With the UK finally being blessed with a bit of scorching hot sunshine, it's important to stay hydrated- However, it's easy to reach for fizzy drinks and sugary ice lollies to keep us cool instead of water, which, let's face it; it may be super good for us but a cold can of Sprite tastes so much better! That's why lately I have been experimenting with fruit-infused water; not only does it add a little bit of flavour to your water but it looks pretty AND you get all the benefits of drinking water plus a little detox from the fruit, too!
Kilner Handled Glass Jars: £2.49 each from The Range
Striped Paper Straws: £2 from Tesco
To make these is simple but takes a little preparation... In a pitcher, place a few cubes of ice and then cover with any sliced fruit or herbs of your choice. Fill the jug with water, cover with cling film and then let the mixture sit in your fridge for at least six hours (I like to make mine in the evening and leave it overnight) to let the flavours infuse in to the water. When it comes to drinking, add more ice, give the mixture a good stir and then pour in to serving glasses and enjoy! Drinking jars and paper straws are optional, but I they look really cute and will impress your friends ;) Here are a few of the flavour combinations that I have been enjoying!
Strawberry, cucumber and mint.
This is like a spa treatment in beverage-form and is great for detoxing and staying refreshed on a hot, muggy day. For this I used a handful of strawberries (about ten), half a sliced cucumber and a couple of sprigs of fresh mint. If you want a more powerful flavour, muddle the strawberries and mint before adding the water. You can also add a squeeze of lemon juice for an extra cleanse.
Peach, orange and raspberry.
This is perfect for people with a slightly sweeter tooth who really want to add a fruity kick to their water. To a pitcher of ice, I added the segments of a whole peeled orange, one sliced peach and a handful of raspberries. Again, muddle the fruits before adding water if you would like a stronger flavour.
Watermelon, coconut and lime.
This is my personal favourite and one that I am sipping on as I type this blog post! It is cheating a little bit as it uses coconut water; however, did you know that pure coconut water is dubbed as "nature's sports drink" and is used by athletes as a much healthier way to replace electrolytes and water that are lost through sweat during exercise, as it contains all the electrolytes that your body needs (A quick science lesson: correctly balanced electrolytes are what maintain adequate function of the nervous, cardiac, digestive and muscular systems and are better known as sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, etc.) without all the nasty additives and refined sugars that are found in drinks such as Lucozade and Gatorade? This makes this the perfect drink for people who enjoy their exercise, as the natural sugars will give you a burst of energy whilst the coconut water, as well as the water found in the watermelon, will keep you hydrated.
To make a pitcher, I used one whole small watermelon. I simply cut the flesh in to cubes and pureed it in a blender, before pouring the juice over ice (I prefer to discard the pulp at this point using a strainer, but feel free to throw that in there too!). Then, I topped up the pitcher with coconut water (I used Vita Coco) and squeezed in the juice of one lime. This one can be enjoyed right away!
The possibilities for fruit-infused water are endless! Here are a few other combinations that I am yet to try:
- Citrus: Orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime.
- Summer fruits: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries/blackberries and apple
- Mango, orange and raspberry
-Watermelon and rosemary
- Honeydew melon and lime
Have you tried fruit-infused water? What is your favourite combination?
Frances x
