Electrolytes Without Stevia: 5 Options for Different Tastes

By RecoverFitNow Editorial · Product information checked October 15, 2026 (U.S.)

You want an electrolyte drink, but you don’t want the lingering sweetness that comes with so many of them. You find an “unflavored” version—and then discover that taking away the sweetener can leave you with a very salty glass of water.

The better question is: do you want no sweetness at all, or do you just want your drink sweetened with something other than stevia? Those lead to different purchases.

Our starting choice is Skratch Unsweetened Lemon + Lime if you want some citrus flavor without a sweetener. For a plain, high-sodium mix, Re-Lyte Unflavored offers the better tub value, while LMNT Raw Unflavored offers convenient packets. Hydrant sits between those options on sodium. And if you actually want a sweet sports drink, regular Skratch Lemon + Lime uses sugar rather than stevia.

Choose by what you want in your bottle

Citrus flavor, no sweetener: Skratch Unsweetened Hydration Sport Drink Mix, Lemon + Lime.
Lower cost per serving in a high-sodium tub: Re-Lyte Hydration, Unflavored.
A simple high-sodium packet: LMNT Raw Unflavored.
Plain powder with less sodium than LMNT or Re-Lyte: Hydrant Unflavored.
Sweetness and carbohydrates for exercise: Skratch Hydration Sport Drink Mix, Lemon + Lime, non-caffeinated.

The differences that matter

All five exact formulas below omit stevia. Four have no added sweetener; the regular Skratch sport drink contains sugar. That fifth option belongs here because avoiding stevia does not necessarily mean avoiding sweetness.

Exact product and pack	Sodium / serving	Sweetener	One-time pack price	Approx. cost / serving
Skratch Unsweetened Lemon + Lime, 30-serving bag	400 mg	None added	$27.95	$0.93
Re-Lyte Hydration Unflavored, 75-serving tub	1,000 mg	None	$45.99	$0.61
LMNT Raw Unflavored, 30 sticks	1,000 mg	None	$45.00	$1.50
Hydrant Unflavored, 50-serving pouch	520 mg	None in the exact ingredient list	$36.99	$0.74
Skratch Hydration Sport Lemon + Lime, non-caffeinated, 20-serving bag	400 mg	Cane sugar and dextrose	$23.95	$1.20

U.S. manufacturer prices checked October 15, 2026; before tax and shipping, without subscriptions or bundles. A serving is each product’s own labeled serving—not an equivalent electrolyte dose. Sources: 1, 3, 6, 8, 9.

Which one would we buy?

1. Skratch Unsweetened Lemon + Lime: our first pick for flavor without sweetness

This solves the most interesting version of the problem: you dislike sweeteners, but you still want something more appealing than plain mineral water. Its formula uses lemon and lime ingredients alongside electrolytes, with no stevia, monk fruit or sucralose listed.

The 30-serving bag’s label lists 400 mg sodium, 100 mg potassium and 50 mg magnesium per scoop, with zero grams of sugar. It has less sodium per serving than LMNT Raw or Re-Lyte Unflavored, and the citrus ingredients give it a different proposition from those plain salt-forward mixes.

Our judgment: this is where we would start if the main complaint is “I’m tired of sweet electrolyte drinks.” Its advantage is the combination of fruit flavor and no added sweetener, rather than the biggest mineral numbers.

The trade-off: it costs more per serving than Re-Lyte or Hydrant, and it contributes very little carbohydrate if you also want workout fuel.

See the exact Skratch Unsweetened Lemon + Lime bag →

2. Re-Lyte Unflavored: the value choice for a high-sodium mix

Re-Lyte’s Unflavored tub gives you 75 servings for $45.99. Each 5 g scoop supplies 1,000 mg sodium, 500 mg potassium and 60 mg magnesium. At about 61 cents a serving, it is the least expensive option here on the stated pack prices.

