Pomegranate Lemon Water: Easy Recipe

Pomegranate lemon water is a chilled fruit-infused drink that takes 2 hours 10 minutes to prepare and yields about 4 cups (950 mL).

What is pomegranate lemon water?

Pomegranate lemon water combines water, pomegranate arils and lemon slices in a pitcher. The fruit steeps in the refrigerator, giving the water a light, tart flavor without requiring a blender or added sweetener.

It is a citrusy variation of pomegranate infused water. The flavor is subtler than fruit juice because the fruit is steeped rather than fully blended into the drink.

What ingredients and ratio do you need?

For about 4 servings, each roughly 1 cup (240 mL), use:

950 mL (4 cups) cold drinking water
150 g (about 7/8 cup) pomegranate arils
100 g (about 1/2 cup sliced, or 1 medium lemon) lemon slices

This ratio makes a lightly flavored pitcher. The arils are the juicy red seeds inside the pomegranate; you can remove them from a whole fruit or use prepared arils.

Choose a clean pitcher large enough to hold the water and fruit with room to stir. A lid or cover helps keep the drink protected while it steeps in the refrigerator.

How do you make pomegranate lemon water?

Allow 10 minutes for preparation and 2 hours for refrigerated steeping.

Wash the lemon and, if using a whole pomegranate, its skin under cool running water before cutting.
Slice the lemon and remove the pomegranate arils if necessary. Discard any fruit that looks spoiled.
Add the arils and lemon slices to a clean pitcher. Press the arils gently with the back of a spoon if you prefer a little more color and fruit flavor.
Pour in the cold drinking water and stir gently.
Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Strain out the fruit and serve the pomegranate lemon water chilled. Refrigerate any remaining drink.

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

Why do pomegranate and lemon pair well?

Pomegranate adds a mild, fruity tartness, while lemon provides a sharper citrus flavor. Leaving the arils whole produces a gentler infusion; pressing them lightly releases more juice, making the drink fruitier and potentially cloudier.

Like lemon water, pomegranate lemon water can make plain water more appealing, which may help you drink enough fluids. It has no added sugar unless you choose to add a sweetener, although some natural fruit sugar can enter the water.

Whole pomegranate arils contain nutrients and fiber, but an infusion will not contain all the nutrients in the fruit you strain out. The amount transferred depends on how much juice is released. There is no established evidence that this particular drink has special health benefits beyond helping with hydration.

The liver and kidneys do most of the body's detoxification; the lungs and gut also help eliminate waste, while sweat removes only trace amounts. Pomegranate lemon water supports hydration rather than flushing toxins from the body.

How should you store pomegranate lemon water?

Keep the covered pitcher refrigerated and drink it within 24 hours for the best flavor. Discard it after 2 days, or sooner if it becomes unusually cloudy, slimy or sour-smelling. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than a few hours.

Strain out the lemon after the 2-hour steep. Citrus pith can make the water bitter if left in for around 4 hours or longer. Removing the fruit also makes it easier to judge the flavor before storing the finished drink.

How can you vary pomegranate lemon water?

Make it more or less tart

For a milder pitcher, use fewer lemon slices and taste after steeping. For a sharper flavor, gently press a slice before adding it; this releases more juice into the water.

Add a fresh herb

Add a small sprig of mint to the pitcher before refrigerating. Remove it with the fruit after steeping so its flavor does not overpower the pomegranate and lemon.

Adjust the fruit flavor

Keep the arils whole for a lighter infusion, or press some of them for a more pronounced pomegranate taste. Pressing or eating the fruit adds more of its natural sugars and calories than simply steeping and straining it.