Homemade Gatorade

Here’s how to make a refreshing homemade Gatorade with coconut water and citrus for all natural hydration! This healthy drink recipe is great for kids and contains no artificial colors or preservatives.

My 8 year old son absolutely loves Gatorade. In our house it’s typically treat food he enjoys occasionally. But the other day I wondered, could I create a homemade version that he would love just as much?

Turns out, coconut water and fresh citrus juice make a pretty convincing dupe! I also had some blue spirulina left over from making my favorite blue smoothie, so it was perfect for making the blue flavor. It takes just 5 minutes to put together and is so refreshing, I might love it even more than he does!

Why make your own Gatorade?

Store-bought sports drinks like Gatorade often contain artificial colors, high fructose corn syrup, and preservatives. When you make your own, you control every single ingredient that goes into your body!

Ingredients in homemade Gatorade

Here are the ingredients for my homemade Gatorade recipe — I tried it keep this healthy drink simple with a deliciously balanced flavor:

Coconut water: Coconut water is naturally packed with potassium, magnesium, and electrolytes. It provides natural hydration without added sugars.
Fresh lime juice: The citrus adds that tangy flavor that makes Gatorade so refreshing. I always use fresh lime juice, never bottled – the flavor is so much brighter.
Honey: Instead of artificial sweeteners or high fructose corn syrup, I use honey for natural sweetness. If you’re looking for honey substitutes, agave or maple syrup work well too.
Blue spirulina: This is what gives our drink that gorgeous blue color naturally! Spirulina is a nutrient-dense algae.
Sea salt: Just a pinch helps replace the sodium lost through sweat and enhances the other flavors in the drink.

Ingredient spotlight: spirulina

The spirulina you typically find in stores is green, but there’s also a blue version that makes a great color for this drink. You can use either!

Blue spirulina (phycocyanin) is an extract with a mild flavor and a bright hue that comes from the phycocyanin pigment that’s extracted and concentrated. We bought this pack of blue spirulina—remember you only use a teaspoon or so at a time, so it should last quite a while! It’s also great for making my tropical blue smoothie.
Green spirulina is the whole algae; it has a stronger flavor but when used in small quantities, it does not add flavor to the overall drink!

Other homemade Gatorade colors

You can use other natural juices here: try lemon juice for a more yellow color, tart cherry juice for red, orange juice for orange, or blueberry juice for purple.

Storage and make ahead tips

This homemade Gatorade is best consumed fresh, but it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store it in a sealed container or jar. It’s easy to make a double or triple batch for drinks throughout the week.