Infused water is an inexpensive and healthy alternative to soft drinks and juices. It’s also a great way to stay hydrated all day long. Here are our top 10 favourite infused water combinations. Click on each one to get the recipe and discover the health benefits.
Infused Water Recipes
Remember that you drink with your eyes so the pretty water in these recipes will entice you to drink more.
1. Lemon and Mint
Image by Jenesuispas from Pixabay
Directions:
Wash and thinly slice two lemons.
Place them in a large pitcher.
Add some sprigs of fresh mint if desired
Fill the pitcher with with about 2 litres of water. (If your pitcher holds more than two litres, add more lemon slices).
Put the pitcher in your refrigerator and let stand for at least 1 hour.
Unlike most other fruits and vegetables, lemon slices infused in water can last about 3 days before turning soggy. It is also very pleasant infused with warm water for a refreshing alternative to tea or coffee.
Health Benefits: Lemon is a great source of vitamin C, so adding it to your water will help to boost your immune system. Many people find that drinking lemon water helps them with their digestion. It will also ease your sore throat.
2. Strawberry lime
Image by Nawal Escape from Pixabay
Directions:
Wash, stem, and thinly slice about 225 grams (8 ounces) of strawberries (You can leave them whole, but slicing them will release more flavour)
Wash and thinly slice 2 limes.
Place the strawberries and limes in a large pitcher.
Add some sprigs of fresh mint if desired
Fill the pitcher with with about 2 litres of water. (If your pitcher holds more than two litres, add more fruit slices).
Put the pitcher in your refrigerator and let stand for at least 1 hour.
Health Benefits: Not only does strawberry infused water taste great, but it also has many health benefits. These include:
It acts as a natural diuretic
It helps to lower blood pressure
It helps to fight bad cholesterol
3. Apples, Apples, Apples
Photo by Jacek Dylag on Unsplash
Wash, core, and slice about 225 grams (8 ounces) of apples. This is approximately 1 or 2 medium-sized apples.
Place the apple slices in a large pitcher.
Add 2 cinnamon sticks or 6 Tablespoons of ground cinnamon if desired.
Fill the pitcher with with about 2 litres of water. (If your pitcher holds more than two litres, add more fruit slices).
Put the pitcher in your refrigerator and let stand for at least 1 hour.
Health Benefits: Apple cinnamon water can help to increase your energy levels and it is a good source of antioxidants and flavonoids.
4. Basil, Lemon, and RaspBerries
Directions:
Clean about 225 grams (8 ounces) of raspberries.
Clean about 4-8 fresh basil leaves
Wash and thinly slice 2 lemons (If you remove the rinds, it will taste less bitter).
Place the raspberries, basil and lemons in a large pitcher.
Fill the pitcher with with about 2 litres of water. (If your pitcher holds more than two litres, add more fruit).
Put the pitcher in your refrigerator and let stand for at least 1 hour.
Health Benefits: Raspberries are great antioxidants and also contain healthy minerals and vitamins. They are a great asset to infused water that will keep you hydrated while you detoxify.
5. Chia Seed Water
Directions:
Add a tablespoon of chia seed per glass of water. If you have a pitcher that holds 1 litre, then use about 4 tablespoons of chia seeds
Stir the mixture well. Stir again after it has sat for a few minutes once you see the seeds separating and clumping together.
Add some fresh lemon or lime juice for extra vitamin C.
Add a bit of honey or maple syrup if you like to have a sweeter flavour.
Stir the mixture again.
You can drink it right away. It will keep in the refrigerator covered for 2 to 3 days.
6. Frozen Cherries
Photo by Bakd&Raw by Karolin Baitinger on Unsplash
Directions:
Pour about 225 grams (8 ounces) of frozen cherries in a large pitcher.
Fill the pitcher with with about 2 litres of water. (If your pitcher holds more than two litres, add more cherries).
Put the pitcher in your refrigerator and let stand for at least 1 hour.
Using frozen fruit is a quick and simple way to prepared infused water as you don’t have to wash or prep your fruit ahead of time.
7. Pomegranate and Honey
Image by Nawal Escape from Pixabay
Directions:
Remove the seeds from a large pomegranate.
Wash and thinly slice 2 lemons, limes, or oranges (If you remove the rinds, it will taste less bitter).
Place the pomegranate seeds and citrus slices in a large pitcher.
If you like, you can add a few basil leaves for extra flavour.
Fill the pitcher with with about 2 litres of water. (If your pitcher holds more than two litres, add more fruit).
Add some honey or maple syrup for some extra sweetness and stir.
Put the pitcher in your refrigerator and let stand for at least 1 hour.
8. Kiwi and Banana
Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash
Directions:
Clean, peel, and slice about 225 grams (8 ounces) of kiwi.
Peel and slice one banana.
Place the kiwi and banana slices in a large pitcher.
Fill the pitcher with with about 2 litres of water. (If your pitcher holds more than two litres, add more fruit).
Put the pitcher in your refrigerator and let stand for at least 1 hour.
9. Blueberries and…
Photo by Marianne Krohn on Unsplash
Directions:
Clean about 225 grams (8 ounces) of blueberries.
Place the blueberries in a large pitcher.
Fill the pitcher with with about 2 litres of water. (If your pitcher holds more than two litres, add more fruit).
Put the pitcher in your refrigerator and let stand for at least 1 hour.
Note: Blueberries make a delicious and healthy drink, however, you can get creative and add your own twists. Some suggestions would include lemon, lime, basil, honey, and banana.
10. Grapefruit and Berries in mineral water
Image by Miguel Á. Padriñán from Pixabay
Image by Miguel Á. Padriñán from Pixabay
Directions:
Clean, slice, and cut a medium-sized grapefruit into small segments (If you remove the rinds, it will taste less bitter).
Clean and slice whatever other type of berries you would like to combine with your grapefruit. Use about 225 grams (8 ounces).
Place the grapfruit slices and berries in a large pitcher.
Fill the pitcher with with about 2 litres of water. (If your pitcher holds more than two litres, add more fruit).
Put the pitcher in your refrigerator and let stand for at least 1 hour.
General Tips for Infusing Water
Here are some great tips for making the most of your infused water:
Tip #1: Let your water infuse for at least an hour so that all the juices can release and you can get the taste of them.
Tip#2: You can leave the fruit, etc. in your water for up to 24 hours, but after that it will get soggy. You can either strain your water at this point or simply make a fresh batch.
Tip #3: Make sure to wash your fruit and vegetables before adding them to your water.
Tip #4: You can use frozen fruit and vegetable, but they won't release as much juice but that might be a good and more economical option in the winter when fresh is more expensive and harder to get.
Tip #5: Keep a large container in your fridge for easy access. You can refill this container throughout the day and then change out the fruit and vegetables the next day.
Tip #6: If you want to speed up the infusing process, use warm or even hot water. Just remember that using warmer water will make the fruit disintegrate faster.
