Ways to make water more appealing

Most people choose beverages for reasons little to do with thirst.  It could be for the stimulating effect of caffeine in coffee, tea, or sodas.  They may choose fluids such as soups, milk, juice, or other beverages at mealtimes.  They believe they need added nutrients in sugar-sweetened “vitamin” waters.  They think they need the carbohydrate in sports drinks for all physical activities – few exercisers do unless they are vigorously exercising for at least 90 minutes.  They drink hot beverages to warm up or cold ones to cool off.  Or they drink for pleasure – for the aroma of coffee, the sweet taste of sugar, or the euphoria of alcohol.  On each of these drinking occasions, with or without their awareness, people make choices among high-calorie and lower-calorie beverages.

But what is the one beverage not mentioned above?  The one beverage composing approximately 60% of our body weight, is a transport vehicle for all the nutrients and wastes, and without it our cells would die quickly.

That one beverage is water.  Water is our most indispensable nutrient – we don’t make or store it and without water, it would only be a matter of days before we would succumb to death.  

Our water needs vary widely among individuals according to the foods a person eats, the air temperature and humidity, the altitude, and activity level.  However, the recommendation for water intake the average man needs 13 cups of fluid each day while the average woman requires about 9 cups. 

Yet many people will drink calorie-laden beverages that can contribute to weight gain or are not drinking adequate fluid to begin with.  They choose not to drink plain water usually because they don’t like the taste or they find it boring.

How to make plain water less boring

How can water be jazzed up and not quite so boring?  What can be done to make water more appealing without resorting to artificial sweeteners?  Here are some ideas for adding interest to the taste of plain water using natural ingredients without added sugars or artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavors:

·      Steep a cinnamon stick in a cup of water.  Mix 1-2 tablespoons of this concentrate with a glass of ice and water to add flavor.  For variety, add a slice or two of fresh apple to the mix.

·      Add a splash of 100% fruit juice to flavor and color plain or sparkling water naturally.

·      Add the flavor of fresh fruit, such as berries or melons, to your water with a water infuser.

·      Crush fresh herbs and steep them in a glass or pitcher of water in the refrigerator overnight.  Add fresh citrus slices, such as lemon or lime, before drinking.

·      Try a mixture of herbs and fruit, such as strawberries and basil or watermelon and mint to add a more complex flavor to water.

·      Add flavored ice cubes to your water.  Freeze coffee, water with berries, pureed pineapple, or even whole grapes, and use them in place of regular ice cubes to cool and flavor your water.

·      Add cucumbers slice to your water to give it a subtle, refreshing taste.

·      Brew extra coffee, tea, or herb tea, refrigerate and enjoy it chilled or over ice.