Hydration Libation: How to flavor your water so it’s more fun to drink.

A 3 minute read

Thirsty? You need hydration fast… 

When your body needs water your brain sends the signal of thirst, telling you that your NEED hydration – an essential survival mechanism.  I always advise my clients to drink and maintain hydration before they feel thirsty. Read on for some of my favorite ways to kick up your daily water intake to get you through August well hydrated.

Having a pre-filled glass or stainless water container always on hand is one of the best habits we can practice to achieve proper hydration. I keep a wine carafe filled with filtered water on my desk because it helps me keep track of how much I need to drink.  I strive for one in the morning (36 ounce) and one in the early afternoon.   A 36 ounce (quart) mason jar is great for keeping your daily hydration on track.

How much water should you drink each day?  For the average healthy person, divide your weight in pounds and drink that many ounces each day.  If you weigh 140 pounds, strive to drink 70 ounces of water each day (requirements vary depending on body weight, season of the year and exercise intensity). One way to easily assess the adequacy of your water intake is to look at your urine. Clear urine indicates adequate hydration.

I know for many of you reading this blog, the above recommendation sounds like A LOT of water. Read on for ways to make this a lot more tasty and doable.

Now, I love water, but sometimes I (and my clients) am looking for something a little less…meh. The requisite lemon wedge is always nice, but we’re often left wanting more. Let’s explore some ways to jazz it up a bit and transform your water from hydration to libation.  Here is a simple formula with some recipes to try:

MUDDLED FRUIT + HERBS + WATER + CITRUS + OPTIONAL ADD-INS

MUDDLED FRUIT: Soft fruits work best. Use a drink muddler or place fruit in a bowl and break it up with a fork. Always use organic fruits for these hydration additions.

●      Berries.

●      Ripe nectarines or peaches coarsely chopped

●      Pitted cherries

●      Watermelon

●      Melon

HERBS: Here are a few of our favorite combinations – just chop coarsely and muddle with fruit before adding liquids.

●      Mint + Watermelon

●      Basil + Peach

●      Rosemary + Grapefruit

●      Sage + Blackberry

●      Lemon verbena + ANYTHING!

●      Cilantro + Lime + Honeydew

LIQUID BASE: Go for color and flavor.

●      Herbal Tea – We love hibiscus for its gorgeous color and rich flavor. Steep four bags in a cup of boiling water to increase the density of flavor. Our favorite brand is Republic of Tea.

●      Green Tea – Everything from matcha to classic green, it’s all good. Be sure to select organic teas.

●      Lemon Tea – Add the rind from a lemon to 2 cups of boiling water. Simmer for 5 minutes then let sit to infuse.  Warm lemon water is how I start my day.  I drink 6 ounces before I have my morning coffee.

●      Ginger Tea – Peel and coarsely chop 2” piece of ginger and bring to a boil in two cups of water. Simmer for 5 minutes then let sit to infuse.

CITRUS: Squeeze in to finish and add some slices for visual impact.

●      Lime

●      Lemon

●      Orange

●      Grapefruit

ADD-INS:

●      Splash of sparkling water – Everyone loves a little fizz!

●      Cucumber – Nothing screams refreshing quite like cucumber! Just peel and process in a blender to purée. About 1/2 cucumber per drink works.

●      Chia seed – Add chia seed to make a Chia Fresca! This seed holds more than 30x its weight in water and can help maintain hydration long after you have emptied your glass. Try adding 1 teaspoon to your glass and stir well. Let sit for 10 minutes before drinking.

●      Stevia or a touch of agave for added sweetness

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: Try these delicious recipes

●      Cilantro-Lime Melon Cooler: honey dew + cilantro + matcha green tea + lime juice + cucumber

●      Ultimate Aqua Fresca: strawberry + mint + hibiscus tea + lime + sparkling water

●      Fuzzy Peach-Basil Chia Fresca: peach + basil + peach green tea + lemon + chia seed

●      Blackberry-Sage Cooler: blackberries + sage leaf [just one will do] + berry green tea + sparkling water

●      Citrus Rosemary Refresher – nectarine + rosemary [just a few leaves with stem for garnish] + green tea + grapefruit + cucumber.

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