweat it out, you lose electrolytes and these must be replaced to prevent imbalance. Too much or too little electrolytes in our body can disrupt our bodily functions.

Aside from hydration, which we commonly use it for, it also helps regulate nerve and muscle functions, balance in the blood and rebuild damaged tissue.

Here are several ways to get electrolytes after a workout

Sports Drink

I’m not going to miss this being the most common. But stay away from sports drinks that have too much sugar. True sports drinks provide your body with electrolytes in the right quantities. Sugar adds up to calories and you don’t need that extra. Read the label. Get the ones that have four to nine percent carbs per eight ounces, and around 120 to 170 mg of sodium. A good choice will be Gatorade.

Milk

Whoever thought that milk can be a sports drink? It might come as a surprise, but yes, milk can provide you with electrolytes. A cup of milk can give you four important electrolytes namely sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Now, that packs a punch.

Salty Food

Of course, this should be taken in moderation. Like I said, too many electrolytes can throw you off and sodium is an electrolyte, so take it in right amounts. Get peanut butter, beans, canned food like tuna, salmon, and soup, and whole-grain bread.

Orange Juice

A cup of your favorite OJ contains 12% of the daily recommended amount for potassium.

Coconut Water

If coconut is your jam, this is also a good source of potassium and contains a small amount of sodium, as well. Canned ones are available in groceries but watch out for added sugar. If can get fresh ones, then that’s even better.

Kale

This superfood makes it to this list. You can turn this into a smoothie by adding fresh fruits and coconut water.

Organic Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits like apples, beets, bananas, avocados, and oranges have electrolytes. Veggies like potatoes, spinach, and sweet potatoes can give you potassium. Calcium can be found in green leafy vegetables.

Chia Seeds

More and more people are seeing the health benefits of chia seeds. Electrolytes that can be found in chia seeds are calcium and magnesium. You can add this in lemon-infused water as a homemade sports drink.

Other Dairy Products

I mentioned milk earlier. Add cheese and yogurt to that list for calcium. If you’re vegan or lactose intolerant, other calcium sources apart from green leafy vegetables are tofu, soy milk, and cereal.

You know, water’s good for hydration too, but too much can flush out important electrolytes, so it’s best to have something that focuses on replenishing electrolytes that you lost during a workout. On your next trip to the grocery, make sure to grab any or all from this list, so you’ll be prepared post-workout!!!

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