How to Make an ORS at Home with 3 Simple Ingredients

• Prepare a homemade ORS drink with 4 ¹⁄₄  c (1.0 L) water, ½ tsp (3 g) of table salt, and 2 tbsp (25 g) of sugar.
• Alternatively, stir ¾ tsp (4.5 g) of table salt into 4  c (0.95 L) of a sports drink.
• Sip 100 mL (3.4 fl oz) of an ORS every 5 minutes. The total amount of an ORS you need (in mL) is your weight (in kg) multiplied by 75.

How to Make and Use an ORS

Mix clean water, salt, and sugar together to make a homemade ORS. Stir ½ tsp (3 g) of table salt and 2 tbsp (25 g) of sugar into 4 ⁄4 c (1.0 L) of water. To improve the flavor, mix in some water flavoring. If you have a premade ORS packet: Stir a packet of premade ORS into 1 L (34 fl oz) of water. Warning: Medical experts advise against using a homemade ORS solution unless there are no other options available. Premade solutions are your best bet at fighting dehydration.

Drink 100 mL (3.4 fl oz) of your ORS about every 5 minutes. Multiply your weight (in kg) by 75—this is the amount of an ORS you need to drink over 4 hours (in mL). Continue to sip your ORS every few minutes, or until you no longer show signs of dehydration (for example, being able to pass urine, no longer feeling thirsty, and having a strong pulse). Examine your symptoms after drinking your ORS for 1 hour, then continue checking once every 1-2 hours as you rehydrate. Alternative dosage: Babies under 2 years old can drink ⁄2 L (17 fl oz) of ORS per day; children under 10 years old can drink 1 L (34 fl oz) of ORS per day; and children over 10 years old and adults can drink 3 L (100 fl oz) of ORS per day.

Homemade ORS Alternatives

Sports drink-based ORS Mix 1 ⁄2 c (350 mL) of a sports drink with 2 ⁄2 c (590 mL) of water and ½ tsp (3 g) of salt. If you’re using a low-calorie sports drink, use 1 US qt (0.95 L) of the beverage mixed with ¼ to ½ tsp (1.5 to 3 g) of salt.

Broth-based ORS Pour 4 c (0.95 L) of water into a container, along with 1 broth cube, ¼ tsp (1.5 g) of salt, and 2 tbsp (25 g) of sugar. Stir everything together, wait for the ingredients to dissolve, and then start sipping from the mixture. Liquid broth alternative: Combine 2 c (0.47 L) of beef broth, chicken broth, or vegetable broth with 2 c (0.47 L) of water and 2 tbsp (25 g) of sugar. Miso paste alternative: Mix 4 c (0.95 L) of water with 7 tsp (39 g) of miso paste and 1 tbsp (12.5 g) of sugar.

Juice-based ORS Mix 4 ⁄4 c (1.0 L) of water, 1 c (240 mL) of orange juice, 8 tsp (33.5 g) of sugar, ¾ tsp (3.7 g) of baking soda, and ½ tsp (3 g) of salt together. Apple juice alternative: Mix ⁄4 c (180 mL) of apple juice, 3 ⁄4 c (0.77 L) of water, and ½ to ¾ tsp (3 to 4.5 g) of salt together. Tomato juice alternative: Mix 2 ⁄2 c (590 mL) of tomato juice and 1 ⁄2 c (350 mL) of water together. Cranberry or grape juice alternative: Mix ⁄4 c (180 mL) of juice, 3 ⁄4 c (0.77 L) of water, and ½ to ¾ tsp (3 to 4.5 g) of salt together.

Cereal-based ORS Mix ½ cup (17.5 g) of dry (pre-cooked) baby rice cereal with 2 c (470 mL) of water, and ¼ tsp (1.5g) of salt. Once the ingredients are combined, stick the mixture in the refrigerator until it has a thick but pourable consistency.

When should someone drink an ORS?

Drink an ORS when you’re experiencing diarrhea and/or vomiting. The purpose of an ORS drink is to help your body recover the fluids it loses through vomiting and diarrhea. With this in mind, an oral rehydration solution can be a helpful way to recover from food poisoning. See a doctor if you have persistent diarrhea (for 3+ days), you vomit so much that you aren’t able to keep any liquids in your system, and/or you have symptoms of dehydration (like not passing urine, having a dry mouth, or experiencing dizziness).