Have you drank enough water today? Odds are good that either you or someone in your office is always trying to race to the bottom of their Stanley cup and meet their hydrating goals. If you’re having trouble staying motivated or are in need of a way to make your water more fun, Avera registered dietitian Bridgette Bienias has you covered.
Why is water essential to health?
We're pretty much made up of between 60-70% or so of water. That’s a high amount of our body, so to keep our body functioning as normal, help our cells work, help feel energized, we want to be sure we're getting just the plain ideal source of water to stay hydrated.
How much water should you be drinking each day?
A good recommendation is half your body made in ounces of water. So, say you're 150 pounds, then that would equate to about 75 ounces of water. Or another way to look at it is trying to do eight, eight ounce cups of water throughout the whole day. That'll be roughly 64 ounces there.
That's the baseline we want to at least shoot for, but it definitely varies for each person. Using that weight method can be a good way just to ensure you're getting enough water throughout the day.
What's a good way to add natural flavor rather than syrups or other additives?
A good natural way to add flavor is by adding different types of fruits. So, berry blends could be an option, doing citrusy fruits with mint, or even cucumber with mint could be an option as well. We’re just trying to add a little bit more taste but getting it from more of a natural source of fruits rather than adding different syrups or flavored water additives.
How to Infuse Water
- Wash & Prep: Thoroughly wash all produce and herbs.
- Combine: Add ingredients to a pitcher. For harder items like apples, slice thinly; for herbs like mint, gently crush leaves to release oils.
- Add Water: Fill with cold or room temperature filtered water as hot water tends to breaks down ingredients too fast.
- Infuse: Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or ideally a few hours/overnight for stronger flavor.
- Strain (Optional): Strain out solids after a day to prevent bitterness and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Popular Infusion Combinations
- Citrus & Mint: Lemon, lime, orange with fresh mint.
- Berry: Strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries.
- Tropical: Pineapple, mango, or watermelon chunks.
- Spa Water: Cucumber and mint.
- Spicy & Sweet: Apple slices with cinnamon sticks, or grapefruit with a jalapeño slice for a kick.
Quick & Easy Methods
- Fruit Ice Cubes: Blend fruit with a little water and freeze in ice cube trays.
- Tea Bags: Steep a herbal or fruit tea bag directly in your cold water.
- Splash of Juice: A small amount of 100% juice (like cranberry or pomegranate).
What words of advice or encouragement do you have for those who might be a little intimidated by the prep time?
When it comes to adding different fruits or things like that into your water to add some of that natural flavor, yes, it might take a little bit more time in order to really get that flavor to come out in that drink, but stick with it and be patient. Try to have that fruit or whatever added in there, whether it be the vegetable, herb or fruit, let it sit in there for at least 30 minutes. You can even put it in a pitcher and let that sit in the fridge overnight. That can be a way to really help that flavor seep into your water and just to really bring out those flavors.
Learn more about nutrition in your drinks.
