Looking to focus on hydration but don’t love the taste of plain ol’ water? You’re in the right place.
When working with my health coaching clients on improving their hydration, many of them state the desire to drink more water— but they simply don’t ~looove~ the taste.
And I get it!
If you aren’t used to drinking water, plain ol’ H2O might feel a bit bland and un-appealing!
But! not all is lost!
Adding some [all-natural] flavor is a GREAT way to introduce more flavor, nutrients, and zest to your water intake!
crystal lite who?!
Typically when we think of flavoring our water, we don’t take it much further than tossing some lemon in—but there are soooooooo many varieties and flavors that will make you WANT to stay hydrated!
If you want to ENJOY what you’re drinking without the unnecessary chemicals, fake sugars, and artificial flavorings (lookin’ at you, mio drops and crystal light!), what I recommend instead is making your own delicious and refreshing flavored water with pure, whole, natural, nourishing ingredients.
In this I’ll share 6 unique ways to flavor your water with fun and delicious recipes that will help you to actually enjoy staying hydrated. Let’s dig in!
the basic formula
In this blog post, all of these recipes are based on the same simple method (slice + muddle + infuse), outlined here.
Essentially we’re going to gently muddle the ingredients to extract their flavors, top with ice and water, and let the mixture infuse in the refrigerator for 2-6 hours to reach *maximum* flavor potential. (Of course you could have it sooner, but sometimes waiting a bit allows the flavors to truly shine!).
Truly couldn’t be simpler!
So the basics you’ll need for every recipe are:
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Ingredients of your choice (see the 6 recipes below for inspiration!)
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A pitcher of your choice (for the recipes, they are roughly based on about 2 liters, or half of a gallon)
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Large spoon (for muddling and mixing)
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Ice (optional)
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….and, um, water. but i’m sure you guessed that 😉
Once you’ve gathered everything, just slice your ingredients, muddle at the bottom of the pitcher, top with water, and practice *patience* as you let alllllllllll of that goodness infuse and make the delicious water that you never knew you needed. (Pro-tip: prepare everything the night before so it is ready to go for you the next day!)
And now, without further ado, here are the variations I’ve tried and loved!
watermelon rosemary water (unique and so. dang. good.)
The ingredients:
The how-to:
If you’re an herby gal like me, you’ll loooooove this one! Place the rosemary sprig in the bottom of the jar, pressing it slightly with the end of the wooden spoon to get those flavors going. Add the watermelon cubes and press gently (no need to overly muddle the watermelon!). Top with ice and water and let sit in the fridge for a few hours. Enjoy!
cucumber lemon mint water (so refreshing! tastes like a spa day!)
The ingredients:
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2 lemons
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1 cucumber
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5-15 fresh mint leaves
The how-to:
Mmmm, a classic. Thinly slice the lemons and cucumber, placing them at the bottom of your two-quart jar and topping with the mint leaves. Use the end of the wooden spoon to gently muddle (emphasis on gently — we don’t need to demolish the ingredients!). Top with water and ice, then toss that bad boy in the fridge for 2-6 hours.
citrus water (so bright & uplifting!)
The ingredients:
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1/2 – 1 orange
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1 lemon
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1/2- 1 lime
The how-to:
Thinly slice the citrus, placing it at the bottom of the jar. Use the wooden spoon to gently muddle, then top with ice and water and let it all infuse for 2-6 hours. Sip + enjoy!
lemon berry water (mmmm, DELICIOUS.)
The ingredients:
The how-to:
Slice the lemon and place in the bottom of the jar. Add berries and partially crush (we’re not looking for a puree here!) with the end of your spoon. Add your ice and water and let the fridge do its *magic* for 2-6 hours before sippin’ on your sweet summery bev. Cheers!
pineapple ginger mint water (the BEST subtle ziiiing!)
The ingredients:
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1-2 cups of pineapple, cut into chunks
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A small amount of fresh ginger (about 5 thin slices)
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5-15 fresh mint leaves
The how-to:
Crush up the mint and add it to the jar, then add five thin slices of ginger root. Top with the pineapple chunks and press with the wooden spoon until the juices begin to floooooooow. Cover with ice and water, then refrigerate for 2-6 hours. *Ahhhhhhhhhh* — so refreshing!
berry basil water (DELICIOUS)
The ingredients:
The how-to:
Place berries and basil at bottom of the pitcher. Partially crush berries (again, no need to puree your berries here!) with the end of your spoon. Add your ice and water and let the fridge do its *magic* for 2-6 hours before sippin’ on this DELISH bev (one of my favs!). Cheers!
well there ya have it!
Next time you swing through the grocery store, I hope you consider picking up a few of the above ingredients for these recipes. By simply putting a little intention into our water, we are SO much more likely to drink more water when it’s delicious (and nutritious!)
The ones I shared today are my favorites, but I encourage you to experiment and play around to find what works for you! From berries to melons— from unique fruits (kiwi, mango, etc.) to herbs, you can customize water in SO many ways! Have fun with it 😉
Ultimately, making your own flavored water is such a great way to stay hydrated, get trace minerals and vitamins in, and simply enjoy your water a little bit more.
Cheers, friends!
Kate
Source link: https://thefoundationblog.com/blog/natural-ways-to-flavor-water by Kate Eskuri at thefoundationblog.com