Years ago I found that the best way for me to stay hydrated and to drink more water was to infuse it with nature’s bounty.  The joyful change of simply adding delicious flavors directly from my garden made drinking water a low-calorie and in-expensive treat.

As a naturalist, I am very aware of how important it is to drink an ample amount of water each day. Our amazing bodies need water to function correctly. In fact, most living organisms need water to survive. Every morning, I start my day by drinking two 8-ounce glasses of water. But, here’s my problem:  I do not like the taste of water. I know that water is supposed to be tasteless; however, when I turn on the tap water, I can smell the chlorine and it turns me off. I have a Brita filter, which helps, but I found a much better and delicious solution — infused water.  It tastes great and makes me feel happy.

I love the taste of fresh herbs, fruit, berries, and, sometimes, vegetables in my infused water. It’s like I have a wide variety of spa water at my fingertips.  

 There are many reasons for making this delicious, refreshing treat:

• It is economical.
• It takes very little time to prepare.
• It includes no sugar additives.
• Using your own creativity, you can make a variety of flavors.

Just think about how fun it would be to create a spa water bar for your summer picnics and barbecues.

Nature infused water a great way to stay hydrated and offers something special and healthy for your guests.

I found experimenting with what is in the growing season in my garden to be the most delicious. Removing citrus rinds before adding them to the water will reduce any of the bitterness.  In place of filtered water, you may want to try carbonated water for a bubbly treat.

Try three of my favorite blends here under Recipes.  If you have your favorite blends for infused water please share them below in our comments.  We’d love to hear from you.

This experience was shared by OPL Naturalist Yvonne Dwyer.

Learn more about Yvonne.