Homemade Electrolyte Solution
Ingredients:
- 2 quarts water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 7 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 packet Sugar-Free Kool-Aid
- 1/2 teaspoon salt substitute
Directions:
The salt substitute and Kool-Aid are optional. Store in the refrigerator. Be creative; use your special Kool-Aid to make ice cubes so it will stay cool in their bottle or sippy-cup. Or, insert toothpicks into your ice cubes before freezing and make homemade popsicles.
By T.H.
Feedback About This Post:
RE: Homemade Electrolyte Solution
I have looked this up 'cause I forgot the recipie given to me from my doctor a while back. Yes these are as good or actually better. Remember the use of koolaid is for the taste not functionality. I like the idea of using 7-up. But being an adult, I'm thinking of a pepperment schnapps chaser!lol
gargonox @ yahoo .com
Post By Ricky J. (Guest Post)
RE: Homemade Electrolyte Solution
I have looked this up 'cause I forgot the recipie given to me from my doctor a while back. Yes these are as good or actually better. Remember the use of koolaid is for the taste not functionality. I like the idea of using 7-up. But being an adult, I'm thinking of a peppermint schnapps chaser! lol
gargonox @ yahoo .com
Post By Ricky J. (Guest Post)
RE: Homemade Electrolyte Solution
Thanks for these recipes. I have made some version of this and now am refrigerating it. The use of electrolyte balancers like this seems remarkable if you have ever done a flu with them and without. The difference is remarkable. I boiled the stuff with B12 and a few multivitamins before refrigeration. It'll probably taste awful but we'll see.
Post By Marcus (Guest Post)
RE: Homemade Electrolyte Solution
i checked in here to see if i could find a homemade recipe for pedialyte because i am too sick to go to the store....hope this works....have been vomiting and diahrea for two days now and weak as a cat....thanks for all the advice....joann
Post By Enjoannter your name. (Guest Post)
RE: Homemade Electrolyte Solution
My Personal Electrolyte Solution:
1/4 tsp salt substitute
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon Karo Syrup
2 quarts clean water
(may add Kool Aid or Splenda to taste)
Yields (approximately):
35 mEq Chloride, 45 mEq Sodium, 20 mEq Potassium, 95 cal/liter
Note: Karo syrup is 15-20% dextrose and a mixture of other sugars
Post By DJ (Guest Post)
RE: Homemade Electrolyte Solution
One small correction: Presuming the poster who said "regular" sugar meant sucrose, it is not broken into two glucose molecules. Sucrose is broken down by the enzyme invertase and results in one glucose and one fructose molecule. To our bodies, it doesn't matter if you eat sucrose before it's split or after it's split (which is then called "invert sugar").
When it comes to making an "electrolyte replacement drink," duplicating Gatorade or any of the other sugary drinks should not be your goal. They are not much better for you than soda. Proper electrolyte replacement drinks should include sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, and several other ions. "Salt substitute" is usually potassium chloride, which would be a cheap source of food grade potassium. I've yet to find an authoritative website that gives a complete recipe, but I'm still looking.
Oh, and I'd like to steer everyone away from "sugar-free" drink mixes because they usually contain aspartame. Aspartame is horrible stuff. Look it (and MSG) up on the web and you'll find out why. I give my kids only naturally flavored and naturally colored candies, freeze-pops, and drinks. Whole Foods carries frozen juice pops as does Trader Joe's. 7up has now gone all natural. Caffeine-free Coke is also all natural (no preservatives, colored with caramel, natural flavors) and a far better choice for kids than Kool-Aid. Artificial colors are made from crude oil (petroleum)!
You can be thrifty AND healthy all at the same time!
Post By Al (Guest Post)
RE: Homemade Electrolyte Solution
Someone wanted to know about homemade vs. Pedialyte.
I have had digestive problems for years and have kept electrolyte around for exactly that reason (it's good for adults as well as kids).
Electrolyte solution has on many occassions been the difference between being unable to accomplish anything (except for shuffling off to bed) and having a productive day.
I find that homemade is EVERY BIT AS GOOD as pedialyte. Though I really like the taste of Pedialyte plain.
The other nice thing about homemade is that you can keep the dry ingredients pre-mixed without it taking up much space, unlike a quart of pedialyte.
