Best Electrolyte Beverages for Hydration with Low Sugar?

Hi all!

I have had my ileostomy for many years and never really had a problem with hydration, but recently have been diagnosed with an autonomic nervous system disorder. Because of this, I really need to start drinking electrolyte beverages. Looking for something with flavor but not too much sugar. What's everyone's favorite?

Casper

Or DripDrops. Basically the same as the Liquid IV.

I use Buoy drops because I don't like to drink anything sweet. It's not supposed to have a taste, but in things like water, unsweet tea, I can taste it, but in anything with flavor I don't. Actually one of my favorite drinks is club soda (sodium +) and fresh lime with the Buoy drops.
You can get a lifetime medical discount too, you just send them a message.

I also have Saltstick fast chews for when I need to boost and I'm too nauseated to drink a lot or I can tell a level is off and these work quickly.

I drink Dioralyte when needed.

Here are 2 homemade versions might work out cheaper than buying ready made....

St Mark's Solution

6 x 5ml glucose powder

5ml table salt

2.5ml sodium bicarb or citrate

Make up to 1 litre with water

Chill and flavour as desired......

Oxford Solution

200ml squash concentrate

(Not low sugar or sugar free)

1 level 5ml spoon of salt

Make up to 1 litre with water

Chill and flavour as desired

Super curious, what does the squash concentrate taste like? Same as what we would call squash in the US?

Drop Drop is yummy. It has a lot of different flavors, and you can get ones for hot water or cold water.

Check out H2Ors.

Thanks, Alex!

I'm pretty sure those are both available in Canada. I will give them a try!

Casper

Hmmm..

I haven't heard of either of those. The chews sound like a really good thing to have on hand. I will look those up. Thanks!

Casper

Thanks, Ben!

Sounds like some good options.

Casper

Just Googled it. Lol. It says it's only available in specialist shops in the US. I think your squash is very different to UK squash. We have a few different flavors. My own personal favorite is orange. It tastes almost the same as putting an orange through a juicer, just a bit more watered down.

I have an additional question to Casper's. Does anyone have an electrolyte solution that does not have an overbearing sodium taste? Or no sodium at all. I am already taking sodium supplements and I have a psychological problem with drinking salt water that goes back to 1968. This may sound silly to some, but the sodium content of every electrolyte drink I have tried tugs at the edges of my long ago dealt with PTSD and I have to isolate and calm myself. :-(

--Daniel

Even Gatorade?

Yeah. Even Gatorade. I still see me standing in front of a Lister bag with empty canteens knowing that I was too late and the water guy had already added the salt. He always waited for about a half hour or so before doing that. And then I start thinking about other things long buried. It's weird how triggers work...

Plus, Gatorade is so sickly sweet. :-)

--Daniel

Hi Casper

Gatorade Fit

Gatorade Fit Healthy Real Hydration Electrolyte Beverages contain no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners or flavors, and no added colors. Gatorade Fit has 10 calories per bottle and is an excellent source of Vitamins A & C.

I found this useful, available at Loblaws, Metro (sometimes) and Amazon.

Best, Bryce

Most electrolyte drinks make me gag, especially Gatorade. I can tolerate Pedialyte. I have found Pedialyte and pretzels rather tasty.

I too just discovered the Gatorade Fit. I suffer from hyponatremia (low salt), and for the first time in ages, I could make it through a whole golf game without retching and weakness. I think I used to chug too much water before, and washed out electrolytes.

I drink electrolytes every day. I switch it up between Gatorade Zero, Propel Zero, and another one that I mix in my water, which is Ultima that I buy online. I use lemonade and don't find it too sweet. I am on a diet plan with lower calories, and it's recommended that I drink electrolytes, specifically Ultima.

Dill pickles also have electrolytes, and I usually eat 1 or 2 spears per day.

Hope that helps.

I use Nuun tablets, which are less sweet than drop drop or sports drinks. I add extra water. The grapefruit orange vitamin flavor and the blueberry tangerine immunity flavors are my favorites. I can't stand sweet drinks. I just used a big glass of this for dehydration recovery after a really bad night with an overactive soma and it really worked!

Thank you for this question! Due to an ileostomy, I frequently deal with hydration issues, and have found the following electrolyte powders to be quite refreshing (and lacking anything artificial, which is a plus):

Kinderlyte https://kinderfarms.com/collections/kinderlyte

Hydralyte https://hydralyte.com/pages/products

Hydrant https://www.drinkhydrant.com/

Liquid IV https://www.liquid-iv.com/

Jianas Brothers https://www.rescue-essentials.com/jianas-brothers-ors mixed with Ultima Powder https://www.ultimareplenisher.com/.

Certain flavors of the first four brands may be found in a number of big-box stores. The last option was recommended by my nutrition doctor and is quite economical.

I like BioSteel. Specifically, the Rainbow Twist. It's sugar-free. Check to see if it would meet your hydration needs though.

Gatorade or Powerade or almost any sports beverages

I like Pedialyte. I am a musician, and do a lot of outside gigs. In fact, I played one this past Saturday evening. It was 100+ when we started at 6pm. Down to a balmy 95 when we finished at 10pm.

I cannot tell you how many times I started going to JustBouy's site to see if they ship to Canada (I haven't paid attention because I have the hydration ones on autoship) and my ADHD was in high drive yesterday. Even when I finally made it to their site, I never did find a definitive answer. I think I saw they are selling them on Amazon now though. The salt chew sticks are available in multiple places, so they're in/shippable to Canada.

I don't know if these drinks qualify as "legit" electrolytes, but recently a friend got me started drinking Vitamin Water by Glaceau. I like the Dragonfruit flavor. Each flavor has different nutrients. All I know is that I like it! It has some sugar in it, each 16.9 oz bottle is 80 calories. Light flavor, but very tasty.

So.... When I think squash, I think of the pumpkin family, and my understanding of UK pumpkin comes from Harry Potter, so I don't know how accurate it is [my understanding]. I thought maybe we were talking more in the melon/fruit realm, but your talking about an orange flavor has me completely thrown off now.

Daniel, I was given some recipes by my motility specialist last year... I'm gonna look for them. If it was given to me via MyChart, I still have them... if it was given to me on a piece of paper

-Jodie

Daniel- Ok, I have bad news and good news. Bad news: he gave it to me on a piece of paper and I remember I stared at it for a while but I was mad at the world because I was just told there was nothing else that could be done to save my colon, stuck it in my bag and probably tossed it as soon as I got home. Good news: I remembered before I got too side tracked looking through my chart I'll keep my eyes open for recipes that don't look like they'd be too salty tasting.

Thanks, Jodie! :-)

I've struggled with PTSD for 13 years now, and when you know your triggers, it's one thing, but sometimes the flashbacks seem to come out of nowhere. I've done therapy, and two of my girlfriends went with me to a place that was a trigger for me and literally walked with me and helped me process... Even a smell can bring me back to a moment, so when you say no sodium taste, please, I get it.