Learn To Enjoy Water By Infusing It With Flavor

Sometimes plain water just doesn't cut it, and the price of seltzer means it's probably not your main thirst quencher, though here are the best lime seltzers if that's your thing. You can always try this high tech device that tricks your brain into enjoying plain water, I guess. Luckily, there's a low tech, affordable way to flavor your water: You can always infuse your waters with fruit and herbs. Yep, it's that simple and you don't even need to be at a spa to do it.

We should probably mention that you need to wash your produce before using them, especially for infused water. You don't have to use organic fruits either. The infused water world truly is your oyster. You can keep it simple with safe, delicious combinations like cucumber and lemon. Or, take things up a notch by adding herbs like mint, basil, thyme, or rosemary. If you like florals, like I do, you can even add lavender, rose, or chamomile, though use tea bags if going this route. You can infuse water in as little as 30 minutes, though letting the concoction sit for 24 hours in the fridge will yield maximum flavor. Just a note: Citrus slices will eventually turn bitter if left for longer than 4 hours, so simply scoop them out and refresh with new slices.

It's tempting to think that waters infused with fruits, herbs, and things like crushed ginger will add numerous health benefits to water. The main benefit of drinking infused water is that you're drinking water. Water is one of the most important things we humans need to stay healthy, and, well, alive. It's hard to know exactly what, if any, benefits are imparted by infused waters. There aren't really studies out there on this topic, and because it's almost always done at home or in a spa, it's not like there's a standard we can use to study anyways. Most of the nutrients in fruits and herbs will not magically leech out into the water; you'd have to squeeze or juice the fruits and herbs first.

If you're looking up infused water online for recipes, you'll probably encounter "detox water" recipes. Or, after searching for infused water recipes, you might be shown TikTok videos of detox water trends. The thing about "detox" is that your body has several systems or organs dedicated solely to ridding your body of "toxins," like the liver for instance. In fact, detox juices, waters, and diets can quickly become unhealthy as they often force you to not eat adequately. There is no proven science that shows drinking lemon water "increases your vitality." But just because infused water isn't a magic cure-all, that doesn't mean you shouldn't drink it.