This delicious electrolyte chia fresca is packed with gut-healing fiber and protein that makes this the perfect drink for relieving constipation and staying hydrated on the go. It’s one of the best, easy healthy travel tips that I swear by! This is the delicious drink you need to cure vacation constipation–and you just need two ingredients to make it.
You can probably guess that my favorite way to make sure I stay regular when I’m not traveling is with one of my delicious green smoothies. But because traveling with a blender or fruit puree is less than ideal, I had to seek a more travel-friendly solution. This electrolyte chia fresca has been one of my favorite healthy travel tips for years. I also love to drink it when I’m back home from traveling and things get… well… backed up. Especially now that Zack and I have resumed nomad life, we’ll find ourselves on roadtrips between states without access to the fresh produce or juice to make a traditional chia fresca, like my Cherry Basil Chia Fresca. This drink for constipation is perfect for traveling because you only need three simple ingredients (chia seeds, water, and electrolytes) and a bottle to shake it in! And no, this chia fresca recipe is not the TikTok-famous “internal shower“.
What’s this “internal shower” trend?
It’s the newest gut health hack to take over social media, and its got over 38.6 million views. This detox drink has people raving and ranting over chia seeds soaked in lemon water for the purpose of clearing out your detoxification pathways to help with digestion and bloating. In principle, the benefits are similar to that of our chia fresca. But, there’s so much wrong with this internal shower trend, that I just have to give my hot take:
- Chia frescas (chia seeds in a liquid-based, fruit filled drink) have existed for literally centuries, and chias were one of the main ingredients in the Aztec diet. It’s not something “new” that influencers created.
- The beverage is actually called iskiate, and indigenous people in Central and South America created this drink for strength, energy, constipation and hydration.
- Your insides aren’t dirty or in need of an “internal shower”. If you’re constipated, you might need a little help along (which chia seeds definitely do!) but we’re not going to call it a shower.
Why do we get constipation when we travel?
If you get constipated during travel or even after travel, there are a handful of reasons why:
- your body’s routine gets thrown off from sitting on a plane or in the car for a long time
- a shift in usual drinking, eating, exercise, and bathroom schedule
- pressure in airplane cabins can make you bloated and stopped up
- the anxiety and stress of being on an airplane impacts our ability to go
So yeah, there’s a lot of reasons we get constipated when we travel. And if you’re thinking, “hey, I get constipated even when I DON’T travel”, this Ask the Doctor: Gut Health episode of the Healthier Together Podcast is for you! The Gut Health MD gets into the specifics of the causes of and solutions for constipation and bloating.
Whatever your cause is, this electrolyte chia fresca is the perfect, easy to travel with drink to help relieve your bathroom woes and keep you feeling energized on vacation.
Healthier Together Podcast pairings:
Learn all about the hidden causes of constipation and bloating that no one is talking about with these science-backed episodes, plus amazing life hacks for traveling:
- Gut Health Hacks with Dr. Megan Rossie
- The Future of Gut Health with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz
- Ask the Doctor: Gut Health Edition
- Everything You Need to Overcome Your Fear of Flying
- How to Fly First Class for Free
- Healthy Travel Secrets: Hiking and Camping
Why drink electrolyte chia fresca
My traditional chia fresca recipe or iskiate is delicious and refreshing, especially in the summer when you’re hot and dehydrated! But when I’m traveling, I need a constipation relief drink that’s easy to make on the go. Instead of fruit juice as the liquid base for this chia fresca, I use electrolyte powder mixed in water because:.
- It tastes REALLY good. My favorite brands right now are Drink LMNT, Ultima, Nuun, and Liquid IV.
- Electrolytes contain important minerals. It helps with hydration, which is often an additional problem behind or caused by bloating, constipation or loose stool
- It’s SO easy to travel with. Zack and I literally just pack a bunch of electrolyte powder and a bag of chia seeds in our suitcase, then you just add water and either a reusable bottle with a lid to shake it up or a glass to stir it up.
Ingredients in electrolyte chia fresca
This constipation relief recipe is made with just 3 ingredients that are so easy to take on the go. Here’s everything you’ll need to make it!
- Chia seeds: this antioxidant-rich superfood is high in fiber which acts as a prebiotic to promote good gut bacteria and regularity plus relieve constipation.
- Electrolyte mix: having minerals in our diets is proven to help create enzymes that help with digestion and produce stomach acids that stimulate digestive juices
- Filtered water: the easiest ingredient for hydration to travel with! Water helps flush out toxins from the body.
Tools for making this drink on the go
To make this constipation drink recipe on the go, you’ll need either:
- a water bottle or mason jar with a lid shake
- a cup or glass that you can stir in
Plus, a spoon for stirring and casually measuring the chia seeds! That’s it!
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes! You actually want this recipe to sit for at least 10 minutes before you drink it, so that the chia seeds can become hydrated and make the soluble fiber more readily absorbable in your body.
To make this drink ahead of time, simply place all the ingredients together in a reusable water bottle with a lid, shake it up, and let it rest. Just be sure to shake again well before you drink it!
Chew your chia seeds!
Just like you get more nutrients when you chew your smoothies to help with digestion and absorption of nutrients, you should chew the chia seeds in this electrolyte chia fresca for the same results.
More constipation relief recipes:
Constipation-Busting Green Smoothie
Roasted Date and Crispy Chickpea Salad
Detoxifying Basil and Roasted Beet Salad
I hope you love this Electrolyte Chia Fresca as much as I do! Tag me on Instagram if you make it when you travel (@lizmoody) – I am so excited to see!
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Electrolyte Chia Fresca (drink this for constipation!)
Ingredients
- about 8 oz filtered water
- 1–2 heaping spoonfuls of chia seeds
- 1 serving electrolyte powder
Instructions
- Fill a glass or bottle with water and add the chia seeds and electrolyte powder. Stir or shake it up until combined and let it sit for at least 10 minutes, so the chia seeds hydrate.
- Drink it up and stir regularly between sips. Enjoy!
