It seems like every day I open up social media to see another running influencer endorsing their favorite overpriced electrolytes. These electrolyte packets, packed with sodium and often sweetened with stevia or sugar, promise to leave you feeling refreshed after your runs. According to Featherstone Nutrition, the average runner loses 900 milligrams of sodium per liter of sweat lost (although there is high variability). If you’re a heavy sweater or running in a warmer climate, it makes sense to look for ways to keep your sodium levels replenished.
I, myself, even bought into the hype. Throughout my first marathon training block, I spent over $100 on expensive name-brand electrolyte powders with sleek packaging and the endorsement of my favorite professional runners. They all tasted horrible, left me with a bad aftertaste in my mouth, and sent me running to the dentist for cavities.
There had to be a better way to replenish the salt I was losing through sweat. So, I went back to my tried-and-true: McDonald’s french fries. My favorite salty and savory treat from my childhood turned out to be exactly what I was missing from my running diet.
A large McDonald’s french fry order clocks in at 400 mg of sodium and 1,000 mg of potassium. Compared with some of the leading electrolyte brands, they have far more potassium and similar levels of sodium. As a bonus, fries taste better and don’t coat my teeth with sugar or include stevia, which causes gastrointestinal issues for some runners.
In addition to the electrolyte benefits, fries are a great postrun snack, chock-full of carbs and calories to tide you over until you can have a full post-run meal. I sometimes swing through my local drive-through three times a week during marathon training.
Of course, there are reasons french fries are an inconvenient option for running fuel. I can’t exactly grab some in the middle of a 20-mile run, and I doubt my stomach would be a fan of that. When it comes to intra-run fueling, I try to stick to salt tabs and basic, cheap electrolyte options. A 76-ounce package of Gatorade powder contains over 90 servings, costs less than $16, and can work as a nice source of carbs if needed. Yes, there is much lower sodium content in Gatorade compared to electrolyte packets, but paired with my already high-sodium diet and post-run french fries, it does the trick.
I’m not against electrolyte powders, I even have a few packets in my pantry for extra sweaty and humid days. I do, however, believe that there are more affordable and tasty options to get in an extra boost of sodium.
Before electrolyte powders like LMNT and Skratch, I was perfectly fine with fries and Gatorade. Not everything needs to be overly complicated with polished marketing to actually work for runners. Sometimes the most simple and tried-and-true methods are the best (and tastiest).
Liv Paxton is an eight-time Boston Marathon qualifier, content creator, and avid fundraiser. She’s worked in the running space for four years as a coach, fit specialist, sports announcer, and writer. Paxton is a former conference champion for both the College of William and Mary and Winthrop University. She can be found running the roads of Charlotte, North Carolina, and signing up for every marathon and charity 5K she can afford.