Not everybody has a taste for water, but we all need it to ensure that our bodies continue functioning at their best. A lot of people struggle with getting the appropriate amount that they need. If you want to drink more water, but aren’t crazy about the taste, here are some tips that can make it more enjoyable:
- Add fresh fruit. Citrus fruits-lemons, limes, and oranges—are the classic enhancers. Put fresh raspberries or watermelon into your water or add strawberry slices. Cucumber and fresh mint are refreshing flavors as well, especially in summer.
- Use juice. Any fruit juice can be a good base flavor for water, but tart juices—cranberry, pomegranate, grape, and apple—are especially delicious and will have you craving more. Go for juices that are all natural with no added sugar. And remember that fruits and their juices don’t just taste good, they contain vitamins and antioxidants that can also benefit your health.
- Make it bubbly. Many people prefer sparkling to still water. If plain old water isn’t inspiring to you, try a mineral water or try bubbly seltzer, a carbonated water. You can add fresh fruit or natural juice flavors to your seltzer or look for naturally flavored seltzers at your grocery store.
- Get icy. Some say that ice water tastes better than water served at room temperature. If that’s so, flavored ice cubes may make an even better drink. Use some of the flavoring suggestions above and start experimenting with fresh fruit, mint, or cucumber ice. Add flavors to your ice cube tray along with the water, then freeze. You may also consider juice, tea, or coffee cubes. If you want to be more creative, use ice cube trays that come in fun shapes like stars, circles, or fish.
- Drink tea. Herbal, fruit, green, white, and red teas are generally considered to be better for you than black teas because they contain little to no caffeine. And there are countless flavors of these teas to choose from.
- Try bouillons and broths. If you lean toward the savory, you may pass on tea and start sipping one of these hot and savory liquids instead. Choose low-fat and low-sodium versions. Since soup is water-based, a cup of hot soup will count toward your daily fluid intake.
- Add fast flavor. If you’re looking for a quick-and-easy flavor booster, you might also consider sugar-free drink mixes like Crystal Light.
