Watermelon Electrolyte Concentrate

1. Make the watermelon juice — Blend watermelon chunks until smooth. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a small saucepan, pressing gently to extract all the juice. You should have about 2 cups. Save the pulp to add to oatmeal or smoothies if you like.
2. Build the concentrate — Add the ginger, honey, sea salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the watermelon juice in the saucepan. Stir well to combine.
3. Simmer and reduce — Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces by about half and thickens slightly to a loose syrup consistency. Do not let it boil.
4. Cool and store — Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Pour into a clean glass jar with a lid. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks
5. How to use — Add 2 tablespoons of concentrate to 8 to 12 ounces of cold water, sparkling water, or coconut water and stir. For a warm drink in colder months stir into hot water with an extra drizzle of honey. Works great in a shaker bottle before activity.

Year-round tip:

1. This is the most year-round recipe in the collection. The warm version in winter is genuinely good. Do not skip it just because you think of watermelon as a summer fruit. Make a batch whenever watermelon is abundant, store it in the fridge, and use it all week.

Note from Umo Callins, RD:

1. The electrolyte balance here is intentional. Watermelon provides potassium (107mg per 2-tablespoon serving of concentrate²) and natural carbohydrates (11g per 2-tablespoon serving of concentrate²) for energy. Note: these amounts reflect the potassium and carbohydrates in the prepared 2-tablespoon concentrate serving after reduction. A 2-cup serving of whole watermelon contains approximately 314mg of potassium and 21g of carbohydrates. The concentrate serving is smaller and more concentrated, so the per-serving amounts differ from whole watermelon. Sea salt provides sodium, an important electrolyte during activity. Ginger adds a warm depth of flavor. Lemon gives it brightness without competing with the other flavors. This is a simple, whole-food option I feel good recommending to every client regardless of their fitness level.