DIY Energy Drinks: Eight Easy Recipes to Try Right Now

Energy drinks get a pretty bad rap. And to be fair, that negative reputation is usually spot on. Brimming with sugar and packed with artificial flavouring, these drinks may pep you up, but they’re anything but helpful for your health.

But here’s the thing - energy drinks can and do serve up essential minerals that are lost during exercise - like calcium, sodium and magnesium. They also help you to rehydrate after sweating out all that water.

So, what to do? Here are some super simple energy drink recipes to whip up (no need for a trip to Waitrose either).

“Wake Up!” with This Breakfast Energy Smoothie

Ingredients

• 2 cups orange juice
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt
• 0.5tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• 2 cups mixed berries - frozen or fresh
• Ice cubes (if you prefer your smoothies to be refreshingly ice-cool)

Directions

Simply pop the ingredients into a blender (liquid ingredients going in first) then blend on high speed for two minutes. Pour into a glass and prepare to be awakened.

Apple Cider Energy Drink

Yearn for a squeaky-clean boost of energy? This Apple Cider Energy Drink is fabulously sweet, while avoiding the excess sugar levels that can cause you to crash and burn an hour later. The ingredients also aid digestion, which is a plus point.

Ingredients

• 1 glass warm or hot water
• 2tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2tbsp lemon juice
• 0.5 - 1tsp ground ginger
• 0.25tsp cinnamon
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1tsp raw honey (optional)

Directions

Simply mix by hand and enjoy!

Indulgent Cocoa Energy Drink

For an every-so-often treat (and an effective energy boost to boot), this cocoa-based drink sates the need for something sweet. Cocoa is also linked to reduced blood pressure and improved blood flow for your cognitive function.

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 ripe banana, cut up
• 2tbsp sugar
• 2tbsp unsweetened cocoa

Directions

Place the milk, banana, sugar, and cocoa in a blender. Cover; blend on high speed until mixed well and bananas is pureed.

Gatorade Energy Substitute

The US drink of Gatorade might give you a buzzy, feel-good feeling, but it’s also packed with sugar. This alternative keeps things balanced, and is also an excellent way to top up on the salt you lose while working out.

Ingredients

• 10tbsp sugar
• 0.75tsp sea salt
• 1 package of unsweetened Kool-Aid mix for flavour
• Water to make 2 litres

Directions

Simply mix the ingredients together and go.

While there are 10 tablespoons of sugar in this mix, over two litres it only creates 53 calories per standard serving, as well as including: 14.2 grams carbohydrate (6%); 103 mg Sodium and 121 mg Potassium.

Au Naturel Energy Drink

This pure and all-good-stuff energy drink keeps things simple and natural - perfect for a boost in strength and energy.

Ingredients

• A handful of kale
• A sprinkle of spinach leaves
• ¼ of an apple, chopped
• 1 banana, chopped
• 3 cups orange juice

Directions

Tip all those super-healthy ingredients into a blender and hit the high-speed button. Blend until smooth.

Immune-Bolstering Cinnamon Coconut Water Kefir

Brace yourself; this drink is amazing for your immune system, with ingredients that are rich in vitamin A, C, B6, E and K, beta carotene, Thiamine, Riboflavin, folate and pantothenic acid.

Ingredients

• 7 cups fresh coconut water
• 5tbsp kefir grains
• 1 cinnamon stick

Directions

1. Use a large jar and pour the 7 cups of coconut water in.
2. Place the kefir grains and a cinnamon stick in the coconut water.
3. Cover the jar over and leave for 48 hours (don’t leave it for any longer, as it may explode!)
4. Once ready, the mixture will turn light and cloudy, with the kefir grains rising to the top.
5. Remove the grains - either discard or use again for a fresh batch.

Watermelon Wonder for Muscle Soreness and Gruelling Workout Recovery

This watermelon and coconut water energy drink is just what you need post-workout.

Watermelon features something called L-citrulline, which is an essential amino acid that plays an important role in preventing muscle soreness, while coconut water is spilling over with electrolytes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup watermelon, cubed
• 1 cup coconut water
• Squeeze of lime
• Optional: A dash of salt if you sweat a LOT

Directions

Just blend and drink… simple!

Honey & Lemon Sports Drink

Ingredients

• 3 cups hot water
• 0.5 cup orange juice
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2tbsp of honey or stevia to taste
• 0.25tsp salt
• 1/2 container of strawberries (or any berry of choice), sliced

Directions

Blend well and leave to chill in the fridge overnight. Strain to separate the berries - discard or put them to one side for a post-workout snack.

Summer’s on the Horizon

Warm water is never good when you’re in the middle of a workout…

You know how it is. You left your water bottle in your gym bag. Mid 5K, you take a sip of warm, un-refreshing water. We’ve all been there, especially in the summer when that plastic bottle can heat up pretty quickly.

So for a cool, reinvigorating gulp of water (all day long) or a homemade energy drink that stays fresh, you may want to check out our premium range of workout water bottles.

For one week only if you buy an exclusive Proworks flip top water bottle you can use the code H20 for 20% off your order.

Promotion is only valid for the Proworks flip-top water bottle (any colour).
Offer expires 24/05/2019 23:59. Limit of one use per customer.

Main Image supplied by Favorece