No matter who we are or how we eat, there is one thing that most of us can agree on: water is important. It seems like the majority of us struggle with the simple task of drinking enough water every day. For some reason, it is much easier to keep refilling our cups of coffee or not drinking at all. But with our bodies being 55-60% water, it is hard to understate the importance of proper hydration.
Before we confuse you any more, no, we are not suddenly health experts. We will happily stick with being apple experts. So we will not be diving into the science of hydration or making any health recommendations regarding how much water you should or shouldn’t be drinking on a given day. Instead, we are going to share one of our favorite ways of drinking water, in hopes that it will encourage some of you to reach for a cold glass of water throughout the day.
How do we like to enjoy our water, especially in the summertime? Infused with fruit! (Are you surprised at all? We love fruit!) Not only is fruit-infused water tasty, but it can provide nutrients as well. Keep reading to learn our best tips for fruit-infused water, as well as some of our favorite flavor combinations.
How to Infuse Water with Fruit
Infusing water with fruit is fairly simple, but there are a few practices that will enhance the flavors.
Mash the Fruit
Gently mashing the fruit before adding it to your water makes it easier for the natural flavors and essences to escape. Herbs especially need to be mashed before infusing.
Use Cold Water
Hot water breaks fruit down too quickly, so be sure to use cold (or at least room temperature) water for infusing.
Let It Soak
Rome wasn’t built in a day, but fruit-infused water is! The longer you let fruit soak in water, the more flavorful it will be. Typically, two to three hours is enough time to really infuse water. You can even infuse water overnight so that it is ready to enjoy in the morning.
Fruit-Infused Water Combinations
Here are some of our favorite combinations, but get creative and make your own flavors with whatever you have on hand. It’s hard to go wrong with fruit and water.
- Strawberry + Kiwi
- Mint + Cucumber
- Apple + Raspberry
- Basil + Orange
- Lemon + Mint
- Apple +
- Grapefruit + Orange
- Lime + Mint
Up your hydration game by adding a pinch of sea salt to your water. You won’t be able to taste it, but your body will thank you for the electrolytes! This simple trick will help you absorb the water and stay hydrated longer.
Who said drinking water has to be boring? Happy hydrating!