Staying hydrated and getting enough water intake is the key to staying healthy, especially as we age. It keeps our skin moisturized, aids in digestion, and helps to improve energy levels and brain function. The US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommends about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women. While that amount may seem daunting or even impossible to achieve, here are some great tips to help you keep up with your daily water intake.
Can’t get excited over a plain glass of H2O? Try infusing your water!
Staying hydrated is very important for our health, but a plain glass of water doesn’t always inspire us. Infusing our water with fruits and herbs can not only make for a tasty way to get our daily water intake, but can also offer many additional health benefits that plain water can’t.
Infused water adds extra nutrients and helps with body detoxification. By adding fresh fruits and aromatic herbs to a simple glass of water, you can easily create a delicious and beautiful treat for yourself. Not only that, but adding lemon to your water can give you a boost of Vitamin C to keep your immune system up, and adding ground cinnamon to hot water can create a delicious tea that helps lower inflammation.
Here are some of our favorite infused water recipes to help you easily meet your daily liquid intake. Stay healthy, stay hydrated, and enjoy!
Detox Lemon and Lime Water
(Credit: House of Treats)
Ingredients
A pitcher or jug of water
Ice cubes
1 lemon
3 limes
Instructions
This recipe is super simple. Cut the lemon and lime into slices and add to a pitcher or jug. Top up with warm or hot water, and pop in the fridge to cool down. Once it's cold, add ice and serve!
Adding the fruit to hot water first helps the flavors to steep better, like a tea. You can always drink this hot, especially as the weather cools down and you want a nice toasty beverage to sip on without having to rely on your morning coffee. You can vary how much lemon and lime you add - some like more, some want less flavor.
Lemon Herb Cucumber Water
(Credit: A Couple Cooks)
Ingredients
A pitcher of water
1 cucumber
1 lemon
Fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, and mint are tasty and healthful options)
Instructions
Thinly slice cucumbers and lemon and pop them into a large pitcher along with a few handfuls of fresh herbs. We like to use rosemary, thyme, and mint. Top everything off with water and set the pitcher in the fridge to chill.
This cucumber water is best enjoyed the day you make it. Feel free to top off the water pitcher throughout the day as you fill up your glass. If the water loses its flavor, add in a few more fresh herbs to revive it. Adding cucumbers to your water can lower your blood pressure, and herbs like rosemary and mint can improve circulation and alleviate indigestion. You can also add in other fruits you have that are starting to go bad or that you’d otherwise throw out, such as strawberry tops and soft apples.
Fruit Infused Water
(Credit: A Couple Cooks)
Ingredients
A pitcher of water
1 cup of any fruit of your choice (we recommend berries and citrus fruits)
Instructions
After selecting the fruit or fruits of your choice, thinly slice them and place them in the bottom of your pitcher. Using a large wooden spoon, lightly mash the fruits in the pitcher to release the juices. Finally, add 8 cups of water and refrigerate for an hour before serving.
Fruit infused water can help you reach your daily fruit AND daily water goals, it tastes great, and gives you a way to sweeten your drink with natural sugars.
Blueberry & Raspberry Infused Water
(Credit: Desert Chica)
Ingredients
One 8 oz. mason jar
1⁄4 cup of fresh blueberries
1⁄4 cup of fresh raspberries
Fork or spoon
Instructions
Add the fresh blueberries and raspberries to your mason jar. Next, gently mash the fruit down with a fork or 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.
If you don’t like the idea of mashed fruit or seeds in your water, you can always strain your concoction into another jar or water bottle with a small strainer or sieve.
Apple Cinnamon Detox Water
(Credit: confessionsofanover-workedmom.com)
Ingredients
1 organic apple (the type of apple is up to your preference, but we use Gala apples for this recipe)
1 food-grade cinnamon stick
One 8 oz. mason jar
Ice (optional)
Instructions
Cut the apple into large chunks, making sure to leave the skin on. Fill your mason jar with the apple chunks, add your cinnamon stick and fill with water. Let it sit overnight in the refrigerator, and in the morning, you’ll have a delicious fall-inspired detox water! You can enjoy this over ice or as is, and there’s always the option to heat it up and make an apple cinnamon tea. Whatever gets you drinking water!
If you’re someone who isn’t the best at time management and might not remember to make these recipes overnight for the next morning, you can always buy a water infusing bottle from Amazon. These allow you to throw any fruits or herbs you want into a removable infuser in the bottle, and your water will be slowly filled with flavor as you drink it throughout the day.
Even though staying hydrated can seem like a nuisance, especially when it means we’re rushing to the bathroom more often than usual, it is important for our skin, our joints, and every other part of our body that we reach our daily water goals. And as we get older, our skin and joints need all the help they can get! Now that you see how simple these mouth-watering and healthy infused water recipes are, give them a try and let us know what you think.
Stay hydrated and stay happy!
