Make Your Own Vitamin Water

If you’re trying to lose weight, the calories in vitamin water will only work against you. Fruits, vegetables and other whole foods are the best sources of vitamins and minerals.  It’s tough to beat plain water as a healthy, no-calorie drink. So why not make your own? It’s so simple, affordable and you’ll get real nutrients and antioxidants out of it. The flavor is incredible, the options are unlimited and the bonus — NO SUGAR, COLOR OR FLAVOR ADDED!

One of the easiest ways to make your own vitamin water is with a pitcher- which can be bought almost anywhere for under $25. Simply add herbs, fruit, and/or veggies to your filtered water in a pitcher, store in the fridge, let rest, and serve. The longer the water sits, the more nutrients are extracted from the ingredients. 24 hours is usually sufficient.

If you don’t want to invest in an infusion pitcher, you can use any jar large enough to hold the fruits/veggies and at least 1/2 liter of water.

Some things to note:

• Use filtered water.
• Cut the fruit and veggies into small chunks or thin slices so there is more surface area, allowing more nutrients into the water.  If the water will be sitting for more than 4 hours, remove rinds from citrus, as they can make your water bitter.
• If you’re leaving the peel in the water, make sure you purchase organic fruits and vegetables free of chemicals and pesticides.
• Feel free to refill. Once you have used all of the water, if the ingredients are still good, simply refill with more water. More nutrients will be extracted and the flavor will last.
• Play around with your ingredients. Use what you have available in the house. If you don’t like the flavor of something simply dump and try again.
• Amounts can vary. Add as little or much of the ingredients as your taste prefers. There is no right recipe.