One of the hottest health trends out there is infused water, which is great with a small Brita pitcher. This beverage takes its flavor from any mixture of fresh fruits, herbs, and vegetables. You may be wondering if it has any health benefits to it. The answer is yes, plenty of them.
Eight Benefits of Infused Water
#1 Essential Hydration
Water is essential for human life and health. It helps the body transport oxygen and nutrients. It makes the skin softer and more supple. Water helps the body regulate its temperature. It can help with joint lubrication. It gives your muscles more energy to spend. It’s great for helping with bathroom regularity.
Drinking infused water helps boost hydration, because you tend to drink more of a flavorful beverage than plain water. Experts recommend drinking eight eight-ounce glasses (approximately 2 liters) of water every day. However, larger individuals should drink more.
#2 Increased Vitamin Intake
When you let fruits infuse with water, some of their vitamins go into the water. So, when you drink the infused water, you get more of those essential nutrients. The exact combination depends on your choice of fruits, herbs, and vegetables. Take lemon and lime for example. This combination has plenty of vitamin C, niacin, vitamin K, copper, calcium, zinc, and more.
You can tailor your flavor combination based on the vitamin mixture that will benefit you most. For example, turmeric and ginger carry anti-inflammatory properties as well as boosting the immune system. Cherries offer a boost of potassium and iron to help with slumber issues.
#3 Enhanced Flavor
Plain water usually doesn’t have a strong taste profile. That’s why it’s not a popular choice for those who drink soda or fruit juices regularly. Infusing fruit flavors helps boost its flavor and makes it a tasty beverage with few calories. Plus, it doesn’t have artificial sweeteners or flavors, which is better than diet beverages.
What flavors do you love? If they are fruit, herb, or vegetable-based, chances are you can use them in an infused water. Watermelon, strawberries, blue berries, coconut, and apples are great flavors to start experimenting with.
#4 Easier Food Digestion
Drinking plenty of water is a natural aid for food digestion issues. The fluid helps soften food and makes it easier for the intestine to absorb nutrients from it.
If you prefer to drink caffeinated soda, coffee or tea, you may experience constipation on a regular basis. All of those beverages dehydrate the body. Lack of fluid makes the stool harder to pass. When you drink water, you are countering this dehydration effect.
#5 Boosted Metabolism
Simply put, metabolism is how fast your body turns food into energy. When your metabolism is running faster than normal, you are burning more calories.
One study showed that drinking water boosted the metabolism by 30% within 10 minutes of consumption. It peaked about a half hour after consumption and didn’t wear off for an hour or more. This held true for both men and women.
Drinking water consistently throughout the day can keep that metabolism boost going longer.
#6 Improved Mood and Concentration
Some unexpected side effects of dehydration are problems with mood and concentration. Even a one-percent drop in hydration levels can affect someone’s ability to concentrate and to keep a stable mood.
When you drink infused water, your hydration levels go up. That also gives you a boost of energy, improves your mood, and enhances concentration levels. If you ever have a day when your energy is down or your mood is poor, drink some water and see what happens.
#7 Help with Weight Loss
Good hydration helps with weight loss. As stated before, it boosts your metabolic rate, which burns more calories. Drinking water also helps fill the stomach, which makes you feel fuller longer. People tend to eat less when their stomachs feel full, even with water. Another, lesser known effect, is the fact that the body uses water to move fat cells out of storage.
Studies have found that drinking water before meals can boost the amount of weight lost by up to 40%. If you want to lose weight, drink a 16-ounce glass of infused water before you sit down to eat. This will fill the belly and boost your metabolism.
#8 Efficient Immune Function
The body needs sufficient water to help carry off toxins, such as disease-causing bacteria. If toxins build up, it weakens the immune system’s ability to function efficiently.
Your body’s lymphatic system uses water to circulate lymph through the arteries, lymph vessels, and lymph nodes. Lymph is a clear liquid that helps clean your body tissues and drain waste out through the lymph nodes. These nodes act as filters for waste and toxins. If you don’t drink enough water, the lymphatic system can’t do its job efficiently.
Extra: Bring on the Flavor Combinations
One delightful dilemma of infused water consumption is exploring flavor combinations. If you’re ready to start this adventure, here are some suggestions to get you started:
- Orange and Ginger – The orange has plenty of antioxidants as well as a good supply of vitamin C, both of which help boost the immune system. Ginger is well-known for its anti-inflammatory properties as well as aiding with digestion.
- Cucumber and Mint – Mint can help with digestive issues and may enhance cognitive function. The cucumber packs plenty of fiber and antioxidants.
- Turmeric and Lemon – Turmeric helps reduce pain and inflammation, while boosting heart health. The lemon boosts the immune system, strengthens skin and teeth, and aids in weight loss.
- Blackberry and Orange – The blackberry comes packed with plenty of vitamin C, vitamin K, fiber and manganese. These help with blood and bone health. The orange has vitamin C and antioxidants.
- Lemon and Lime – Both lemons and limes are rich with antioxidants and vitamins. They are useful for weight loss, aiding digestion, fighting infections, and lowering blood sugars.
To get the vitamins and antioxidants to be infused into the water, they need to soak for at least a few hours. It’s better to let them sit overnight. That way you can be sure the maximum amount of nutrients have infused the water.
The benefits of infused water are plentiful and apparent. Plus, you get to experiment with different flavors to find your favorites. Which combination will you choose to try first?
Written By Steven Wood
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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