I’ve met so many people who have a hard time drinking water because they don’t like the taste or find it plain boring. The human body is made of 75% water and we need to drink constantly to hydrate and flush toxins out amongst other functions.
Here’s what I say to clients who don’t like drinking water regardless of the benefits they know it has – infuse your water with some goodies. Not only does it make the water taste great, it also contains nutrients to help heal and nourish your body.
Infused water is the process of adding fruits, vegetables, and herbs to your water, then letting these ingredients flavour the water. Infused water is easy to do, but there are a few things you should know first. Here are some things to keep in mind when you are making your infused water.
Choose Organic When Possible
If at all possible, try to select organic fruits and vegetables. These can often be found in the produce of your supermarket, but a better option might be to get them from a weekly farmer’s market, or contacting local farmers directly. This allows you to get fresh fruits and veggies that you know were grown locally without added fertilizers and other chemicals. Organic produce does tend to provide a better flavor for infused water. However, the most important part is having healthy water with your favorite fruits and veggies, so if you can’t use organic, don’t worry too much about it!
How to Prep the Ingredients
After you select the ingredients you want to use for your infused water, you will then need to prep them before putting them into the pitcher. You should always rinse the fruits and vegetables to make sure no chemicals are left on them – I wash my produce with salt and warm water. Even if you bought them organic, it is still a good idea to rinse them and make sure they are clean. If you are using herbs, you want to crush them with a muddler since this will help to release the oils. The exception is when the herb is leafy, such as with mint or basil.
Most fruits and vegetables need to be cut at least in half before being put in the pitcher so that they can release their flavors. Hard fruits and vegetables like cucumber and apples need to be cut into thin slices since they can take longer to release flavor to the water. With berries and citrus fruit, they are softer, so just cutting them in half or quarters should be fine.
What to Make Your Infused Water In
By this point, you are ready to start putting your infused water together. Before you add in the water, 
make sure you have the right container. While you can technically use anything, a glass pitcher is usually recommended. However, regardless of which way you go, make sure it is BPA-free and food-safe. Many plastic pitchers are not ideal and won’t keep the water fresh, but in the end it is really up to you. There are also pitchers and cups used especially for infusing. They typically have a long and narrow section in the middle where you put your herbs and fruit, with holes or slots so the flavor can be released. You can use these, but they aren’t necessary.
How Long to Soak the Produce
When making infused water, you will add the produce and herbs first, then add your room temperature or cold water on top. You then want to let the water infuse so that you can get good flavors and nutrients from the fruits and vegetables being used. If you are leaving it out on the counter, this is usually done in about 2 hours. Otherwise, wait 4-6 hours if keeping it in the refrigerator for the infusing process. If you leave it overnight, it will be super flavorful.
When the Water Should Be Enjoyed
The ideal time to drink infused water is within 24-48 hours after the infusing process is complete. It is usually best to drink it the same day, but at least try to drink it within the first couple days. Make sure you are not leaving the fruits and vegetables in the water for this long though. They should be removed and only the water should remain in the pitcher for this long. Citrus fruits will remain fresher for longer, while melons are going to get soft and mushy quickly.
An alternative to infusing your water is using essential oils.
Now not all essential oils are the same, you 
have to be super careful n choosing the right brand that’s certified pure, tested grade oils. The brand I use is doTERRA essential oils. These oils are of the upmost purity that some are safe to ingest such as lemon, wild orange and peppermint amounts others. Because they are so clean and pure, one drop alone goes a very long way and is all you really need. If you’d like to find out more about these oils and have a chance to try them out, reach out to me y sending an email to info@rockondivas.com with “Essential Oils” in the subject line.
Also keep in mind that if you drink the infused water the same day, you can usually refill it 2-3 times with the produce in the pitcher or cup and still get good flavour from it.
I’m fine with drinking water however sometimes I do infuse my water with cucumber and lime, makes it more hydrating. Comment below and let me know what type of produce you use for making your infused water.
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