While drinking water makes sense as a way to stay hydrated, your go-to thirst-quenching beverage needs to contain the right types of minerals to make you feel truly refreshed. That's why the "Thirsty Girl Mocktail" — an electrolyte-rich drink that went viral on TikTok — speaks directly to our dehydrated hearts.
Lively mocktails are packed with minerals like magnesium, potassium, and sodium to give your body the needed feeling of, well, slightly less thirsty. If you drink water throughout the day but still feel thirsty, it might mean you need those electrolytes, says registered dietitian Melanie Murphy Richter, MS, RDN. You need to drink smarter, not more, she says, and that's where Thirsty Girl's ingredients get it right.
"By adding electrolytes, a small amount of glucose, and some intestinal support, this drink will help maintain fluid balance more effectively," Murphy Richter tells Bustle. Here's what you need to know about the drink.
Who created this drink?
The drink comes courtesy of TikToker @gracie_norton, the creator of the beloved sour cherry-flavored Sleepy Girl mocktail. According to her, this thirsty girl is the perfect drink for when you're hungover, brain fogged, low on mid-afternoon energy, or dehydrated. That's because it contains minerals (ie: electrolytes) along with pineapple juice and sparkling probiotic soda.
How to Make a Thirsty Girl Mocktail
To make a thirsty girl mocktail like Norton's, grab your favorite glass and add a teaspoon of Moon Juice's Mini Dew powder, which contains electrolytes and tastes like fresh watermelon. (You can also use another electrolyte powder of your choice.) Add a splash of pineapple juice, a squirt of aloe vera juice, and a freshly squeezed lime, then fill the rest of the glass with ice-cold Lemon Lime Oli Pop or your Favorite sparkling probiotic drink.
Is it really good for you?
All of these ingredients work together to help you quench your thirst once and for all, says Murphy Richter. Here's why: Mini Dew contains a blend of ionic minerals that play different roles in attracting moisture to your cells, which will help you feel truly hydrated. Murphy Richter says pineapples contain potassium, which keeps your fluid levels balanced, and glucose, which helps move sodium, the body's other main electrolyte, into the intestines where it can be absorb. Aloe vera juice soothes the lining of your intestines, and Olipop sparkling water can do the same because it contains prebiotics and prebiotics that are good for your gut health.
Adding lime adds vitamin C for a refreshing taste to the thirsty girl's mocktail. "While vitamin C does not directly affect hydration, making sure your body is getting enough antioxidants like vitamin C can help maintain cell integrity, collagen production, and skin health," says Murphy Richter. Cheers to that.
Research references:
Butchigrossi, V. (2020). The effectiveness of oral rehydration salts in inducing fluid absorption is related to glucose concentration. Science Rep doi:10.1038/s41598-020-64818-3.
Hong, Southwest. (2018). Aloe vera is effective and safe in the short-term treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Neurogastrointestinal motility. doi:10.5056/jnm18077.
Padayati, S. J. (2003). Vitamin C as an antioxidant: evaluation of its role in disease prevention. J Am Coll Nutr. doi:10.1080/07315724.2003.10719272.
Schliemank, I. (2023). Electrolytes. See: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (Florida): StatPearls Publishing; January 2023–. PMID: 31082167.
Sharifs, SM. (2011). Fluid and electrolytes are needed for training, competition and recovery. Journal of Sports Science. DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2011.614269.
source:
Melanie Murphy Richter, MS, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist
