Infused Water Recipes (Plus Facts & Benefits)

Summer is in full swing, and who doesn’t love a refreshing drink on a hot summer day?

You may have heard about “infused water,” a tasty drink that’s becoming popular. But what’s it all about? Infused water, also called detox water, is water that has been mixed with fruits and herbs that are good for your health. It’s also a great alternative if you’re trying to cut back on sugary drinks like soda or juice—especially if you have kids who are looking for something cool and tasty at the same time.

Not only will this garnished water keep you hydrated, but it can also help relieve several uncomfortable symptoms. This is a great reason to start drinking it every day. Find out what infused water can do for you and how some popular infused water recipes can help you stay healthy.

Fruit-Flavored Water Helps the Body’s Metabolism

This is the most publicized and popular benefit of water with added fruit. Of course, some of these claims are exaggerated, but science shows that drinking water generally accelerates your metabolism, which will help you lose weight.

Increased Metabolism

Drinking water speeds up your metabolism. Even mild dehydration can slow your metabolism by 3% but drinking water speeds it up. Staying hydrated is essential if you want to burn calories effectively.

Thermogenesis

Drinking cold water helps the process of thermogenesis, which is the process whereby our bodies produce heat by burning up calories. Studies have found that drinking cold water speeds up the body’s metabolism. One group of researchers concluded that drinking two liters of water daily would increase the number of calories burned by 95.

Adding Flavors to Water Makes You Feel Fuller Faster

A lot of research has been done on the link between drinking water and feeling full. In this study, for example, it was found that drinking water before a meal cut the number of calories eaten by 13%.

That’s a significant drop in the number of calories!

Obviously, you don’t have to drink water with fruit for this to work, but if the taste of infused water makes you drink more water, then this is a pretty good strategy for eating less!

Fruit-Flavoured Water Makes You Feel Less Hungry

All this fruit-flavored water can help you feel less hungry in several ways. For example, thirst is frequently confused with hunger. Many signs of thirst, like feeling tired and dizzy, are the same as those of hunger. Also, as we age, we forget what it feels like to be thirsty. These things can make us confuse thirst for hunger and eat too much.

Suppressing Appetite with Flavored Water

The results of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition were interesting for people who have trouble controlling hunger pangs. They examined how hungry people felt after drinking plain water as opposed to water that had been sweetened. Patients who drank water that had a little sugar added to it wanted less food afterward. So adding a little flavor or sugar to your water will certainly help you control your appetite more easily.

Stomach Acid Increases When Lemon Is Added to Water

Despite what all those ads for anti-reflux drugs would have you believe, heartburn and acid reflux are not caused by stomach acid. Instead, these problems are caused by not having enough stomach acid.

If there isn’t enough stomach acid in the abdomen, the body can’t break down food properly. This causes inflammation, where acid is pushed from the stomach into the esophagus causing pain and discomfort. Adding lemon juice to your diet is a simple way to help your digestion. To do this, you can put lemon in your water.

Kidney Stones Can Be Prevented With Flavored Water

If you have trouble with kidney stones, you should drink lemon-flavored water. The acid in the lemon makes this fruit infusion useful because it keeps calcium from turning into crystals.

In the same way, just drinking more water, in general, will also help keep kidney stones from developing  Some research also suggests that the electrolytes in water mixed with fruit could help prevent kidney stones.

Infused Water Facts

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to get fresh produce into your diet, infused water is exactly what you need. Infused water is made by adding fresh fruit or herbs directly to your water bottle.

Infused water is all the rage right now. It’s healthy, it’s refreshing, and it’s beautiful to look at—but there are also a few things you might not know about infused water. Here are some other great benefits to drinking infused water:

1) You can use any fresh fruit you want! If you’re feeling adventurous, try using citrus fruits like lemon and lime to get a healthy shot of vitamin C. If you’re looking for something more familiar, try cucumber slices or mint leaves. Refreshing drinks will help you stay hydrated when you’re simply not in the mood to drink plain water.

2) Remember that cold water will keep your drink fresher for longer. While infusing something in hot water can make for a tasty treat in its own way, cold water will keep your drink from spoiling as quickly if you don’t finish it all at once (it’s great for picnics!) You can use sparkling water for extra oomph and full flavor.

3) Put your infused water in the fridge to help avoid bacteria growth during storage. Just make sure to shake it up before serving so that all your ingredients are evenly distributed throughout!

If you have any leftover fresh herbs from cooking dinner (or even just fresh herbs from your garden), infusing them into water is an easy way to use them up. My personal favorite is basil—it goes well with most infused water recipes.

Most infused water recipes only take five to minutes to prepare. If you’re adding citrus fruits, make sure to remove the peel, as this can make the water bitter.

