Pickle Lemonade Is the Best Way to Replenish Your Electrolytes
Rochelle Bilow, who is not only a trail runner but also a food editor and knows a thing or two about viral culinary trends. She told that while running the Black Canyon 50K this past February, she accidentally forgot to pack electrolytes. Normally, she would have pushed through, but it was an extremely hot day in Arizona, which meant she was losing a lot of salt through her sweat.
“By mile 20, my legs were cramping and feeling completely fatigued. I knew it was because my body was losing too much salt,” Bilow shared with me.” So at the next aid station, I crammed like four pickles into my mouth to get as much salt as possible.”
Unfortunately, she was nearly at the finish line, so she didn’t experience that much of an energy boost. But she believes that if she had loaded up on pickles or pickle juice earlier, it could have made a big difference.
Pickles Are Electrolyte Powerhouses
Just half a cup of pickle juice has 720 mg of sodium. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, endurance athletes should aim to get about 300 to 600 mg of sodium per hour during long workouts.
For physically active people, consuming electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium is especially important because exercise causes them to be lost through sweat, says a registered dietitian.
“Without enough electrolytes, you may underperform, recovery can be slow, and the risk of cramps and fatigue can increase,” says a registered dietitian.
How to Get the Most Out of This Pickle Lemonade, According to Nutritionists
One easy way to boost the electrolytes in this drink even more is by swapping the water for coconut water, says a dietitian. Depending on the brand you purchase, coconut water contains varying amounts of sodium, manganese, and potassium.
A registered dietitian suggests reducing the sugar in this recipe, especially if you’re prediabetic or diabetic or if you aren’t engaging in high-intensity physical activities. “For an average active adult doing moderate activity for less than an hour, you can consider reducing the sugar to half or even a quarter of what’s in this recipe,” she says.
For the recipe kindly view my recipe blog, thanks.