The 7 Best Water Flavorings of 2021, According to a Dietitian

Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

True Lemon Crystallized Lemon Packets at Amazon

One packet equates to a wedge of lemon.

Best with Electrolytes:

Ultima Replenisher Electrolyte Hydration Powder at Amazon

A delicious, zero-carb powder that is sweetened with stevia.

Best with Greens:

Amazing Grass Effervescent Tablets at Amazon

Provides 350 milligrams of an alkalizing greens blend of organic wheatgrass, barley grass, alfalfa, spirulina, and chlorella.

Best Ready-to-Drink:

Hint Fruit Infused Water at Amazon

Uses only purified water and natural fruit flavors.

Best with Stevia:

Stur Natural Water Enhancer at Amazon

Provides a nice fruit flavor and 100% of your daily vitamin C intake.

Best Keto-Friendly:

Sweetleaf WaterDrops at Amazon

Sweetened with monk fruit extract and stevia.

Best For Athletes:

Nuun Electrolyte Drink Tablets at Amazon

Rehydrate the body adequately with a mix of vitamins and electrolytes.

In This Article

Our Picks
What to Look for
What Experts Say
Why Trust Verywell Fit?
How We Select Supplements

Water is essential to help you stay hydrated, maintain optimal health, and reach peak performance. While the list of benefits should be enough to convince you to drink more water, there’s no denying that sometimes we get bored with the lack of flavor in our H2O. The Institute of Medicine recommends a total intake of 3.7 liters of water per day for men and 2.7 liters per day for women. This can feel like an overwhelming goal, especially if you don't love the taste of water.

The good news? Adding a few drops of flavoring to your bottle could be the motivation you need to reach for your water—instead of a sugary drink—when you’re thirsty. Our nutritionist helps you pick flavorings that will boost—rather than hamper—your healthy hydration habits.

Here, the best water flavorings:

Lemon water is a tasty replacement for sugary juices, but it's not always easy to prepare. Keep things simple, healthy, and budget-friendly with these convenient single-serve packets of lemon juice. It’s literally just crystallized lemon juice, making it one of the most natural things you can add to your water.

One packet equates to a wedge of lemon, so you get the taste of fresh fruit with zero calories and zero grams of sugar. This enhancer has no artificial flavors, no preservatives, and it uses non-GMO fruit. A win all around.

Ultima Replenisher Electrolyte Powder is a great choice for a sugar-free beverage that will replenish electrolyte levels, hydrate effectively, and provide supporting minerals without affecting blood sugar levels. Sweetened with stevia, Ultima is a delicious, zero-carb powder that will boost the flavor of your water.

The Ultima Single Serve Variety Pack comes with 20 sticks in a variety of flavors, including cherry pomegranate, grape, lemonade, orange, and raspberry. The formulation also contains vitamin C, which can help boost immunity.

Boost the flavor—and nutrition—of your water with Amazing Grass' Effervescent Tablets. Each berry-flavored tablet dissolves easily in water and provides 350 milligrams of an alkalizing greens blend of organic wheatgrass, barley grass, alfalfa, spirulina, and chlorella, in addition to 22.5 milligrams of an antioxidant fruit and veggie blend. The tablets are packed with 100 percent daily value of vitamin C, E, thiamin, and B12.

With only 1 gram of sugar and 10 calories, the tablets are a healthy way to boost immunity, amp up energy, and alkalize your system. The tablets are sweetened with stevia and also contain dextrose and sorbitol.

If you're looking for more flavors, the tablets come in delicious options, including Watermelon Lime, Lemon-Lime, Grape, and more.

Skip the step of mixing flavoring into your water by choosing a ready-to-drink flavored water. While many flavored waters use sugar, sweeteners, and artificial flavors to create uber-sweet and unhealthy beverages, Hint water uses only purified water and natural fruit flavors to make delicious, refreshing beverages.

The fresh, fruit-infused water contains no sugar or calories and comes in a convenient bottle to take with you on the go. It's also vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, non-GMO, and kosher certified.

With tons of flavors to choose from, Stur is an exceptionally popular choice for water flavoring. It uses just a touch of sweetness, but In lieu of sucralose or aspartame, Stur uses stevia, a zero-calorie natural sweetener.

