4 Fruit Infused Water Recipes
It's common knowledge that the more water we drink, the better, and it's pretty firmly planted in my mind that I should be drinking eight cups a day. I've never really found it difficult to stick with this guideline, aware of the health benefits and importance of making this a daily habit. Until recently, that is. It's definitely easier when I'm working from home all day and I can keep a glass of water beside me to constantly refill, but even then, these days I almost have to force myself drink it and don't particularly enjoy it. It might be because we're in the middle of winter and I'm just not craving that hydration in the same way, but regardless, I figured it was time to get creative with some fruit infused water recipes and see what I could come up with.
The process is pretty simple, and the options are endless in terms of what you decide to flavour your water with. Simply fill up your glass/pitcher/jar with water about 3/4 full, chop up your favourite fruits and herbs and mix in a selection of your selected ingredients. Wait 30 minutes to an hour for optimal infusion, and then give it a stir, and enjoy! I put mine in the fridge since I like my water cold and they'll stay fresher longer, and they're also great to take with you on-the-go.
Citrus, Blueberry and Rosemary Water// I liked the mixture of citrus - I included grapefruit, lemon and orange slices - which gave this option a refreshing and layered zesty flavour, with a subtle sweetness from the blueberries and an savoury quality from the rosemary.
Strawberry, Cucumber and Basil Water// Simple and absolutely delicious, I really loved this one with it's strawberry sweetness offset by the clean taste of the cucumber and subtle nod of basil. I'd say this is a pretty classic combination, and one that I'd have a hard time getting sick of.
Pear, Ginger, Vanilla Bean and Cinnamon Water // This was the one I was most excited to try because of the addition of the vanilla bean and cinnamon stick, and I was not disappointed. Definitely what I would call a "dessert water" (yes, I went there!), it had a hint of apple pie flavour that was beyond delicious. I found that the pear and ginger got a little lost under the vanilla bean and cinnamon, so I would maybe try adding more to balance it out, but it was kind of a nice contrast to the other, super fruity water flavours.
Pineapple, Mango, Lime and Mint Coconut Water // I wanted to use coconut water for one of my concoctions, and with the other tropical flavours, this one turned out perfectly. Reminiscent of a beach vacation, it was the most cocktail-like water of them all, a fact I'm totally ok with.
The verdict? Definitely a success, and I'd say I'm hooked! They taste great, look great and make you feel even better. I definitely drank more water because it was flavoured and felt like a treat. I also used a straw, and though I know it sounds a little silly, I think that helped a little too, making it seem a little more special or something. I think the key is to make a large pitcher (or a selection of smaller ones) in the morning and then keep it the fridge to grab throughout the day. The easier, the better. I feel like if I didn't switch up the flavours pretty often I would likely get tired of the same combination, but there are so many options, that would be an easy problem to deal with.
