According to experts, infused water can provide us with a variety of health benefits in addition to tantalizing flavors and flavorful morsels of selected fruits or herbs.
For many of us, reaching the daily goal of drinking two to three litres of water can be as challenging as finding matching socks while stepping out.
Hydration is important for many crucial tasks of our body such as transporting nutrients and regulating body temperature.
However, how do we ensure we imbibe the targeted amount of water – it often becomes a hard task because we were so busy we forgot to do it; we found the drink boring, or its taste uninspiring.
Today, there are water bottles adorned with motivational quotes like ‘Keep chugging’, and ‘Almost there’ to encourage us to hit the hydration target.
Another smart way of keeping ourselves motivated towards water is this: add ingredients like fruits, herbs and spices to transform plain water into a flavourful drink. As US model and social media influencer Khloe Kardashian vouched for it.
Infused water is the current name. But it does more than just flavor the water; there are many advantages to it as well.
Infusion of energy
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Experts say the best time to have infused water is either before a workout or after waking up.
For Divya Naik, dietitian at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, a simple infusion of cucumber and lemon in water is enough to keep her energetic after some strength training. Since she follows it up with a cardio workout, which typically requires more energy, the infused water keeps her going.
“It is very refreshing and keeps me active. I go for one more round of cardio after the drink,” says Naik. Hydration with infused water can also support recovery after a workout, she says.
A bonus: Adding cucumber bits into the drink can also keep you cool and refreshed in summer.
Increasing all the good
Based on which ingredients go in, such as cucumber, berries or ginger, the water can be made antioxidant-rich. The good news is that a higher intake of antioxidants is associated with a lower risk of chronic health conditions like cardiovascular problems. It can also improve our metabolism and boost immunity, says Naik.
Reach for those nutrients
Aside from drinking infused water, fruits are a great source of vitamins. While preparing cocktails with lemons, Naik offers us some tips. Lemon peels should not be removed because they have more vitamin C than the pulp does.
This is emphasized by Divya Ravish, a dietician at HEAL in New Delhi. Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are full of vitamins A, C, and E as well as some B vitamins. In addition to nutrients like potassium, they also contain antioxidants. She adds that the anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-cancer properties of all these nutrients work together to promote our health.
Here are some suggestions for healthy pick-me-up infusions.
Ingredients:
Lemons, oranges, berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), watermelon, pineapple, mango, apples, cucumber, and grapes are just a few examples of fruits.
Mint, basil, rosemary, coriander, thyme, lavender, and any herbs of your choice
Spices of choice: cloves, cinnamon sticks, and ginger
vegetables of your choice: carrot, cucumber
Others include chia seeds, coconut water, lemongrass, hibiscus flowers, and
Divya Naik recommends taking the following mixtures in water, as she drinks them herself:
1.Ginger, lemon, and mint
2. a cucumber and a lemon
3. Mint and orange
4. Orange and kiwi
5. cucumber, mint, and lemon
6. strawberry, mint, and cucumber
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