What’s the Hype and Do they Work?
Miss Pollyanna has always been an avid Water Advocate. For as long as I have known her, she carries around a flask full of fresh water and drinks it like it’s going out of fashion. When I get ill, the first thing she tells me is that if I drink water with Himalayan Salt, I will feel much better. Most of the time she is right, but I can’t deny that 90% of the time I am a cynic. I would reach for the paracetamol before salt water any day of the week!
Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t like water – it’s just that I find it boring.
However, the older I get, the more I am realising that I really should have listened to ‘some’ of the advice my mother gave me as a child. Moisturise each and every night, floss, take care of your eyes and wear your glasses when you need to, because your sight will get worse if you don’t, and most importantly, drink water. As much as you can, as often as you can. Supposedly it helps the skin, revitalises you – and well, seeing as we are made up of of around 70% water, it can’t be bad for you. But like I said. I find it boring. I would much rather drink sparkling water with lime juice, or a refreshing orange juice, or hell a G&T… Tonic is after all water isn’t it…? Well kind of!
So now that my body clock is ticking away and the wrinkles etch ever deeper into my skin, I wonder if maybe my mother (and Miss Pollyanna) are right. Lately I have seen so many posts on social media about “infused waters” and I couldn’t help but wonder what all the fuss was about. So I did a little digging. It turns out that Amy from Infusedwaters.com was on a mission. She had tasked herself to find ways to make water more interesting so she would be able to drink more. Make it palatable, fun. And in the process also take advantage of the health benefits from some of the ingredients she would use for her infusions. Her mission became an instant hit, with people all around the world jumping on the band wagon. So – not one to miss out on the latest fad, I decided to give it a go!
Here are a 5 examples of Water Infusions and my (personal) critique:
Name : Strawberry, Mint and Lime
Benefits : Strawberries are packed with antioxidants, and limes are an excellent anti-aging weapon. Mint helps with the digestive system by activating salivary glands.
Verdict: I liked this one. Be careful not to use too much lime because it can be quite overpowering – and the strawberry will colour the water, but it’s a really refreshing one to drink after dinner when you have had a stomach full of food. The mint really does seem to help with digestion!
Rating : 3 Stars
Name : Orange, Lemon and Ginger
Benefits : Orange helps with circulation, lemon is a digestive aid and ginger helps with the immune system
Verdict : This is a really nice one for those who love fresh orange, but be careful how much ginger you add. It is an acquired taste, but for those who like fresh smoothies with ginger, this is a really nice refreshing water alternative.
Rating : 3 Stars
Name : Cucumber, Raspberry, Grape
Benefits : Cucumber is hydrating and flushes out toxins. Raspberries are an anti-inflammatory and grapes contain cancer-fighting properties.
Verdict : This is really nice, but one I would drink at lunch time rather than the morning. It feels more like a desert than a morning wake up drink. Also, you may need to strain out some of the Raspberry pulp. Annoying yes, but worth it.
Rating : 2 Stars
Name : Lemon and Cucumber
Benefits : Lemon is a digestive aid and Cucumber flushes out toxins and helps joint health.
Verdict : This one is my favourite. It is really refreshing and is great to drink in the morning to wake up with. Perfect for drinking by the pool and a great alternative to my ‘sparkling water with lime’.
Rating : 5 stars
Name : Watermelon and Basil
Benefits : Basil is proven to reduce stress and helps to detoxify the liver and keep your skin free of blemishes. Watermelon helps to reduce blood pressure and contributes to a healthy metabolism.
Verdict : This one is unusual, but incredibly addictive. I would never have thought to put basil in water, but it is really tasty and the watermelon is incredibly refreshing.
Rating : 4 Stars
So it seems I may be eating a small slice of humble pie while I sip on my infused water. I have found myself drinking almost four times the amount of water I would normally drink and I am enjoying it so much more than I ever imagined I would. So instead of reaching for a can of fizzy pop, infuse some water. Take a look at the infusedwater.com website, and work your way through the recipes until you find the one you like the most. I know I will be.
