As per NHS advice, it is recommended you drink six to eight glasses of fluid per day. “Fluid” is far broader than ‘water’, and the NHS counts low-fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, as a glass of fluid.
Be careful with only drinking caffeinated drinks, though, especially in hot weather as caffeine is a mild diuretic and can lead to dehydration. And after a few weeks of turbulent weather in the UK, the mercury is back on the rise. With 30C on the forecast for the second week of August, keeping hydrated is even more important.
The easiest and cheapest way to keep yourself hydrated is through drinking water. But what if, like me, you find water boring? Despite Reddit’s HydroHomies trying to convince people that water tastes great, sometimes people need just that little bit of help to kickstart their water-drinking habits. And that kickstart will often involve flavourings.
Outside of squash, we list some of the best fruits, vegetables, and herbs you can use to make your water taste more exciting.
Fruit infusions
Similar to squash, fruit infusions use fresh fruits to give your water flavour. You’ve probably seen slices of lemon or lime in water bottles before, or even cucumber, but I’ll list some options you might’ve considered, but never had the confidence to try.
With all of these options, slice your fruit, add to your bottle, and refrigerate for at least two hours before drinking so that the fruit has time to diffuse.
Another bonus? You can always eat the fruit afterwards for a little snack and a vitamin boost.
Citrus fruits
While slices of lemon, lime, and orange are classic choices, you can also add slices of grapefruit for a refreshing drink on a hot day.
Combine your fruit with a sprig of rosemary or mint. You can use any fresh herbs you have to hand – copy the flavours in your favourite cocktail or seltzer, or just go wild with experimentation.
Berries
Try strawberries, raspberries or blueberries for more of a classic infusion. Use a combination of halved berries or stick to one, it’s up to you.
Push the boat out and try something new by infusing slices of goji or gooseberries.
Take advantage of free fruit by picking local blackberries – not only can you slice them up to infuse your water, you might find enough to make a blackberry jam or a full smoothie. On top of picking some for your water, pick yourself a handful as a little snack. A handful of blackberries is a portion, so you’ll get one of your 5-a-Day out of the way, too.
Your local park or woods might have other fruits growing, so, once you know what the fruit is and whether it’s safe to eat, pick some of those as well.
Melon
Honeydew melons and watermelons are the obvious choices – these are easy to buy, can be cheap, and have a variety of uses (you won’t need a whole one for your water).
Slice into small cubes for your water and cut an extra slice for yourself as a treat. You’ll need to eat at least half for it to count towards your 5-a-Day, though.
A popular choice in tropical countries for water infusion is a cantaloupe. It’ll give your water a fresh, holiday taste, and if you eat the fruit after, is packed full of the good stuff, fibre, and protein.
Melon water infusions go well combined with lemon and mint.
Also try…
You can try any fruit you want. Whether that be pineapple, mango, kiwi, apple, pears, dragonfruit; give it a go. Combine with other fruits for a more in-depth taste. Try classic combinations like apple and blackcurrant, tropical, orange and passionfruit, or fruits of the forest.
Vegetable infusions
Cucumber isn’t just for Pimms. You can add slices of cucumber to your water for a refreshing, hydrating, and crisp beverage.
Not only is cucumber water good for hydration, it also contributes towards healthy bones, it’s full of antioxidants, it can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. And, because you’re drinking water instead of a sugar filled fizzy drink, it can help towards better weight management.
Of course, one fruit-infused glass of water won’t perform medical miracles; you’ll need to combine it with exercise, a healthy-balanced diet, and consistency before you begin to see any changes.
Herb infusions
Don’t be afraid to use herbs either. Rosemary, basil, and mint are all used in cocktails, so why not put them in your water?
- Mint: For a refreshing flavour. We all know what mint tastes like.
- Basil: For a sweet and peppery flavour.
- Rosemary: This has hints of citrus and pine.
- Ginger: For a hit of spice. It’s also good for glucose control, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, and easing pain. Of course, a tiny bit of ginger isn’t going to solve all your problems, but it can help. Heat your water up before stirring in your ginger. Then leave it to chill.
- Aloe vera: Bitter, grassy, and citrus in flavour. You can either add the leaf to your water or you can blend the leaf into the water and create an aloe juice.
Water infusion notes
- As we said above, combine fruits, veg, and herbs to create different flavours. You can also plan your pairings depending on their vitamin and mineral contents. Low in vitamin K? Cucumber. Need more antioxidants? Berries. Research water infusion recipe ideas if you’re stuck.
- You can buy a dedicated water infusion bottle, or a drinks dispenser so you can prepare multiple days worth in one go.
- For a stronger flavour, leave the water infusing for longer before drinking. After two to three hours in the fridge, your water will have hints of fruit; leave for two to three days and your water will have a strong fruit flavour.
- Once you’ve finished the water, you can eat the fruit.
