Infuse your drinking water + giveaway winner

Drinking enough water is one of the best things you can do for your body; it helps regulate body temperature, protects vital organs, keeps your skin looking good, energizes muscles … the benefits are numerous. Now that the warm weather is here, I'm promising myself to drink more water. To make it more interesting and beautiful (I'm all about elevating the mundane) I'm making it my summer routine to drink infused water.

Simply put, infused water is water to which fruits, veggies, herbs and/or spices have been added.

There are loads of claims floating about the web about the benefits of drinking infused water. It flattens your belly! It's the ultimate detox and weight loss secret! It boosts your immunity!

I think those things happen only because you choose to drink infused water INSTEAD of juices, soda and vitamin waters.

The main benefit of infused water is increased hydration. Infused water is pretty, which is important because you eat and drink with your eyes. If a beverage looks colorful and healthy, you're more inclined to drink it, which helps keep you hydrated.

Honestly, a pitcher of infused water on a dinner party table can be like beautiful art. Plus kids seem to really like infused water, too. One time, I added cinnamon sticks to the water and my son said his friends talked about it for days.

Today, I used what was on hand and came up with an infusion of cucumbers, lemons, and limes along with a few sprigs of fresh mint for a subtle touch of sweetness.A good rule of thumb is to infuse for 1-2 hours at room temperature or in the fridge for 3-4 hours to achieve potent flavor. If you like your water strong and tangy like I do, infuse overnight or up to 12 hours.

Be careful with citrus rinds! They can create bitter flavors after just a few hours. One way to avoid this is to remove the rinds.

As you drink, remember to add more water to your container when the water is half way down. That way, you mix the flavorful water with the new water. After a day or so, the flavour will be diminished and it will be time to make a new batch.

Also, you can eat the leftover cucumbers for their fiber and nutritional content. I always thought cucumber didn't pack much of a nutritional punch, however, cucumber is chock full of goodness - vitamins C, A, and K plus calcium, iron and potassium.

Over the summer I plan to post more refreshing concoctions of infused water. The options seem limitless. Fun!

Now for the winner of the kitchen towel giveaway:

Mary Lovelace

Congratulations Mary.  Send me your address and I'll get them to you ASAP.

And thank you everyone else for participating, and for all your nice comments. Thank you.  I'll do another giveaway soon!

xo