Learn how to make detox water for weight loss and wellness by adding fruits, vegetables and herbs to fresh water. Also known as fruit infused waters, these drinks are hydrating, full of nutrition, can boost energy, metabolism, support weight control, and clear skin.
Learn how to make detox water for weight loss and wellness that helps support many body processes and is easy and inexpensive to make. Add a variety of combinations of fruits, vegetables and herbs to water to create various fruit infused waters and enjoy staying hydrated and lose weight if that's your goal!
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Why You'll Want Infused Water
What it is. Infused water, also called a detox drink, is any combo of fruits, veggies and herbs immersed in water and steeped in cold for at least 4 hours.
Why it's good for you. The resulting water is full of flavor and nutrients and makes it very easy to consume enough water to meet your body's needs, providing essential hydration, and giving you essential nutrients, you can only get from fruits and veggies in water.
It helps with weight loss. Infused water assists in weight loss efforts in three ways.
- It provides a drink to reach for that is both flavorful and distracting so you can avoid more caloric snacks.
- It satisfies hydration which in turn makes you feel full.
- Drinking infused water boosts your metabolism so you burn more calories.
Tools You'll Need
1. A Paring knife, a Spoon
2. Pitcher or jar. Use an ordinary pitcher or one with a lid, or even a fancy infused water pitcher with a built-in strainer which allows you to pour off the water, leaving the fruits and vegetables behind.
Detox Water Ingredients
Fruits to Add to Infused Water
Adding fruits to detox water usually enriches the water with micronutrients, polyphenols, flavonoids, and a slew of vitamins. Fruits also are wonderful at adding sweet and fruity flavors to infused water. Choose 2 fruits.
Grapefruit - boosts metabolism, strong weight-loss effect
Apples - fights disease, raises metabolism
Cherries - pitted and sliced add traces of sleep-supporting melatonin
Strawberries - fights disease, high in vitamin C
Blueberries - supports bones heart and menopause
Raspberries - supports skin bone and organs
Blackberries - boosts antioxidants, high in vitamin C
Mango - supports skin lungs and red blood cells
Pineapple - supports joints with anti-inflammatories
Coconut Meat, young thai coconut meat adds potassium, electrolytes, and sweetness
Oranges - boost vitamin C & folate
Lemon - alkalizes, boosts vitamin C
Lime - supports skin, aids with constipation, adds sweetness
Cherries - supports sleep & de-stresses
Kiwi - system purifier
Honeydew - anti-aging properties
Cantalope - anti-inflammatories
Watermelon - prevents water retention
Passionfruit - adds lovely scent, and anti-oxidants
Herbs to Add to Infused Water
Fresh herbs add flavor and fragrance to infused water, and often support detoxing. You can add ground or powder herbs and spices, but fresh is best. Choose up to 1 herb.
Ginger - supports digestion, reduces appetite
Sage - supports memory, boosts antioxidants
Rosemary - boosts vision and memory
Cinnamon stick - balances sugar, adds scent
Fennel - calms digestive distress
Mint - supports digestive tract
Chamomile - calms nervous system
Lemon balm - adds citrus scent
Lavender - floral scent, supports calm
Basil - adds anti-bacterial properties
Tarragon - boosts mood, high in magnesium
Dill - supports skin, high in essential minerals
Thyme - high in vitamin C
Vegetables to Add to Infused Water
Adding vegetables to flavored water often adds micronutrients, anti-inflammatory properties, as well as polyphenols and many provide substances that can lower cholesterol and support cardiac function. Choose up to 1 vegetable.
Spinach - provides vitamin K, supports blood and bones
Kale - provides vitamins K , C and A
Cucumber - rehydrates, high in vitamin K
How to Make Detox Water
The Ratio
To make 2 cups of detox water, add ½ cup total of a combination of fruit, vegetables and herbs. Choose at least 2 fruits, up to 1 vegetable and up to 1 herb. You don't always need a vegetable and herb for infused water, but you'll always want at least 2 fruits.
General Instructions
Step 1. Wash and prepare your chosen fruits, vegetables and herbs. Wash with water or a vinegar rinse. Remove stems, skins, pith, and cut off rinds. Squash herbs and berries to release flavor. (Image 1)
Step 2. Add your prepared choices to a jar, and fill with 2 cups of water. (Image 2)
Step 3. Set it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes. If chilling it overnight, cover it with a bit of wrap or put it in a jar to avoid the drink absorbing other refrigerator odors. (Image 3)
Step 4. Garnish and add ice if needed and enjoy! (Image 4)
Make a Pitcher
The steps are the same only multiply the number of fruits and vegetables to match how many cups of water your pitcher holds. If you use this Hiware pitcher, you'll be making ½ a gallon, or 8 cups, so you'll need about 2 cups of fruits, vegetables and herbs in total.
Storage
Chill your infused water at least 30 minutes before drinking to be sure it has infused nutrients.
Keep the water refrigerated and drink it within 3 days.
Recipe Tips
1. Drink the infused water within three days. Remove the fruit within 24 hours. You can refill the container three times before you need to discard or eat the fruit. You can eat the fruit from infused water within 24 hours unless it is too mushy.