Its ingredient list is short: sea salt, potassium citrate, magnesium glycinate and magnesium malate. The unflavored version omits the stevia, flavoring, coconut water powder and calcium found in the brand’s flavored formulations.

Our judgment: choose this over LMNT if you want a high-sodium powder for use at home and prefer paying for a tub rather than individual packets. The higher potassium number is a formulation difference, not a reason everyone needs it.

The trade-off: “unflavored” does not mean tasteless. Redmond describes it as strongly salty. It also explicitly says its Re-Lyte products are not certified gluten-free; we explain that evidence below.

See Re-Lyte Hydration Unflavored →

3. LMNT Raw Unflavored: pay extra for the packet

Raw Unflavored is the LMNT version to choose for this brief. Its three ingredients are salt, magnesium malate and potassium chloride. Each packet supplies 1,000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium and 60 mg magnesium, without stevia or added flavoring.

The practical appeal is easy to understand: a measured serving you can keep in a gym bag or take away for a weekend. You do not need to carry a tub and scoop.

Our judgment: buy LMNT Raw when portability is worth the premium. At the single-box price, it costs about 89 cents more per serving than Re-Lyte’s tub. That is a convenience decision, not evidence of better hydration.

The trade-off: removing stevia does not remove the sodium. If LMNT’s saltiness is what puts you off, Raw is not an obvious solution. For a broader comparison, see Key Nutrients vs LMNT.

See LMNT Raw Unflavored →

4. Hydrant Unflavored: the middle-sodium plain option

Hydrant’s 50-serving pouch fills a useful gap. Its 4.5 g serving lists 520 mg sodium, 403 mg potassium, 60 mg magnesium and 4 mg zinc. The exact ingredient list contains mineral salts without stevia, monk fruit or flavoring.

At about 74 cents a serving, it is a reasonably priced way to buy an unsweetened powder with roughly half the sodium of LMNT Raw or Re-Lyte Unflavored.

Our judgment: consider Hydrant if you want a plain formula but do not want a full 1,000 mg sodium serving. The useful difference is the sodium level and pouch format; the added zinc alone would not persuade us to choose it.

The trade-off: a plain mineral mix can still change your drink’s taste. For readers who require independently confirmed gluten-free certification, the exact Unflavored pouch remains an unresolved match—not our certified pick.

See Hydrant Unflavored →

5. Skratch Hydration Sport Lemon + Lime: keep the sweetness, skip stevia

You may like a sweet drink and simply dislike stevia. Regular, non-caffeinated Skratch Lemon + Lime takes the conventional route: cane sugar and dextrose, with citrus ingredients and electrolytes.

The 20-serving bag’s nutrition panel lists 400 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrate and 19 g sugar per 22 g scoop. That makes it a different purchase from the unsweetened products: the drink also contributes carbohydrate fuel.

Our judgment: this is the more useful choice for a longer run or ride when you want some of your carbohydrates in your bottle. If you already get your workout fuel from food or gels, the Unsweetened version gives you more freedom to keep those choices separate.

The trade-off: it is not sugar-free. For someone seeking an unsweetened drink at a desk, it solves the wrong problem.

See non-caffeinated Skratch Hydration Sport Lemon + Lime →

Three choices that make shopping easier

Start with sweetness, then sodium

For no sweetness but some flavor, start with Skratch Unsweetened. For no added flavor either, look at Hydrant, Re-Lyte or LMNT Raw. For ordinary sweetness without stevia, look at regular Skratch Sport.

Then decide how much sodium belongs in the drink you are looking for. The table ranges from 400 to 1,000 mg per serving. Higher is not automatically better, and none of these comparisons should be read as a daily sodium target.

Unflavored is not the same as flavorless

A useful example: putting one 1,000 mg sodium packet in twice as much water halves its sodium concentration, but you still consume 1,000 mg if you finish the bottle. Dilution changes how concentrated the drink is. It does not change the total minerals in the packet.

