Whilst many of us are acquainted with cold drinks that replace essential electrolytes, many of us might not have experienced taking in electrolytes via tea. The advantage of drinking tea that includes electrolytes is that, unlike sports drinks, you can choose teas containing organic herbal ingredients that aren’t packed with sugar, food colouring, and other food additives you’d rather avoid.
In this post we’ll look at electrolyte teas, what they contain, and understand why electrolytes are essential for our health. We’ll also cover why you might choose electrolyte teas over sports drinks, and look at the delicious electrolyte tea options available at Tea Tonic.
What are electrolyte teas?
Electrolyte teas include minerals essential for keeping the nervous and muscular systems balanced, such as magnesium, calcium, chloride, potassium and sodium. In some cases, the herbal ingredients in an electrolyte tea naturally contain these minerals, and in other cases, minerals are added to a herbal infusion. In either case, these teas offer a flavourful and healthy way to get supplementary electrolytes in your diet.
Natural Tea Ingredients Containing Electrolytes:
Does hot or iced tea have electrolytes? Some teas do. Electrolyte teas contain at least one ingredient with naturally-occurring electrolytes. Examples of these ingredients include:
- Coconut: Rich in potassium and magnesium
- Moringa leaves: Contain significant amounts of calcium and potassium
- Citrus fruits: Contain sodium, magnesium, potassium and calcium
- Hibiscus: Naturally rich in potassium
- Lemongrass: Contains magnesium and potassium.
Aside from electrolytes, many electrolyte teas also contain helpful antioxidants and vitamins.
What are electrolytes?
Electrolytes are essential minerals that our bodies depend on, and include phosphate, chloride, magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium and bicarbonate. When dissolved in our bodily fluids, electrolytes carry an electric charge, which aids in transmitting nerve impulses and facilitating muscle contractions. As well as that, they help to regulate fluid balance in the body.
Why are electrolytes important?
Electrolytes balance fluids in the body
We are probably most familiar with the role of electrolytes in keeping us feeling hydrated. Electrolytes perform the key function of maintaining fluid balance within and outside of our cells. This ensures we remain properly hydrated and our cells function optimally.
Electrolytes are essential to nerve function
Our nervous system relies on the body being able to generate and conduct electrical impulses within nerves.
Electrolytes enable muscle contraction
Without electrolytes, our muscles would have a hard time contracting and relaxing when required. That’s why electrolytes like potassium, sodium and calcium are essential.
Signs Electrolytes are imbalanced
When we have an imbalance of electrolytes (levels that are either too low or are excessive), we can experience muscle cramps, or general feelings of weakness and lethargy. And given our hearts are a muscle, they can also be affected, with an irregular heartbeat being a symptom of electrolyte imbalance.
Aside from the impact on muscles of imbalance electrolytes, other symptoms include gastrointestinal issues like nausea and vomiting, headaches and confusion and dizziness.
Where are the electrolytes in our diet?
Aside from supplementing electrolytes through drinking electrolyte teas, we can obtain the electrolytes we need from eating a balanced diet that includes nuts, vegetables and fruits, and dairy products.
If we’re in a situation where we lose an excess amount of fluid, such as if we sweat a lot after an intense session of exercise, are exposed to heat for a period of time or are ill and lose fluid, then we may need to supplement our electrolyte intake.
This is why many tea lovers ask the question, does tea have electrolytes in it? And thankfully, electrolyte teas do offer a helpful way of consuming those additional electrolytes when needed.
Electrolyte teas vs sports drinks
Sports Drinks: For prolonged or intense exercise, sports drinks can help maintain performance and prevent dehydration. They can also be useful if you have recently suffered an illness that caused you to lose fluids. However sports drinks containing electrolytes can be over-consumed, so it’s important to monitor your intake, so that you avoid electrolyte imbalance.
Sports drinks tend to contain a lot of sugar, which may lead to blood sugar crashes and contribute to cavities. They also may contain colours and additives that aren’t beneficial to health.
Electrolyte Teas: Electrolyte teas can be useful if you drink them during or after intense exercise, however you need to prepare the tea in advance. As the tea’s herbal ingredients naturally contain electrolytes, it is difficult to quantify the electrolyte content, and perhaps more challenging to monitor your intake. In saying that, given the amount of electrolytes in electrolyte tea is similar to the amounts you would find when eating an orange or drinking coconut water, there’s likely less chance you will overdo your electrolyte intake.
Of course, certain medical conditions will require you to avoid taking excess amounts of certain minerals, so keep this in mind if this applies to you.
Electrolyte teas at Tea Tonic
Tea Tonic has put together some flavoursome teas that contain electrolytes, and will be certain to quench your thirst when needed. All our teas are made using organic herbal ingredients, and have no added sugar or food colouring.
Coconut tea tin loose leaf
Bring tropical vibes to your day with this coconut tea. Each cup contains 4% of your RDI of iron (with even higher absorption when combined with a slice of lemon), so this tea not only tastes delicious, but is good for you. Note that the tea does contain caffeine, so you’ll get a mild buzz effect after drinking a cup. And the big bonus is that coconut contains electrolytes, so you get essential minerals in the mix.
Thirst Quencher tin loose leaf
Thirsty after a workout? Wind down and brew yourself a cup of Thirst Quencher tea. Containing Calendula, Hibiscus (rich in potassium), Monk Fruit and Moringa Leaves (calcium & potassium). This tea is sugar and caffeine-free, and helps to lower blood pressure. Monk fruit provides the tea with natural sweetness, minus the sugar. Again, this tea adds to your daily intake of iron, providing 3% of your RDI with each cup (add lemon for greater absorption).
Grab our Summer Iced Tea Pack that not only contains a tin of Thirst Quencher tea,in addition to our Glass Wine Bottle and 2 Iced Tea Cups, so you can keep chilled tea in the refrigerator.
Or enjoy tea on-the-go with our Glass Tea Bottle 1l With Thirst Quencher Tea (glass bottle with stainless steel infuser basket and travel tin of Thirst Quencher Tea).