There are many health drinks and beverages in the market, but nothing is better than good old water. Water is essential for a healthy mind and body, as every cell, organ and tissue in the body needs water to function properly.
Water is needed to keep the body hydrated, regulate body temperature, lubricate joints, remove waste products from the body, aid digestion and keep the skin healthy, to name a few.
Without water, your body will be deprived of these benefits. And if you hate drinking water or find the taste completely boring, then getting an adequate amount of water each day can be a big problem.
But with a little bit of creativity, you can have water that is both flavorful and colorful. This can be done by adding some healthy fruits, vegetables and even spices to plain water in order to improve the taste and flavor.
Here are 10 healthy things you can add to water to make it taste even better.
Lemon
To overcome the boring taste of plain water, lemon is one ingredient that can add a new flavor to it. The tangy taste and the nice lemon fragrance are generally liked by all.
Apart from making your water tasty, lemon is good for your health. It is an excellent source of several nutrients, such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron and vitamins A, C and B-complex as well as pectin, fiber, and carbohydrates.
Lemon contains cancer-fighting properties and also is good for losing weight, keeping your heart healthy, preventing kidney stones, boosting the immune system, balancing your body’s pH level and so on.
It is easy to make lemon-infused water and takes little time, as lemon releases its flavor almost immediately. Plus, you can take this infused water with you and sip it all day as a delicious hydrating treat.
- Fill a large jug with filtered water.
- Cut 2 lemons into thin slices and add them to the water.
- Add some fresh mint leaves or thin ginger slices (optional).
- Add some ice cubes as well.
- Refrigerate it for about 2 to 3 hours, then drink it as needed.
Oranges
So fresh and citrusy, oranges are one of the most popular juicy fruits that you can use to add flavor to plain water. After infusing orange in the water, it will have the sweetness of orange juice but without the added sugar. Also, it will have a tangy flavor and an uplifting smell.
The taste of this flavored water is so refreshing that it will soon replace your favorite soft drinks or commercial fruit juice.
This juicy fruit is packed with vitamins A, B and C, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and dietary fiber. Oranges provide many health benefits, including boosting immunity, rejuvenating skin, lowering cholesterol, improving heart health, protecting vision and protecting against arthritis, to name a few.
- Peel an orange and separate the segments.
- Put the orange segments in a glass jar or pitcher.
- Add the juice of a lemon and a few mint leaves for added flavor.
- Fill up the rest of a jar with water and ice.
- Allow the jar to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Drink it whenever you feel like having a refreshing drink.
Green Tea
Health-conscious people are switching to green tea for a healthier body and mind. You can use green tea to give boring water a flavor boost to ensure you get your recommended ounces per day.
This healthy and delicious beverage has many powerful benefits due to its significant antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticavity properties. Drinking tea can help lower blood sugar levels, boost metabolism, fight obesity, reduce cholesterol, prevent cancer and improve oral health, to name a few of the health benefits.
- Brew 1 to 2 cups of green tea and allow it to cool.
- Put the green tea in an ice cube tray and put in the freezer.
- Pour cool water into a jar and add some mint leaves or thin ginger slices.
- Put the jar in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
- When you need to drink water, fill ¾ of a glass with water from the jar.
- Add 2 cubes of green tea and a little lemon juice to the glass.
- Enjoy your refreshing drink any time of the day.
Watermelon
A popular thirst quencher, watermelon is a favorite among all age groups. This refreshing and delicious fruit has all the factors to enhance the taste of plain water.
This fruit is made up of 92 percent water and the essential rehydrating salt, calcium and magnesium levels in it makes it ideal for preventing dehydration. This summertime staple is also a good source of potassium and vitamins A and C. Its rich nutritional profile means it is also immensely good for your health.
Apart from keeping the body hydrated, watermelon intake can even control high blood pressure, reduce body fat, improve eye health, keep the kidneys healthy and improve your mood.
- Fill a mason jar with cool water.
- Cut watermelon into thick pieces and remove the seeds.
- Gently put the watermelon pieces in the jar.
- Add some basil leaves to add an amazing freshness.
- Keep the jar in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
- After drinking the infused water, you can also snack on the watermelon.
Strawberries
To quench your thirst without boring plain water, strawberry-infused water is another good option. The mild sweetness and nice taste of strawberries will turn water into a magical delight. Also, it smells as good as it tastes.
Strawberries are a perfect treat for staying hydrated as they contain 92 percent water. They even contain all kinds of vitamins that promote good eyesight, making it a perfect drink for those who live in front of a computer screen.
Plus, strawberries contain powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, which prevent inflammation, fight aging, and help you maintain gorgeous and radiant skin.
