Delicious Infused Water Recipes

Detox water. Too awesome to go by just one name. Infused water. Vitamin, spa or just flavored water. You could also call it super water. Name it what you will. One thing’s for sure. It absolutely, positively rocks.

These days everything is multipurpose. So why not water? Want to boost immunity, beat the bloat, calm an upset stomach, lose weight or just switch off and unwind? Detox water is for you. Hooked on soda? But don’t like the calories? Want more bang for your buck and are looking for a tasty drink sans the calories and additives? Find plain water boring? You’re in the right place.

Hydrate the smart way. Detox water is flavorsome, low in sugar, low in calories, boasts health-boosting vitamins and minerals, and of course hydrates. Taking all that’s good from calorie-filled drinks, water, and natural produce. Combining it into one genius drink. Detox water. Plus you can make it in seconds. It doesn’t get much better than that.

So go beyond plain ol’ H2O, and elevate it into something tastier and more nutritious. And whatever you do keep it natural. No sugar or artificial ingredients needed. Skip the fakeness and ditch store-bought drinks. Make your own vitamin-rich super water.

Detox Water Ingredients

Don’t just think lemon slices in water. Think bigger. Way bigger. Infuse water with nature’s bounty – fresh fruit, nutritious veggies, fragrant herbs, and sumptuous spices – the world’s largest, most diverse and expansive pharmacy. Hippocrates wasn’t wrong when he said Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.

Think beyond flavor. Think about what you need. Herbs and spices do so much more than simply injecting flavor. Consider their healing and restorative powers too. Used by apothecaries for millennia to cure and heal, these goodies are packed with phytonutrients and other active ingredients that protect against disease and promote wellbeing.

And your waistline will also thank too. When you’re thirsty a sweet drink tends to win out over plain water, and before you know it, you’ve downed the equivalent of 15 sugar cubes in one sitting. Most of the beverages we drink are so calorific, you could blow a weight loss diet with just drinks alone. And the health implications of synthetic sugar substitutes found in many low calorie drinks are still poorly understood. Time to dial down the calories and cut out the chemicals.

So say goodbye to diet sodas loaded with artificial sweeteners masquerading as healthy and to guzzling gallons of calorie-bomb juices. Here’s how to enhance H2O and turn a plain jug of water into a healthy, tasty, refreshing, colorful and far more exciting drink. It’s water’s cinderella moment.

Here’s an infographic of awesome detox water recipes for every need. Complete detox water recipes follow after the infographic.

Note: If you’ve got a sweet tooth, use ripe, sweet fruit. You can – if you absolutely must – add a wee bit of natural sweetener if you can’t taste the light, natural sweetness of the drink. As your taste buds get more sensitive and discerning, you can slowly taper down the amount of sweetener until you need none at all.

To get the most flavorful water, muddle herbs, spices, fruit, and veggies with a wooden spoon to extract the flavor and nutrients, and allow to infuse in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Softer fruits require less time.

Detox Water Recipes

Add about 2 liters of water to the recipes below. If you want more flavor, add a little less water or add more fruit.

1. Vitamin C Sensation

Available all year round, citrus fruits aren’t just refreshing – they’re packed with nutrients too. One orange boasts more than 100% of the recommended daily dose of immune-boosting vitamin C. This detox water recipe pairs lemon, lime and orange together for a delicious, healthy and refreshing drink.

• 1/2 Lemon
• 1/2 Lime
• 1 Orange

To make this detox water peel the lemon, lime and orange. Slice the lemon and lime thinly. Prize the orange apart and separate into pieces. Place all the ingredients in the pitcher and gently muddle to release the flavors and nutrients. Top up with water and put in the fridge.

For a sweeter drink replace oranges with tangerines/ clementines.

2. Tummy Tonic

If you’re suffering with an upset stomach, bloating, or nausea, why not try this awesome detox water is packed with some of nature’s most powerful digestive superheroes. Pineapple contains bromelain, a protein-digesting enzyme, thought to aid digestion and be anti-inflammatory. Ginger has been used to help digestion and treat stomach upset, diarrhea, and nausea for more than 2,000 years. Peppermint has calming effects on the gastrointestinal tract. It relaxes stomach muscles to allow painful digestive gas to pass and can help with IBS, including pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea.

• 2 inches ginger
• 2 cups pineapple
• 3 sprigs peppermint

To make this detox water place 2 cups thinly sliced pineapple, thinly cut slices of ginger (you can also grate the ginger and tie in cheesecloth), and 3 sprigs mint in a pitcher. Muddle the contents with a muddler or wooden spoon by pressing firmly and twisting to release the juices and nutrients. Top up with water.

