In my latest Coffee Talk, I quickly went over my newest favorite drink: sole water. It’s a time-honored remedy that’s amazing for your health, and is so easy to make. In case you didn’t watch through my video, here’s what you need to know about Sole Water, the benefits of drinking it, and how to make it.

Sole 101

Sole (pronounced SO-LAY; SOLAY) is made from only two ingredients: salt and water. But not just any salt. It has to be real, unrefined sea salt, like Pink Himalayan Sea Salt. There are other types of salt that can be used, too. Celtic Sea Salt, Redmond Sea Salt- what matters most is that the salt has not been processed or stripped of its natural mineral content. Because you cannot simply pour a bunch of regular table salt into a glass of water and call it a day for Sole. It’s not that simple.

The difference between true Sole made from sea salt and an impostor concoction containing table salt comes down to quality.

Sea Salt VS Table Salt 

If you’re still with me, here are the differences between sea salt and plain table salt. Table salt, as I mentioned before, is a processed form of salt that is completely devoid of its minerals. You’re essentially left with filler, with small amounts of sodium and few not-so-healthy substances. What are those? Pay attention now. You may just want to ditch conventional salt for good!

Table salt contains additives that can be harmful to your health. These are put in to to add (get it?) flavor, so people like you and me keep buying it. They include things like fluoride and synthetic iodine (i.e., man-made), which in large amounts negatively affect your health. Sound in the alarms for high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, heart attack, and stroke!

So what can you do? Simple. Just make the switch. Say adios to table salt and opt for unrefined sea salt. I personally like to use Himalayan Sea Salt, but as I mentioned before, there are other varieties for you to choose from: Celtic Sea Salt, Redmond’s Sea Salt… just always check the labels! And you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg to get a good quality one, either. Most grocery stores carry sea salt, and even specialty places like Trader Joe’s sell it.

A New Way to Hydrate

We all know how important it is to stay hydrated. Athletes especially need to maintain optimal hydration in order to stay energized and replenish the lost fluids and minerals from exercise. Those of you that sweat often or live in a hot or humid environment definitely need to stay on top of your hydration. And for all of you practicing a low carb or Ketogenic diet (like in my new Keto Shred program), you also need to stay hydrated.

Now, your first instinct may be to carry around a gallon of water with you wherever you go. But water alone isn’t enough to ensure you’re properly hydrated. Why is that so? It’s because in excess amounts, water can actually dilute your body of its minerals. This is a real and dangerous condition known as hyponatremia, when minerals like sodium get too low in the bloodstream as a result of over-hydration. In fact, it can actually trigger a stress response and release adrenaline into your body; completely opposite from what you’re trying to do!

The solution (as well as prevention) for over-hydration is adding minerals back into your water.

And I guess you know where this is going from here.

Salt + Water = Good Health

By itself, water is fine. But when combined with natural sea salt, it’s a supercharged way to hydrate and drink to your good health.

Sole contains an array of essential minerals from sea salt, providing your body the nutrition it craves for optimal function. The benefits of regular consumption of Sole include:

• Immune support
• Healthy bones and jonts (especially in the back!)
• Regulating metabolism
• Balanced blood sugar levels
• Electrolyte (mineral) balance
• Healthy hair, skin and nails
• Activation of enzymes and salivary glands in the mouth (supporting digestion)
• Improving bowel regularity
• Energy boost
• Preventing muscle cramps
• Balancing blood pressure
• Lowering inflammation and stress (in turn supporting exercise recovery, hormone balance, and better sleep)
• Natural detoxification (which involves many essential minerals)

Do It Yourself

Here’s how you can make Sole right away. All you need is filtered water and natural, unrefined sea salt, as well as a large mason jar.

Step (1): Get out your large mason jar, and fill 1/3 of it with sea salt and the rest with filtered water.

Step (2): Stir the mixture with a WOODEN spoon. Do not use a metal or plastic spoon, which will contaminate the water.

NOTE: There should still be some undissolved salt at the bottom of the jar; if it’s completely dissolved, add some more to it.

Step (3): After stirring for a couple of minutes, cover the mason jar with a non-metal, non-plastic lid. If you don’t own such a lid, you can use a paper or soft towel instead, and tie it with an elastic band (which is what I did).

Step (4): Let the Sole water sit on the counter for 24 hours. Do not be tempted to sip from it!

Step (5): After the 24 hour period is up, you’re ready to drink it. You can keep it on the counter indefinitely because it contains natural antibacterial and anti-fungal properties that naturally preserve its freshness.

Here’s how I use my Sole water:

Every morning, I boil some water, and add 1 tsp of the Sole water into an 8 oz cup. Then I add a little bit of the hot water into the cup, and then I add more filtered water.

If you want, you can add a squeeze of lemon to your drink. This not only provides some flavor, it also gives you a bit of Vitamin C. Drinking lemon water first thing in the morning is also said to help promote natural detoxification by stimulating the liver. Others say it helps them to get their digestion up and running. Whatever the case, feel free to experiment with different ways to spike up your mix. Or you can just stick to the basics like I do.

Once again, if you’re eating low carb, or are doing keto, then I highly suggest you incorporate Sole water into your daily routine. It will not only nourish your body with healthy minerals, it will also help to prevent (or get over) the infamous keto flu that, more often than not, is a result of dehydration and water loss.

I hope you enjoy this simple, effective remedy for good health. Tell me in the comments if you’ve tried Sole water, or are thinking of trying it after reading about the benefits!