I'm currently on a anti-candida diet and so am drinking water until it bores me to death.

I'd completely forgotten all the things I can do to flavour it up a bit.

When I worked in a Lebanese restaurant in university we would serve Iced Mint Tea which was normal mint tea (without sugar) chilled. It's one of the most refreshing drinks I've ever had (plus it's great with a little bit of vodka and lime).

I also love to walk, 2 or 3 hours doing about 10-15km. By the time I'm back I'm dying for a drink, but water never satisfies. I find that a splash of red wine in a glass of sparkling water always brings my energy level back up without making me feel heavy and without being sweet.

Cheers,
Alex

Awesome post. I used to a lot of money on bottle waters until we bought a water filter-- the kind you keep in the fridge. Even then, it wasn't for weeks after that I realised my problem was that I didn't care for water unless it was *cold*.
That said, cucumber water is a recent favourite, especially on hot summer days. Cubed honeydew melon with cucumber makes a slightly sweeter, but just as lovely infusion.

Try soda water with a dash of angostura bitters. Refreshing...

I am a big water drinker and have been since having a few very painful kidney stones some years back. Medical research has shown that drinking real lemonade can drastically reduce your chance of having reoccurring kidney stones.

Anyway, I love to a lemon, squeeze the juice into a measuring cup, add 2 teaspoons of Splenda (actually I use the generic versions), add a little water from a bottle of water, stir it and pour it back into the bottle. Shake, Shake, Shake and you have your own personal real lemonade.

My wife also grows herbs, and I like adding a few mint leaves to bottled water as well.

Wonderful article!

A very quick and cheap method I use to make water more interesting is to add 3-4 drips of lime or lemon juice. Adds no calories or carbohydrates, tastes nice (but subtle), and I've also heard it's good for your breath.

I'm sorry, but the vinegar one just sounds disgusting. It'd be like drinking weak floor cleaner. Salt doesn't sound that great either. Salt water (even to gargle on a sore throat) makes me vomit. The others don't sound so bad though.

Great post. Having been called "The Water Nazi" more times than I care to count, I'm quite a proponent of increasing water consumption.

I'm also a natural health expert, and my primary concern for these types of lists is the "health factor" of them.

I'm happy to give yours a very high mark.

I tend to buy the flavored waters (which I find too sweet tasting) and add at least an equal amount of water, cutting the cost by half, but I think the RealLemon, cucumber, and tea bag options sound interesting.

Thanks!

Bob McDonald
www.platinumyears.net

I keep crystallized lemon packets in my desk at the office for flavoring water - it's good stuff, made by TrueLemon. It also comes in orange and lime. A packet or two adds a subtle citrus taste.

A great way to infuse hot liquids is to purchase a French press (less than $20). You can use it for coffee, but I usually use mine to make flavored teas and infusions instead. This way you don't have to worry about straining the brew or fishing anything out of it later (particulary good for small spices, like cloves). For ginger tea I use about 1/2 in of peeled ginger, a couple of cloves, a small piece of cinnamon stick, and a couple of slices of citrus fruit. Let it steep for 5 minutes, then either have it hot or chill it (in the convenient French press). You can add honey if you like as well. Great for when you're feeling a little under the weather, or if you want something really refreshing during the summer.
You can also then freeze this mixture (better with honey), or any other infusion you'd like, and make your own 'tea sorbet'. Just freeze it until it's mostly solid, then throw some chunks in the blender or food processor. It's extremely refreshing when the temps are reaching 90-100 degrees!
I often add frozen berries to water. A lot of times they're cheaper than fresh, and they cool the water down too!

I'm going to start growing mint and lemongrass to put in my water! I've seen the plants in stores but didn't know what I'd do with them. Now I know, thank you!

Sadly, I have always disliked the taste of water. Despite the view of many lucky people, water DOES have a taste. I think it may be the minerals that I taste, because it tastes sorta metallic. Also, I taste chemicals in tap water. It's terrible. I wish I liked water. It's so healthy for you. I hate having to add anything into it to make it taste okay. I've even had ice cold water shooting straight out of the ground and didn't like the taste; although it was much better than tap.

The taste of plain _tap_ water is not appealing. However, the taste of filtered water is good. At least to me.

Lately I've been drinking Penta water, even though it is expensive. Sometimes I dilute it half-and-half with tap water, to save money.

I started drinking Penta water partly because of the hearsay that Aquafina and Dasani, et al, just take regular tap water and bottle it. The other water that tastes good to me is Ozarka _distilled_ water. So those two seem to be more pure (Ozarka distilled & Penta) and taste better, to me.

I'm writing in answer to the person who asked "Since when does water taste bad?"

Some of us have been connected to public water that is anything but refreshing with all of the extra ingredants used. Icky tasting at times ;-(

GREAT ARTICLE
Just made up a batch of Ginger Water!
YUMMO!
I'm addicted, thankyou!

I enjoy water with a few peppermint or spearmint leaves. Perhaps ten to a dozen works for a gallon of water; just let them soak for about an hour, and it's ready to go.

For longer bicycle rides, I put about a shot of apple cider vinegar in my Camelbak (about a liter or so in capacity), and it helps keep my mouth hydrated as I bike.