Everyone knows the importance of staying well-hydrated, these delicious 0 SmartPoints thirst quenchers are a great way to stay hydrated!
Aguas frescas
If you haven’t tried aguas frescas, you’re in for a refreshing treat! Translated from Spanish as “fresh waters,” aguas frescas are a popular beverage in Mexico and the southern United States where temperatures regularly rise to the high 30s and beyond. Aguas frescas are made by blending fruit, flowers, or chia seeds with cold water. Aguas frescas aren’t typically strained unless they’re being made with extra-seedy fruit such as blackberries and raspberries. Some types of aguas frescas are sweetened with sugar or honey however, you’ll probably find the need for extra sweetness unnecessary if you’re using in-season, ripe fruit (although frozen fruit is the next best thing if seasonal fruit isn’t available.) To brighten up the flavour of your aguas frescas, try adding a spritz of citrus juice (lime, lemon, and orange all work well) or garnish with edible flowers such as hibiscus or honeysuckle. Check out our recipe for Aguas Frescas 3 Ways here!
Iced tea
Once you get in the habit of making iced tea at home, you’ll wonder why you ever resorted to store-bought in the first place! All you need to make a day’s worth of refreshing homemade iced tea is a pitcher and 4-5 tea bags. Almost any kind of tea (or combination of teas) can be used to make iced tea; green tea, raspberry herbal tea, mint herbal tea, and black tea are all particularly tasty options. Iced tea can be made using one of two easy methods: Cold brewing or hot brewing with cold water added. To make cold brew iced tea simply add the teabags to a pitcher, cover with plenty of cold water, and let steep in the fridge for 12—24 hours before enjoying. To speed up the steeping process, add the tea bags to a small teapot, cover with boiling water and let steep for up to 30 minutes (remove the tea bags after 5 minutes if using black or green tea to prevent bitter iced tea). Set the teapot aside and allow the liquid to come to room temperature. Fill a large pitcher halfway up with cold water and carefully pour in the tea (never pour very hot tea directly into a pitcher, the shock can cause the glass to shatter or plastic to melt). Refrigerate the tea until cold or serve immediately over ice, adding optional citrus slices if desired.
Infused water
Infusing water with fresh fruit and herbs is a fantastic way to ensure steady hydration throughout the day; it tastes fantastic, and the options are almost limitless when it comes to the infusing ingredients you choose. All you need to make infused water is filtered, tap or sparkling water and your favourite fruits and fresh herbs. When adding fruit with a peel, such as citrus slices or watermelon, make sure you give the rind a good scrub with warm water and white vinegar. This step gently removes waxy buildup and any other undesirable substances from the fruit and also helps to prevent the infused water from turning bitter. Fresh fruit works well when making infused water but frozen can also be used with great success (frozen fruit is also advantageous because it cools down the infused water in the form of edible ice cubes!) Fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, rosemary, and mint are elegant additions to infused water and can be combined with fruit in a myriad of ways (just be sure to remove delicate fresh herbs from the water after a couple of hours to prevent them from turning slimy.)