It's sure trendy. But is it healthier?
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| | Men and women are supposed to get at least 15.5 and 11.5 cups of total water a day, respectively. While some fluid comes from the foods we eat, that's still a lot of water to drink each day, especially if you aren't thrilled about drinking a tasteless beverage all day. But what if there were a way to make water … sexier? Say, by infusing it with your favorite fruits and herbs? | | Infused water has been making the rounds on social media for years now. In addition to being a tasty solution to hydration, many people claim that infused water can boost your immune system, ease inflammation, and benefit your health in other impressive ways. But are these claims for real? Below, registered dietitian and Wellos coach Kirsten Seele gives her two cents. | | | | Bottoms up!
Ginger Wojcik
Newsletter Editor, Healthline |  | | Written by Ginger Wojcik
March 19, 2024 • 3 min read | | | | | Powered by | |  | |  | | | Q: | Is the health hype around infused water legit? | | | A: | Adding fruit, herbs, and/or vegetables to a vessel of drinking water for a few hours or days is known as infusing water. People have been doing this for many years, and lately it has become popular as a way to increase water intake. Infusing water can give it more flavor, or a little "character," as I like to say. This may help you feel more motivated to hydrate, which can be especially hard to do in the winter months!
There's some back-and-forth about whether this process makes the water healthier, though. Theoretically, it's possible that water-soluble vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium could leach out into the water throughout the infusion process. And if this were the case, water infused with ingredients such as citrus fruits, which contain immune-supporting vitamin C and anti-inflammatory antioxidants, could provide subtle benefits.
Many variables in this process — such as infusion time and ratio of water to mix-ins — probably affect vitamin and mineral levels. However, it's hard to make definitive health claims about the nutrient levels of infused water since it's not a highly studied topic.
You may benefit more by squeezing and/or muddling fruits and veggies into the water (think raspberries and mint leaves) than by infusing, because that will extract more nutrients into the water than simply letting them soak. Another factor to keep in mind is the water ratio. The more fruits, veggies, and/or herbs you add to your water-infusing vessel, the more nutrients you'll end up with.
Of course, there's no replacement for eating whole fruit to ensure we get all the nutrients we need, including the fiber that fruit offers us. So, in summary, infuse water for the flavor to help you increase your water intake, but be sure to keep up with your daily servings of fruits and vegetables too.
Want to give water infusion a try? These nine recipes can get you started. (FYI: Be sure to refrigerate any infused water after 2 hours. It can last up to 3 days in the fridge.) | |  | | Written by Kirsten Seele
Wellos Coach and Registered Dietitian | | | Wellos optimizes your nutrition and lifestyle by helping you make changes that are easy to manage. Every member is different, and Wellos provides tools and tracking built around the outcomes you want to achieve. | | Wellos is a sister brand of Healthline. | | | | | | | On the rocks | | | | | | |  | | BIDFUL Large Sphere Ice Cube Tray | | Will owning these spherical ice cube molds improve your happiness? It's hard to say for sure. But we think it's worth a try. And if you're into the infused water, you can add fruits and veggies directly to these large molds to have infused ice on hand whenever you like. | | | | Every product we recommend has gone through either Healthline's or Optum Store's vetting processes. If you buy through links on this page, we may receive a small commission or other tangible benefit. Healthline has sole editorial control over this newsletter. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. Healthline and Optum Store are owned by RVO Health. | | | | | | | | | | | |  | | Wellos is a sister brand of Healthline. | | | | Wellos provides health tracking, personalized insights, physician-backed resources, and so much more to help you achieve lasting results. Start your 14-day free trial now! | | | | | | | | | | | What we're digesting | | 😞 What causes both headache and fatigue? Plus, when it's time to see a doctor. | | 🐟 Fish for dinner! If you're a woman with depression, eating these foods may ease your symptoms. | | 🚰 One way to fight against microplastics? Now this is an interesting suggestion. | | 🐟 What to eat during an ulcerative colitis flare. Plus, common triggers to avoid. | | | Thanks for reading, chaps! We'll be back on Thursday with expert tips for keeping your heart healthy. See you then! | | | Until next time, |  | Take care of yourself, and we'll see
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