It’s almost summertime, and it’s getting easier to become dehydrated. Plain water can get boring, but lemon water can shake things up. Lemon water can be made in different ways, and it’s fun to experiment!
Starting with the basics, it’s good to know that putting a few lemon slices into a glass of water is not the best way to drink lemon water. To get the most health benefits from lemon water, you need to have a concentration of the juice itself infused into the water.
Warm lemon water is great for speeding up metabolism, but otherwise, it can be consumed at any temperature.
LEMON WATER RECIPE FOR INCREASING METABOLISM
For one glass of properly concentrated lemon water, squeeze the juice from half of a lemon into your cup, then add approximately 1/4 cup of cold water to it. Next, add about 1/3 cup of boiling water and gently stir the mixture.
LEMON ZEST WATER RECIPE
Simply use a zester to grate some lemon zest from an organic lemon’s rind into your water, then squeeze the lemon to extract the juice as well. This will add a little extra fibre and nutrients to your lemon water. Be sure to carefully scrub the rind under water first!
OTHER ADDITIONS TO LEMON WATER
Occasionally, it may be nice to switch things up and add some additional natural flavours and nutrients to your lemon water. Here are some fun, healthy ideas:
Ginger
Ginger is an easy go-to for detox drinks and it pairs very well with lemon in both taste and nutrition. Grate fresh ginger root directly into the water. For one big glass of lemon-ginger water, use the juice from 1/2 lemon and around a 1/2 inch piece of ginger root.
Honey
Especially nice in warm or hot lemon water, honey adds a sweetness and is easy on the throat. Honey is great for dealing with ulcers and digestive health, as it has antibacterial properties and contains lots of antioxidants. Just a quick note about honey: Raw, organic honey is the best option, as regular honey often has additives and is chemically processed. Raw honey also does not have refined sugar added. Use honey to your taste preferences.
Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs
Infusing lemon water with fruits and herbs provides almost unlimited potential combinations, however, some combinations do taste better than others. Herbs like mint and rosemary are good additions to lemon water, as are most berries, and other citrus fruits, such as grapefruits or limes. Even cucumber can be a great addition!
HOW TO MAKE INFUSED WATER
Infused water is easy to make, it looks beautiful, and it can be a lot of fun to experiment with. Here are the basic steps to making infused water:
- Using a glass pitcher will help your water taste fresher for longer and ensure no chemicals leach into your food, which can be a problem with plastic pitchers.
- Use very fresh produce that is close to being ripe, and that is not visibly bruised. Organic fruits and vegetables are preferred.
- When chopping your citrus fruits, cut them down the middle, squeeze the juice into the water, and then cut the fruit into thin slices moving incrementally towards the edges. Use a zester first before cutting, if you want to add any of the zest to the water.
- Remove the skin of other fruits as you slice them, to get as much of the juice of the fruit as possible.
- When adding herbs, keep them long but bruise them with a spoon or the edge of your knife. If you have a mortar and pestle, add the herbs to the mortar and give them a good muddling with the pestle before adding the herbs to the pitcher.
- Once all your lemons, fruit and vegetables, and herbs are added to the pitcher, add the water and store it overnight. You can leave it on the counter for an hour or two, then put it into the fridge, if you wish, to help infuse the water more strongly.
LEMON INFUSED WATER RECIPES
These ideas pair well with lemon and look beautiful, but the sky is the limit on your own creativity. Have fun creating your own unique and fun combinations!
Strawberry, Lemon & Mint – Just add sliced strawberries in with your lemons, then add fresh mint to taste.
Lemon and Lime – Thinly slice both lemons and limes, adding the juice and zest from the fruits as well. Other citrus fruits can also be added, which adds to the flavour profile and the refreshing colour palate of the fruit slices.
Lemon & Blackberries – Blackberries add an interesting purple tone to the water and are loaded with antioxidants.
Cucumber, Lemon & Cilantro – Slicing cucumbers is simple and the taste is refreshing. A little bit of cilantro adds an interesting twist.
Lemon, Thyme, Rosemary – The herbs should be fresh and kept long. Just muddle them a little bit to release the flavours from the leaves and stems and add in with the lemon slices.
Enjoy these recipes or get creative with your own ideas!
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