According to the Mayo Clinic, women need to drink 2.2 liters (9 cups) of water every day in order to be healthy, more if they are in a hot environment or if they are working out. This is easy to do if you like the taste of water, but what if you don't? Thankfully, there is a good solution for people who don't like water: infused water recipes.
While your favorite Slurpee recipe might be delicious, it is filled with a whole host of questionable ingredients that may harm your health more than help it. Even Sparkling Blueberry Lemonade, which is much healthier for you than a Slurpee, still contains a whole cup of sugar, which really is way too much for one drink. Infused water recipes offer all of the health benefits of water plus the health benefits of fruit without all of the sugar and negative additives and preservatives that are typically found in sodas and juices. Plus, they are delicious as well!
Infused water recipes are easy to make and highly customizable. No matter which type of fruits you like, you can combine them together into a drink that is delicious and truly good for you. Simply add the fruits to your water, mash a little to release the juices, and let them infuse for a few hours or overnight. In the morning, you will have a delicious drink you can sip with confidence, knowing just how much you are helping your body. Prepare a couple of drinks each night to have for the next day, or make a huge batch all at once. Don't worry about making too much. These infused waters are so delicious, they will be gone in no time!
Ok - on to the recipes:
Cherry Pineapple & Blueberry Infused Water Ingredients -
- 1 8 oz. canning jar
- 3-4 fresh cherries, halved
- 1/8 cup of fresh blueberries
- 3-4 small 1” chunks of fresh pineapple
- sweetener (optional – I didn't use any sweetener)
Directions -
- Add the cherry halves, fresh blueberries and pineapple chunks to your 8 oz. canning jar. Use a spoon or a fork to gently mash the fruit down a little bit. This will let the juice out of the fruit to infuse your water.
- Next, fill the jar with water, place the cover on, give it a good shake and refrigerate overnight for the best flavor.
- *Makes 1 serving. One 8 oz. jar = 1 serving
- **If you'd prefer to use a larger canning jar, simply double or triple the recipe ingredients and refrigerate overnight.
Pineapple & Raspberry Infused Water Ingredients -
- One 8 oz. canning jar
- ¼ cup of fresh fresh pineapple cut into small chunks
- ¼ cup of fresh raspberries, left whole
Directions -
- Add the pineapple chunks and fresh raspberries to your canning jar. Next, gently smoosh the fruit down with a fork or a spoon so the juice leaks out and infuses your water.
- Once the fruit is mashed, fill the jar with water, place the cover on, shake it once or twice and place in the fridge overnight. The longer you let it set, the better that water will taste.
- *Makes 1 serving. One 8 oz. jar = 1 serving
- **If you'd prefer to use a larger canning jar, simply double or triple the recipe ingredients and refrigerate overnight.
Do you have any of your favorite infused water recipes to share? Post them in the comments!
Mindi has been blogging since 2008 sharing her best frugal living tips, recipes and more. When she isn't writing, she spends time as an unpaid cook, maid and chauffeur to her 3 children!
