In the world of sports nutrition, the word “electrolyte” refers to minerals dissolved in the body’s fluids that are lost in perspiration. Those little packets of sweetened electrolyte powder or brand name drinks allegedly offer all you need to replenish lost electrolytes during endurance exercise. But real food is often the best nourishment and includes both what you know you need and what you don’t know you need.

For electrolyte replenishment on the trail, it is so easy to create a trail mix that holds all those minerals lost through sweat: sodium chloride, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, and magnesium…and then some! Every person is metabolically different and each endurance event has different demands. If I stop, rest, drink, and eat, at regular intervals it goes a long way during my hiking day.

Your snacks can make the difference between your hike being a fun, safe journey and a nightmarish slog. Start out with a trail mix that is loaded with electrolyte-rich ingredients. Mix up a combination of the following nuts, seeds, veggies, and salt to your personal taste. Munch a handful or two with a good drink of water every hour for the steadiest electrolyte replenishment.

Sodium Chloride

Seaweed
Sea Salt

Magnesium

Sesame seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Dark chocolate
Dried edamame

Potassium

Banana chips
Citrus
Sweet Potato chips
Kale chips
Shredded coconut

Calcium

Almonds
Apricots
Brazil nuts
Figs
Dates
Oranges

Phosphorous

Sunflower seeds
Peanuts
Raisins
Figs
Strawberries

Cinny Green’s book Backpackers’ Ultra Food offers more tips, techniques, and recipes to elevate eating on the trail. You can find the book here at Amazon.com.

Editor's Note: This installment of Backcountry Cuisine originally appeared in Issue 11 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here.