3. The A-Team

Bursting with flavor, summer’s best treasure is also rich in super-healthy anti-oxidants that help fight disease. Just one cup of berries provide all the antioxidants you need in a one day. Antioxidants help protect our cells from oxidative damage and so is thought to slow the aging process and help prevent cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. And it’s pretty tasty too!

• 1/2 cup Strawberries
• 1/2 cup Blueberries
• 1/2 cup Blackberries

For this detox water place all the berries in a pitcher. Muddle the berries and top with 2 liters of water.

4. Strawberry Breeze

There are few better things than sweet summer strawberries, or wonderfully ripe pomegranates. Why not hit it out of the park and put them together for an awesome, tasty drink bursting with fruity flavor. This detox water looks pretty great too.

• 1 pomegranate
• 1 cup strawberries

Cut the pomegranate in half. Holding it over the pitcher, squeeze the juice out of one half of pomegranate à la Jamie Oliver (basically squeeze it just as you would a lemon half). Now take the other pomegranate half and hit the back of it with a spoon so the seeds tumble into the pitcher. Put in the strawberries and muddle the contents. Add 2 liters of water and place in the fridge.

5. Bloat B’Gone

Bloating is one of the most common digestive complaints. Maybe you’re suffering with bloating and the discomfort it causes or with embarrassing excessive wind. Often caused by IBS (be sure to get a diagnosis from your doctor), too much gas can nevertheless be embarrassing, uncomfortable, and highly debilitating. This detox water boasts ginger, a go-to food for a bloated belly. Ginger is after all a powerhouse digestive aid. It is a gas reducer and improves digestion by stimulating the digestive tract as well as the flow of saliva. But it doesn’t stop there. According to DrOz.com organic lemons improve digestion and keep bad bacteria in your gut at bay. Peppermint alleviates gas by relaxing the digestive tract and boosting normal movement of the gut. It also tastes rather lovely!

• 1 cucumber
• 1 lemon
• 1 inch ginger
• 3 sprigs of peppermint

Peel and slice cucumber, lemon and ginger thinly. Place in the pitcher and add mint. Muddle the ingredients. Add water and allow to infuse.

6. Kiwi Quencher

Bursting with refreshing flavors, this kiwi detox water makes for a thirst-quenching drink. Cucumbers are cool and crisp, and make cool and refreshing water seem even more cool and refreshing. Score!

• 1 Lime
• 1/2 Cucumber
• 4 Kiwis

Peel the lime, cucumber and kiwis. Slice thinly and place in a large pitcher. Muddle the ingredients and then add about 2 liters of water.

7. Belly Blast

This detox water is geared towards weight loss. Want to lose belly fat? Just one cup of green tea thought to boost metabolism. Tangerines, contain a substance called nobiletin, that research suggests improves insulin sensitivity and stimulates the genes that help burn fat.

• 4 sprigs of mint
• 1 Tangerine
• 1 bag of green tea

Peel tangerine and separate fruit into segments. Place tangerine pieces in a pitcher with mint and muddle. Top with 2 liters of cooled brewed green tea.

8. The D-Stressor

Stressed? Try this beautiful, super relaxing detox water. Popular since Roman times, lavender is used for medicinal, culinary, decorative and fragrance purposes. Most of us appreciate lavender for its fragrance only, though lavender has also been used in the kitchen and as a remedy for ailments ranging from insomnia and fatigue to anxiety and depression. Research shows that just inhaling lavender has calming, soothing effects.

• 3 lemons
• 1/4 cup culinary lavender

Some recipes make this detox water by simply infusing the lavender with cold water. We infuse the lavender with hot water first. To do this, bring 1/2 liter of water in a saucepan to a boil. Stir in lavender, turn down heat, and simmer for a minute or two. Take it off the heat and leave to steep for 10 minutes. Allow to cool a little. Strain. Place in a pitcher, add lemons and muddle. Top up with 1 1/2 liters of cold water.

9. Energy Booster

Made with stimulating ginger stamina-boosting beetroot, this energizing detox water is a beautiful deep red, with a spicy, sweet flavor.

• ½ medium lemon
• 2 organic apples
• 2 inch piece of ginger
• 1 beetroot

Peel and finely slice half a lemon, 2 apples, ginger, and beetroot (you may also grate the beetroot and ginger and tie in a cheesecloth gor maximum flavor and nutrition). Muddle the ingredients and add water.

10. Perfectly Pink

Add wonderfully sweet watermelon with fresh, woodsy rosemary and you’ve got a winner.

• 2 cups watermelon
• 1 sprig rosemary

Scoop out the watermelon and cut into cubes. Place half the watermelon into a pitcher and lightly mash to release juices and flavor. Now add rosemary and  muddle very gently if at all (rosemary releases a strong flavor without much muddling). Add the rest of the watermelon and top with water.

