How to Make Detox Water

Make detox water in about 2 hours and 10 minutes by adding washed cucumber and lemon to water and refrigerating it until flavored.

What is detox water?

Detox water is water infused with ingredients such as fruit, vegetables or herbs. It gets some flavor from the ingredients without blending them into the water or adding sugar.

Despite the name, detox water does not remove toxins from your body. The liver and kidneys do most of the body's detoxification, while the lungs and gut help eliminate waste; sweat removes only trace amounts. Detox water can support these normal functions by helping you stay hydrated.

The cucumber-and-lemon method below is a starting point. For more combinations, explore these detox water recipes.

How do you make detox water?

Allow about 10 minutes to prepare the ingredients and at least 2 hours for refrigerated steeping. The recipe makes about 1 liter of detox water; you can drink it plain or serve it over ice.

Ingredients

• 1 liter water, about 4 1/4 US cups
• 1 lemon, about 100 g or roughly 1/2 cup sliced
• 1/2 cucumber, about 150 g or roughly 1 1/2 cups sliced

Steps

1. Wash your hands, a pitcher, a cutting board and a knife. Rinse the lemon and cucumber under running water, rubbing their surfaces to remove visible dirt; do not use soap on the produce.
2. Slice the lemon and cucumber into thin rounds. Remove any lemon seeds you notice, and peel the lemon if you want to reduce bitterness from the white pith.
3. Add the slices to a clean, food-safe pitcher. Leave enough room for the water to circulate around them.
4. Pour in the water and gently stir. Use cold drinking water, and do not squeeze the lemon if you want a lightly flavored infusion.
5. Cover the pitcher and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours. For a stronger flavor, steep it for up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
6. Strain the detox water or remove the lemon by about 4 hours, since the pith can make it bitter. Serve a glass and return the rest to the refrigerator.

For another combination using the same method, try the ai infused water generator.

Taste the detox water after 2 hours rather than assuming it needs the full 4 hours. The flavor depends on the produce and the thickness of the slices, so a shorter steep may be enough for you.

Keep the finished detox water refrigerated and drink it within 24 hours for the best flavor. Discard it sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy or sour-smelling, and do not leave it at room temperature for more than a few hours.

You can make a smaller batch if you do not expect to finish a full pitcher. Reduce the water and ingredients together, while keeping the same refrigerated steeping and storage routine.

How often can you drink detox water?

You can drink unsweetened detox water as part of your usual fluid intake; there is no required schedule or detox-water routine. Have a glass when you want one, such as with a meal or between meals, and continue to drink according to your needs and thirst.

Plain water also counts toward hydration, so there is no need to replace all of it with detox water. If a pitcher makes water more appealing to you, keeping a refrigerated batch available may make it easier to choose water when you are thirsty.

Fluid needs vary with activity, heat, health and other factors. Avoid forcing yourself to drink large amounts in a short time, and follow your clinician's advice if you have been told to limit fluids.

Detox water is not a substitute for regular meals or a reason to fast. It is simply one way to drink water, not a course of treatment that needs to be completed.

What are the benefits of detox water?

The main benefit is hydration. Water helps the body regulate temperature, transport substances and carry out normal functions; detox water provides water with a little added flavor.

If you choose unsweetened detox water instead of a sugary drink, you can reduce the sugar and calories from that drink. Steeped detox water that is not blended or squeezed is usually under 10 kcal per glass, although the amount varies with the ingredients and preparation. Squeezing or eating the fruit adds calories from the fruit.

Flavor can be useful if you find plain water unappealing. Whether detox water actually helps you drink more is individual, and there is no evidence provided here that the infusion itself improves health beyond helping you consume water.

Some compounds from the produce may enter the water, but an infusion is not a reliable replacement for eating fruit and vegetables. The slices are there mainly for flavor; do not count the nutrients in the whole lemon and cucumber as nutrients in the strained water.

There is no established evidence that detox water speeds up detoxification or removes accumulated toxins. For a closer look at the distinction between hydration and detox claims, read what does detox water do.

What are the risks, and who should be careful?

Food handling matters because cut produce sits in the water. Use clean equipment, wash produce before slicing and refrigerate the pitcher promptly. If it has been left out too long or looks or smells spoiled, discard it rather than tasting it to check.

Avoid an ingredient if you are allergic to it. Citrus can also irritate sensitive mouths or worsen symptoms for some people with acid reflux; choose a tolerated ingredient or plain water instead. Frequent exposure to acidic drinks can affect tooth enamel, so consider having citrus-infused detox water with a meal rather than sipping it continuously.

If you have kidney or heart disease, or another condition for which a clinician has prescribed a fluid limit, ask how detox water fits within that limit. It still counts as fluid, even though it contains fruit or vegetables. If you are pregnant, wash the produce carefully and keep the infusion refrigerated; ask your child's clinician before offering water to an infant.

Stop drinking detox water if it causes discomfort or signs of a reaction, and contact a clinician if symptoms persist or you cannot keep fluids down. Seek urgent medical care for trouble breathing, swelling of the lips or tongue, or fainting.