When I first started on my weight loss journey, I had many bad habits. One of those habits was drinking lots of soda. I have a sweet tooth and had to have a soda with every meal. After starting the gym, I cut back on sweet drinks and drank at least eight glasses of water a day. I have to admit after a while I became sick and tired of drinking water.

There are so many health benefits to drinking water. Staying hydrated can help cleanse your body and aid in weight loss. However, let us be honest drinking water can seem like a task. The question therefore is how you can add flavor to water without added sugar and calories.

This is where infused water comes in, particularly cucumber, lemon and mint water. Add this to your diet if you want to lose weight for carnival this year or just interested in improving your overall health.

What is Infused Water?

Infused water called detox water is a mixture of fruit, herbs or vegetables immersed in cold water. People all over the world are drinking it to detox their bodies and gain better health. There are many different recipes for infused water. Some of the most popular fruits used are lemon, apples and oranges. The most popular vegetables are mint, basil, cinnamon, ginger, and cucumbers.

Cucumber lemon mint water

After a bit of research I found out about cucumber, lemon, mint and their health benefits. I found a way to spice up water and thought I would share. Each of the ingredients in this mixture has major health benefits. In addition, you can make it from the comfort of your home.

Cucumber Lemon Mint Water Benefits

To be honest I was surprised at how much each of these ingredients benefits the body. Infused water helps your body drop fat, boosts metabolism and reduces muscle fatigue. In addition, it aids in general skincare. Infused water along with diet and exercise will help to clear up your skin. I will further break down the benefits of each ingredient below.

Health Benefits of Mint

Mint has over a dozen plant species with the most popular being spearmint and peppermint. The plant is rich in nutrients some of them being fibre, vitamin A, iron, manganese and folate. Mints’ benefits are:

• Helps to Ease Nasal Congestion – Studies have found that mint eases nasal congestion. Mint’s main ingredient menthol is a natural decongestant. This is why many inhalers and ointments contain it.
• Helps women breastfeeding – A study published in 2007 found that mint oil reduces nipple cracks and pain associated with breast-feeding.
• Weight loss – A study published in 2003 suggests that mint helps the liver absorb and consume fat.
• Oral health and fresh breath: According to research, mint kills harmful bacteria in the mouth and freshens breath.
• Indigestion and gas: Mint is a herb that used for upset stomach and indigestion. Peppermint also helps to give relief from gas.
• Skincare: Mint contains vitamin A, which controls the secretion in oil for people with acne prone skin. This is why many people use mint in facial masks.

Health Benefits of Lemon

• Vitamin C – Lemon is a rich source of vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin C also aids in the production of collagen. It also helps to strengthen the body’s immune system.
• Reduces the risk of Stroke – Studies have shown that fruits rich in vitamin C reduce the risk of stroke.
• Helps to lower blood pressure – Research has shown that lemon juice is good for people suffering from hypertension.
• Lowers Cholesterol: A study published in 2010 by the ‘Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences’ found that lemon juice can lower cholesterol.
• Flushing Toxins: Many people use warm lemon juice on mornings helps to flush out toxins.
• Skincare: Because lemon flushes toxins from your blood, it keeps the skin looking clear and beautiful. In addition, the vitamin C aids in the production of collagen, which promotes glowing radiant skin.

Cucumber Health Benefits

Cucumbers are low in carbs and high in nutrients. They contain Vitamin C, vitamin k, magnesium, potassium and manganese.

• Inflammation – Cucumbers help to reduce inflammation in the body
• Antioxidants – Cucumbers are rich in anti-oxidants and promote hydration.
• Reduces risk of Cancer – They contain cucurbitacins which research has shown may help to prevent cancer.
• Manage stress – Cucumbers contain vitamin B, which eases feelings of stress.
• Stronger hair and nails – A mineral in cucumber called silica makes your hair and nails stronger and shinier.
• Skincare: Cucumber has anti-inflammatory benefits. When using cucumber directly on the skin, it reduces swelling and inflammation.

