two formulas, one honest base
classic vs squared².
same real fruit, real salt, real honey. one is your daily; one is your heavy-duty. here is every line that differs, and when each one belongs.
classic is the formula. squared² is the formula turned up: double the sodium, double the magnesium, more honey, plus beetroot and 75 mg of caffeine, in a resealable packet.
one packet = two servings. every figure in this table is for the whole packet. for one serving, halve it.
| per packet | classic | squared² | what the difference means |
|---|---|---|---|
| sodium | 25% DV · ~575 mg | 50% DV · ~1,150 mg | squared² is sized to a real hour of heavy sweat; classic to an ordinary day.1 |
| magnesium | 100% DV · ~420 mg | 200% DV · ~840 mg | the supplemental upper level is 350 mg/day2, which is why half a packet is a serving and one packet a day is the cap for both. |
| potassium | 20% DV · ~940 mg | 20% DV · ~940 mg | identical. the safety notes about potassium apply to both.3 |
| vitamin c | 1000% DV · 1,000 mg | 1000% DV · 1,000 mg | identical. |
| sugar (honey) | 15 g · 60 cal | 25 g · 100 cal | more glucose to escort more sodium; the transporter needs both.4 |
| caffeine | — | 75 mg | about a modest coffee, split across two servings.5 |
| beetroot | — | ✓ | organic beetroot powder for colour and flavor; we make no performance claim on the amount. |
| packet | not resealable | resealable | squared² is built to be used across a day. |
| price | $2 | from $5 | see the shop for current pricing and flavors. |
reach for classic when
- it is an ordinary day and you want a floor under your hydration, not a ceiling.
- you are sensitive to caffeine, it is after lunch, or you are pregnant or nursing (and have talked to your doctor about electrolytes generally).
- you want the lighter sugar: 15 g across two servings is the functional dose and no more.
- you are new to salty smiles. start here, half a packet at a time, and see how you feel.
reach for squared² when
- it is a big sweat day: a long run, a hot shift, a hard session in the heat, where losses can reach a gram or two of sodium an hour.61
- it is pre-workout or an afternoon lift and you want the caffeine, which is one of the best-studied ergogenic aids there is at moderate doses.7
- it is a long drive and you want something that lasts; the packet reseals.
squared² is still one packet a day, maximum, and the half-packet serving matters more here, not less: a whole squared² packet is 840 mg of magnesium and half the day’s sodium reference amount. if you have kidney disease, heart failure or take an ace inhibitor, arb or potassium-sparing diuretic, ask your doctor before either formula.3 the dosing page has the full list.
what does not change
the base. real fruit, real salt, real honey, potassium citrate, vitamin c, monk fruit, citric acid; the same nine named ingredients on a naked label, the same minnesota mixing, the same “buy it yourself if you like” bulk page. squared² adds two ingredients and turns two dials. it does not change what the product is.
build your order every ingredient in depthstudies & sources on this page
- Baker LB. Sweating rate and sweat sodium concentration in athletes: a review of methodology and intra/interindividual variability. Sports Medicine, 2017; 47(Suppl 1): 111–128.
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Fluoride. The National Academies Press, 1997.
- Palmer BF. Managing hyperkalemia caused by inhibitors of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system. New England Journal of Medicine, 2004; 351(6): 585–592.
- Wright EM, Loo DDF, Hirayama BA. Biology of human sodium glucose transporters. Physiological Reviews, 2011; 91(2): 733–794.
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Spilling the beans: how much caffeine is too much?. FDA consumer update.
- Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, Maughan RJ, Montain SJ, Stachenfeld NS. American College of Sports Medicine position stand: exercise and fluid replacement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2007; 39(2): 377–390.
- Guest NS, VanDusseldorp TA, Nelson MT, et al.. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2021; 18: 1.
every study above is linked to the original record. the full library is on the studies page.