Say Goodbye To Boring Water With These 5 Flavorful Infusions

Everyone knows how important it is to drink enough water everyday, but that doesn't make it any easier for many of us to stay hydrated. Between the allure of fizzy and caffeinated beverages, busy schedules, and plain old forgetfulness, it can be frustratingly difficult to maintain daily water intake, which can lead to problems from dry skin to lowered immunity. One easy way to get more H2O into your life is to give your water a flavor upgrade by infusing it with fruits and herbs.

We're not talking about the sugary drink mixes that turn water into super-sweet juice. Instead, it's best to infuse water with natural ingredients that not only make it taste better, but also provide a few health bonuses. All you need to infuse water is some room temperature water (you might want to avoid this popular water brand) and a vessel to hold everything. You can use a normal glass pitcher, or if you want to keep bits of berry and mint stems from floating around in your drink you can try a specialized infuser pitcher.

The combination of fresh lemon juice and ginger is a classic in the world of home remedies, with some tried and true results. Many people enjoy lemon and ginger water as a hot tea, which can be helpful for issues like allergies, due to the vitamin C and antioxidant properties, and constipation, thanks to the warm water. However, you don't have to drink it hot to get the benefits of this beverage. Ginger and lemon have both been found to aid with issues like nausea and indigestion, so a glass of water infused with these powerful ingredients is a boon to your body whether it's imbibed hot or cold. Either way, it's one of many beverages you can drink to stay hydrated.

There are many ways to make this recipe. The easiest method is to simply toss some lemon and ginger slices into a jug of water and let it sit for a few hours to let the flavors release. For a slightly more intense version of this, make a concentrated base by blending together fresh lemon juice, water, and ginger, then dilute the concoction with more water. For some added flair, finish off the recipe with a dash or two of cinnamon. This blend is undoubtedly delicious, but it's a good idea to drink it in moderation since the acidity from the lemon can damage your tooth enamel over time.

If you want to turn your water break into a more indulgent experience, water infused with blend of berries is for you. Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries can be combined in any number of ratios to suit your tastes, and they can be easily added to water to turn it into a naturally sweet treat. Not to mention, the berries turn the water a brilliant red or purple hue, making this a simple, show-stopping drink to bring out at parties.

Since berries are smaller and can break apart into pieces in water, it's best to take a different route when preparing the recipe so your drinks aren't full of choking hazards. To make a berry beverage, first add your berries to a large bowl along with a cup of water. Then, use some sort of mashing utensil to mash and muddle the berries. Let the broken berries sit for a moment, then add the rest of the water you plan on infusing and pop it in the fridge for an hour or so. Finally, strain out the berry bits until you're left with a colorful, flavorful drink.

It only takes one ingredient to make a refreshing hibiscus drink that will rival anything available at your local coffee shop: dried hibiscus flowers. Just add a handful of these dried edible flowers to a pitcher of water and let it steep overnight before serving. Hibiscus has a slightly sour taste that's often compared to cranberry juice, plus it has a number of health benefits to go along with its floral flavor. Some research suggests that hibiscus can help issues ranging from high blood pressure to liver damage due to the plant's high concentration of nutrients and antioxidants.

Hibiscus is also a key ingredient in agua de jamaica, a traditional Mexican beverage known for its tart, complex taste. Real agua de jamaica requires you to boil water along with the other ingredients, but you can streamline the process by adding a few ingredients to your hibiscus-infused water as it steeps. A cinnamon stick, some ginger, lime juice, and sugar will give the hibiscus water a agua de jamaica-style twist that's perfect as a hydrating treat or the perfect alcohol mixer. After all, infusing is one of the best ways to upgrade cheap liquor.

This next combo is for all the people who prefer their drinks on the savory side. Anyone who has ever sliced up a tomato knows that it usually ends with a sopping wet cutting board. Tomatoes are naturally watery fruits, which means they're the perfect contender for flavoring a pitcher of water. Making tomato-infused water is pretty straightforward — just add a diced tomato to a few quarts of water and wait like you would with the other recipes on this list. To enhance the flavor even further, add a few sprigs of basil and a sprinkle of salt as well. For a more concentrated version of this infusion, blend a couple of tomatoes and strain the resulting puree before diluting the tomato juice with water.

Tomato-infused water makes for an excellent mixer, especially for layered drinks like a bloody Mary. It also pairs nicely in cocktails that include sparkling water, as the sharp bubbles cut through the intense tomato taste. You can also use the tomato water as a base for vinaigrettes and dressings, or drink it straight for a flavor experience regular water just can't compete with.

After years resting on the eyes of lackadaisical spa-goers and filling the water tanks of every high-class hotel around, cucumbers have established themselves as one of the most relaxing vegetables in the world. Thankfully, you don't have to book a mud bath to enjoy the refreshing properties of cucumbers at home. Like tomatoes, cucumbers are very liquidy, so they blend perfectly with water — just add some slices to a pitcher. To quicken the process, slice the cucumber into long strips instead of rounds. This way, more of the cucumber's watery interior is in direct contact with the water, allowing more flavor to seep out. For added freshness, be sure to include a bit of mint as well.

It's important to note that if you make a jug of any sort of infused water that still has pieces of produce in it, you should make sure the container is sealed so the fruit doesn't attract bacteria. In fact, any solid ingredients left in the water should be tossed out after a day, and the rest of the beverage disposed of after three days.