Post By Amy (Guest Post)
RE: Homemade Electrolyte Solution
I have used this recipe from my family physician for years and it has no koolaid or sugar. Works great! I think its a lot better than these.
1 quart boiled water
3 Tbsp. orange juice
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
Kelly, Elkhart, Indiana
Post By Kelly Regier (Guest Post)
RE: Homemade Electrolyte Solution
I didn't take chemistry in college, but have given this to my 2 yo daughter with good results. I used sugar-free mix for flavoring for her (lemonade flavor so that it won't stain so much if you see it again), but you don't need it.
My dad was a pediatrician for 30 years, and he always told me to use a similar mix--1 qt. water, 1 T sugar and 1 t. salt. This is the recipe I have used for myself when I have gotten sick.
Personally, I wouldn't worry so much about the exact composition. What is important, according to Dr. Grandpa and my own unpleasant trials, is that one should consume only about a tablespoon every 10 minutes or so until the vomiting stops. The electrolyte will help reduce the nausea as the patient becomes more hydrated.
Post By Katherine (Guest Post)
RE: Homemade Electrolyte Solution
Also, glucose is a C6 sugar molecule. Regular sugar is a C12 molecule, but is readily split into two glucoses.
Post By NeoLotus (Guest Post)
RE: Homemade Electrolyte Solution
I'm not sure putting in the kool-aid is such a good idea. I noticed as I mixed a batch that the citric acid reacts with the baking soda and removes the very important bi-carbonate ion from the solution by creating carbon dioxide and water. I am remembering this from my college chem classes.
Post By NeoLotus (Guest Post)
RE: Homemade Electrolyte Solution
You can purchase unsweetened Kool-Ade without ANY sweetener, just the citric acid & flavoring. It's the envelope you're supposed to mix w/ water & sugar to make traditional Kool-Ade. The sugar in the electrolyte solution will sweeten it, helps the taste. If using salt substitute as one recipe calls for find one that contains Potassium Chloride. I believe the reason for this is the potassium balance for the body. Some salt substitutes are made of only citric acid. I will ask the pediatrician about this recipe & if given approval will definitely add it to my file!
Post by kidsNclutter
RE: Homemade Electrolyte Solution
has anyone asked their doctor about the homemade solution? I like the idea of saving a few dollars but agree with the previous post about the composition --balance of glucose and electrolytes --
would love to hear what someone's doctor has said
Thanks, Mindy
Post By mindy (Guest Post)
RE: Homemade Electrolyte Solution
I don't know whether the home-made solutions work as well as Pedialyte - maybe someone will say how successful it has been. I would certainly not use sugar-free Kool-aide - artificial sweetweners are not good for children - especially babies.
Post by Joankay
Homemade Electrolyte Solution
We had a rough go with the flu this month and a good friend gave me this recipe:
Mix together until dissolved
1 packet Kool-Aid sugar free (not required, but helps the flavor),
7 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 quarts water
It tastes better than that expensive stuff for the kids and is a lot more thrifty!
By Christine
Post by ThriftyFun
RE: Homemade Electrolyte Solution
I would wonder how effective the homemade solutions are....maybe very...... maybe not. The composition of the 'manufactured' electrolyte solutions is a balance of glucose and electrolytes that is absorbed very quickly from the stomach and upper intestine so it doesn't get vomited back or aggravate the bowel leading to more diarrhoea. It is the balance that is crucial which is why you are instructed not to add juice or cordial to the mix. If the balance is right in the homemade solutions they should be fine but who would know?
Regards
Jo
Post by Jo Bodey
RE: Homemade Electrolyte Solution
Years ago, my son, as a baby, was very sick with a intestinal infection and was not allowed any dairy products until it cleared up. He had the "runs" . When he was in the hospital they gave him a liquid called pedialite to replenish what his body needed. I was to buy some when he left the hospital, which I did buy one bottle, but at a very expensive price. A friend heard that I needed to buy it and gave me a recipe to use instead:
5 cups distilled or boiled and cooled water (no "bugs" in it then)
1 cup 7-up
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. sugar.
I like though the idea your friend had in adding a koolaid for flavoring. I just phoned the local Walmart (in Manitoba, Canada) and 1 litre (4 cups) of pedialite is $8.77 or 237 ml (not even a cup) goes for $2.97. Why not make your own? It is SO much cheaper.
Post by valleyrimgirl
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