11. Craving Killer

Rich and aromatic, this detox water recipe helps curb appetite the natural way. Research suggests that cinnamon can reduce the amount of insulin you produce after eating. Because insulin turns excess sugar into fat, this means less weight gain. Cinnamon also slows down stomach emptying, so that you’ll feel fuller longer. Apples are also thought to curb appetite. And remember, drinking water before meals helps you to feel more full, which means you’ll eat less during the meal.

• 2 apples
• 2 cinnamon sticks

Peel apples if not organic, then slice thinly and place in a pitcher. Mash slightly and add cinnamon sticks. Top with 2 liters of water, stir well and place in fridge.

12. Melon Magic

Sweet and ever so juicy, who doesn’t love a ripe melon? Watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew make for a great combo.

• 1/2 cup cantaloupe chunks
• 1/2 cup watermelon chunks
• 1/2 cup honeydew chunks

Peel the melon and cut into chunks. Place in a large jug and mash a little with a wooden spoon. Fill with water and refrigerate. If you like, add a little mint or a squeeze of lemon for extra flavor.

13. Blue No More

This detox water is rich in brain-boosting nutrients. Blueberries and strawberries contain anthocyanins – powerful antioxidants that are thought to reduce inflammation, and improve mood, memory, and learning, as well as slow down the age-related decline in brain function. And it’s heart-healthy too!

• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup strawberries
• 2 apples

Peel the apples if not organic, core and slice into thin wedges. Cut the strawberries into halves. Place strawberries, blueberries and apples in a jug and muddle together. Top with water and place in fridge for a couple of hours to allow the flavors and nutrients to infuse into the water.

14. Work It Out!

You just finished an awesome workout. And you’d like something a just little more flavorsome than water. But you don’t want the calories. Infused water might just be what you’re looking for. This recipe boasts workout-friendly watermelon. Research suggests that watermelon can reduce post-exercise muscle soreness and reduce recovery heart rate. Researchers think that a substance called citrulline found in watermelon improves blood flow, which means that your muscles get more oxygen, so that they can repair themselves faster.

• 2 cups watermelon
• 1/2 lime

Scoop out the watermelon and cut into cubes. Place watermelon in the pitcher and mash lightly. Squeeze the lime over the watermelon. Top up with 2 liters of water.

Remember this is just an alternative to plain water. It’s not a sports drink. For an average workout of 60 minutes or less, water will generally suffice. If you’re exercising longer than an hour, or the weather’s hot and humid, you might need a sports drink. See more about how to hydrate during exercise.

15. Restorative Rose

This very pretty detox water has more going for it that just looks. Roses have long been treasured for their uplifting and healing qualities. Darker petals tend to be more flavorful. Be sure to only use organic, food-safe petals. You can buy these in a grocery store or farmers markets.

• 1/4 cup dried rose petals
• 1 cup raspberries

Rose petals can be eaten raw, and some recipes simply infuse the petals in cold water. We steep them in hot water first. To do this bring 1/2 liter of water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the rose petals, take off the heat and allow to steep for about 5 minutes. Strain the water and top up with 1 1/2 liters of cold water. Pour into a pitcher and add the raspberries. Refrigerate.

16. Island Bliss

Put on some Bob Marley. Find hammock, close your eyes and sip on this delicious tropical concoction. Sweet and juicy pineapple, tart and sweet kiwi, and a hint of mint. You be transported to paradise…

• 1 cup pineapple
• 4 kiwis
• 10 mint leaves

Peel the pineapple and kiwis. Slice the pineapple and cut slices into small triangles. Thinly slice kiwi. Add pineapple, kiwi and mint to a pitcher. Muddle with a wooden spoon. Top with 2 liters of water and allow to infuse.

17. Cranberry Delight

A symphony of color, this detox water isn’t just for the holidays. Packed with flavor and rich in health-boosting nutrients, you’ll be wanting to make this all year round. What’s more, cranberries contain an active ingredient that is thought prevent bacteria sticking to the bladder wall, making it is a very popular home remedy for UTI’s. Add in oranges full of immune-boosting vitamin C, and we have ourselves a winner!

• 2 oranges
• 2 cups cranberries
• 1 sprig mint

Peel oranges and separate pieces. Put the orange pieces, cranberries and mint in the pitcher. Muddle and top with water. Chill before serving.

18. Sweet Summer

Pretty, lush, vibrant, and infinitely juicy. It just doesn’t get much better than perfectly ripe strawberries. Pair it with lemon and basil for a sweet, cool, sophisticated and utterly refreshing drink.

• 1 lemon
• 2 cups strawberries
• 10 basil leaves

Peel lemon and cut into thin slices. Cut strawberries into halves. Place strawberries, basil and lemon in a pitcher, muddle, and top with water.