While on my lifestyle journey, I had to make drinking water a Priority, because not only does it flush out FAT, toxins and impurities. The plus is it also great for your skin. Our bodies crave water on a daily basis. But sometimes it hard to drink water because we are used to drinking sodas, juices or other sugar laden drinks, but they don’t satisfy our bodies. Adding flavor to your water will help. Water has great benefits for you. So drink your water daily, spice it up. Below are some suggestions to flavor your water naturally. Take a Sip and See. Be Blessed.
For my own personal recipe I like to add a few other things. Mint makes the drink even more cooling and refreshing. If you add mint, blend it in with the cucumber in the first method, or, if using the second method, chop the mint and let it soak with the cucumber chunks in the water overnight. I also like to add a squeeze of lime before serving or you can place a half lime in with the concoction you're soaking overnight.
When all is said and done you've got a subtly flavored, refreshing beverage you can serve over ice. I find it's surprisingly addictive, so make a bunch or it'll be gone in no time.
Green Drink Recipe
1 liter of spring water
1 soft avocado, peeled, seed removed
Juice of 3 limes
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
4-5 drops of stevia
Method:
Please all ingredients into your blender. Blend until fully combined and enjoy with a sprig of mint. Makes five to six cups. Store in the fridge for one to two days.
The ingredients in the drink (and this recipe) are easy to Avocado, lime juice and fresh mint. There's little sugar in it, too (though my recipe calls for some stevia to up the sweet quotient).
As you've probably read in my previous posts, store-bought juice is something we should all avoid. Orange juice (unless squeezed by you) is, quite possibly, the worst juice ever -- it has an incredibly negative effect on blood sugar.
So the next time you're thirsty -- or craving something as "blissful" as a Mexican vacation -- whip up this blood sugar balancing, refreshing concoction.
Mint Water
Bunch of mint in a pitcher, continually refreshing the pitcher with water as the level decreased.
Other suggestions:
1. Salt - I am sure you have heard of the term "electrolytes" in the marketing for energy drinks. Actually electrolytes are just ions that can be found in common table salt. Adding a little bit of salt to water helps your body absorb the liquid more quickly. As long as you don't go overboard with the salt the water should be very quenching and it would be great for workouts since the body loses salt through sweat.
2. Ginger - If you like spices, ginger is a great way to add a "zing" to your water. If it is added to boiling water it is also a great way to clear your throat and sinuses during a cold.
3. Citrus - My husband's family members often freeze a small citrus fruit called kalamansi (In the west it is variously known as acid orange, calamondin orange, Chinese Orange or Panama orange.) in ice cube trays and then put the ice cubes in water for flavor. The same can be done with other citrus fruits and the water produced would be infused with vitamin C.
4. Herbs - Mint, lemongrass, and parsley are great for adding aroma and a hint of green to your water. If you want to release the flavor you can crush the plants a little bit before putting them into your water.
5. Cucumber - I saw this at a spa I went to in Hawaii. A water dispenser was half filled up with cucumber slices, and the water dispensed tasted very refreshing and smelled a bit like cucumber. Cucumbers contain vitamin C and caffeic acid, two antioxidant nutrients that can help protect the skin from sun damage, handy for the summer! Vitamin C boosts collagen and elastin, which helps keep skin looking vibrant while caffeic acid protects skin cells from UV radiation. Cucumbers also have natural anti-inflammatory properties and help to prevent water retention. Cucumbers also contain silica an essential component of healthy connective tissue.
So how do you make cucumber water? It's pretty simple. There's two ways you can do it, but both need a bit of prep time, so it helps to know ahead of time when you've got guests coming. With the first method, which gives you the most flavorful water, you blend up a cucumber before hand and then pour it through a very fine strainer (I like to line a sieve with cheesecloth). Let this concoction drip through in the fridge overnight. The resulting cucumber juice is mixed with a pitcher of water (you can stretch this out this depending on how strong you like it - I like mine with just a hint of flavor).
The other method is to cut up a cucumber into small chunks, cover in the amount of water you want to drink and let it soak in the fridge overnight. In the morning, strain the mixture and discard the cukes.
6. Wine - A favorite of mine to add to water is plum wine or umeshu. It is a very sweet Japanese liquere made from green plums so I drink it with a lot of water. The distinct sweet flavor still comes through when there is one part umeshu in ten parts water. I am sure the same can be done with other syrupy liqueres.
7. Berries - Blueberries and strawberries have distinct flavors that could be soaked up by water. All you have to do is cut or crush a few of the berries into your water.
8. Vinegar - Adding vinegar to water is similar to adding citrus. You will get sour water that has vitamin C. When I was a kid I liked adding apple vinegar to water and then drinking it. I do not recommend mixing in balsamic vinegar since it has oil, but any clear vinegar is good for flavoring your water.
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