Blueberry Infused Water

We know just the right beverage for you if you fancy refreshing and healthy drinks to beat the summer heat!

When dealing with hot weather, water alone does not do the trick. At the same time, the risk of excessive calorie consumption makes regular use of soda cans and other sugary drinks an impractical choice. This is where fruit-infused water comes in.

This article discusses flavored fruit water and highlights its various health benefits. We also share some easy-to-make, fresh blueberry-infused water recipes that satisfy your taste buds and soothe your soul. 

Why is it Healthy to Drink Fruit Infused Water?

Let’s go through some of the most significant health benefits of the drink:

Aids in Digestion

Besides tasting good, fruit water is also accessible to the stomach. It contains vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that naturally boost metabolic rate.  

The fast metabolism and the lack of added sugar facilitate weight loss. Additionally, the high fiber content in blueberry water and similar fruit drinks keeps you full for a long time, which is another reason they have become a staple in weight management diets. 

Improves Blood Pressure and Heart Health

Fruit water significantly improves heart health. The beverage naturally reduces atherosclerosis (fat plaque buildup in coronary arteries) by fastening metabolism and fat burn rate. This lowers the risk of potential infarction and other heart diseases. 

With better heart health, blood pressure is also reduced, so the drink is often recommended to patients with hypertension. 

Interestingly, the health effects on heart and blood pressure are particularly pronounced with blueberry-infused water. Berries are rich in anthocyanins, an antioxidant that protects against inflammation and consequently prevents the development of cardiac diseases. 

Positively Impacts Bone Health 

Bone loss is a natural downside to aging, further exacerbated by inadequate nutrition intake. Fresh fruit-infused water offers the essential nutrients you need for bone maintenance. It is jam-packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that prevent unhealthy bone resorption.

Blueberry-infused water stimulates the proliferation of osteoblasts (bone-forming cells), so it can prevent disorders like osteoporosis.

Can Fruit Flavored Water Replace Regular Water Intake?

Fruit-infused water fulfills your body’s hydration requirement while offering the sweet and tangy flavor of your favorite fruits. Therefore, it is generally safe to use the beverage.

However, it is essential to note that the beverage contains minerals, vitamins, and natural sugar that can be harmful in excess.

Therefore, using too much can lead to blood sugar imbalances, tooth decay, and other similar problems. In case of high acidic content in the drink, such as when using citrus fruits in the water, people might also experience gastric discomfort, gas, and bloating.

Therefore, we recommend consuming fruit-infused drinks in moderation while sticking to regular water to stay hydrated.

Is Fruit-Infused Water the Same as Sparkling Water?

In commercial settings, fruit water is often confused with sparkling water, and it is essential to know the difference. 

Sparkling water, also known as seltzer water, is a carbonated drink that makes for a healthier alternative to soda. 

While carbonation offers extra oomph to a cold glass of water, seltzer water comes in various natural and artificial flavors for an elevated experience. It provides the perfect and, more importantly, a healthy combination of taste and fizz, which explains why it has replaced soda at home and in restaurants. 

So while fruit water is not necessarily carbonated, it is available as a fizzy drink in flavored seltzer water.

Get Creative with Frozen Blueberries and Cold Water!

Summers are the peak season of sweet and nourishing fresh blueberries, and it makes perfect sense to infuse the fruit in your daily glass of water.

Here are some DIY recipes to create delicious blueberry-infused water with simple ingredients:

Simple Blueberry Water

Berries are soft and mushy, yielding little juice in the blender. The simple trick to enjoying the flavor as a drink is to make a puree out of frozen berries and then add a few spoons to chilled water. 

Here’s a simple two-minute blueberry puree recipe:

• Thaw some frozen blueberries, and then add them to a blender. 
• Add a few spoons of water, stir, and then blend, ensuring the mixture has a relatively thick puree-like consistency. 
• Transfer the mix into an airtight mason jar. 