Make Instant Fruit-Infused Water Recipes at Home

Fruit-infused water ideas are endless! Try using different fruits and herbs in your infused water recipes throughout the week—it’ll help keep things interesting! Making your own fruit-infused water is super simple and worth the effort. Here are some easy-to-execute infused water recipes:

Ginger Root Infused Water

Ingredients:

• Two cups ginger root (peeled and chopped)
• Six cups cold water

Directions:

1. Prepare the ginger root by peeling and cutting it. Ginger should be sliced into bits.
2. In a large saucepan, mix the ginger with water and stir to combine. Put the pan on the stove over medium heat.
3. After the liquid has reached a simmering point, turn off the heat.
4. Allow the pan to rest for approximately a quarter of an hour. This will allow all the flavor of the ginger root to infuse the water.
5. Strain the water through a sieve into a heat-resistant container with a lid.
6. Keep the water with the ginger infusion in the refrigerator.

Ginger is used as a home remedy and is of great use in treating a variety of stomach conditions such as constipation, belching, bloating, dyspepsia,  gastritis, indigestion, nausea, gastric ulcerations, and vomiting, as supported by scientific research.

Watermelon and Mint Infused Water Recipe

Ingredients:

• ½ cup watermelon pieces
• Fresh mint
• Water

Directions:

1. Cut watermelon into slices and place in a pitcher or whatever other container you have selected for the infusion process.
2. Add mint to the watermelon, and then pour water over the top.
3. Stir the infusion vigorously to mix the contents.

4. Give the water a chance to absorb the flavor of the watermelon. This may take a few hours to complete. Put in the refrigerator to make ice-cold infused water.

Watermelon includes chemicals with specific vaso- and metabolic-active properties. A growing body of data promotes frequent use for cardiometabolic health.

Citrus Infused Water

Ingredients:

• ½ grapefruit
• ½ orange
• One lemon
• One lime
• Water

Directions:

1. Slice up all the fruit and layer the pieces, from largest to smallest, starting at the bottom of the water jug. To extract as much juice as possible from the slices, you may tamp (or squeeze) them if required.
2. Fill the jug with water that has been filtered. For the water to absorb the flavors more effectively, chill the jug in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.
3. Ice cubes can be served with fruit water.

Furanocoumarins are a distinct class of secondary metabolites typically found in citrus. In recent years, it has been shown that furanocoumarins can benefit the body as they contain antioxidants and may assist in reducing inflammation as well as promoting bone health.

Berry Infused Water

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup whole blueberries
• 1/4 cup raspberries
• 1/4 cup strawberries
• 1/4 cup blackberries
• Sprig of mint
• Water

Directions:

1. Slice up the strawberries but leave the other berries whole.
2. Separate the mint leaves.
3. Put all of the fruit and the mint in a glass bottle or pitcher.
4. To bring out some of the fruit’s natural flavors, press gently with a spoon.
5. Add water and cover.
6. Place in the refrigerator and let rest for at least half an hour or overnight.

Berries contain many phytochemicals, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They also include phenolic substances such as tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids as their principal phytochemicals.

Since berries are high in polyphenols, they may be useful in improving a range of illnesses by acting on inflammation and oxidative stress, which are frequently the major causes of diabetes, cardiovascular, neurological diseases, and cancer.

Mint Leaf Infused Water

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
• One cup boiling water
• Three cups cold water

Directions:

1. Combine the boiled water and mint leaves in a heat-resistant container. Let it stand for about two minutes and then whisk in two ice cubes.
2. Remove the mint leaves from the water and pour the water into a pitcher. Add the ice-cold water and the remaining sprigs of mint.
3. Keep in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving in a tall glass. The taste is at its peak on the first day.

Mint has numerous pharmacological benefits, including anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, biopesticidal,  radioprotective impact, genotoxicity, and anti-diabetic properties. On top of this, cucumber mint-infused water can help with digestion and skin health. It’s one of our favorite combinations!

Cucumber Cleansing Infused Waters

Ingredients:

• Two cucumbers
• ½ lemon thinly sliced (optional)
• One lime thinly sliced (optional)
• Few springs of mint
• Ice as desired
• Four cups of water

Directions:

For best results, allow it to stand in the refrigerator for up to two hours.

Cucumber cleanses the body by eliminating old waste and chemical poisons that have been collected. Moreover, the cucumber-lemon combo is a great way to start your day.

Why You Should Drink Fruit-Infused Water

Not only does infused water look lovely, but it also provides your body with a whole lot more vitamins and nutrients than you would normally get. This popular trend is moving forward, and your imagination is the only thing stopping it! Some research shows that about 20% more of the vitamins and nutrients in certain organic fruits and vegetables can be absorbed when put in water for a couple of hours or left overnight. People are also crazy about this new kind of healthy drink because it tastes delicious.

Aside from giving you more vitamins, infused water can also help you drink more natural water. Water helps your body’s metabolism work faster, gives you more energy, stops cramps, and does many other important things, but not everyone likes the taste of “plain” water. People who usually drink soda or juice instead of water now have a much healthier and tastier option.

What Are the Benefits of Drinking Infused Water? 

There are many health benefits of drinking infused water. For starters, it is water, after all! So, it helps us meet our daily water requirements, keeping the body hydrated.

Here are some other key benefits of infused water.

Fruit-Flavored Water Helps the Body’s Metabolism

Here is the most talked-about benefit of water with fruit in it. Of course, most of the claims are exaggerated, but science shows that drinking water will help your metabolism, which will help you lose weight.

