Nutrition Facts Water and Beverages Top 10 DIY Spa Water Recipes Fruit, vegetables, and herbs turn ordinary water into an indulgence By Cathy Wong facebook twitter Cathy Wong is a nutritionist and wellness expert. Her work is regularly featured in media such as First For Women, Woman's World, and Natural Health. Learn about our editorial process Cathy Wong Reviewed by Reviewed by Willow Jarosh, MS, RD on October 25, 2019 instagram Willow Jarosh is a registered dietitian and nutrition coach specializing in intuitive eating. She is the author of Healthy, Happy Pregnancy Cookbook. Learn about our Review Board Willow Jarosh, MS, RD Updated on September 26, 2020 Print Whether the ingredients provide any health benefit is unknown, but what so-called "detox" spa water can do is help people drink more fluids by infusing a natural hint of flavor into plain water. These no- or low-calorie drinks are a great alternative to diet sodas, caffeinated beverages, and powdered drink mixes. What Is Detox Water? Detox water (also called spa water or infused water) is simply water with a combination of sliced fruit, vegetables, herbs, and spices added to it. In the body, water helps to flush out waste products, prevents constipation, helps with mineral and nutrient absorption, lubricates joints, moistens tissues, and has many other vital roles. Even mild dehydration can lead to tiredness (by the time you feel thirsty, you may already be slightly dehydrated). 1 Cucumber, Lemon, and Basil Cathy Wong Although no precise measurements are usually necessary when making infused water, a good balance of flavors can be achieved with the following ingredients: 10 cucumber slices1 lemon slice, cut in half3 basil leaves Add the ingredients to a glass or mason jar (approximately 16 ounces/500mL), fill it with filtered water, and allow it to sit covered in the refrigerator for approximately 24 hours. If the lemon that you are using has a thick pith (the bitter white part underneath the colorful outer skin), you can remove it before adding it to the water. The key is to get a hint of lemon because it can easily overpower the taste of the other ingredients. 2 Pear, Ginger, and Lime Cathy Wong To make pear, ginger, and lime water, add the following ingredients to a glass: 2 slices of pear, cut into smaller pieces1 slice of lime, cut in half1/4 inch thin slice of ginger If you would like to bring out more of the gingery taste, try scoring the ginger piece to release the juice. Add the ingredients to a glass and fill it with water. Let it sit for 12 to 24 hours before drinking it. Use a firm pear, as a ripe pear will get mushy when soaked in water. 3 Orange and Mint Cathy Wong To make orange mint water, place the following ingredients in a glass or cup: 2 slices of peeled orange2 mint leaves The pith (the white part under the orange peel) tastes bitter, so be sure to remove it. Fill it with water and put it in the fridge, covered, for 12 to 24 hours. 4 Grapefruit and Thyme Cathy Wong To make grapefruit and thyme water, add the following to an 8- to 16-ounce glass. 2 grapefruit slices1 small pinch of fresh thyme (keep it on the stem) Be sure to peel the grapefruit (removing the white pith). Cut the grapefruit slice into pieces or segments. Add a small piece of thyme. Fill the glass with water. 5 Apple, Fennel, and Lemon Cathy Wong With the subtle flavor of sweet anise, fennel and apple go well together in this infused water. To make it, add the following to an 8- to 16-ounce glass. Apple slicesFennel slicesLemon wedges Fill the rest of the glass with filtered water, and allow it to sit in the fridge, covered, for 12 to 24 hours. Squeeze the juice from a small lemon wedge into the glass. 6 Orange, Fennel, and Rosemary Cathy Wong To make orange, fennel, and rosemary water, add the following ingredients to an 8- to 16-ounce glass: 1 slice of orange1 slice of fennelA small piece of rosemary (about 9 leaves, attached to the stem) The pith (the white part under the orange peel) tastes bitter, so be sure to remove it. Fill the rest of the glass with filtered water and allow it to sit, covered, for 12 to 24 hours. 7 Cucumber, Lemon, and Mint Cathy Wong To make this cucumber-lemon water with a hint of mint, add the following ingredients to an 8- to 16-ounce glass: 6 slices of cucumber1 lemon slice, cut in half mint leaves Fill the rest of the glass with filtered water. Place it in the fridge, covered, for 12 to 24 hours. Removing the pith of the lemon (the white part below the outer bright yellow skin) before infusing the lemon will prevent the water from becoming bitter. 