That distinction matters if your real complaint is saltiness. You can choose a lower-sodium serving or a more diluted drink; removing stevia alone does neither.

Compare the package you will actually buy

Re-Lyte is our value pick on these one-time pack prices, but it asks you to buy 75 servings at once. LMNT’s packet format costs more. Skratch sells both bags and packets, whose costs differ. Compare your preferred format rather than combining one brand’s bulk subscription price with another brand’s single-box price.

What changes if you also need gluten-free?

Stevia-free and gluten-free answer different questions. One tells you about the sweetener. The other concerns gluten ingredients and manufacturing controls. A short ingredient list is helpful to read, but it is not a gluten-free certificate.

Product	What the evidence establishes
LMNT Raw Unflavored	Manufacturer’s product page makes a “no gluten” claim. Independent gluten-free certification was not established in this review.
Re-Lyte Unflavored	Redmond says Re-Lyte uses gluten-free ingredients and explicitly says the products are not certified gluten-free.
Hydrant Unflavored	Hydrant’s FAQ claims certification for its HYDRATE range. We did not establish the certifier and current coverage of this exact 50-serving Unflavored pouch.
Both selected Skratch Lemon + Lime mixes	The manufacturer’s exact product information and package images state gluten-free. Independent gluten-free certification was not established in this review.

Our buying view: Skratch and LMNT provide clear manufacturer gluten-free claims alongside their stevia-free formulas. If independent certification is a firm requirement for you, this shortlist does not yet supply a verified winner. Hydrant’s broad statement is not enough to award it that distinction.

A gluten-free label is still meaningful without a certification seal. In the U.S., FDA rules require foods using that claim to meet specified conditions, including less than 20 parts per million gluten. Independent certification adds a separate verification program; it is not mandatory for a gluten-free label. [11]

For the distinction between ingredients, label wording and certification, see our five-check gluten-free supplement guide.

Our final choice

Start with Skratch Unsweetened Lemon + Lime if you want to move away from sweet electrolyte drinks while keeping some flavor. Choose Re-Lyte for economical high-sodium servings at home, or LMNT Raw for that style of formula in packets. Hydrant is the plain middle-sodium option. Regular Skratch Sport earns its place when you want sugar and carbohydrates, just not stevia.

The winning product is the one that solves your actual objection to your current drink. “No stevia” is the starting filter; taste preference, sodium, workout fuel and gluten-free evidence finish the decision.

Research, label details and sensible limits

How we reviewed: this is a research-based comparison of current U.S. manufacturer pages, ingredient lists, package images and product data. We did not conduct a five-product taste test or laboratory testing. Taste recommendations reflect formula and manufacturer descriptions, not invented tasting experience. Product links are direct, untagged manufacturer links.

Exact-label details: Skratch’s Unsweetened 120 g bag image lists a 3.8 g scoop, about 30 servings, 10 calories and 1 g carbohydrate. Its regular 440 g bag panel lists a 22 g scoop, 20 g carbohydrate and 19 g sugar; an adjacent promotional badge says “19 g carbs.” We use the nutrition panel. Hydrant’s Unflavored ingredient list omits monk fruit despite generic monk-fruit marketing elsewhere on that page. Re-Lyte Unflavored supplies 1,000 mg sodium, rather than the 810 mg displayed for flavored varieties.

Gluten evidence: LMNT discloses shared manufacturing facilities and says finished products are not tested for allergens in its allergen FAQ. That statement should not be rewritten as proof of gluten contamination or as a gluten-specific test result. Hydrant’s exact-pouch certification remains unverified. We did not establish independent gluten-free certification for any of these five exact selections.

Health context: electrolyte needs vary with food intake, exercise, heat and sweat losses. A stevia-free drink is a preference choice, not automatically a healthier one. These products are not treatment for celiac disease or a substitute for assessment of a nutrient deficiency. If you have kidney disease or have been told to limit sodium, potassium or fluids, get advice specific to your condition before using concentrated electrolyte products.

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