Increased Metabolism

Drinking water speeds up your metabolism. Even mild dehydration can slow your metabolism by 3%, but drinking water speeds it up. Staying hydrated is essential if you want to burn calories effectively.

Thermogenesis

Drinking cold water helps the process of thermogenesis, which is how our bodies make heat. Studies have found that drinking cold water sped up the body’s metabolism. One group of researchers concluded that drinking 2 liters of water daily would increase the number of calories burned by 95.

Adding Flavors to Water Makes You Feel Fuller Faster

Much research has been done on the link between drinking water and feeling full. In this study, for example, it was found that drinking water before a meal cut the number of calories eaten by 13%.

That’s a significant drop in the number of calories!

You don’t have to drink water with fruit for this to work. But if the taste of infused water makes you drink more water, you can expect to feel full faster.

Fruit Water Makes You Feel Less Hungry

All the fruit-flavored water can help you feel less hungry in several ways.

Thirst is frequently confused with hunger.

Many signs of thirst, like feeling tired and dizzy, are the same as those of hunger. Also, as we age, we forget what it feels like to be thirsty. These things can confuse thirst for hunger and overeating.

Suppressing Appetite With Flavored Water

The results of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition were interesting for people with trouble controlling their hunger pangs. They looked at how hungry people felt after drinking plain water and water that had been sweetened. Patients who drank water with added sugar wanted less food afterward. So, add a little flavor to your water, and you shouldn’t feel as hungry hours after drinking it.

Stomach Acid Rises When Lemon Is Added to Water

Despite what all those ads for anti-reflux drugs would have you believe, heartburn and GERD are NOT caused by stomach acid. Instead, these problems are caused by not having enough stomach acid.

The body can’t break down food properly if there isn’t enough stomach acid. This causes inflammation, pushing stomach acid into the esophagus (where it should never be). Adding lemon juice to your diet is a simple way to help digestion. To do this, you can put lemon in your water.

Kidney Stones Can Be Prevented With Flavored Water

If you have trouble with kidney stones, you should drink lemon water. The acid in the lemon makes this fruit valuable because it keeps calcium from turning into crystals.

In the same way, just drinking enough water will also help keep kidney stones from happening. Some research also suggests that the electrolytes in water with fruit could help prevent kidney stones.

FAQ

Is Infused Water Good for You?

If you’re looking for a quick pick-me-up, infused water is a great option — not just because it has the best flavor! If you’re feeling tired or sluggish due to dehydration, adding some fruit with cinnamon sticks to your flavor water will give your body a quick boost of energy and hydration. 

If you have trouble remembering to drink enough water throughout the day (we’re all human), infusing your mason jar with fruit or vegetables can make it easier to achieve proper hydration for healthy living.

How Long Should I Keep Infused Water?

Infused water will last for six days in a tightly sealed container, but it is always best to use it within 24 hours.

How Long Should You Infuse Your Water?

Infused waters are a great way to use leftover produce from the fridge, like cucumber peels or the ends of carrots. But how long should you infuse your water to maximize the health benefits?

The answer depends on what kind of infusion you’re doing and what flavor you’re looking for. Here are some general guidelines:

If you’re making a mild infusion for subtle flavors, like cucumber or mint water, about 30 minutes should do the trick. If you want something with a little more punch, try infusing fresh fruits for three hours or so. You can also use frozen fruit as an alternative. Remember to use a wooden spoon to blend the pulp properly.

For a stronger flavor, like lemongrass or ginger, let your water sit for up to 12 hours in a fridge. This will give the flavors time to seep into the water and give it a more intense taste. Although leaving the citrus fruit in your drink may be tempting, the rind can add a bitter flavor after a few hours. So always peel the fruit before adding it to infused water recipes.

Once you’ve infused your filtered water—and enjoyed your beverage! —remember that any unused portion can be refrigerated and reused later in the week if desired.

Is Infused Water Healthy?

If you’re looking for a quick pick-me-up, infused water is a great option—and not just because it’s got the best flavor! If you’re feeling tired or sluggish due to dehydration, adding some fruit with cinnamon sticks to your flavored water will give your body a quick boost of energy and hydration. And if you have trouble remembering to drink enough water throughout the day (hey, we’re all human), infusing your mason jar with fruit or vegetables can make it easier to achieve proper hydration for healthy living.

Can You Eat the Fruit You Used to Infuse your Water?

The answer is yes, but it won’t taste as good. You’re essentially extracting most of the flavor from the fruit and putting it in the infused water.

Can cucumber Water Assist in Bowel Movements?

Cucumber water is a popular summer drink, but it’s also touted for its ability to keep you regular. It softens the stool and makes it easier to pass through the intestines.

In Summary

Detox water will not likely assist or accelerate your body’s natural detox processes. However, it’s still a nutritious beverage with numerous health benefits. Many of these advantages, however, may be obtained by just consuming normal water. Unfortunately, many people find plain water boring. It’s a good idea to increase your daily water intake and decrease your use of sugary beverages by adding fruits and vegetables to your water. These infused water recipes are packed with nutrients and ready for you to enjoy.

References

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0031938489900851
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14671205/
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002822308005051
• https://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/53/5/1159.short