The Dream of the ‘90s is Alive with these Nostalgic Electrolyte Flavors

Recently, Gatorade announced a new Shirley Temple–flavored electrolyte drink made specifically for WNBA star Paige Bueckers, who apparently loves Shirley Temples as much as I do. I was instantly obsessed and needed to try it. I scoured stores, asked Reddit, and sent LinkedIn DMs to Gatorade execs. Eventually, a rep responded to let me know it was a limited-edition, small-batch flavor not available to the general public, or even persistent running journalists. Devastating.

I could’ve given up and kept the overwhelming sadness to myself. Instead, I started searching for alternatives. Do other electrolyte brands—ones actually geared toward runners—have fun, nostalgic flavors I’ve been missing?

Turns out, yes. I discovered a buffet of flavors that transported me straight back to hot, sweaty childhood summers, when I’d run outside for hours and refuel with sodas, “juices,” and mystery liquids in metallic squeeze pouches.

Sure, this could’ve been a silly roundup of yummy electrolytes for fellow sugar addicts chasing the sweet tastes of being a ‘90s kid, but there’s more to it. Studies have shown that nostalgia can promote optimism. And in sport, a study from 2016 showed that exploring nostalgic feelings led to greater motivation to exercise. So maybe, just maybe, chasing the flavors of my youth will lead to more consistent training or faster times. Hey, we need electrolytes anyway, so why not try?

Why Electrolytes for Runners Matter

When your electrolyte levels get out of whack, your performance starts to suffer, and you risk heading straight into bonk territory. Studies show that even mild dehydration, like losing just two percent of your body weight in fluids, can slow you down. And when your electrolyte balance is seriously off, expect muscle fatigue, cramping, trouble cooling down, and even disorientation.

When you’re choosing an electrolyte supplement, sports dieticians say to look for something with at least 200mg of sodium per serving. Sodium and chloride are the main electrolytes lost through sweat, and they play a critical role in helping the body function properly. Potassium, magnesium, and calcium are also lost during exercise, but usually in small amounts that can be replenished through a regular diet.

Electrolytes That Taste Like Childhood

About This List

I chose six of the best electrolyte drinks after tasting and hydrating on the run with a total of 14 brands. While flavor is important, every product on this list had to go beyond that. If a mix made me feel off, didn’t support performance, or was packed with garbage ingredients, it didn’t make the cut.

Tastes like: Lemon-Lime Gatorade

With 400mg of sodium, Skratch Labs is a great pick for medium-distance runs. I like sipping it when I’m out for 40 to 60 minutes. (For anything longer, see Tailwind below.) It’s a crowd favorite thanks to its light, thirst-quenching taste and stomach-friendly formula.

I’ve always liked the lemon + lime flavor because it’s reminiscent of the salty and sweet yellow Gatorade that we poured into paper cups from a giant orange cooler at the end of track practice. (If ya’ll are wondering why I don’t just drink regular old Gatorade since I love it so much, the answer is, it doesn’t have enough sodium—150mg per serving—to do anything, so I’m really only drinking it for the sugar.)

What I like

• Good amount of sodium
• Great for most medium to long runs
• The taste is 10/10
• 19g of carbs will help fuel your run

What you might not love

• Can make your mouth dry

Shop Skratch Labs 

Tastes like: Sunny-D, but salty

This is the most complete electrolyte formula on the list if you’re looking for a beverage that can double as fuel and carbs. With 50 grams of carbs per serving, it’s better suited for mid-run hydration rather than daily hydration. For me, it’s excellent long run fuel, especially on hot days when the thought of eating gels or chews sounds unappetizing.

It also has real sugar, which, at least in my opinion, is wonderful because you need it when you’re running long distances. Tailwind stands out for me because I never feel a weird sugar crash, perhaps because it’s well balanced with key minerals and doesn’t go wild with added vitamins. Finally, the mandarin flavor tastes like you took a deer lick salt cube and combined it with Sunny-D. It’s heavenly.

