Most people can benefit from drinking more water. Here’s how to make it more exciting!
Registered Dieticians generally agree that a healthy diet includes drinking lots of water. Drinking more water throughout the day is fairly easy, but it can get pretty boring after several glasses. An easy way to add excitement to water is to infuse it with herbs, fruits, and spices.
Infusing water is super easy. A quick rough chop of the ingredients that you are adding makes prep work easy. There are countless ingredients that can be added to water; here are a few favorites:
Fruits: lemon, orange, pear, berries, pomegranate, pineapple, mango, and cucumber (actually a vegetable but adds a great flavor to water)
Herbs: mint, rosemary, lemongrass, and basil
Spices: ginger, cinnamon sticks, and cloves
How to do it:
- Wash and roughly cut up fruits, vegetables (no need to peel).
- Rinse and add whole fresh herbs (stems included).
- Rinse, peel, and slice ginger; rinse whole cinnamon sticks and whole cloves.
Food safety tip:
- Thoroughly wash all fruits, vegetables, and herbs before adding to cold water.
- Make sure that any parts that are decaying or bruised are discarded.
- Keep refrigerated and discard after 24 hours.
Nutrition:
- Some of the nutrients from the fruits and vegetables may infuse into your water, adding additional health benefits.
Filtered water infused with sliced lemons, cinnamon sticks, mint, and fresh ginger.
Adair P. Hoover, ©2020 HGIC, Clemson University
