Water, as we all know, is essential for our body’s optimal functioning. But, let’s face it, sometimes drinking plain water can be, well, boring. That’s where infused water comes in! This healthy and delectable drink is a perfect solution to keep you hydrated while tantalizing your taste buds. You can concoct it by adding an array of fruits, herbs, and veggies to water. And the best part? It’s a delightful way to infuse vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients into your diet.
What is infused water?
Infused water is a simple and healthy way to upgrade your drinking habits. It is made by combining water with various herbs, fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious ingredients to enhance both the taste and the health benefits of your beverage. With limitless possibilities, you can customize your infusion according to your preferences and nutritional needs.
Drinking water is essential for our well-being, as it helps maintain organ function, regulate body temperature, aid in detoxification, and more. Infused water is an excellent way to introduce more vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients into your diet. In this article, we will share some of our favorite infused water recipes.
Some people find plain water challenging to drink due to its neutral taste, while others struggle to consume enough water due to their busy schedules. Drinking infused water can overhaul your water consumption habits in a significant way, without resorting to synthetic sweeteners and syrups. You can enjoy the best of what nature has to offer.
First and foremost: water quality
Before diving into the recipes, it is essential to consider the water quality you use. Depending on your location, water safety may be of varying concern, so it is important to source water that is mineral-rich and free of dangerous contaminants. You can check your local tap water quality using EWG’s Tap Water Database. Spring water is typically an excellent source of mineral-rich water for your infusions. Additionally, it is important to use an inert and sanitary vessel to drink your water, which is why borosilicate glass bottles make an optimal choice. Borosilicate glass is resistant to extreme temperature changes, highly resistant to chemicals, and less soluble, preventing unwanted materials from leaching into the glass and outside of the vessel. In terms of consuming beverages from glass, borosilicate is far superior to regular glass or soda-lime glass.
Without further ado, here are our quick, easy, and nourishing infused water recipes that support a healthy inflammatory response, a sense of calm, proper digestive function, and provide an influx of nutrients that your body craves if you follow a Western diet. Each recipe makes approximately one, sixteen-ounce serving. However, you can easily adjust the recipes to fit our borosilicate glass bottles. For a larger serving, you can double the recipe!
Our 6 favorite infused water recipes
1. Lemon Water Detox Tonic
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- 1 inch of ginger, washed, peeled and thinly sliced
Add the lemon and ginger to a glass or borosilicate glass water bottle and let it sit for at least five minutes. Alternatively, add the ginger to your water and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight, adding the lemon just before you enjoy this infused water tonic.
Lemon is a powerful digestive aid that can increase the stomach’s natural production of hydrochloric acid (HCL), essential for digestion, especially for protein. It also supports the liver’s natural detoxification pathways by protecting liver function and preventing oxidative damage. Lemon is packed with vitamin C, an antioxidant that supports detoxification, immune health, and healthy skin. Ginger is an age-old digestive support, anti-inflammatory agent, and highly effective immune booster. Pairing ginger and lemon in your infused water makes for a powerful detox tonic.
2. Cucumber Refresh
- ¼ cucumber, thinly sliced
- Small handful of chopped mint leaves
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 small sprig of lavender
Add cucumber, mint, lemon, and lavender to your water and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Cucumber is refreshing on a warm afternoon and is rich in vitamins C and K, potassium, and magnesium. Cucumber is made up of about 96% water, promoting hydration. Mint is excellent for digestive health and might even play a positive role in mood and cognitive function. Lavender helps reduce abdominal swelling and intestinal gas. If you’d like, you can sweeten this recipe with a touch of unrefined and raw honey.
3. Apple Berry Cinnamon Delight
- ½ apple, thinly sliced
- 4-5 strawberries, halved
Combine the fruit and water, and enjoy immediately! You can refrigerate this infused water overnight, but longer than that, and the strawberries will begin to break down, adding an unique flavor.
Apples are a wonderful source of vitamin C and a very beneficial form of fiber called pectin. Apples support healthy cardiovascular function and a balanced gut microbiome. Some research even suggests that they play a role in weight management due to their impact on satiety, largely thanks to their pectin content. Strawberries are a low-sugar, nutrient-dense berry that is an immune-boosting powerhouse. These bright red berries are particularly rich in the antioxidants pelargonidin, ellagic acid, ellagitannins, and procyanidins, all of which offer unique health benefits.
4. Digestive Toner
- 2 tablespoons of fenugreek seeds
- 1 tablespoon of honey (adjust to taste)
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
In a small pot, add the fenugreek seeds and water and cover, allowing them to soak overnight.In the morning, bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about ten minutes. Let the water cool, add honey and lemon, and enjoy.
Inspired by ancient Ayurvedic medicine tradition, fenugreek has been used in Indian cooking and beverages throughout history. The seeds are commonly served after meals as a digestive aid, and adding them to water has similar benefits and a gentler taste. In Ayurvedic medicine, fenugreek-infused water is called methi water. While more research is needed, methi water has been used anecdotally for centuries to support digestion, weight loss, liver and kidney health, and overall metabolic function. A meta-analysis has also revealed that consumption of fenugreek significantly increased milk production in lactating.
5. Stress Reliever
- 1/2 cup tulsi (holy basil) leaves, chopped
- 1 inch ginger, washed, peeled and finely sliced
- 2 cups hot water
Bring the water to a boil, then pour over your tulsi leaves and ginger.Cover and allow to sit for 10-20 minutes, then enjoy.
Tulsi (also referred to as Holy Basil) is a plant native to Southeast Asia and is considered an adaptogenic herb. Adaptogens help to regulate the body’s stress response and balance hormones. More specifically, adaptogenic herbs work to balance the hypothalamic-pituitary-endocrine axis (HPA axis), which can be considered the link between your hormonal system and brain. The delicate HPA axis plays a major role in mood, energy, metabolism, libido, and much more. While each adaptogenic plant has slightly different health benefits, tulsi is especially recognized for its role in cognitive health, digestive wellness, and decreasing feelings of anxiousness.
6. Grapefruit-Rosemary Boost
- ¼-½ thinly sliced grapefruit
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- Optional: unflavored sparkling water instead of plain water
This infused water is best enjoyed immediately. Add your grapefruit and rosemary to either plain or sparkling water, and serve.
The grapefruit-rosemary boost is a perfect support for decreasing symptoms of the common cold, due to its massive vitamin C content and both antiviral and antimicrobial properties.
Grapefruit is well-known for its ability to regulate insulin, which is essential for healthy blood sugar levels and appetite control (7). Rosemary is a super-herb, known to boost brain health and memory, and to lower a fever during the beginning stages of a cold or flu.
