The tastiest ways to stay hydrated
Every time a resolution rolls around, whether it be for New Year, lent, or merely to start on self-improvement, one promise we continue to make to ourselves is to drink more water! Hydration seems to have hundreds of benefits from clearing skin to improving sleep and all of them have the added advantages of making you look and feel healthier. While this may sound the simplest resolution in the world, how hard can it be to drink more water?
In reality, it is a challenge to swap that morning latte for a refreshing glass of nothing but water. Everything we drink seems to have some form of unpleasantness, whether that is caffeine, sugar or additives, nothing can be as good as water. The real crux is that water is boring. Any effort to make it more interesting detracts from its health benefits so discipline is absolutely necessary to get through the recommended 2 litres daily. Whether routine and military timing help you drink your eight glasses, or you prefer a more to monitor your consumption by capacity, there is now a better way to make you water interesting that doesn’t involve sugary squash or caffeinated additions.
Regardless of whether you are trying to create healthier habits or look your best for a special event, ensuring you are well-hydrated allows a wonderful basis for other improvements and will also make sure you get the most out of treatments or spa breaks in Yorkshire.
High water content food
We can consume up to 20% of our daily water intake through our food, though some food has a higher water content than others. Fresh fruit and vegetables have all got a helpfully high content but there are some stars when it comes to hydration, and a well thought out salad or snack can help boost your hydration with next to no effort.
Some are obvious fruits and salads including watermelon, grapefruit, cucumber, strawberries, tomatoes and celery, however baby carrots have a higher water content than their full-sized counterpart, making them the perfect snack. Radishes are not only for garnishing, they are also packed full of nutrients and a surprising amount of water. Cucumber is the unchallenged hero of hydration, at 96% water they are good for more than just garnishing your Pimms, dip it, grate it and put it into every sandwich or salad you find.
Make water tastier
This has never been easier to do as some wonderful products are now available to ensure we are thoroughly enjoying our eight glasses a day. In 2017 water is all about infusion in the most natural way possible, couple of leaves a few fruits and a whole lot of water. Less sugary than squash or juice, infusing adds a light and refreshing flavour without any syrup.
There are so many infusing bottles available, but a fine meshed basket is key to success and Lakeland have the perfect design, while Infused Waters has found the perfect vessel to encourage everyone to jump on the infusion bandwagon at parties with urns and dispensers. With so many people excited about infusion, you never have to be at a loss for recipes. Infused Waters’ blog is fantastic for ideas and pushes the boundaries of flavour with ideas like pineapple and jalapeño water for those feeling fiery and festive.
While you may want to start with traditional flavours and an all-fruit experience, The Yummy Life has fantastic citrus mixes as well as berry flavours. However the real fun of infused water is the experimentation aspect and that includes herbs, spices and pretty much anything edible. Tasty Yummies has some fantastic combinations of herbs and fruit including a blueberry, lime and coriander or a ginger, pear, cinnamon and vanilla bean infusion.
Beyond the essentially natural aspects of infused water, the other bonus is that it is refillable unlike squash or juice. Simply refresh the water and let it settle to enjoy delicately flavoured water all day.
Interesting ice
What better way to bring back a little childhood nostalgia than with a good old fashioned ice lolly? But rather than the over sweet highly-coloured options available, try making them for yourself to ensure they are the healthy snack you crave. These homemade ice lollies use the same ingredients as infused water, but require a little more preparation before freezing. Cutting the fruit or bruising the leaves of herbs used ensure the maximum flavour is imparted to the surrounding water. It is also a great way to placate children without a sugar high. The Greedy Vegan has a wonderful recipe for a refreshing taste of summer with an elderflower ice pop. For an exotic alternative, Chef and Steward have a passionfruit popsicle recipe that will leave you eager for the height of summer.
If you are looking to entertain or fancy your ice a little less solid, shaved ice is a wonderful substitute for ice cream. Though less portable, it is no less refreshing and is perfect for any summer party. Sugar and Charm have a wonderful recipe for grapefruit ice, though it does contain sugar, but this could be replaced with a more natural alternative if you prefer. For a really special occasion or when you are hankering after an Indian summer, try a floral hibiscus recipe with coconut shaved ice and you never need move from your front garden to enjoy a vacation. While Egeedee’s recipe is a little fiddlier, it is so beautiful and makes a wonderful centre piece for any summer party.
If you don’t have the time to bruise herbs and fruit for your infused water every morning, infused ice cubes may be the way forward. Batch-making ice cubes with edible flowers, fresh herbs or soft and citrus fruits in the centre may be the easiest way to make your water more exciting and either jumble it together or have designated trays for different ingredients to mix and match your flavours to find your favourites.
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