By Accredited Practising Dietitian, Rebecca McPhee

We all know the benefits of staying hydrated, especially during the summer months, but drinking plain water every day can get boring. Supermarket fridges are stocked with colourful cans and bottles of water with added extras that promise to deliver your daily prebiotic fix, electrolytes and endless amounts of vitamins and minerals. While it is tempting to opt for something other than plain water, these drinks are often loaded with sugars and preservatives and don’t really offer any nutritional value, despite what the marketing may claim. If you are bored of plain water then here are some simple ways to jazz up your water without the extra sugar.

1. Add a burst of fruit flavour 
   Lemon, lime, or orange slices give water a refreshing, zesty flavour. Berries, kiwi, pineapple, or melon are also great additions.  

2. Try different herbs and vegetables 
   Add mint, basil, rosemary or ginger to your water. Cucumber slices also add flavour.  

3. Get creative with ice cubes 
   Make fancy ice cubes by freezing different ingredients such as a mint leaf, berries or chopped pineapple. You could also freeze fruit juice and add one cube to plain or sparkling water.  

4. Add some fizz 
   Sparkling mineral water adds some fun fizz without the extra sugar. Add a little fruit to a glass of sparkling water for a refreshing drink. 

5. Change the temperature 
   Try homemade iced tea in summer or a hot herbal infusion in winter. 

10 fruit infused water combos to try 

To make infused water fill a jug with water, wash and add your fruit and herbs, and leave to steep in the fridge. The longer you leave, the stronger the flavour. While you can drink the water immediately, most herbs will take an hour to release their flavour. Mint leaves can be gently rubbed to increase flavour. A general rule is to drink the infused water within 48 hours as the fruit can start to breakdown and some herbs will wilt. Lime slices can turn bitter after six to eight hours, so fish them out before then. Experiment with different flavour combinations and quantities of fruit. Enjoy! 

Cucumber + mint 

Pineapple + mint 

Orange + blueberry  

Watermelon + Basil  

Strawberry + mint 

Pineapple + mango  

Lemon + mint 

Apple + cinnamon