6 Infused Water Recipes (Incredibly Refreshing And Fun!)

Struggle to drink enough water every day? Try these refreshing and colorful infused water recipes! They’ll not only keep you hydrated but also add a burst of delicious flavor to your daily hydration routine.

Have you ever tried to make infused water at home?

You keep reading everywhere about how good water is for you and how important drinking enough water is for our bodies.

But let’s face it: if you are like me, the taste of plain water isn’t something to be super-excided about.

I am not one of those people who walk around with a water bottle all the time.

I struggle to drink enough, anyway…

This is why, in the winter, I always drink plenty of green tea and herbal infusions. Having something flavorful helps me to drink more.

But what about summer?

That’s when these refreshing and colorful infused water recipes come to the rescue!

But what is infused water?

Infused water is simply water infused with the flavor of natural fruit, herbs, and vegetables (yes, vegetables!). The fruit, herbs, and veggies release their flavors into the water, giving it a magical taste. 

But because the taste is made by simply infusing the flavor, infused water contains pretty much no calories.

Plus, a glass full of colorful fruit and herbs looks so joyful that all you want to do when you have it in front of you is to drink it!

How to make infused water

Making infused water at home is so easy! You just need some fresh fruit, veggies, herbs, and, of course, some fresh drinking water.

Simply wash and cut your fruit and veggies and add them to cold water (or water at room temperature).

You can decide how much fruit, veggies, and herbs to use depending on your taste and the amount of water you are infusing.

Some fruit, like lemons and oranges, will release their flavor straight away, while others, like blueberries, will take an hour or so.

I normally let my infused water sit in the fridge for 30 minutes and up to 2 hours before drinking it!

Lemons, oranges, grapefruits, and limes (or any other citrus fruit) can release a bitter, sour flavor in the water if you let them sit in there for too long. If you find it too strong, don’t let the water infuse for more than an hour, or simply peel the fruit before adding it to the water.

You can make infused water in a bottle or simply add some pieces of fruit into a glass and keep pouring cold water into it.

If I am working at my desk, I prefer the second option, as having fruit in my glass makes my water look more inviting, and I end up drinking more.

But if I am preparing it for the evening or if I have some friends over, I normally make it into glass bottles.

Let’s jump straight into my favorite infused water combinations!

These quantities are for a glass bottle like this one. If you want to just fill one glass of infused water, simply divide each quantity by 4.

My 6 Favorite Infused Water Recipes

1. Blackberries, Oranges, and Thyme

Add the blackberries, oranges, and thyme to a glass bottle.

Fill the bottle with cold water and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

2. Grapefruit, Raspberries & Rosemary

Add the grapefruit, raspberries, and rosemary to a glass bottle.

Fill the bottle with cold water and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

3. Lemon, Lime & Ginger

Add the lemon, lime, and ginger to a glass bottle. Fill the bottle with cold water.

Lemon and lime release their flavors quite quickly, so this infused water is ready to drink in around 15 minutes.

Feel free to peel the lemon and lime if you are planning to infuse for longer, as this will avoid a bitter taste. 

4. Blueberries, Strawberries, Lemon & Thyme

Add the lemon, blueberries, strawberries, and thyme to a glass bottle.

Fill the bottle with cold water and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

5. Cucumber, Mint & Lime

A classic!

Add the lime, cucumber, and fresh mint to a glass bottle. Fill the bottle with cold water.

Cucumber, mint, and lime release their flavors quite quickly, which means this water is great to drink after only a few minutes.

It’s one of my favorites to make if I am in a hurry and can’t be bothered to wait around.

6. Mango, Coconut & Kiwi

I love tropical flavors! This infused water reminds me of my Piña colada overnight oats.

Simply add the sliced mango, kiwi, and coconut flakes to a bottle and fill with water. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

You can also use fresh coconut if you have it handy. I used coconut flakes for convenience.

Remember to wash extremely well all the fruits, vegetables, and herbs. And if your budget permits, use organic produce.

Infused water F.A.Q.

Is drinking infused water good for you?