- Put slightly crushed ripe strawberries in a mason jar.
- Lightly crush some sage leaves in your hand and place them in the jar.
- Add some ice cubes directly into the jar.
- Top the ice cubes with filtered water.
- Put the lid on the jar and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 to 3 hours.
- Enjoy the strawberry-infused water whenever you please.
Not only is this infused water delicious, but it also becomes slightly pink, which makes it even beautiful to look at.
Cucumber
Cucumber is another water-rich fruit that you can add to plain water to enhance its taste. Composed of 96 percent water, it contains no fat or cholesterol and is very high in nutritional value.
It is a good source of vitamins K and B6, iron, copper, amino acids, carbohydrates, fiber, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, biotin and silica.
Cucumber makes a great addition to any weight-loss diet, as it fills you up and helps you feel more satisfied. Among its many health benefits, it lowers blood pressure, prevents cancer, fights aging, improves skin health and boosts brain health, to name a few.
- Peel a cucumber and cut it into ½-inch slices.
- Add the slices to a jar filled with water.
- Immediately add ice cubes to prevent the cucumber slices from floating.
- Allow the infusion process to take place overnight in the refrigerator.
- After drinking the infused water, you can even eat the cucumber slices if you like.
Note: Make sure to drink this cucumber water within a day.
Kiwi
This often-overlooked fruit is far more hydrating than you can imagine. Kiwis add a cool, refreshing burst to plain boring water. Plus, the bright green flesh of kiwi decked with tiny black seeds adds a dramatic flair to infused water.
This small fruit is a treasure of nutritional surprises. It is an excellent source of vitamin C as well as vitamins A, E and K. The minerals found in this fruit include calcium, magnesium and phosphorous.
It gives a boost to the immune system, reduces stress, fights aging, promotes wound healing, increases iron absorption for healthy bones, lowers cholesterol and helps protect against cancer-causing cell damage. It even helps flush the toxins out of your colon.
- Peel a fresh kiwi with a knife and cut it into thin slices.
- Put the slices and a few fresh mint leaves in a pitcher.
- Fill the pitcher to one-third of its volume with ice cubes.
- Pour in water to fill the rest of the pitcher.
- Put it in the refrigerator for 2 hours, then enjoy your refreshing drink.
Pineapple
Pineapple is a tropical fruit with a distinctive sweet and tart taste that can make boring water into a refreshing drink. Pineapple-infused water will quench your thirst like nothing else on a hot summer day.
This tropical fruit is also a storehouse of nutrients, such as vitamins A and C, thiamin, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese and folate.
Eating pineapple is known to help reduce inflammation, aid detoxification, relieve joint and arthritis pain, benefit digestion, boost immunity and also provide energy to your body without adding too many calories.
- Fill a large jar with water.
- Add 2 cups of pineapple cut into small pieces.
- Add some fresh, crushed mint leaves as well.
- Infuse in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
- Enjoy this delicious drink.
Blueberries
The juicy texture and mouthwatering taste of blueberries make them a perfect ingredient to make infused water. The rich color of blueberries also gives a nice color to this infused water.
Plus, despite being small in size, blueberries are packed with nutrients for optimum health and wellness. This highest antioxidant-value fruit is loaded with vitamins C, A and E, along with riboflavin, folate, fiber, niacin, magnesium, potassium, manganese, copper, iron and zinc.
This antioxidant-rich fruit combats aging, boosts brain power, fights cancer, promotes heart health, aids weight loss and much more.
- Add 2 cups of slightly crushed blueberries to a pitcher of water.
- Add a handful of edible rose petals or lavender flowers to the pitcher.
- Cover the pitcher and put it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Strain, add crushed ice and pour this infused water into a tall glass and drink it.
Cinnamon
To add flavor to plain water, you can also use a spice such as cinnamon. This spice has a nice fragrance and a sweet, warm taste, which brings a nice earthy and sophisticated flavor to water.
Cinnamon is a rich source of powerful antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-clotting properties, thus offering immense health benefits. It also has minerals like calcium, manganese, iron and dietary fiber.
One of the healthiest spices on the planet, cinnamon can lower blood sugar levels, reduce heart disease risk, aid weight loss, prevent cancer, boost brain power and provide a plethora of other impressive health benefits.
Cinnamon-infused water is an unusually refreshing beverage that is very easy to make at home.
Simply drop a cinnamon stick in a pitcher of water and put it in the refrigerator to chill overnight. The water will have a subtle flavor, as well as a nice blush color.
Another option is to simmer cinnamon sticks in a pot of water for 10 minutes. Use 1 cinnamon stick per 1 cup of water. Let the solution cool, then keep it in the refrigerator. Add this concentrated solution to cold water as needed.
