Infused Water: Fruit-Steeped Water for Better Health!

Besides air and the five main food groups, “water” is the next most essential thing the body can't do without, since water makes up as much as 70% of the body. Humans can survive for several weeks without food, but only a few days without water. Drinking around 8 glasses of water a day is considered good for your health, but plain water on its own doesn't really quench your thirst, and if you turn to soft drinks instead, they're full of sugar. So Fatgirlguides would like to introduce infused water, water steeped with fruit, as a healthy drink option that tastes great and is packed with benefits.

What is infused water?

Infused water is a healthy drink that has long been popular abroad, because it's easy to drink and simple to make. Just pick 2–4 kinds of fruit, fresh vegetables or herbs whose flavor you'd like in your water, slice or crush them, and mix them with plain water, mineral water or sparkling water, whichever you like. Then leave it in the fridge for 2–3 hours (or overnight if you like), and it's ready to drink all day long, with no need to worry about calories either. So how is this fruit-steeped water good for our health?

What are the benefits of infused water?

• Add fruit and vegetables to your infused water to give your body extra antioxidants, which help keep your skin healthy, glowing and radiant.
• Infused water has a mild laxative effect. Drinking it in the morning is recommended, as it helps you go to the bathroom more easily and flushes harmful toxins out of the body.
• Infused water can boost your immune system, even though it may not contain as many vitamins as eating the vegetables or fruit themselves.
• Drinking infused water can help kick-start your metabolism, just like drinking plain water. Besides improving your metabolism, it also helps curb your appetite.
• Drinking infused water instead of coffee or soft drinks can help cut your cravings for sweet drinks.
• Infused water helps prevent dehydration, which can make your mood swing, so it keeps your mood more balanced. And drinking infused water in the morning leaves you feeling fresh and energized, ready to start the new day.

Infused water recipes

Now that you know the benefits of infused water, today we have some infused water recipes to share. These are recipes we make and drink ourselves all the time, and we promise everyone will love them, because besides cooling you down on a hot day, they can also help you control your weight!!

Recipe 1: Basil & Blackberry

Recipe 2: Grapefruit & Rosemary

Recipe 3: Lemon & Cucumber

Recipe 4: Kiwi & Strawberry

Recipe 5: Lime & Celery

Recipe 6: Lemon & Raspberry

Tips: Get more benefits and freshness from your infused water

Drinking infused water in the morning before a meal helps your body fully absorb minerals and nutrients and leaves you feeling refreshed in the morning. It also counts as a gut detox and helps get things moving too.

Q&A about infused water

Q: Can you eat the vegetables or fruit soaking in the infused water?

A: Yes, you can, but they won't taste as good, because the flavor and sweetness of the fruit have already dissolved into the infused water!

Q: How many days does infused water keep, and is there a way to make it last longer?

A: Usually, each batch of infused water keeps for 2–3 days, and the flavor gradually fades. To make it last longer, add some fragrant herbs, such as mint, basil, rosemary, cinnamon, cloves or star anise. They let you keep your infused water for up to a week!

The most important thing when making infused water is cleanliness. Everything from the ingredients you choose to the container and the water you use to make it needs to be thoroughly clean too. Once you're ready, let's get making!