By now, we’ve all heard that drinking soda all day isn’t exactly the healthiest thing to do; the fizzy drinks are loaded with sugar and empty calories. Many cities are raising taxes on them as well, making them not exactly easy on the wallet either. We’ve all heard that drinking eight glasses of water a day is the best thing to do for proper hydration, but many of us just can’t get excited about drinking that much bland, tasteless water every day.
There is a tasty and nutritious alternative. Drinking infused flavored water is a delicious and inexpensive alternative to juice and sodas, and is extremely easy to make. Not only does it taste great, but you’ll also get the added health benefits from the fruits and herbs that you use.
All of these recipes are designed to fill a quart-sized mason jar for ease and convenience. If you miss the fizz of your favorite soda, try adding sparkling water to your infusions for a bit of a change. We’re sharing five of our favorite combinations, but feel free to experiment to suit your own taste.
Strawberry Basil Infused Water
Ingredients
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup basil leaves
4 cups of water or sparkling water
Directions
Place the basil leaves into the jar and slightly bruise the leaves by pressing with a wooden spoon to help release their flavor. Add the strawberry slices and water. Place the lid on the jar and shake contents to combine. Let sit in the fridge for 1–4 hours to allow the flavors to infuse. The longer it sits, the stronger the flavors will be.
Raspberry Lime Infused Water
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVBY9LZlFHf/?tagged=raspberryinfusedwater
Ingredients
12 raspberries
1 Lime
4 cups of water or sparkling water
Directions
Add the raspberries to your jar, then muddle the raspberries by crushing them with a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon until you see the juice escape.
Cut the rind off of the lime and slice into rounds. (It’s important to cut the rind off of the lime for this recipe—lime rind is quite bitter and can impart an undesirable taste after it sits for a bit.) Add the lime and water to the jar. Place the lid on the jar and shake contents to combine. Let sit in the fridge for 1–4 hours to allow the flavors to infuse.
There will be some raspberry pieces in the water as a result of the muddling, so it’s best to strain through a mesh strainer before serving.
Citrus & Mint Infused Water
Ingredients
2 oranges, sliced
2 lemons, sliced
½ cup fresh mint leaves
4 cups of water or sparkling water
Directions
Place the mint leaves into the jar and slightly bruise the leaves by pressing with a wooden spoon to help release their flavor. Add the orange and lemon slices and water. Place the lid on the jar and shake contents to combine. Let sit in the fridge for 1–4 hours to allow the flavors to infuse.
Cucumber Apple Melon Infused Water
https://www.instagram.com/p/scz1kkNRe8/?tagged=appleinfusedwater
Ingredients
1 large cucumber, sliced
½ cup honeydew melon, cubed
½ cup cantaloupe, cubed
1 apple, sliced
½ cup fresh mint leaves
4 cups of water or sparkling water
Directions
Place the mint leaves into the jar and slightly bruise the leaves by pressing with a wooden spoon to help release their flavor. Add the apple slices, cucumber slices, melon pieces, and water. Place the lid on the jar and shake contents to combine. Let sit in fridge for 1–4 hours to allow the flavors to infuse.
Rosemary Orange Infused Water
Ingredients
4 whole sprigs fresh rosemary
2 whole fresh oranges, sliced into quarters
4 cups of water or sparkling water
Directions
Place the rosemary sprigs into the jar and slightly bruise them by pressing with a wooden spoon to help release their flavor. Add the orange slices and press them with the wooden spoon to lightly bruise them as well. Add water. Place the lid on the jar and shake contents to combine. Let sit in the fridge for 1–4 hours to allow the flavors to infuse.