What I like

• Complete fuel with carbs and calories
• Best taste, seriously delicious
• Packs a big sodium punch

What you might not love 

• Fewer vitamins compared to other powders
• The single serve pouch is pretty big—something to consider if you are packing it in your shorts

Shop Tailwind

Tastes like: Watered-down, flat Cherry Coke

I’m a big fan of Gnarly Fuel20 and a longtime Cherry Coke devotee, so naturally, I was pumped to try this flavor to see if it would live up to my taste buds’ desires. It almost did. It certainly smells like Cherry Coke. But this is one where taste is almost secondary because it has yet to fail me on long runs. For me, the 250mg of sodium is a great way to replenish without feeling the salt collecting at the corners of your mouth and pulsing through your swollen fingers. It also has reasonable amounts of Vitamin D, chain amino acids, and caffeine.

What I like:

• Great amount of sodium
• Some calories and 25g of carbs
• It’s caffeinated!

What you might not love:

• It’s caffeinated!

Shop Gnarly Nutrition 

Tastes like: Watermelon Kool-Aid

When I first poured the LMNT Watermelon Salt powder into my shaker bottle, the aroma of watermelon Kool-Aid filled the air. And when I tasted it, I was happy to find it was just the right amount of sweet and plenty salty. That makes sense, since it contains 1,000mg of sodium in a single serving. Salty sweaters, you might want to add this to your arsenal. Since it has few calories, no sugar, and almost no carbs, it’s best used for short runs or as a refreshing post-run drink.

What I like:

• Absolutely delicious
• Sodium rich
• Tiny pouch, easy to carry

What you might not love:

• Low carbs
• Low calories
• Sweetened with Stevia, which is not everyone’s favorite

Shop LMNT

Tastes like: Hawaiian Punch, but fizzy!

Think of Nuun Sport Fruit Punch as the slightly effervescent version of Hawaiian Punch. The dissolving tab makes the drink just effervescent enough to be satisfying, and the flavor is subtle but delicious. For many runners, Nuun Sport tabs have become a no-brainer when it comes to replenishing electrolyte stores because they are relatively inexpensive, found at big box stores and specialty running stores alike, and get the job done. This is the no-frills, get-your-sodium-in drink that, thanks to its simplicity, agrees with most stomachs.

Nuun doesn’t have a ton of carbs or calories, so this shouldn’t be your only thing in your long-run fueling plan. But it’s a nice, refreshing option to sip during or after short, sweaty runs. You can also enjoy Nuun mocktail post-run. (Check out their Instagram page for inspiration). They have a Shirley Temple concoction which, well, is fine if you’re willing to waste the grenadine. (At that point, why not treat yourself to the real deal?)

What I like:

• You can get them almost everywhere
• Easy to take on the go
• A decent amount of sodium

What you might not love:

• Low carb
• Doesn’t quench my thirst

Shop Nuun

Tastes like: Squeezit Berry B. Wild

DryWater is a go-to in my house after running, hiking, and other outside activities. The other flavors are yummy, but I’m obsessed with raspberry lemon because it has hints of possibly the least healthy, now-discontinued childhood drink I remember: the berry-flavored Squeezeit.

Thankfully, in terms of nutritional content, DryWater is the polar opposite of that corn-syrup-y mess. It’s flavored with raspberry, banana, lemon, lime, and coconut and is super refreshing with hints of sugar and salt. I especially like that it has a good mix of electrolytes and a ton of vitamins, including C and B vitamins, Zinc, and Magnesium. Maybe it’s psychosomatic, but this stuff makes me feel good. (It does make me pee immediately after drinking it, likely because of the vitamins, and that’s why it’s a post-run drink only.)

Interestingly, in terms of mineral replenishment, it provides 1,000mg of potassium, which is super high compared to other electrolyte mixes. Since we usually get a lot of our potassium through our diet, this might be a bit overkill. It’s also not a good source of fuel, with only 10 calories and no carbs.

What I like:

• Great amount of sodium
• Vitamins make me feel like a superhero
• Tastes great—and despite using all natural ingredients and colors, fills the Squeezeit-sized hole in my heart

What you might not love:

• Maybe too many vitamins
• A lot of potassium

Shop DryWater