In the morning after getting up, while exercising or at work, you sometimes suddenly feel thirsty and there is only one thing that helps: water. For me, water is indispensable in everyday life. It is healthy, quenches thirst like no other drink and the fresh taste cheers me up when I am feeling a little down. But we all know that drinking only water for long periods of time is sometimes just boring. Since I am not a big fan of pure juices and other sweet drinks, I am always on the lookout for delicious and, above all, sugar-free options.

Water with flavor

Especially now in the summer, I occasionally read great articles about how to spice up water with fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs - also known as infused water. Lemon in water has been around for countless years, so I'm surprised that water with a natural flavor has only really caught on in recent years. The great thing about infused water is that it doesn't have any additional or sugar-enriched ingredients other than water. I simply add fruit, vegetables or herbs of my choice to the water, let it steep for a while and my personal refreshing drink is ready.

Why drink infused water?

I rarely drink juice or other soft drinks; it's not for nothing that they are touted as luxury items. And as we all know, you should be a little more economical with pleasures. Most things that taste particularly delicious and sweet often contain a lot of sugar. But even though we all know how bad sugar is for us, we consume far too much sugar through juice and other soft drinks. That's hardly surprising, because the sugar business is not transparent. You have to look a little more closely at the numbers on the label to find out how much of the sweet substance is contained. And often the information is only given per 100ml, which doesn't sound like that much. Now honestly, who drinks 100ml of juice or cola?

Healthy, sugar-free, flavored water

Infused water simply has so many advantages that I rarely reach for other sweet drinks. It is delicious and, unlike juice or other soft drinks, tastes natural and refreshing. The basis of infused water - water - is healthy. It detoxifies the body, keeps you awake and fit and is simply indispensable for life. In addition, many fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants that help your body flush out bad substances. Flavored water has very little sugar, or only natural sugar, and you can decide for yourself how much of it you put in the drink by adding more or less fruit. Ultimately, flavored water has the decisive advantage that the main ingredient is pure water, with no additives, and therefore really quenches your thirst.

Preparing infused water

You can actually prepare infused water however you like. You just need fresh water to which you add fruit, vegetables and/or herbs of your choice. I always like to use tap water for this. Our tap water is of excellent quality and is also the most environmentally friendly option. I also save myself a lot of lugging around crates of water and the space in the shopping basket is therefore entirely dedicated to the fruit and vegetables, which I of course need as another ingredient for the infused water. I make sure that I buy the vegetables and fruit fresh and, if possible, seasonal and regional. That way I know that they are nice and fresh and have little impact on the environment. I also wash them thoroughly beforehand to rinse off small invisible impurities and thus avoid stomach aches. When chopping the ingredients, I vary them according to my mood. Sometimes a little coarser, sometimes finer, depending on how intense I want the taste to be. If I just want to add a touch of flavor to my water, I chop the fruit a little coarser. This means there are fewer places where it can release flavor and sweetness. If I want something a little more flavorful, I chop up as much as I can. This way, the water gets a lot of fruit juice and vitamins. If you put it in the fridge for a couple of hours, the flavor becomes particularly intense. In general, anyone can be creative when making infused water; it's all down to your personal taste.

Infused water recipes - everything is allowed

Of course, everyone has their favorite fruit and can put together their own recipe in no time. Nevertheless, it is sometimes nicer to get a few ideas and try out new ingredients and combinations that you may not yet know. Because sometimes you tend to only make what you already know and like. That's why I'm presenting my favorite recipes below, which I change from time to time as I please. Most of the recipe suggestions are intended for a good three quarters of a liter, which is enough for me for a few hours until I've finished my bottle. Depending on how much you want and need, it can of course be doubled or halved. It's not uncommon for me to simply top up with new water after drinking because the aroma is still intense, or I just drink water again without adding anything. :-) Here are some of my favorite recipes with fruit, vegetables and herbs.

Strawberry + Lemon

This drink is a strawberry dream. It's strawberry season right now and that means going out into the fields and picking strawberries. You only get them this fresh and sweet once a year. For this recipe, I use a quarter kilo of strawberries, washed and cut into slices or halves. The same goes for the lemon. Now all you have to do is fill the fruit with water and put it in the fridge to soak in. Then the flavor of the strawberries will develop even better.

Cherry + Pineapple

In addition to picking strawberries, you can of course also go and pick cherries - I love summer. Some of us are lucky enough to have our own garden or to visit our parents (in-law) in their garden every now and then. After a successful harvest, you can reward yourself with a delicious cherry-pineapple water and recharge your batteries. Simply halve the fresh cherries and remove the stones. Peel a pineapple, quarter it and cut it into thin slices. Fill it with water and either drink it straight away or let it steep for a while first. Cherries and pineapples quickly impart flavor to the water due to their high juice content.

Cucumber + Apple + Mint

For this recipe I use a quarter of a cucumber, washed of course, optionally peeled and cut into thin slices. I cut the apple into four pieces and then cut it into thin slices. Finally, I add a few fresh mint leaves, fill the fruit with water and leave the drink in the fridge for at least three hours or overnight. If you can't tolerate apple, you can leave it out. It tastes very good too.

Orange + Ginger

For this healthy refreshment, I use an orange and cut it into thin slices. The rind either stays on or, if you don't like it, peel the orange before cutting. For a slight spiciness, add fresh ginger in slices or thinly sliced ​​strips. A small bulb about the size of a hazelnut or walnut should be enough. Peeled ginger gives the water even more pep.

Watermelon + Basil

Watermelon and basil make an interesting, refreshing combination - definitely give it a try. I use a small bowl full of chopped watermelon, which I have of course peeled and pitted beforehand. Then I chop up freshly picked basil, which I always keep in a flowerpot on my windowsill, put everything in my drinking container and fill it with water as usual. Basil is amazingly delicious and goes well with more than just tomato sauce.

Grape + Orange

Grapes are so wonderfully sweet and healthy, this recipe is a must. To make it, I cut a large handful of grapes into small halves and remove the seeds if necessary. I also add an orange that I have cut into thin slices. Grapes need a little longer to release their flavor, so I recommend letting this drink sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

Have fun preparing and trying it out. :-)