4 Fruit Infused Water Recipes

Before I gave up caffeine in my teens, I rarely drank water. If pepsi wasn’t available I’d drink 2% milk- preferably ice cold, no matter what time of day it was! The only time I reached for a water bottle was on the soccer field (I played forward, defender and goalie for years!) but as soon as I got home it was pepsi or milk.

After suffering extreme headaches, which my doctor concluded were a result of caffeine withdrawals, I started paying attention to how terrible I felt every day at the same time of day. With nothing to lose, I cut out caffeine at eighteen, minimized my milk intake and discovered the importance of water. It’s been my drink of choice for seventeen years now (in addition to the occasional Sprite, thanks to indigestion during my pregnancy and a craving for sparkling lime that never completely went away)! But while water is refreshing on its own, I like to switch things up a bit sometimes by infusing it with fruits and herbs, especially when I can’t bring myself to drink enough.

If you’re guilty of not drinking enough water throughout the day, remember that water flushes out toxins and is key for healthy, glowing skin. The importance of daily water intake is often overlooked, and the fact that it isn’t as exciting to most as coffee, tea or soda, drinking enough is really hard for most people, although it makes a huge difference in how you feel and your overall health.

Here are 4 of my favorite fruit infused water recipes:

Strawberry + Basil | 12 sliced strawberries, a handful of fresh basil leaves, 10 cups of water and 4 cups of ice.

Watermelon, Mint + Cucumber | 1.5 cups of sliced watermelon, 10 cucumber slices, a handful of fresh mint leaves, 10 cups of water and 4 cups of ice.

Orange + Cranberry | 4 sliced oranges, a handful of cranberries, 10 cups of water and 4 cups of ice.

Strawberry, Cucumber, Lime + Mint | 8 sliced strawberries, 8 cucumber slices, 6 lime slices, handful of mint, 10 cups of water and 4 cups of ice.

Each recipe makes approximately 1 gallon. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before drinking, in order to bring out the flavors.