Sweat is made up of water and electrolytes, primarily sodium and potassium. (That’s why our sweat has a salty taste to it). Sweat also contains traces of calcium, magnesium, and chlorine.
If you’re sweating a lot, it’s important to replace what you’ve lost to keep your body chemistry in balance, says Felicia D. Stoler, R.D.N., an exercise physiologist and sports nutritionist.
If you’re just doing moderate exercise for an hour or less, plain water will suffice, but if it’s more than an hour or in extreme conditions (an intense workout, hot yoga, high humidity, high altitude, etc.), add electrolytes to the mix.
Why?
Put simply, electrolytes are salts that conduct electricity in water by separating into positive and negative charges. Each electrolyte serves a different function in the body, keeping processes like nerve conduction, muscle contraction, and fluid balance running smoothly.
All of them are important, but in reality, most athletes only need to worry about sodium while working out, because it’s the main electrolyte we lose through sweat.
When you think electrolytes, you probably think of those sugary sports drinks (which can be helpful, and we’ll discuss them soon), but there are also many other foods that can replenish your supply.
Here, we run down the five best sources for electrolytes that you should fill up on after your next brutal workout or perhaps at the end of a grueling hike, and why they’re so good for you.
The big-brand sports drinks (think Gatorade and Powerade) are chockful of sodium and potassium, making them one of the best options for electrolyte replenishment. But be wary of other ingredients put in them, especially sugar. Many companies puts several dozen grams of sugars in their drinks, which will only equate to more calories per serving.
For most workouts, try to find a drink with 10 or fewer calories per serving (such as Gatorade Zero).
There are some cases, though, when added sugar can be a good thing, such as long-distance endurance races or double workout sessions. In those instances, you’d be OK reaching for the sports drinks with some (key word: some) added sugar, or even caffeine.
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Yogurt
One cup of plain yogurt has nearly 200mg of sodium, more than 600mg of potassium, and nearly 500mg of calcium (all important electrolytes). Just like the sports drinks, go for the zero sugar options and add your own fresh fruit.
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Pretzels
Consider this an excuse to cheat a little bit. One ounce of hard, salted pretzels contains nearly 500mg of sodium. Be sure to add these to your homemade trail mix.
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Saltine crackers
Just like pretzels, saltines are packed with salt (aka sodium, aka electrolytes). Five saltines has 140mg of the stuff. Pro-tip: add some peanut butter for an extra boost of sodium and some protein.
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Pickles
IFBB Pro Sadik Hadzovic swears by his pre-workout pickle, and with good reason. Half of a whole pickle contains 270mg of sodium, which creates a good pump in bodybuilders and for runners helps replace lost electrolytes.
