Lime Mint Water: Recipe and How to Make It

Lime mint water is a chilled infusion of fresh lime and mint that takes 2 hours 10 minutes to prepare and makes about 4¼ cups (1 liter). If you enjoy lime water, adding mint gives it a fresh herbal finish without requiring a sweetener.

What is lime mint water?

Lime mint water is plain water flavored by resting lime slices and fresh mint leaves in it. The fruit and herbs are steeped rather than blended, so the finished drink is clear and lightly flavored.

This recipe makes a pitcher to share or refrigerate for later. It uses no added sugar, though you can adjust the amount of lime or mint to suit your taste.

What ingredients and ratio do you need?

For about 4¼ cups (1 liter) of lime mint water, use:

Water: 1,000 mL (about 4¼ US cups)
Lime: 1 lime, about 100 g (roughly ¾ cup sliced)
Fresh mint: 8–12 leaves, about 5 g (roughly ¼ cup loosely packed)

The starting ratio is one sliced lime and a small handful of mint leaves per liter of water. Lime sizes and mint leaves vary, so the cup measurements for the produce are approximate; the flavor will be a little different with each batch.

Choose a clean pitcher or large jar that fits in your refrigerator. A lid helps keep the water covered while it steeps.

How do you make lime mint water?

Prep: 10 minutes
Refrigerator steep: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 10 minutes
Yield: About 4¼ cups (1 liter)

Rinse the lime and mint under running water. Gently rub the lime's surface and shake excess water from the mint.
Slice the lime into thin rounds. Remove any seeds you see.
Add the lime slices and mint to the pitcher, then pour in the water. Gently press or tear the mint leaves if you want a more noticeable mint flavor.
Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for 2 hours. For a stronger infusion, steep for up to 4 hours.
Remove the lime slices after steeping and no later than 4 hours to limit bitterness from the peel and pith. Strain out the mint too, if you prefer.
Serve chilled. Add ice to individual glasses if you like; it will dilute the flavor as it melts.

For another combination, try the ai infused water generator.

Why do lime and mint work well together?

Lime gives the water a bright, tart aroma, while mint adds a cool herbal note. The combination has more character than plain water but remains milder than a drink made with squeezed lime juice.

Mint is also the main flavor in mint water. In lime mint water, lightly tearing the leaves releases more aroma; crushing them aggressively can leave small pieces in the drink.

The main benefit of lime mint water is hydration, especially if its flavor helps you drink water in place of a sweetened beverage. It does not detoxify the body: the liver and kidneys do most of that work, while the lungs and gut help eliminate waste.

Lime and mint contain nutrients, but the amount that passes from the slices and leaves into steeped water is uncertain. The nutrition of the whole ingredients should not be treated as the nutrition of the strained drink.

How should you store lime mint water?

Keep lime mint water covered and refrigerated. For the best flavor, drink it within 24 hours; discard it after 2–3 days, or sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy or unusually sour-smelling.

Remove the lime slices by 4 hours, even if you plan to keep the water longer. Do not leave the pitcher at room temperature for more than a few hours. If serving outdoors, keep it chilled and return leftovers to the refrigerator promptly.

How can you vary lime mint water?

Make the lime flavor milder

Use fewer lime slices or remove them after the initial 2-hour steep. You can also remove the peel and white pith before adding the fruit if you prefer less bitterness.

Make the mint more noticeable

Gently tear the leaves before adding them. Keep the same amount of water so you can compare the result with the basic recipe.

Add a brighter lime finish

Squeeze a lime wedge into an individual glass just before serving. Squeezed juice changes the flavor and adds more calories than simply steeping slices.

Serve it over ice

Pour the finished infusion over ice rather than adding ice to the pitcher during steeping. This keeps the pitcher’s starting ratio consistent and lets each person choose how cold to serve it.