Replace Your Sodas and Soft Drinks with Infused Water.

I am the only person who has control over my eating habits. I can always resist something if I choose to. – Louise Hay

 Summer’s officially arrived here in this part of the world. I’m from the Indian subcontinent. The temperature’s soaring high, the mercury level is also rising and along with that our thirst is also on the rise. In such weather, we feel quite tempted to lay our hands on that glass of chilled soda or better to stock our refrigerators at home with our favorite brands of soft drinks. We can’t deny the fact, that most of us do this, may be a few of us have the fullest control over our taste buds, but the rest of us, we just fail miserably in it. Am I right? Of course yes, I could hear the silent yes, you are mumbling inside your mouth. But, the main question here is, are the sodas or the soft drinks that we relish, with such satisfaction really healthy? No, absolutely not. They are not healthy at all. Here, some of you might be tempted to say that, “Hey, look I only drink the flavored one, not just flavored but the lemon flavored one or say the orange flavored one, aren’t they supposed to be better than the colas.” Absolutely no, I’m so sorry to break your heart.

 Flavored or no flavor, colas or no colas, all of them are equally unhealthy, because they are all loaded with lots and lots of sugar. Even, the diet colas, they too contain a lot of sugar. And, knowingly or unknowingly you are consuming the sugar and piling up the calories in your body and deliberately helping your body to age faster. And, not only sugar or artificial sweeteners, they also contain other harmful substances like :-

Aspartame (used in diet coke) – can cause cancers and tumors

Maltodextrin – can cause allergies

Sucrose –  it can cause heart disease,

High fructose corn syrup – it can promote the storage of fat in your body.

 Aren’t you scared already, see my main intention is not in scaring you, but in making you aware about these harmful substances, that you are stuffing inside your body, with no second thoughts. Your body is no garbage bin or garbage pit, so stop treating it like one, treasure it, take care of it. You might ask here, “So, what should I do then? I just get too bored drinking plain water all the time.” Then why don’t you try infused water? It’s healthy and at the same time flavorful too, minus the sugars, artificial sweeteners and harmful substances. And the main advantage is that, it does not require much effort to prepare too. Read on to know more about infused water.

What is infused water?

Infused water is a mildly flavored water. The flavor comes from the fruits and herbs that we place in the water, while leaving it to rest for a few hours to get the maximum flavor.

What are the requirements to make my own infused water?

The things you will need to make your own infused water are as listed below:-

1. Pitcher or a large jar with a lid.
2. Fruits or herbs of your choice (you can use lemon, apples, oranges, berries, watermelon, pineapple mint, rosemary, basil etc.). Play up with your imagination and try different combinations, you might love. Don’t fear to experiment.

How do I make my own infused water?

1. Firstly, slice or cut the fruits into cubes. If using herbs like mint or basil, crush it a bit.
2. Place the sliced/cubed fruits and herbs at the bottom of the pitcher or jar. Fill it with water. Stir it a bit with a spoon.
3. Let it sit for a few hours for the flavors to infuse completely. A minimum sitting time of 2-5 hours is required, but you can also let it rest overnight for maximum flavorful drink. If you like it chilled, keep it inside the refrigerator.
4. When the wait is over, pour it in a glass and enjoy or fill it in a bottle and take your own infused water with you, wherever you go.

So, this summer, don’t forget to try out the healthy infused water in place of sodas and soft drinks. Remember health and beauty starts from within you, so feed your body with love and you will definitely be showered with love.