The importance of keeping yourself hydrated can’t be overstated. It promotes cardiovascular health, keeps you cool, helps your muscles and joints work better, and cleanses your body.
Regardless of whether you’re aware of the specific benefits of remaining hydrated, you’re probably aware that it’s important. However, you may not know that hydration isn’t only dependent on water intake but also on your diet and something called electrolytes.
Electrolytes are minerals in your body fluids that carry an electric charge, such as calcium, magnesium, chloride, phosphorus, sodium, and potassium. These minerals affect various aspects of your body’s functions, such as the amount of water in your body, your blood’s acidity, muscle function, and several other essential processes. Basically, electrolytes are crucial for almost all key functions in your body, including hydration.
You lose these essential minerals every time you sweat, whether it’s because of the heat, physical exertion, or any other reason. You sweat out electrolytes, which is why you crave water after you’ve sweat a lot.
But here’s the kicker—water doesn’t actually contain any electrolytes. You should still consume water for hydration, but water isn’t enough to keep you hydrated. You need electrolytes to boost hydration. So, let’s look at how you can replenish electrolytes and boost hydration.
Supplements that replenish electrolytes
Athletes often consume electrolytes during training, competition, and recovery because they help them recover from the exertion, allowing their body to absorb and retain water and hydration. However, it’s not just athletes who can use supplements to replenish electrolytes and boost hydration—all of us can.
Super Hydration Boost is a great example of an electrolyte supplement. It’s the ideal supplement for everyone, regardless of activity level. The following is an overview of all the specific minerals available in this supplement.
- Sodium: Ensures healthy fluid balance, muscle contraction, nerve functions, and regulates blood pressure.
- Potassium: Delays fatigue by supporting healthy fluid balance and muscle functions.
- Chloride: This is the most important negatively-charged electrolyte, and it supports digestion and healthy fluid balance.
- Calcium: It releases the stored fuel from the body, thus providing energy, maintaining healthy muscle function, and regulating heart rhythm.
- Magnesium: Crucial for optimal athletic performance because it boosts the immune system and ensures healthy nerve transmission and muscle function.
- Kelp: Natural source of sodium and chloride.
- Manganese: Mineral essential that ensures hydration and supports regular body functions.
- Vitamin C: One of the most important antioxidants.
- Selenium: Protects cells and provides antioxidant benefits.
- Chromium: Regulates insulin levels, necessary for the optimal regulation and breakdown of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
- Zinc: Regulates insulin levels and supports enzyme activity.
- Phosphorus: Essential mineral that regulates and maintains a healthy acid-base balance.
- Vanadium: Supports enzyme activity and ensures the formation of antioxidants in the body.
- Molybdenum: Ensures healthy enzyme production.
- Iodine: Ensures healthy thyroid function.
Super Hydration Boost contains all of the essentials electrolytes and minerals. Most of the trace minerals quickly drain away when you sweat, so you must consume these supplements to ensure the optimal balance of electrolytes and minerals.
Foods that replenish electrolytes
Supplements aren’t the only way to replenish your electrolytes and boost hydration. The most natural means of boosting hydration is to observe your diet. You should consume foods that contain all the essential minerals generally lost when you sweat, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and other minerals that form electrolytes.
Foods containing electrolytes are so commonplace that you probably consume them regularly anyway. However, if not, you can start now. These are some of the ideal foods to replenish electrolytes and boost hydration.
- Dairy: Dairy products, such as milk and yogurt, contain loads of calcium, which is one of the necessary stores of energy. You can consume a cup of milk and yogurt to recover after strenuous activities.
- Bananas: They’re often referred to as the king of potassium because you get a heaping dose of around 422mg potassium with each banana. These easily-found fruits control muscle activity and blood pressure, making them ideal for those who work out or engage in other strenuous activities. They also prevent your muscles from weakening if you have a sedentary lifestyle.
- Coconut Water: You get about 600mg of potassium and 252mg of sodium with a single cup of coconut water. Furthermore, coconut water also contains natural sugar, which provides a quick burst of energy.
- Avocado: A single avocado has 975mg of potassium, which is way more than the king of potassium, bananas. Just a quarter slice of Avocado smeared across your bread slice will do wonders.
- Watermelon: This delicious fruit is all potassium, water, and sugar, making it the perfect pre and post-workout snack. The sugar gives you a burst of energy, the water hydrates your body, and the potassium helps with muscle recovery and hydration.
Eating foods rich in electrolytes is crucial, but that’s often not enough. And you may also find it hard to access fruits like Avocado, watermelon, and coconut water. Supplements are a great alternative because you can consume them anytime and anywhere, and rest assured that they contain all the necessary electrolytes.