2. Keep the drink covered in the refrigerator so other scents don't influence your water flavors.
3. Add detox water to ice cubes with chunks of veggies and fruit into ice cubes, and add those cubes occasionally to glasses of water.
4. Green leaves should be cut in strips or hand-massaged to release nutrients, and berries should be squashed, and other fruits finely chopped.
When to Drink
Drinking detox water throughout the day is best for proper hydration, but some fruits and veggies require specific timing.
Drink citrus in the morning. For instance, citrus fruits add vitamin C to the water which is a stimulant, so you want to drink that early in the day.
Drink cherries at night. But cherries add traces of melatonin to the water and that supports sleep so this is a perfect bedtime drink. To add cherries to your detox water, add them pitted and without the stem.
Infused Water with Frozen Fruit
Frozen fruit can be used for fruit-infused water. However, frozen fruit does not release as much flavor as fresh fruit, but it's best to crush it first, or even better let it thaw, then crush it. The water will take on the color of the fruit in a vibrant way to try to use fruits of one color. Raspberries and strawberries will make pink water, blueberries and blackberries will make purple water and so on.
Unusual Detox Waters
Make Chia Seed Water. Add 1 tablespoon chia seeds per 8 oz chilled water, a flavorful fruit like citrus or strawberries, and drink with straw to be sure to speedily ingest the chia seeds. This water adds a wealth of omega-3s, protects the heart, lowers inflammation, boosts the brain.
Make Oatmeal Water. Blend 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 24 oz of water. Strain, chill and drink as water. This provides 3 glasses of water, enough to drink one glass before each meal - this provides you with extra-ordinary nutrition and staves off hunger so you will eat less.
FAQS
Yes! According to Healthline, detox water can temporarily raise your metabolic rate so you burn more calories. Drinking two cups can boost your metabolism by one third within one hour!
The best detox water best in weight loss is one involving lemon. I have several flavors below for you to choose from, or try my lemon ginger shot blender recipe if want a powerful boost. Cucumber, apple and grapefruit are next best.
Belly fat is stubborn, but lemon detox waters are a strong soldier against it, again boosting that metabolism so you burn off. Lemons also clean out your digestive system via citric acid and a healthy digestion and a strong opponent against belly fat too.
Other Detox Drinks
If you tried this detox water recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
How to Make Detox Water for Weight Loss and Wellness
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cold water
Fruits to add - Choose One
- 1 Grapefruit
- 1 Apples
- 1 Cherries
- 1 Strawberries
- 1 Blueberries
- 1 Raspberries
- 1 Blackberries
- 1 Mango
- 1 Pineapple
- 1 Coconut Meat
- 1 Oranges
- 1 Lemon
- 1 Lime
- 1 Cherries
- 1 Kiwi
- 1 Honeydew
- 1 Cantalope
- 1 Watermelon
- 1 Passionfruit
Herbs to add - Choose One
- 1 Ginger
- 1 Sage
- 1 Rosemary
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 1 Fennel
- 1 Mint
- 1 Chamomile
- 1 Lemon balm
- 1 Lavender
- 1 Basil
- 1 Tarragon
- 1 Dill
- 1 Thyme
Vegetables to Add - Choose One
- 1 Spinach
- 1 Kale
- 1 Cucumber
👉Want to Save This Recipe?
Instructions
Ratio to make 2 cups detox water
- To make 2 cups (16 ounces) of infused water, add ½ cup total of a combination of fruit, vegetables and herbs. Choose at least 2 fruits, up to 1 vegetable and up to 1 herb. You don't always need a vegetable and herb for infused water, but you'll always want at least 2 fruits.
Prep
- Wash your fruits and vegetable of choice well. Either rinse or use a white vinegar wash - 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in a gallon of water.
- Chop your fruit and vegetable of choice. Remove stems, seeds, cut off the skin of lemons and limes and watermelon. Remove the white pith or rind.
- Herbs should be cut in strips or hand-massaged to release nutrients, and berries should be squashed.
Make your infused water
- Add your prepared fruits and vegetables and herbs to a jar.
- Pour 16 ounce of water on top and stir with a spoon.
- Refrigerate the water for at least an hour or overnight before drinking so the contents have had a chance to infuse the water.
Store Detox Water
- Each water lasts about 3 days in the refrigerator, refill each night. Eat the fruit or veggies after 24 hours unless they seem spent.
David
love this useful infused water guide
Elyse
Thank you so much for this. I just did a three day green cleanse and want to continue being thoughtful to my body. This infused water is great!!
Dee
That is so wonderful, so happy to help Elyse.
Nisha / @rainbowplantlife
This is so helpful! Going to keep a screenshot of this in my phone 🙂 I love all the benefits you provide for each ingredient. Thanks for this guide, Dee!
Dee
You are welcome, Nisha. Happy week, best Dee xx
Sylph
Thisbis very informative, Dee! Thanks so much.
Dee
Hi Sylph!! Thank you so much, Dee xx.
Jess
Love how you share the benefits for everything! Very insightful!
Dee
So happy you like the list Jess! Dee xx.