Need help drinking more water? My Lemon Cucumber Mint Ginger Water will solve that problem! This homemade flavored water recipe is easy to make and so refreshing.
If you love making fun beverages, try my lavender lemonade, mango strawberry banana smoothie or watermelon slushie for fun new drink ideas!
Recipe Quick Look: Lemon Cucumber Mint Ginger Water
- Ready in: 2 hours
- Great for: making water more enjoyable
- Main Ingredients: water, lemon, cucumber, mint, ginger
- Serves: 8 people
- Difficulty: easy!
- Bonus: easy to make substitutions and have a variety of flavors!
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This is sooooo good. Thanks for sharing - Sara
Why I Love This Recipe
The mint in our garden is thriving....to the point, it's starting to resemble a mint field!
- Flavor: I love fresh mint, and if you've ever grown it, you know it thrives easily, and you'll have an abundance in no time! I was looking for fun ways to use mint, which made me think of coming up with a drink for it.
- Ease: It takes very little time to prep, and then you've got flavorful water that adds a touch of elegance to your day!
If you want more ideas for using mint, try my zesty quinoa salad and peach salsa - both are full of bright mint flavor!
Jump to:
Ingredients
The verdict? DELISH. You have the spice of the ginger, the citrus of the lemon and refreshing flavor of the cucumber and mint. You can even snack on the cucumber slices as you go through the water!
Back in my dietetic internship, many of my patients struggled with drinking enough water. Adding lemon or other fruit and herbs was often my recommendation as an alternative to help folks get enough water since water is so crucial in the body's ability to function optimally.
What are the Benefits of Drinking Water
Water is vital to life. In fact, our bodies are 50-60% water! So the benefits of water are numerous! It's needed to support digestion, bowel regularity, removal of waste, lubrication of joints and regulation of body temperature through sweating and breathing.
So, how much do we need? Typically, women need 9 cups and men need 13 cups of water a day. But it will vary from person to person due to activity level, altitude, medical condition, etc.
A good rule of thumb is to check your urine. If it's light yellow, then congrats! You're hydrating well! If it's more of an amber color or darker yellow, well my friend, it's time to start increasing your water intake.....and time to start making some pitchers of infused water to help ya out!
How to Make Lemon Cucumber Mint Ginger Water
Ready in just four steps: muddle, slice, pour and refrigerate!
- Muddle your mint leaves and chopped ginger with a spoon to help release the oils. It won't make the mint leaves look pretty, but it's worth it for that flavor!
- Add the sliced cucumber and lemon slices. Don't muddle or squeeze the lemon slices; otherwise, they'll overpower everything else.
- Pour 8 cups of water into the pitcher and stir well.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the fruit and herbs to infuse the water. Enjoy!
Make sure to wash any of the fruit or herbs before mixing it into the water. You can use a 1:1 ratio of vinegar to water or good ol' water and soap.
Twists and Variations
If you need more infused water inspo, here are some other ideas to add flavor. Mix different fruits, herbs and spices for endless flavor combos:
- Citrus: lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit
- Herbs: Mint, basil, lemon balm
- Fruit: berries, cucumber, kiwi
- Spices: ginger, cinnamon sticks, cloves
Is Lemon Water a Detox?
No! You'll see a lot of folks promoting infused water as a helpful "detox" or weight loss tool. However, this is not backed up by science. Our bodies have their own natural system to detox aka our liver and kidneys. Hydrate your body well and let it do its natural process.
Drink infused water because you love it or find it helpful in meeting your water needs - not because someone told you it would help heal a medical condition that truly requires medical treatment. If you want more information on the buzz around detox diets, check out this article by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Recipe FAQ & Tips
I recommend giving a pitcher that holds 8 cups of water at least 2 hours. Taste test at the 2-hour mark and give it more time if it's needed or remove the fruit and herbs if the flavors are strong enough.
Absolutely! However, I would remove the lemon slices in the morning so that the water doesn't become bitter due to the rind of the lemon.
Muddle them with a spoon before adding the rest of the ingredients. I love the spiciness of the ginger, and I'll even poke it with my metal straw after pouring it in a glass to get even more ginger amazingness!
You can store the pitcher of water for up to 5 days. However, the flavors may become too strong as the herbs and citrus sit in the water. Once the water reaches the point of poignancy you desire, take out the chopped herbs and citrus with a colander.
More Flavorful Summer Recipes
If you tried this Cucumber Mint Ginger Water or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know your thoughts in the comments or share your creation with me on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest!
Lemon Cucumber Mint Ginger Water
Ingredients
- 1 large lemon thinly sliced
- ½ cucumber sliced (about 1 cup)
- ¼ cup packed mint leaves
- 3 tablespoons chopped ginger
- 8 cups water
Instructions
- Peel and chop 3 tablespoons ginger.
- Bruise the mint leaves and muddle the chopped ginger with a spoon in a glass pitcher to help release the oils.
- Add the sliced lemon and cucumber and pour 8 cups of water into the pitcher.
- Allow the fruit and herbs to sit in water for 2 hours before serving and stir well before pouring.
- Enjoy in mason jars, cups or take it with you on the go in a water bottle with reusable straws!
Notes
- You can make the recipe the night before and let the water pitcher sit overnight. However, I would recommend removing the lemon slices in the morning to prevent the water from turning bitter due to the rind.
- To help the mint and ginger infuse well, it's key to bruise the leaves with a spoon and muddle the chopped ginger.
- The infused water can be stored for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
(Nutrition values are calculated by third-party software and an estimate that can vary based on product brands and cooking methods.)
Stavroula says
How am I supposed to drink it? In the morning with empty stomach or I can drink it more than once per day?
Monica Nedeff says
Hi Stavroula, you can enjoy this just like you would water - no need to only drink it on an empty stomach. You can enjoy it with meals, between meals or whenever you want. This isn't a detox or remedy, just a way to add flavor to water. Enjoy!
Saba says
taking 1 litre a day is enough to start? as I'm tryina push myself more but right now that much i can take lol
Monica Nedeff says
Hi Saba, if you're trying to increase your water intake start with gradually increasing it throughout the day. So, if that means starting with 1 litre - that's great!
Sana Patel says
i have heard that this water helps strengthen hair ? is that true ?
Monica Nedeff says
Hi Sana! No, I wouldn't claim this water will help strengthen hair. My only claim is that it's delicious and adds fun flavor to water 🙂
Sudha Dce says
I accidentally forgot to take off the lemon. and water turned bitter. can I still consume it .
Monica Nedeff says
Hello, you can but it may not taste as good due to the bittness. The bitterness just comes from the rind.
Sara says
This is sooooo good. Thanks for sharing
Monica Nedeff says
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the rating and comment!
RAJAN Singh Banga says
It's good for health.... Drink a 200ml glass jn morning.
Sara says
can this be kept longer in the fridge than 5 days? like 7 or 9 days can I still drink it?
Monica Nedeff says
Hi Sara, you can keep it for 7 or 9 days but the flavor won't be as fresh. If you plan to keep it longer than 5 days, I would remove the ginger, cucumber and mint (assuming you already removed the lemon) for the best results for flavor. Enjoy!