Note that the puree can only be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. However, you can also consider transferring the mix into ice trays (add some mint to it if you like) and storing it in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

Once you have the puree, add a cube or a few tablespoons to a glass of cold water to make blueberry juice. 

Blueberry Lemonade

Lemons are readily available and keep your body cool, so a few drops of fruit are almost always added to summer drinks. 

Here’s how you can make lemon and blueberry water:

• Leave an empty glass in the freezer for 30 minutes to a few hours.
• Put some frozen blueberries in the frosted glass. 
• Add ice cubes, and then fill the glass with water.
• Squeeze some lemon into the mix, and stir. 
• Decorate the glass with lemon slices, and enjoy!

Blueberry Orange Water

When it comes to blueberry-flavored water intake, a blueberry and orange combination is a popular choice. Here’s how you can fix yourself a quick, energizing glass of the drink:

• Add a few tablespoons of frozen blueberries to a frosted glass. Thaw and then smash the fruit using a muddler. 
• Add ice cubes to the drink, followed by blueberries and orange slices. You can also directly add orange juice to the mix, but ensure it is fresh and not store-bought.
• Consider adding ginger slices and a few drops of rosemary oil to the glass for some extra richness and zing. 
• Let the glass rest in the refrigerator, allowing the flavors to infuse thoroughly into the water.
• Take the glass out after 2-3 hours, and then savor the goodness of blueberry and orange fusion.

The sweetness of blueberry perfectly complements the tanginess of oranges, precisely what you need to refresh yourselves in summer. The impact of the drink goes beyond taste because the beverage is loaded with vitamin C and other essential nutrients.

Aside from providing hydration, the drink also has anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting effects. Adding a glass of blueberry orange water to your daily routine can relieve joint pain, nausea, and even skin problems like acne and hyperpigmentation. 

Blueberry Infused Sparkling Water

You might often find yourself craving fizz in your regular drink in intense temperatures. While simply adding blueberry puree or frozen berries in packaged carbonated water or soda is an option, here’s how you can also have fun preparing a bubbly blueberry drink from scratch at home:

Using Dry Ice

Dry ice is readily available at stores and is the simplest way to make a carbonated drink. 

• Prepare a glass of blueberry-infused water with fresh blueberries (as instructed in the first recipe), then add some dry ice cubes to the mix.
• Wait a few minutes until the ice completely dissolves and smokes, and then enjoy!

It is important to mention that dry ice is hazardous to health and should only be consumed occasionally. 

Using Yeast

Yeast is another cheap and easy way to make carbonated drinks. 

• Add some blueberry puree to a bottle of plain water (yeast does not work properly in cold water), and add champagne yeast. 
• Cap the bottle tightly and then rigorously shake the mix. 
• Leave the bottle to ferment in a dark place for a week, then refrigerate.
• Pour the chilled drink into your fruit-infused water pitcher, leaving the yeast sediments in the bottle. 

Using a Seltzer Bottle

While ingredients like yeast, baking soda, and dry ice can help make carbonated blueberry-infused water, you can also make seltzer water directly in a soda siphon bottle. Here’s how to go about it:

• Fill up the bottle with cold water.
• Screw the cap on the bottle, and then refer to the manufacturer’s manual to insert a CO2 charger in the cartridge. 
• Press the button to empty the loaded CO2 canister into the bottle. 
• Afterward, shake the bottle well, and refrigerate it for a couple of hours for maximum fizz. 

Your homemade carbonated water is now ready. Pour a glass, add some blueberry puree and your choice of citrus flavors, and then enjoy the fusion drink. 

Conclusion

Dehydration and irritability are common problems encountered in hot weather. Refreshing yourself occasionally with fruit-infused drinks can make your days more productive and fun. 

This summer, refer to our article for some easy and tasty blueberry-infused water recipes and beat the heat exhaustion with a chilled glass of healthy beverage.