THE HEALING FREQUENCY
The LA electrolyte & supplement guide | What's in Angelenos' water bottles?
In LA, a water bottle rarely holds just water; crack it open and there's usually a packet of powder in there. The electrolyte powders, greens and magnesium you see most on grocery shelves, translated brand by brand. All benefits are 'per the brand'; read the honest-reminder page at the end.
Translated from Jasmine’s original Chinese. The illustrated slides are on the interactive reader.
Key points
- Flip the pack over and check the sodium and sugar first
- AG1 isn't an electrolyte; it's a greens and multivitamin powder
- Claims on the pack are the brand's own, and more sodium isn't always better
- Before you buy, ask yourself: did I really sweat a lot today?
Full text
Why Angelenos have to put something in their water
Pilates in the morning, a hike in the afternoon: sweating is everyday life, and in LA, hydration has become a lifestyle habit. Stick packs are light enough to toss in your bag on the way out, and there's a whole row of them everywhere from Target to Erewhon.
Learn to read the package first
Flip it over and check the Sodium and Sugar first; adaptogens are herbs like ashwagandha and reishi; that small print, 'not evaluated by the FDA,' means those claims haven't been reviewed by the FDA.
LMNT
The most sodium of anything in this post, and zero sugar: 1,000 mg of sodium per packet, $45 for a box of 30. One packet is over 40% of the FDA's 2,300 mg daily value, so do the math before you drink it.
Liquid I.V.
Headquartered in El Segundo, right next to LAX, and acquired by Unilever in 2020. The signature Hydration Multiplier has 500 mg of sodium per packet and added sugar; if you're watching sugar, look for the Sugar-Free version.
Cure Hydration
Made with coconut water powder and pink salt, sweetened with stevia and monk fruit, no added sugar; 14 packets for $23.99, and you'll find a few popular flavors in Target's drink aisle.
Ultima Replenisher
Made for track athletes at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, zero sugar and zero calories. Sold at Target and Walmart, with a 90-serving tub too, for people who want their water to taste like something without drinking sugar.
Nuun
Effervescent tablets from Seattle: drop one in water and it fizzes, $7.49 a tube; acquired by a Nestlé company in 2021, and besides the sport version there's now an everyday one with added vitamins.
AG1 | It's not an electrolyte
AG1 is a multivitamin, probiotic and greens powder. It started selling in Target stores nationwide in April 2026; to try it, buy the small pack first; a 30-day subscription is $79, or $99 one-time.
Magic Mind
A tiny shot from a company registered in Venice, which the brand calls a mental performance shot. Original has 55 mg of caffeine, MAXX 165 mg, Free none.
Moon Juice
Started in 2012 as a little juice bar in Venice and made it all the way onto Sephora shelves. You'll see the Magnesi-Om magnesium powder most ($44 on the website), which Angelenos treat as their warm wind-down drink before bed.
Erewhon's supplement aisle
At LA's most expensive grocery store, the most fun aisle is actually this one, like a catalog of 'what LA is consuming right now'; its own Hydration line is $70 online, and you can check prices at ship.erewhon.com.
And a few more
Bloom greens powder all over TikTok (30 servings $33.99, headquartered in Texas), plant-based meal brand Sakara, Pique on Erewhon's shelves, and True Grace's ElectroMag.
One page, all of it
A comparison chart to screenshot: sodium ranges from a few hundred to 1,000 mg, some with sugar, some sugar-free. Flip it over before you buy.
Honest reminder (please read this one)
This post isn't medical advice. If you have high blood pressure or kidney issues, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are on medication, ask a doctor or pharmacist before drinking these; the FDA doesn't approve supplements' safety or effectiveness before they go on sale.
'Per the brand' doesn't mean proven
The benefits on the packaging are all the brands' own claims, and more sodium isn't always better. 'Pretty packaging doesn't mean it's right for your body.'
3 questions to ask yourself before you buy
Did I really sweat a lot today? How much salt have I already had? Do I need it, or do I just like the taste? If you just want something with flavor, a lemon slice works too.
Two-city mirror
The same 'quick top-up' is a bottle of Pocari Sweat from the convenience store in Taipei, and a stick pack that's always in your bag in LA.
Places in this story
In this series
An original JSLALALAND field guide by Jasmine Chang (@jslalaland).