How to Make an ORS at Home with 3 Simple Ingredients

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Simple ORS recipes to help with food poisoning or diarrhea

Co-authored by Claudia Carberry, RD, MS and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: October 9, 2024 Fact Checked

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How to Make and Use an ORS

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ORS Alternatives

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When to Drink an ORS

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Video

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Tips

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Warnings

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Oral Rehydration Salts or an Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) is a special drink made with clean water, sugar, and salt that can help replace fluid loss from severe diarrhea and/or vomiting. While medical professionals officially recommend using premade ORS packets and drinks, it is possible to make a homemade version with just 3 simple ingredients. We’ll walk you through the recipe for an ORS (including some homemade alternatives), and even provide some guidance on how much adults, kids, and toddlers should drink.

Things You Should Know

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.

Section 1 of 3:

How to Make and Use an ORS

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1
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 ¹⁄₄ 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.^{[1]
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- 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.^{[2]
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2
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).^{[3]
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services

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- Examine your symptoms after drinking your ORS for 1 hour, then continue checking once every 1-2 hours as you rehydrate.^{[4]
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- Alternative dosage: Babies under 2 years old can drink ¹⁄₂ 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.^{[5]
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Section 2 of 3:

Homemade ORS Alternatives

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Mix 1 ¹⁄₂ c (350 mL) of a sports drink with 2 ¹⁄₂ 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.^{[6]
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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.^{[7]
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- 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.
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Juice-based ORS Mix 4 ¹⁄₄ 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.^{[8]
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- Apple juice alternative: Mix ³⁄₄ c (180 mL) of apple juice, 3 ¹⁄₄ c (0.77 L) of water, and ½ to ¾ tsp (3 to 4.5 g) of salt together.
- Tomato juice alternative: Mix 2 ¹⁄₂ c (590 mL) of tomato juice and 1 ¹⁄₂ c (350 mL) of water together.
- Cranberry or grape juice alternative: Mix ³⁄₄ c (180 mL) of juice, 3 ¹⁄₄ c (0.77 L) of water, and ½ to ¾ tsp (3 to 4.5 g) of salt together.
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.

Section 3 of 3:

When should someone drink an ORS?

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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.^{[9]
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services

Go to source} With this in mind, an oral rehydration solution can be a helpful way to recover from food poisoning.^{[10]
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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Health information from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health

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- 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).

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Tips

Medical professionals officially recommend using ORS packets (like Trioral or DripDrop).^{[11]
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Research source} You can also purchase premade ORS drinks (like Pedialyte).

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The BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) can help individuals rebound from bouts of diarrhea and vomiting since these foods are nutritious and easy on your stomach.^{[12]
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Warnings

Be sure to use clean water when preparing an ORS drink.^{[13]
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Don’t give a child with diarrhea medication unless your doctor recommends or prescribes it.^{[14]
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Call your doctor right away if your child experiences any serious symptoms like bloody stool, abdominal pain, a lack of tears, infrequent urination, high fever, intense thirst, weight loss, and/or frequent vomiting.^{[15]
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Johns Hopkins Medicine
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A typical case of diarrhea goes away within a week. Call your doctor if you experience diarrhea for longer than this.^{[16]
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Cleveland Clinic
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