This heat in Mallorca at the moment is not only exhausting but very dehydrating!

Are you getting bored of drinking water to keep hydrated? It can be tempting to reach for the sugar-laden or alcoholic options to quench that thirst but why not try to nourish your body with flavoured water instead?

Pop to the local market and stock up on herbs and fruit to pep up the water to make it more appealing for you, your family and visitors!

You can freestyle with the 5 suggestions below. All you have to do is add to 1-2 litres of filtered water, chill and enjoy!

Peach, Lime and Ginger Water

Ingredients:

1 peach, sliced
1 lime, juiced with several slices
2 cm ginger, grated or bruised

Nourishing Information:

Ginger – Acts as a carminative, prevents flatulence and it soothes the intestinal tract. It’s a safe remedy for travel sickness, and for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Ginger also seems to have an analgesic effect on the joints.

Gingerols, the potent anti-inflammatory compounds found in ginger, reduce the pain, and improve the mobility, of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis sufferers.

Peaches – Beta-carotene (Vitamin A) and vitamin C rich – both antioxidants protecting the retinas in your eyes and can improve vision, preventing age-related macular degeneration. Promotes skin health.

Another major antioxidant in peaches, chlorogenic acid, helps scavenge free radicals – compounds that your body acquires through exposure to pollutants, food and the environment – to reduce the effects of aging and deter chronic diseases. This antioxidant may also help ward off cancer and reduce body inflammation.

 

Strawberry Mint Water

Ingredients:

6 strawberries, sliced
Handful of mint leaves

Nourishing Information:

Mint – Oils in mint are very effective at relieving digestive discomfort, acting as an antispasmodic, helping to relax muscles that line the walls of the intestines, breaking down and removing gas from the gut.

Strawberries – The power of vitamin C in strawberries is vital to the production of collagen, which helps to improve skin’s elasticity and resilience. Since we lose collagen as we age, eating foods rich in vitamin C may result in healthier, younger-looking skin.

 

Cucumber, Dill and Lemon Water

Ingredients:

Cucumber ribbons
Lemon slices
Dill sprigs

Nourishing Information:

Cucumber – Contains plant lignans, which bind with bacteria in the digestive tract and convert them to enterolignans for both pro and anti-estrogenic effects. Reduced risk of estrogen-related cancers, including breast, ovary, uterus, and prostate has been associated with intake of dietary lignans. Cucumbers have a very high, nutrient-rich water content, making them superb for the hair, nails and skin as well.

 

Citrus Water 

Ingredients:

1 orange, sliced
1 lime, sliced
1 lemon, sliced

Nourishing Information:

Lemons –Packed with vitamin C supporting the immune system. The peel contains citrus bioflavonoids which are very powerful at reducing your levels of oxidative stress.

 

Watermelon Rosemary Water 

Ingredients:

Large sprig of rosemary
1 cup of watermelon, cubed

Method:

Add a sprig of rosemary to a jar and muddle or bruise gently (rosemary releases a strong flavour without much muddling).

Add watermelon cubes; twist and press gently to release juices.

Add filtered water.

Nourishing Information:

Rosemary – A 2016 study found that a sixth of Acciaroli’s population are centenarians, although why they live this long is anyone’s guess: some of them smoke, some are overweight, and they all drink wine.

They eat lots of rabbits and, being Italian, are better at relaxing than the British, but it is thought that the missing link could well be the vast quantities of a local variety of rosemary.

Studies suggest it has an especially high concentration of beneficial substances that are good for the brain and the heart, and evidently very anti-ageing. Most of us have an abundance of rosemary in our garden.

 

Written by Suzanne Garaty

About the author Suzanne is a Nutritional Therapist trained in London at College of Naturopathic medicine. She has 25 years experience as a chef and recently trained in raw foods, at a gourmet level with Matthew Kenney. Suzanne’s business is Vital Nutrition which she founded in 2008. She offers private consultancies focusing on diet and lifestyle improvements supporting patients on their journey to optimum health. Her regular cookery workshops are delicious, fun and educational and her cooking skills are available to private clients, on retreats and for chef training.