If drinking regular water in the winter is hard for you, this tasty alternative will make it much easier, not to mention give you tons of extra vitamins and minerals.
If you are like my brave family that resides in New England, considering the ruthless winter they’ve had, the thought of ingesting anything that isn’t hot may seem downright undesirable. Hey, I get it. This time of year up there is miserable… so miserable that I even moved over 1,000 miles away just to avoid it.
But what shouldn’t be avoided, regardless of where you live, is drinking water. I know, I know, easier said than done coming from my Florida dwelling self, not to mention ordering that sugary coffee or hot chocolate from Dunkin Donuts is just so tempting. And I don’t mean to burst your warm, caffeinated, sugary bubble but those choices will leave you dehydrated, nutritionally void, and unable to fall asleep at night. Symptoms of dehydration include dry mouth, headaches, constipation, dry skin and scalp, lethargy, and dizziness. Some of these symptoms may be partly due to a dry climate, but being properly hydrated can help with that.
That is where my main motivation for writing a post about Infused Water comes from! I worry about you northerners and your hydration!
You’ll often see “fruit infused” water but I didn’t want to limit us to just fruit—I experimented with herbs too, and thank goodness I did! If drinking regular water in the winter is hard for you, this tasty alternative will make it much easier, not to mention give you tons of extra vitamins and minerals. When fruit is added to water, the juices and flavors seep out making it naturally sweet and nutritious. The herbs add a nice contrast to the fruit, and are known to be detoxifying as well.
Now, I know this doesn’t take care of the “warm” issue but I guarantee if you try these infused waters it will increase your likelihood of drinking water by a landslide; they’re just so delicious and refreshing! And you can use so many combinations with them you’ll never get bored. Hello, winter hydration!
I must add, they do get you a little excited and hopeful for the warm, sunny seasons to come, too. Kristina and I whipped these together on a cold (for Florida) day (trust me, I know it’s not the same, but still!) and I immediately felt like I was on a tropical island in the middle of the Caribbean.
So let me warn you: Daydreaming and uplifted moods may occur.
Now can you see why I feel like you northerners are going to like this idea?
If you’re not convinced this can bring you out of your winter blues and make you want to drink more water, try it with hot water, like tea! I have not yet tried this, but I’m guessing that it would be just as good. So that solves that, my friends!
You can even take your infused water everywhere with you, as you would with regular water. Just take a water bottle with a wide opening (I love Nalgene bottles, BPA free!), throw your fruit and herbs in there and you’re good to go! A thermos is ideal if you’re using hot water so it can stay warm for you throughout your cold, daily endeavors.
Some combinations we put together were Strawberry Basil, Orange Lime, Blueberry Lime Cilantro, Raspberry Lemon, and Cucumber Mint—just to give you an idea. But you really can do whatever you wish…sky’s the limit with this one!
What combinations will you try to break free of those seasonal blues and winter dehydration?
