Quench your thirst with infused waters

As the warm sunny days of late summer and early autumn stretch before us, stay hydrated with delicious, ice-cold waters flavoured with fruits, herbs, and spices.

We all know the benefits of drinking plenty of water. A clear mind, improved digestion, and weight loss are just a few of them. But sometimes plain water can feel just a little boring. For those times, why not turn to infused waters? They’re refreshing, they contain next to no calories, and it’s fun to experiment with the endless flavour possibilities.

YOUR WORLD OF INGREDIENTS

For infused waters, use fresh fruit rather than tinned, as tinned fruit generally has added sugar.

In addition, the New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA) recommends that you avoid adding too much very acidic fruit to your infused water. Water has a neutral pH, and ideally our mouths are close to neutral most of the time as well. While too much sugar is a major factor in tooth decay, acidic foods and drinks can also damage tooth enamel, encouraging decay.

Almost all fruit is on the acidic side and will lower the pH of your water at least slightly. Don’t worry too much about a little bit of acidity, but you don’t want to be washing your mouth in a very acidic mix constantly, so bear in mind the acidity of the fruits you use. Here’s what you need to know.

Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits add sparkle to any drink. Lemon is the classic fruit to add to chilled water, but, along with lime, it’s particularly acidic, so use it sparingly in infused waters – if at all. Orange and kumquat are better choices. They tend to be the least acidic citrus fruit, and, in fact, are similar to berries in terms of pH.

Berries

Berries are middle of the range as far as acidity goes. You can use fresh or frozen berries of any kind for infused waters, bearing in mind that frozen berries break up more and go mushier. (If you want to eat the fruit floating in the drinks, choose fresh!)

Apples, pears, pineapple, and stone fruit

Like berries, these are all of middling acidity. Of course, the exact acidity also varies depending on factors such as the variety of fruit and how old it is. (General rule: unripe fruit is more acidic and older fruit is sweeter.) These fruits are readily available and often cheap, so what’s not to love? In particular, apples that are a little old and have lost their crunch can be put to delicious use in infused waters.

Banana

This might seem like a counterintuitive ingredient: bananas are not exactly juicy! However they impart a surprisingly delicious flavour to water and are less acidic than most fruits.

Mango, papaya, and figs

These are all great choices for flavour and acidity levels – with papaya and figs particularly low in acid. Melons Watermelon and, especially, rock melon and honeydew melon are only very slightly acidic. They impart wonderful subtle flavours and make excellent choices for infused waters!

Cucumber and beetroot

Who says use only fruit? Thinly sliced cucumber is another infusedwater staple. Beetroot isn’t quite so traditional but adds delicate flavour and stunning colour. Both are relatively low in acid.

Herbs and spices

A scattering of herbs or whole spices can make an infused water even more delicious. Herbs to try include mint (a classic!), lemon verbena, lavender, a few rose geranium leaves, fennel, coriander, or dill. Possible spices include cinnamon sticks, sliced fresh ginger, and whole star anise.

USING CARBONATED WATER

Carbonated water contains carbonic acid, so it will always make a more acidic infusion than still water. But if you love sparkling water and nothing else excites your tastebuds, then by all means use it. Short infusions will be best, before the water loses its fizz!

Basic infused water recipe

This recipe makes two litres – that’s the average amount of water an adult is recommended to drink in a day, so you could make this early in the morning, or the night before, then use it to keep you going throughout the day. Alternatively, it’s the perfect size to go with a household meal. What’s more, if you’re hosting a social event, there are bound to be guests who are trying to cut down on sugar or carbs and will appreciate the extra option of infused water.

INGREDIENTS

About 2 cups washed fruit, chopped or sliced

2 litres cold tap water

A few sprigs of herbs (optional)

A small handful of whole spice (optional)

METHOD

Put all your fruits, herbs, or spices in a jug, pitcher, or glass bottle.

Pour the cold water over the top.

Place in the fridge to chill and infuse for anything from half an hour to 8 hours. Give it a stir or two during that time.

The longer you leave the water, the more highly flavoured it will become. Serve when ready. Leave the fruit in: children especially will love to eat it as well as drink the water. Add ice cubes for extra chill if you’d like to.

TIPS

If you’re going to be making the water well in advance of drinking it, take the flavouring ingredients out after eight to 10 hours. You can then store the water, covered, in your fridge for two to three days. Add fruit slices or herbs as a garnish just before serving.

If you find yourself with fruit left over after the water is drunk, why not freeze and save for smoothies?

USING HERBAL TEAS

Another way to create delicious flavour is by infusing herbal teabags in your chilled water instead of fresh produce. Peruse the supermarket shelves and see what appeals – but do check the labels. Some herbal teas, especially fruity ones, have added sugar. You’ll want to avoid this.

As with the fresh fruit infused water, simply place the teabags in your vessel, pour in cold water, and chill, stirring very occasionally. Remove after one to eight hours.

You want to use one to two teabags per litre of water. (Any more than that and you’re making strong iced tea, rather than infused water.)

Why not experiment with fresh produce and herbal teas combined?

Some starter combinations

Infuse your water with a single ingredient or get creative. The sky’s the limit when it comes to combos of fruits, herbs, and spices, but here are a few ideas to get you started.

Watermelon + mint

Lots of strawberry + a few slices of lemon

Blueberry + orange

Rock melon or honeydew melon + ginger

Pear + rose geranium or lemon verbena

Pineapple + cinnamon

Cucumber + dill, fennel, or star anise

Pineapple + mango + banana

Apple + pear + cinnamon + lemon

STICKING WITH THE GOOD STUFF

Every time you reach for an icy glass of water – inluding infused water – you’re doing something kind for yourself.

The research has been in for a while: New Zealanders consume more sugar per capita than any other country in the OECD, and sugary drinks (soft drinks, energy drinks, flavoured milks, and juices especially, but also sugary tea and coffee) are the single biggest contributors to the sugar in our diets. On average, New Zealanders are consuming at least two or three times more sugar a day than the recommended daily allowance. The damage this is doing to our individual and collective health is massive.

But giving up sugary drinks can be tough, especially when we’re constantly bombarded with advertising messages telling us to consume more of them and when they’re so easily accessible in every supermarket, dairy, and petrol station.

Cutting something out of your life without finding a satisfying replacement for it is always tough. That’s where infused waters come in. Use all the hacks to make the change work for you.

Have a big jug of chilled infused water at the ready in the fridge at home or at work, so that it’s easier to reach for that than anything else.

Take a chilled bottle of infused water with you when you’re out and about.

You might want to experiment with flavours till you find an infused water recipe you love, or maybe the enjoyment for you is in trying out all the different possibilities. Do what makes you happiest.

Even if you replace just one sugary drink with an infused water now and then, you’re doing your health a favour. The more the better of course, but know that, every time you choose water over a sugary drink, it does make a difference.

RESOURCES

For more on how much water you should be drinking, see our hydration guide by dietitian Helen Gibbs in the Summer 2019 issue of Diabetes Wellness.

For exact details on the whopping amounts of sugar in soft drinks (and more), see the infographics at www.nutritionandactivity.govt.nz/ nutrition