Top 10 Healthy Water Additives

Many Americans don’t drink enough water each day, which can lead to health problems like dehydration, constipation, and high blood pressure.

Maintaining optimal hydration is clearly key to overall health, but some people find it difficult to meet their daily hydration needs because they don’t like the taste of plain water.

Luckily, you can add a variety of ingredients to your water to enhance its flavor and health benefits.

Lemon slices and lemon juice are one of the most popular water additives, and for good reason: Lemons not only add a tangy citrus flavor to water and increase water consumption, they also provide several nutrients and beneficial plant compounds.

For example, lemons are a great source of Vitamin C, which is essential for immune function and a powerful antioxidant. Two tablespoons of lemon juice provide 13% of your daily vitamin C needs.

Adding lemon slices or lemon juice to your water can help maintain optimal vitamin C levels and may reduce your risk of developing many health conditions, including heart disease.

Squeezing fresh lemon juice into water and combining lemon slices with other water additives such as mint can have a refreshing effect and help increase your fluid intake.

Tart cherry juice is sweet and slightly tart, making it a great way to add flavor to plain water. Adding tart cherry juice to water may be an especially smart choice for athletes and gym-goers looking to support muscle recovery in an easy, tasty way.

Research suggests that drinking tart cherry juice may promote muscle recovery and reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), a common type of muscle damage that causes symptoms like swelling, pain, and stiffness after exercise. Tart cherry juice contains anti-inflammatory compounds, such as anthocyanins, that help reduce muscle damage and DOMS.

One review found that drinking tart cherry juice effectively reduced DOMS, reduced inflammatory markers after exercise, and improved muscle recovery.

If you like ginger tea, fresh ginger slices or ginger juice are a great new addition to your water infusion. Ginger’s warm, spicy flavor also pairs well with other water infusions, such as lemon juice.

Ginger contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances Shogaolgingerol, and zingerone. These compounds fight inflammation by inhibiting certain pro-inflammatory pathways and reducing levels of inflammatory proteins, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α).

Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties, as well as analgesic and muscle relaxing properties, and some research suggests that using it as a treatment may help reduce menstrual pain. Try adding ginger juice or slices of ginger to your water or making ginger tea during your period to help ease menstrual cramps.

Magnesium is a mineral needed for regulating blood sugar levels, muscle contraction, maintaining blood pressure, and many other important bodily functions. Magnesium supplements can help improve your overall health and are especially beneficial for people with high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and a variety of other health concerns.

Magnesium supplements are available in a variety of powdered forms, some of which are flavored. Adding magnesium powder to water can have a number of health benefits, including lowering blood sugar and blood pressure and helping with constipation.

Try adding magnesium powder to your water for a simple and effective way to boost your health.

Pomegranates and pomegranate juice are rich in protective plant compounds that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Anthocyanin, Ellagitanninsorganic acids. Studies have shown that drinking pomegranate juice regularly may have heart health benefits by lowering blood pressure and may support cognitive function by reducing inflammation and improving memory.

A 2019 study of 60 people with type 2 diabetes found that participants who drank 200mL of pomegranate juice daily for six weeks experienced significant reductions in blood pressure levels compared to a control group.

Add a splash of pomegranate juice to your water for heart-healthy hydration.

Electrolyte powders are dietary supplements that typically contain the minerals sodium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and chloride that are essential to health. Adding electrolyte powder to water can help optimize hydration, especially for people who lose fluids and electrolytes through sweating, such as athletes or people who work in hot environments. Electrolyte powders can also be helpful for people who lose fluids through diarrhea or vomiting.

Electrolyte powders come in a variety of flavors, but be aware that some powders contain large amounts of added sugar. If you want to limit your intake of added sugar, choose an electrolyte powder sweetened with a natural sugar substitute, such as Monk Fruit or Stevia.

Mint leaves add a refreshing flavor and aroma to water, which can be especially helpful if you’re feeling nauseous. Research suggests that simply smelling mint may help reduce nausea and vomiting in certain groups, including pregnant women.

For an extra anti-nausea boost, try drinking your water with mint leaves and ginger juice or sliced ​​ginger. Ginger is known to have anti-nausea properties, which may add additional health benefits to your water.

Citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit are rich in flavor, making water enjoyable to drink. They’re also rich in health-promoting compounds, such as polyphenols like naringin and ferulic acid. Increasing your intake of polyphenol-rich foods can support cellular health, increase longevity, and reduce the risk of common health conditions like heart disease and neurodegenerative disorders.

Adding a few slices of orange or grapefruit to your water or freezing some orange or grapefruit juice in ice cube trays is a delicious way to keep your water cold while adding a citrus flavor.

Hibiscus tea is fruity and slightly tart and can be enjoyed hot or cold. Adding hibiscus leaves or tea bags to water gives the drink a beautiful ruby ​​color and adds several health benefits.

Hibiscus tea is rich in anthocyanins, which have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the body. Studies have shown that drinking hibiscus tea may lower blood pressure and reduce inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP).

Try drinking some cool hibiscus water on a hot day or sipping some hot hibiscus tea to relax in the evening.

Green tea is another type of tea that can have some very positive effects on water. Like hibiscus tea, green tea can be enjoyed hot or cold and is delicious when combined with other water additives such as ginger or lemon.

Green tea is a concentrated source of polyphenol antioxidants such as catechins. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG has powerful cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory properties and is one of the most well-studied compounds found in green tea. Because green tea contains high concentrations of EGCG and other protective compounds, drinking green tea regularly may help reduce the risk of health conditions such as heart disease, certain cancers, and even depression.

Your need for fluids varies depending on factors such as where you live, your activity level, your weight, and your pregnancy or breastfeeding status. Some people, such as pregnant women, people who live or work in hot climates, and people who are very active, need more fluids than the average person.

While hydration needs vary from person to person, the US Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends that adult women drink 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of water per day, and men drink 15 cups (3.7 liters).

Most people can stay hydrated by drinking fluids according to their thirst. You can also assess your hydration level by the color of your urine. Generally, your urine should be a pale yellow to straw-colored color. Darker urine may be a sign of dehydration.

In addition to drinking enough water throughout the day, there are several other ways to maintain optimal hydration:

Choosing foods that are high in water content, such as fruits and vegetables, is an easy and nutritious way to meet some of your daily hydration needs.

Additionally, you can stay hydrated by cutting out foods and drinks that cause dehydration, such as foods high in salt and alcohol.

If you have trouble staying hydrated, adding certain ingredients to your water, like fruit, fruit juice, or electrolyte powders, can help increase your fluid intake.

Try healthy water additives like lemon, ginger, and mint to easily boost the flavor and health benefits of plain water.