Not only will you get a nice fruit flavor in your water, but you’ll also get 100 percent of your daily vitamin C intake with these drops. They’re calorie-free, sugar-free, and keto-friendly.

People on the ketogenic diet are more prone to dehydration, especially when beginning the diet. When the body is first adapting to the ketogenic diet, people experience fluid losses, which lead to less bloat and a reduction in water weight; however, the loss of fluid also leads to electrolyte depletion and dehydration. The dreaded “keto flu,” or symptoms of fatigue, headache, and dizziness, is thought to arise from these electrolyte and fluid imbalances (although more research is needed).

Sweetleaf WaterDrops are a sweet solution for low-carb and keto fans everywhere. The Non-GMO Project Verified product is sweetened with monk fruit extract and stevia, which will not disrupt the sensitive ketogenic cycle like regular sugar and carbohydrates.

The tasty calorie- and sugar-free drops come in various flavors, including Mixed Berry, Lemon Lime, Raspberry Lemonade, Strawberry Kiwi, and Tropical Punch.

When it comes to athletic hydration, Nuun is the go-to product. With a combination of vitamins and electrolytes (and sometimes caffeine, if you need a boost), it helps rehydrate the body adequately. These tablets are vegan and gluten-free and offer dozens of super tasty flavors and combinations of ingredients so you can choose what works best for your lifestyle and preferences.

Nuun electrolyte tablets contain only 2 grams of sugar, 10 calories, and are sweetened using high-quality stevia. The convenient tablets mix easily with water to create a hydrating, tasty beverage that comes in various flavors, including Lemon Lime, Tri-Berry, Citrus Fruit, and Orange. Each tube provides 12 tablets that contain a balance of 11 vitamins and minerals. They’re also soy-free, gluten-free, kosher, and vegan.

Final Verdict

For a natural water flavoring that's convenient to carry with you and tastes great, try True Lemon Packets (view at Amazon).

What to Look for in Water Flavorings

Formula:

In general, you’ll need to choose between powder, tablet, and liquid flavorings. These three types of mixtures generally yield similar results in terms of flavor, so think more about how you plan to use the product. If you want something to carry in your gym bag, you might be better off with powder or tablet packets, which are compact and make less of a mess if they spill. If you prefer not to mix at all, try a bottled flavored water that's free of sweeteners.

Nutrients:

Some water flavorings provide just that—flavor. However, others contain vitamins and minerals that will help boost your workout and recovery. You can turn water into more of a sports drink by choosing a flavoring that contains hydration-boosting nutrients, like vitamin C and electrolytes. If you're looking to add even more nutrition, consider using a water flavoring with greens powder.

Caffeine Content:

Do you want to get more energy from your water flavoring? You can give your water an extra kick by using a water flavoring that contains caffeine. Just be sure not to overdo it, as too much caffeine can leave some people feeling jittery.

Sweeteners and Flavors:

Avoid products with artificial flavors and sweeteners. Choose products made with natural flavors and naturally derived sweeteners, such as fruit, stevia, and monk fruit extract.

What Experts Say

“Many people do not drink the recommended amount of fluids daily. They may even drink less when they’re actively trying to cut back on sugary beverages—especially if they’re used to drinking fluids with more flavor. Water flavorings can help you drink more water while trying to cut back on sugar-added beverages like soda, tea, lemonade, and energy drinks.”—Rebekah Blakely, RDN

Why Trust Verywell Fit?

A personal note on my recommendations written above. As a dietitian, I am careful to recommend flavorings and supplements. In writing this article, I spent time looking at multiple products and brands to find products that are free of potentially harmful ingredients. I believe the water flavorings in the round-up are made by trusted brands and are composed of high-quality ingredients. My favorite water flavorings are fresh citrus slices, but if I had to choose a product, Nuun or Ultima take my top pick. — Eliza Savage, MS, RD, CDN

How We Select Supplements

Our team works hard to be transparent about why we recommend certain supplements; you can read more about our dietary supplement methodology here.

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What are your concerns?

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.