Fruit flavored water ideas are naturally flavored using fresh fruits and herbs, offering a healthy and refreshing way to quench your thirst!
Why is water so important?
Water is vital to our health. And that’s it! Not really, it’s that simple when it comes to the important role water plays in every bodily function. Every system in our body depends on water. Lack of water in our body, or dehydration, can reduce your energy, make you feel dizzy and cause muscle weakness.
Despite the fact that we know we should drink water, many of us do not meet the recommended amount. I know because I am sick and tired of drinking plain old water! That’s why I started naturally flavoring my water with fresh fruits and vegetables!
How much water do adults need?
There are two schools of thought when it comes to how much water our bodies need each day:
- Eight 8-ounce (oz) glasses of water/day: The “8’8 rule”—drink eight 8 oz glasses of water/day (about 1.9 liters). You could also refer to the rule as “drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluids per day” because all fluids count toward the daily total. Although this approach is not supported by scientific evidence, many people use this rule of thumb as a guideline for how much water and other fluids they should drink.
- Dietary recommendations: The Institute of Medicine recommends that men consume 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages/day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages/day. These guidelines are based on national food surveys that assessed individuals’ average fluid intake.
Ugh. 8 glasses or more seems scary, right?! Well, guess what?! Your diet, including ALL the beverages you drink, can provide a large portion of what you need.
Fruits and vegetables, in addition to serving as good sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber, contain a lot of water.
For example, oranges are 87% water and cucumbers 95%. Milk, juice and other drinks also have large amounts of water. In contrast, dried fruit, nuts, grain products and baked goods generally contain less water.
How much water do children need?
As a rule of thumb, to get enough water, your child or teen should drink at least 6 to 8 cups of water a day and eat the recommended number of servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Also, pay special attention to your child’s or teen’s water consumption when they are physically active. Before, during and after any physical activity, children should drink plenty of water, especially in hot weather.
You may need more water if…
- If you exercise or engage in any activity that makes you sweat, you will need to drink extra water to compensate for this fluid loss.
- The weather is hot or humid to lower your body temperature and replace the water you lose through sweating.
- You experience signs and symptoms of illness, such as fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding. Pregnant women need extra water to stay hydrated and replace lost fluids, especially when breastfeeding. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 2.3 liters (about 10 cups) of fluids/day and breastfeeding women consume 3.1 liters (about 13 cups) of fluids/day.
5 ideas for fruit flavored water
A trick I’ve been using this summer to meet my hydration needs is to naturally flavor my water with fruit! I usually end up mixing and matching options depending on what I’ve washed and prepared from product prep.
These 5 fruit flavored water ideas are definitely my family’s favorites. Mainly because they are flavored with our favorite fruits! For the water to fruit measurement, I do 2 liters of water [8 cups] in 1 cup of fruit [total- so if you are using 2 fruits mix a ½ cup of each]. If I’m adding fresh herbs, I’ll throw in whatever I have, which usually ends up being a ¼ cup sliced and then mixed.
- Cucumber Cooler: Mint + cucumber slices.
- Watermelon or strawberry basil: Strawberry slices + chopped fresh basil.
- Simple Citrus Fruits: Lemon + orange slices + thyme.
- Berry Breeze: Blueberries + mint.
- Lemon + Ginger Root: Just like it sounds.
All you need is a 2 liter pitcher or jar [you could use an 8-oz glass too and just eyeball how much fruit you need], a wooden spoon to mix fruit, ice cubes and water! Once you’ve chosen your flavor combination, place the fruit in the bottom of the jug. Stir to release some of the juices. Then add the ice and water and voila! Your thirst is quenched. Oh, and if you don’t have fresh fruit go ahead and use frozen. Then you probably won’t need ice cubes!
5 ideas for fruit flavored water Notification to X
The data comes from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Tables of Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). Recommended daily allowance and adequate intake values: Total water and macronutrients.
