The front of the bag is marketing. The back is the product. Here's the check we run on every electrolyte label, in the order we run it.

1. Find the sweetener

Scan the ingredient list for stevia (also called stevia leaf extract, Reb A or Reb M), monk fruit (luo han guo), sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, allulose, or anything ending in "-itol." When we read 26 best-selling electrolyte mixes in September 2026, 25 of 26 had at least one. What each sweetener is.

2. Look for "natural flavor"

"Natural flavor" is defined by the FDA at 21 CFR 101.22. One "natural flavor" can be a blend of flavor compounds, and the solvents and carriers that come with it don't have to be listed separately. 23 of 26 mixes we read listed it. If you want to know what's making it taste like strawberry, look for the strawberry.

3. Read the minerals in milligrams

Sodium, potassium and magnesium are printed in mg on the Nutrition or Supplement Facts panel. Across the 25 mixes that published a sodium number, sodium ran from 10mg to 1,000mg per serving, with a median of 300mg. More isn't automatically better. Match it to how much you sweat and how you'll use it. For reference, Mineral Mist has 595mg sodium, 350mg potassium and 80mg magnesium per serving.

4. Check the magnesium form

The label names it: oxide, citrate, malate, glycinate, chloride, or a food source like an inland sea concentrate. 9 of 26 mixes we read had no magnesium at all, and 3 used magnesium oxide.

5. Spot the anti-caking agents

Silicon dioxide and calcium silicate keep powder loose and pourable. 16 of 26 mixes had one. That's why many powders never clump, and it's why ours does. The clumps in Mineral Mist are real fruit.

6. Watch for fillers

Maltodextrin is a processed starch used as a filler and carrier. It doesn't count as sugar on the Nutrition Facts panel, so a mix can carry it and still say 0g sugar. 5 of 26 had it.

The whole check, on one page

We ran this exact check on 26 best sellers and published every label, with links to where we read it: Electrolyte Label Statistics 2026.

And here's ours, for comparison: organic coconut water, sea salt, real fruit, and magnesium from an inland sea concentrate. No stevia, no monk fruit, no "natural flavors," no anti-caking agents. Read the full Mineral Mist label.