Let’s be clear: anyone who claims that infused water is going to help you to lose weight or magically detox your body isn’t completely honest!

But what infused water or any naturally flavored water can do for you is to help you to drink more.

And drinking more water and less sugary drinks is incredibly good for you.

Is infused water healthy?

Infused water is incredibly healthy. It’s pretty much simple plain water that has the added benefit of having some twinkle in its favor. 

I could sit here, writing about all the health benefits of each ingredient you can add to the water, but the reality is that although you get some refreshing flavor from the fruit, veggies, and herbs, you are not juicing or blending any of it.

This means you are not really adding calories to the water (win!), but you are also not getting much of the benefits from the vitamins and nutrients contained in the fruit and veggies (boo!).

But this does not make infused water less healthy. Quite the opposite!

It’s just an easier way to get all the benefits you get from plain boring water but with some added sparkles in the flavor.

Can you drink infused water every day?

Let me ask you a question: can you drink water every day? Yes!

So, you have your answer. Infused water is just plain, flavorful water. You can drink it as much as you like without any side effects (other than having to pee a thousand times a day!).

Is infused water good for weight loss?

There are some studies that show that drinking more water can help you lose weight. It can make you feel full for longer, which helps you to eat less. Plus, some studies show that drinking more helps to burn more calories. 

And infused water is pretty much the same as plain water, so yes. It’s perfect to help you to keep your weight in check.

How long should you infuse water?

After trying different timings, I discovered that I prefer to infuse my water for no more than 30 minutes to an hour at room temperature.

Or for up to 3 hours in the fridge. Any longer than that, and I find it too strong for my liking.

If you want to make more and keep it for longer, the best thing to do is to remove the fruit, veggies, and herbs from the water and keep it in the fridge, but for no more than 3 days.

How long can fruit stay in infused water?

If you keep it in the fridge, fruit, vegetables, and herbs can stay in the water for up to a day.

If you keep it at room temperature, don’t leave the fruit longer than 2-3 hours to avoid bacteria growth.

Can you eat the fruit after infusing water?

Yes, of course you can! But you might be disappointed!

The fruit will pretty much taste like water as it releases all the flavors in the water itself. I still eat it, though!

First, I don’t like to waste it!

Second, you still get the vitamins and fibers in it, even if it doesn’t taste like much!

Can you reuse the same fruit over and over again?

It really is up to you. Every time you re-use the same fruit, veggies, and herbs, you are going to lose flavor.

I normally make my infused water in a glass and add some extra water after I drink half of it.

That way, I can mix the first batch of flavorful water with the new water, which helps to keep the flavor stronger.

You can do the same if you make your infused water in a bottle. Just add some fresh water when the bottle is half empty.

Also, keep in mind that some fruits and veggies have a stronger flavor and are better suited to be infused more than once. Citrus fruits, pineapple, and herbs like mint can be re-used 2-3 times. Fruits like strawberries, peaches, or watermelon tend to lose their flavor quickly.

Benefits of infused water

As I said above, the real benefits of infused water are the same benefits of drinking more water every day.

Drinking more water every day has plenty of benefits for you:

• Improves digestion: drinking more water helps you to maintain regular bowel movements. And we all know how important being regular is to your health. It can reduce bloating and constipation, and it’s great to keep your gut healthy.
• Increase your energy levels: before I started drinking more herbal teas and infused water, I often ended up with a headache caused by dehydration. Drinking more helps you to increase your energy levels and can make you happier.
• Helps with weight loss: there are studies that show that drinking more water can increase your metabolic rate by up to 30%. Plus, it helps you to reduce hunger, especially if you drink before your meals.

More Healthy Drinks You’ll Love

• Green Detox Smoothie
• Carrot Cake Smoothie
• Matcha Smoothie
• Date Smoothie
• Healthy Berry Smoothie
• 15 Best Detox Juices To Boost Your Energy
• 25 Best Detox Smoothie Recipes

If you try these infused water recipes, please leave a comment and a rating and let me know how much you liked them!

Did you make this recipe? Tag @gatheringdreams on Instagram. I want to see it!