Electrolyte Drink (Homemade ORS)

A homemade oral rehydration drink — the thing to make when you're sick (vomiting, diarrhea), sweating heavily, or just dehydrated. It's the same principle as the WHO oral rehydration solution and store-bought sports drinks, minus the dyes and excess sugar: water, a little sugar, a little salt, and citrus. The small amount of sugar isn't for taste — it's what lets your body actually absorb the water and salt (sodium and glucose are absorbed together). Getting the ratio roughly right matters, so measure rather than eyeball.

Ingredients

• 4 cups (1 liter) clean drinking water
• 6 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 lime (for potassium and taste)
• Pinch of black salt (optional, adds minerals and a traditional shikanji flavor)

Method

1. Warm about 1/2 cup of the water slightly and stir in the sugar and salt until fully dissolved — dissolving in a little warm water first prevents graininess.
2. Add the rest of the room-temperature water, the lemon/lime juice, and black salt if using. Stir well.
3. Sip slowly and steadily — small amounts often is better than large gulps, especially if nauseous. Make a fresh batch daily.

Notes

• The ratio is the medicine — roughly 6 teaspoons sugar to 1/2 teaspoon salt per liter is the standard safe balance. Too much salt or sugar can worsen dehydration, so don't freehand it.
• Taste check — it should taste no saltier than tears. If it tastes very salty, you've added too much; dilute with more water.
• When to use — illness with fluid loss, heavy sweating, or hot-weather dehydration. For serious or prolonged symptoms (especially in children or the elderly), use a pharmacy ORS packet and seek medical care.
• Flavor variation (shikanji) — more lemon, a pinch of roasted cumin, and black salt turns this into the Indian summer cooler; good for mild hot-weather dehydration.
• Keep it clean — use safe drinking water and a clean container; a rehydration drink only helps if it isn't itself a source of illness.