40+ Foods That Replenish Your Electrolytes

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If you plan to be active or outside this summer, getting plenty of electrolytes is important.
In addition to natural electrolyte mixes such as Re-Lyte, you can also increase your electrolytes through what you eat.
Here are some foods that can help you increase your intake of electrolytes.

We love Re-Lyte! It gives us a balanced mix of essential electrolytes with every delicious sip (or chug). Although we know Re-Lyte is pretty great, it isn’t the only way to get electrolytes—the food you eat can be a great source of those important minerals. With the summer heat and increase in outdoor activities, it’s important to bump up your electrolyte intake. So in addition to stocking up on Re-Lyte, here are foods high in the primary electrolytes that will help keep you hydrated this summer.

Calcium

Many of us grew up hearing the commercials that milk “does a body good” because it’s rich in calcium. It’s true that dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese) are a solid source of calcium, but there are other healthy options:

Leafy green vegetables—Kale, Bok choy, spinach, collard greens, etc.
Broccoli
Beans, chickpeas, lentils
Soybeans, edamame, and tofu
Almonds and almond milk
Brazil nuts, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts
Seeds—chia, sesame, poppy, celery, flax
Some fruits—Figs, blackcurrants, blackberries, raspberries, apricots, kiwi, oranges, pineapple
Amaranth
Oatmeal
Salmon and sardines

Magnesium

Getting enough magnesium can help with hundreds of bodily processes—headaches, muscle fatigue and soreness, and even bowel movements. Good food sources of magnesium include:

Leafy greens, especially kale, spinach, collard greens, turnip greens
Avocados
Nuts—almonds, cashews, peanuts, Brazil nuts
Legumes—lentils, beans, chickpeas, peas, soybeans
Seeds—pumpkin, chia, quinoa, flax
Whole grains
Some fatty fish—salmon, mackerel, halibut
Bananas
Dark chocolate (our personal favorite)

Chloride

Chloride is paired with sodium in salt (hopefully, it’s Real Salt!), so most people get the chloride they need in the salt they eat. Food sources of chloride include:

Tomatoes
Lettuce
Celery
Olives
Rye
Seaweed

Sodium

Poor sodium. It’s been unfairly villainized for so long that we often forget how vital it is to health. If you’re reading this, you know that all sodium is not the same. What matters is whether you get your sodium from natural, unrefined salt or highly processed table salt. But we digress. In addition to Real Salt, some healthy sources of sodium include:

Dairy
Eggs
Clams
Unprocessed meats
Celery
Beets

Potassium

Potassium is abundant in a wide variety of foods, but most Americans don’t get nearly enough. Why? Part of the problem is the modern, highly-processed diet. If you want to add more potassium to your diet, pick a few favorites from the list below and add them to your cart on your next trip to the grocery store:

Fresh fruit: avocado, watermelon, oranges, pomegranate, bananas, cantaloupe, honeydew, apricots, grapefruit
Dried fruit: prunes, raisins, dates, apricots
Broccoli
Leafy greens such as spinach, Swiss chard, beet greens
Tomatoes
Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes
Squash, zucchini, cucumbers
Legumes—chickpeas, lentils, beans, peas, peanuts
Whole grains
Dairy—milk and yogurt
Unprocessed meat and fish