Well now that we have seen the health benefits of cucumber lemon and mint water let us look at the instructions to make it.

Cucumber lemon mint water recipe

Ingredients

Eight glasses of water (purified water preferably)

One cucumber

One lemon

Eight fresh mint leaves

Steps

Slice up the cucumber and lemons into thin slices

Add both the cucumber and the lemons in a jar of fresh water

Add the mint leaves

Stir the mixture

Place in refrigerator and leave overnight to infuse

Once refrigerated you can drink it up to three days after. However, if not refrigerated drink the water the same day. Remember cucumber, lemon and mint are natural ingredients and do not contain preservatives to keep them fresh. Unlike fruit-juices bought in the supermarket that have in preservatives.

To get rid of the bitter taste you can cut the rinds off the lemon before infusing.

Infused water bottle

These are specially designed water bottles to make infused water. The bottles have separate parts to hold the fruit, vegetables or herbs. These bottles make it easy and do the work for you. All you have to do is chop up your ingredients, place them in the bottle, and add water.

An infused water bottle makes storage easy and are easy to carry. If you are anything like me and always on the go, one of these will be perfect. The beauty of these bottles is that they are attractive and inexpensive.

When buying a fruit infused water bottle make sure that it is BPA free. Not to worry though I did some research and found two of the best on the market.  

Live Infinitely 32 oz. Infuser Water Bottle

This 32 oz. bottle is FDA approved, BPA free and leak proof. What I love about this bottle is that they include some recipes along with your purchase.

Cucumber lemon mint water weight loss

Many people have made cucumber, lemon and mint water part of their weight loss program. Studies have shown that drinking water boosts your metabolism and aids in fat loss. Drinking water is one of our weight loss tips. Not only will the mixture help you lose weight it tastes good as well.

In addition, lemon water aids in digestion. Lemon juice causes the liver to produce more bile, which helps digestion and detoxification. Studies have also shown that adults drinking water before meals lost 40% more weight. This is mainly because drinking water has shown to reduce hunger.

However, let me stress that this should only supplement your weight loss program. You should have a proper diet and should NOT be skipping meals. If you drink fruit infused water and not have a proper diet, you will be missing essential vitamins and minerals.

Lemon Cucumber Mint Water – how much to Drink?

This is a complicated question to answer. The truth is water itself is healthy and fruit infused water has added vitamins and minerals. However, drinking too much of anything can cause health problems.

I recommended that you do not use more than two lemons in your infused water a day. Lemons although healthy, contain a lot of acid. Lemons being highly acidic can upset your stomach and trigger acid reflux if you suffer from it. It can also wear down tooth enamel. However, this is only in ridiculously large amounts drinking cucumber lemon mint water two to three times a day is safe enough.

Cucumber Lemon mint water side effects

These are some side effects often experienced.

• Craving for salty foods and sugar – it is natural when drinking water and cutting sugars from your diet to experience an appetite for sugars and sweets.
• Better Bowel Movements – Water helps to relieve constipation.
• Increased trips to the bathroom – The Vitamin C in the lemon help the kidneys to release excess fluid and sodium.
• Acid Reflux: If you suffer from acid reflux, it is not advisable to be drinking large amounts of this mixture. This is due to the acid present in lemon. In fact, if you suffer from acid reflux you should not be drinking anything with high levels of acid.

If you suffer from gallstones, consult your doctor before using mint on a regular basis.

I hope this article was informative and showed you the benefits of cucumber, lemon and mint water. This infused water is one more thing to add to your arsenal. Drinking water has definitely helped me to lose weight and I know you will see results as well.

This is a healthy alternative to drinking harmful sodas and sweet drinks. I love it because it spices up water that can become a bit boring. There are many other recipes and I will post in the future. I am still on my fitness journey and this is just another thing I have added to my diet.

What are some of the recipes you enjoy and how is your weight loss journey coming along. Feel free to comment below on your experiences using infused water.