Water is essential for the body. But it can be boring to drink, especially when you already have a knack for soda or wine. If you want to drink more water but aren’t loving the taste (or lack thereof), here are some ways to enhance it without adding any sugar or artificial sweetener:
1. Add fresh fruit.
Fruit flavors are yummy, but it’s always better once it’s natural. Add a bit of whatever fruit you like. Citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, and limes are classic water enhancers, but there are many more fruit flavors that can make your taste buds happy. Try crushing fresh raspberries or blueberries, or adding slices of strawberries. Infuse these fruits into your water for four or more hours for the flavor to be rich. You may also want to refrigerate it overnight. For pineapple chunks, soaking it in water for at least two hours will be enough.
2. Add cucumber.
Cucumber isn’t a fruit, and it’s one of the most refreshing things to add to water, so it deserves a separate category. Slice some cucumbers and allow it to infuse for at least four hours. Mix and match cucumber with fruit for double the flavor.
3. Use herbs and spices.
During the summer, mint leaves are one of the best things you can add to your water to make it even more refreshing. For adding interesting flavor, you can add basil leaves, parsley, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, whole cloves, and lavender. Chop up the leaves, crush the cloves or nutmeg, add cinnamon sticks and lavender whole, or mix any powdered spices into the water.
4. Use juice.
Any natural fruit juice (no sugar, no artificial sweetener, not concentrate) can be a good base flavor for water. Apple, grape, pomegranate, and cranberry are especially delicious. Natural fruit juices are great enhancers not just for their taste but also for the vitamins and antioxidants they offer.
5. Use liquid water enhancers.
You can buy water enhancers https://beinglike.com/10-best-liquid-water-enhancer-reviews/ in the market that can make your water more refreshing and exciting to drink than plain water. Go for sugar-free water enhancers, but don’t be fooled. Even sugar-free variants may contain aspartame, a low-calorie artificial sweetener that has a bad rep for its potential negative side effects for the health. Check out some of these non-aspartame water flavorings. https://beinglike.com/yes-there-are-non-aspartame-water-flavorings-that-taste-good/
6. Make it bubbly.
Some people prefer sparkling water to be plain old, still water. You may try a naturally effervescent mineral water that offers the added benefit of minerals. You can also mix sparkling water to still water so that it’s not as gassy as sparkling water alone. Another option is using plain seltzer water to add your own carbonation.
7. Get creative with ice.
For some people, ice water tastes better than water served at room temperature. If that’s true for you, flavored ice cubes may even be a better drink. Use some of the flavor suggestions above, add them to your ice cube tray along with water, and then freeze it. The next time you drink water, add those flavored ice cubes.
8. Stir in some stevia.
You may simply sweeten your water a little bit to make water more enticing to drink. Sir, in some powdered or liquid stevia to sweeten. Stevia is a natural sweetener, so you don’t have to worry about it.
9. Add rose water.
If you want to get a little bit fancy, add a few drops of rose water to your plain water.
10. Drink tea.
While tea isn’t technically water, some kinds of tea are better for you than black teas or coffee because they contain little to no caffeine. Add a bag or two of teas that are herbal, fruit, white, green, and red and allow it to steep according to instructions. Chill if you want iced tea. There are countless of flavors to choose from.
11. Try broth or stock.
If your palate wants something savory, you may pass on tea and start sipping some broth or stock diluted in hot water. Choose low-fat and low-sodium versions for maximum health benefits. Better yet, make a soup out of your boiled meat, if you won’t be using the liquid for the recipe. These plain soups are water-based, so a cup of hot soup counts as a cup of water added to your daily consumption.