8 Strawberry, Raspberry, and Mint Cathy Wong Make this delicious flavored water by placing these ingredients in an 8 to 16-ounce glass: 3 strawberries, cut in half5 raspberries3 small or 2 regular sized mint leaves Add filtered water to fill the rest of the glass. Cover it and allow it to sit in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours. 9 Blackberry and Mint Cathy Wong Although the blackberries look dramatic in a glass, the taste is subtle. To make blackberry and mint water, add the following to an 8- to 16-ounce glass: 8 to 10 blackberries3 or more mint leaves Fill the rest of the glass with filtered water and place it in the fridge, covered, for 12 to 24 hours. 10 Lemon Water MAIKA 777/Moment Open/Getty Images Make lemon water by adding a 1/4 of lemon, sliced, to an 8 to 16-ounce glass and then filling the rest with filtered water. You can allow it to sit for 12 to 24 hours or just squeeze the lemon juice right into the glass. If you choose to infuse it, remove the pith (the whitish part underneath the colored outer portion) before placing the lemon in the glass to prevent it from becoming bitter. Add a small slice of peeled ginger for a spicy kick. Tips for Making Spa Water When you're making spa water, there are a few tips to keep in mind. Here's an overview of what you should consider. Avoid making the water taste bitter by removing the pith before adding any citrus fruit. Citrus fruit (like lemon, orange, and grapefruit) has a bitter white part, called the pith, underneath the outer colorful portion.Alter the ratio to suit your taste. Precise measurements of fruit and vegetable slices aren't really necessary. So, if you prefer cucumber over lemon, for example, change it up.Strain the fruit and vegetables out of the water, if you'd like, and eat them separately. Make no more than a day's worth at a time as the fruit tends to get soggy.Avoid excessive or regular consumption of lemon or other acidic drinks as they can soften tooth enamel. Certain ingredients should not be consumed in excess by people with certain health conditions. For example, citrus fruit, ginger, and mint may trigger heartburn. Meanwhile, excessive ginger intake may increase the risk of bleeding in people with bleeding disorders and those taking medication that increases the risk of bleeding. For some people, drinking too much water can be a problem. Be sure to check with your healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, particularly if you have a health condition (such as diabetes insipidus) or are taking diuretics or other medications. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get nutrition tips and advice to make healthy eating easier. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Popkin BM, D'Anci KE, Rosenberg IH. Water, hydration, and health. Nutr Rev. 2010;68(8):439-458. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x Riebl SK, Davy BM. The hydration equation: Update on water balance and cognitive performance. ACSMs Health Fit J. 2013;17(6):21-28. doi:10.1249/FIT.0b013e3182a9570f Featherstone JDB, Lussi A. Understanding the chemistry of dental erosion. Monogr Oral Sci. 2006;20:66-76. doi:10.1159/000093351 John M. Eisenberg Center for Clinical Decisions and Communications Science. Treatment Options for GERD or Acid Reflux Disease: A Review of the Research for Adults. In: Comparative Effectiveness Review Summary Guides for Consumers. Updated September 23, 2011. Bode AM, Dong Z. The Amazing and Mighty Ginger. In: Benzie IFF, Wachtel-Galor S, editors. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis; 2011. Additional Reading Madjd A, Taylor MA, Delavari A, Malekzadeh R, Macdonald IA, Farshchi HR. Effects on weight loss in adults of replacing diet beverages with water during a hypoenergetic diet: A randomized, 24-wk clinical trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;102(6):1305-12. doi:10.3945/ajcn.115.109397 Parretti HM, Aveyard P, Blannin A, Clifford SJ, Coleman SJ, Roalfe A, Daley AJ. Efficacy of water preloading before main meals as a strategy for weight loss in primary care patients with obesity: RCT. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2015;23(9):1785-91. doi:10.1002/oby.21167