{"id":27695,"date":"2016-09-21T09:21:28","date_gmt":"2016-09-21T13:21:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nomeatathlete.com\/?p=27695"},"modified":"2020-05-01T08:54:54","modified_gmt":"2020-05-01T12:54:54","slug":"switchel-recipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nomeatathlete.com\/switchel-recipe\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet Switchel, the Original Sports Drink — and Our Favorite Homemade, Natural Running Fuel"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re a regular No Meat Athlete blog reader, you\u2019ll know that Matt is not prone to hyperbole. When he says something is \u201cmind-blowing,\u201d you take notice. <\/span><\/p>\n

J<\/span>ust after <\/span>we announced our new cookbook<\/a>, Matt asked if I could share a few of the recipes<\/a> with the NMA community. Excited, I flipped through my notes, went back and forth between a few workout fuel<\/a> recipes, and <\/span>emailed Matt for input.<\/span><\/p>\n

He responded quickly, insisting I share this recipe for switchel. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSeriously, the grape one was mind-blowing,\u201d he said (again). <\/span><\/p>\n

And I agree.<\/span><\/p>\n

This sports drink recipe is a game changer. Having used switchel for going on two years now, I can say I\u2019ll never go back to store-bought drinks again. Judging from his reaction, Matt likely won\u2019t either. <\/span><\/p>\n

My Search for the Perfect Homemade Sports Drink<\/h3>\n

I know what you’re thinking. Why make my own sports drink when it’s so easy to buy? <\/span><\/p>\n

For me, it was the same reason I started eating dates<\/a> on runs instead of gels and gummies<\/a>.<\/span> I\u2019m a clean eater in real life, and my body was begging me to clean up my running fuel, too. Most common sports drinks, like Gatorade, contain processed sugars and artificial flavors, ingredients I want to avoid when putting my body through intense exercise.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a distance runner, I knew I needed carbs to give me the energy to log all those miles, but my digestive system never liked what I put in. I had to reach a detente with my GI tract if I wanted to PR. <\/span><\/p>\n

So I started experimenting. I made a few different homemade sports drinks that didn\u2019t upset my stomach … but also weren\u2019t too appealing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then I stumbled upon switchel. I can\u2019t remember when exactly I first heard about it, but here in the organic farming and outdoor enthusiast epicenter that is Asheville<\/a>, such things have a way of being common conversation. It sounded retro and cool, and the ingredient list was clean — with staples I already had in my pantry, like fruit juice, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar.<\/span><\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t find an exact recipe, so I used the ratio of carbs to electrolytes in a typical sports drink as my guide. After a few attempts, I had fine-tuned the recipe. It was perfect.<\/span><\/p>\n

I spilled the beans about switchel to Matt who gave it a try during his next long run, and it was love at first sip.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Original Sports Drink<\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

Never heard of switchel? Well y<\/span>ou’re about to, because we think it’s going to be all the rage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lucky Peach recently called it the \u201c<\/span>Gatorade of the eighteenth century<\/span>,\u201d because farmers would drink it in the fields to stay hydrated during the summer, and Cornell University’s Small Farms Program tells us that <\/span>Herman Melville and Laura Ingalls Wilder<\/span>\u00a0wrote about it, too. <\/span><\/p>\n

Matt and I didn\u2019t invent switchel — or haymaker’s punch, as it’s known by some — but we\u2019re definitely on a mission to bring it back. This humble drink aligns with both of our whole-food<\/a>, plant-based diet<\/a> philosophies, and more importantly, it keeps me energized and prevents the dreaded bonk during a long training run<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Oh, and did I mention that it’s a heck of a lot cheaper per serving than the store-bought stuff?<\/p>\n

A No Meat Athlete Spin on Switchel<\/span><\/h3>\n

What’s so beautiful about switchel is its simplicity. But, of course, there are ways to jazz it up — both in flavor and effectiveness. <\/span><\/p>\n

We’ve included ten variations in the book that range from simple to sophisticated, but the one I’d like to share today is Matt’s favorite: Grape switchel. <\/span><\/p>\n

Adding grape juice makes it taste just like grape Gatorade, and grape juice — in addition to providing the quick-burning carbs you need during your workout — has been shown<\/a> to have a potentially ergogenic effect for runners, providing increased endurance, antioxidant support, and a possible reduction in inflammatory markers. <\/span><\/p>\n

The drink is refreshing, mildly sweet, and tangy, and it tastes surprisingly like the convenience store sports drinks like we grew up with.<\/span><\/p>\n

So what do you say? Here’s the recipe for you to give it a try:<\/p>\n

Grape Switchel — Homemade Natural Sports Drink Recipe<\/h3>\n
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Recipe Type<\/span>: Sports Drink<\/span><\/div>\n
Author: Matt Frazier and Stepfanie Romine<\/span><\/div>\n
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: About 5 cups (just shy of 1 liter)<\/span><\/div>\n
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Ingredients<\/div>\n