The drink is also often referred to as switchel, ginger water, or haymaker’s punch—the latter name coming from a history of consumption by farmers spending the day outside who needed that extra hydration boost, Sorlie explains.
The recipe Sorlie provides is packed with electrolytes from sea salt, ginger, and lemon but free from refined sugars and artificial sweeteners.
In terms of electrolyte content, it’s comparable to commercial sports drinks. When you crunch the numbers using nutrient facts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)1, the recipe contains 3,145 milligrams of electrolytes from a combination of sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. It makes three servings, so there are 1,048 milligrams of electrolytes in every serving. Comparably, Gatorade Gatorlyte—their highest-electrolyte formula—only contains 504 milligrams (and those are only from sodium and potassium).
Plus, this recipe is delicious and super easy to make in a large batch. The flavor is equally punchy and tangy as it is soothing and refreshing. The fresh mint leaf serves as a pick-me-up and adds a level of sophistication to the beverage. Leave it over ice for a few minutes before drinking for that extra-snappy chill.
I’ll be calling on it to replenish my hydration levels during a hot summer day, after a long workout, or to bounce back from a night out.
