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Water: 7 ways to boost its flavor

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“Hydrate or die!” This is the chant that you would frequently hear if you were to attend my children’s cross country or track meets. The kids say it in jest, but in reality, it’s not a joke. It’s true. I spent much of my adult life in a chronically dehydrated state. I’d go an entire day or two without drinking water. I kicked that bad habit to the curb, and now I drink water throughout the day, EVERY day. Adequate hydration is vital to good health. It transports oxygen and nutrients to each cell of your body. It also helps build a bright, full complexion. Finally, proper water intake helps rid your body of toxins. If you get headaches, are fatigued or feel foggy-brained, you might be dehydrated.

I happen to love the taste of the water we have at home. We have well water. I’m glad of that since I’ve read a lot about how contaminated city water usually is nowadays. It’s nice to boost the flavor of water now and then, especially when it’s your primary drink. We don’t buy soda in our house, and water is what we drink most. If you want to pep up your water game, you can try some of the ideas in this post.

Mint leaves make water taste amazingly fresh

water, glasses with ice water and mint
So refreshing on a humid, summer day!

I’ve shared several posts in the past on weeds that I love, mint being one of them. I highly recommend learning more about forageable plants that might grow wild in your yard. Incorporating some into your diet is a great way to build immune system health. Placing a bunch of mint leaves into a pitcher of ice water is a simple way to boost the flavor of your water. I like to gently twist and rub the leaves first to help release the essence of mint!

As with any herb, you’ll want to make sure you are 100% certain that you have correctly identified a wild plant as safe to consume. There are many toxic look-alikes out there! Mint is prolific. If you plant a small sprig, it’ll cover a lot of ground in a few short years!

Water doesn’t have to be hot to flavor it with tea

If you have a favorite herbal or caffeinated tea that you enjoy, you can steep it in a glass of ice cold water. It just takes a bit longer than it would if it were hot. I use two or three bags instead of one to make a 16 ounce glass of cold, refreshing tea-flavored water. I especially love to use herbal peach tea, as well as blueberry/pomegranate.

Cucumbers are the bomb in ice water!

water, two cucumbers
Add a few slices to your drink!

When one of my daughters first suggested that I place slices of freshly picked cukes from our garden into my ice water, I gagged. Literally. She pressed me some more and I agreed to try it. It’s wonderful! I also like to combine the cukes with a few sprigs of mint, and, sometimes, a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime.

Citrus is a healthy flavor enhancer for your water, too

Speaking of lemons and limes, they are great natural water flavor supplements as well. Really, any type of berry or citrus will do. I often buy frozen berries in bulk to keep as toppings for homemade yogurt. On a humid day, I’ll scoop out a handful and also use it to infuse a tall glass of ice water. YUM!

Boost your water flavor with food grade essential oils

water, doterra essential oil on tray of oranges
One drop of high quality essential oils enhances flavor!

I love to place a drop of lemon, sweet orange or grapefruit essential oils in my ice water. Essential oils are wonderful natural health boosters. I strongly urge you to learn more about them, however, if you’re new to the idea. If you misuse essential oils, you can suffer injury. If you use them correctly, however, you can build up your immune system and treat all sorts of injuries or ailments with them.

Not all essential oils are the same! There are a few companies who produce the highest quality oils. You might be tempted to pay discount prices in the store or online, but that’s never a good idea because such products are typically contaminated with many toxic ingredients.

A pinch o’ salt’ll do ya’

Pink Himalayan or sea salt is good for you. Especially if you’re a runner or athlete in another sport, you need to replenish your electrolytes after exertion. Adding a small pinch of salt to your water is an easy way to do so, and many people enjoy the flavor.

Apple cider vinegar, lemon and honey

 

If you try this trio combination to boost your water flavor (and your health) you’ll either love it or accuse me of spreading fake news. (LOL) When it’s on the rocks, I like it. It takes a few tries to get a measurement of ingredients that works for you. I usually use about 1/8 cup of vinegar (Make sure it is raw and has “the mother” ingredient in it.), and the same amount of honey. Then, I squeeze half a lemon in for good measure. For this drink, I use a quart-sized mason jar.

You might like it better without lemon or honey. The good thing about adding natural flavor enhancers is that you can customize your drink until it pleases your taste buds! Do you have a favorite flavor supplement for water? Tell us about it!

Enhance the ice cubes instead of the water

You can make flavored ice cubes instead of directly flavoring your water. Some people do this with herbs. You can also drop some lemon or other citrus chunks into a blender, then make ice cubes out of the mush. You can place a few berries in each cube or use unsweetened fruit juice as well.

Disclaimer: The Hot Mess Press is not responsible for injury or illness that occurs when flavoring water after reading this post.

 

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