Fruit-Infused Water (Sparkling & Still): Health Benefits and More

Grapefruit and ginger, blueberry and coconut, and raspberries & strawberries: Fruit-infused water tastes exceptional. Not only does it taste delicious, but it has the potential to offer a number of health benefits.

If you dislike the flat taste of plain water, we understand. Sometimes, a little citrus or a handful of sweet berries can make all the difference.

Ola Mate here. We’re big fans of the fruit and the nutritional benefits they offer. As part of our sparkling beverage lineup, we pair real fruit with sparkling water to create a mouth-watering infusion that’ll have your taste buds coming back for more.

If you’re curious about making your own recipes or want to understand the excitement behind fruit-infused water, this guide breaks it down. We love providing helpful education about the fruits of Mother Nature’s labor and their use in functional beverages.

Join us! If you’re looking for how to incorporate fruit-infused water in your life, as well as what all the hype is about water infusions, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the basics on fruit-infused water, including:

• What fruit-infused water is

• The nutritional make-up of fruit-infused water

• The potential health benefits and risks

• Fruit-infused water versus functional beverages

• Our favorite fruit pairings to use for your next fruit and water collab

• Optimal infusion times

• Tips for preparing fruit-infused water

• What to do when you need more than hydration

What exactly is fruit-infused water?

Infused water recipes use a mixture of fruit, herbs, spices, adaptogens, and natural caffeine to support hydration and energy. In essence, water that’s infused with fruit is a healthy, sugar-free way to enjoy a flavorful beverage while staying hydrated.

It’s also a quick and delicious hydration hack for getting in your recommended nine to 13 cups of water daily, the amount needed for a healthy adult aged 19 years or older, according to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM).

Nutritional information for homemade infusions

You might be wondering, “If you infuse water with fruit, what’s the nutritional content in the drink?” If you’re infusing water with fruit, a standard one-cup serving of homemade fruit-infused water contains zero calories, protein, fat, or carbohydrates

However, store-bought infused water often contains a handful of calories, sugars, and carbohydrates. The reason is that manufacturers use specific additives to preserve taste, color, and shelf life.

For example, a 12-ounce can of a commercial blood-orange tangerine sparkling water might contain 12 calories, zero grams of protein or fat, and two grams of sugar. This number contrasts with that of home-made fruit infusions.

Since fruit infusions are often conducted at home and with varying amounts of fruit per infusion, the vitamin and mineral content of the beverage may vary. As such, more research is needed to determine the specific nutrient content of the beverage.

Potential health benefits of flavored water

Regardless of the amount of fresh ingredients, fruits, herbs, and spices added to a fruit water infusion, the primary benefits of infused natural beverages infused are that they keep you hydrated.

In other words, drinking water, regardless of the fruit infusion, is key to staying healthy. However, infusing tantalizing flavors into your glass makes consuming more water throughout the day easier. Therefore, a fruit infusion might be especially tantalizing, compared to a cup of water sans fruit.

Additional potential benefits of drinking infused water include:

• Preventing dehydration: Sipping on water or sugar-free drinks on a regular basis can help stave off dehydration.

• Weight loss: Replacing sugary drinks with fruit infusions can help reduce your sugar and carbohydrate intake. What’s more, water also promotes satiety, leaving you feeling full..

• Cancer treatment support: Studies show that maintaining hydration, specifically fluid and electrolyte balance, with cancer treatments is challenging. Many cancer treatment centers recommend drinking infused water to help stay hydrated during and after cancer treatment.

Potential challenges with infused water

Fruit infused water tends to be safe to drink, but two risks are worth mentioning.

1. Tooth enamel erosion: Many recipes rely on highly acidic fruits. Frequent consumption of citrus-infused water can aggravate teeth, thereby increasing your susceptibility to tooth sensitivities and cavities. You can monitor the acidity by controlling the volume of fruit you place in your beverage.

2. Food poisoning: Make sure to use fresh fruit that isn’t overly ripe or spoiled. Since foodborne illness outbreaks are often related to fresh produce, make sure to select ripe fruit, wash the fruit before using it, and store infused water in a sealed container in a refrigerator at 35°F to 38°F to ensure safety and freshness.

Top fruit combinations when infusing water 

Now that we have a solid understanding of the potential health benefits and challenges of infused water, let’s take a look at a few infused water ideas.

Some of the best water flavor combinations fall under the following categories:

• Sweet: Fruit pairings like raspberry and strawberry, canned pineapple and coconut, cinnamon and apple, and watermelon and cucumber add a touch of sweetness to a drink.

• Sour: Citrus fruit pairings such as lemon and lime, and orange and tangerine offer the right zest and zing for those with a penchant for tangy taste profiles.

• Bitter: Though not necessarily a fruit, herbs like rosemary, sage, or basil can be added to a water infusion to give it more bitterness.

• Savory: If you’re looking to steer clear of sweeter fruits (like kiwi, blackberry, and apples), savory combinations like cucumber or celery water with a lemon garnish can provide the right touch of savory to your beverage.

Regardless of your taste, consider experimenting with different fruit combinations, or visit your local fruit stand for more infused water ideas.

How long should you infuse water for optimal flavor?

Everyone has different tastes, which is why creating the optimal flavor for fruit-infused water is so subjective. Nevertheless, to make fruit-infused water, we always recommend muddling ingredients together instead of throwing them in water and hoping the water will taste yummy.

At a minimum, we recommend soaking three cups of water with your flavors for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. After infusing, strain out the solids (like peels and rinds) from the beverage so they don’t float in the water and make the infusion bitter or dull.

For maximum freshness, place the water in the fridge for three to four hours, or overnight. If left at room temperature for two hours, you should return it to the refrigerator to prolong its shelf life. Finally, make sure to consume all refrigerated infusions within three days.

Tips for preparation

As you begin to perfect the art of making your flavored H2O recipe, here are a few tips for preparing your flavored water recipe:

• Begin with a large glass jar or pitcher

• Don’t hesitate to throw in ice cubes

• Add your desired fruit, herbs, and spices to your pitcher/container

• Fill your container with water, and submerge your ingredients underwater

• Mix your infusion with a large spoon or stirring utensil.

• If no fresh fruit is available, consider using frozen fruit in your water infusion.

Fruit-infused water versus functional beverages

Fruit-infused water is often categorized as a functional beverage. Functional beverages make water more delicious, meaning they provide benefits beyond essential hydration. These benefits include:

• Increased energy

• Greater mental focus

• Increased calm

The difference between fruit-infused water and functional beverages is that fruit-infused water may not always include all the functional ingredients, such as adaptogens, probiotics, caffeine, and other bioactive ingredients, needed to sustain our bodies to their potential.

Functional beverages often include fruit, as well as other ingredients, to help nourish our bodies and minds to be their best.

The Ola Mate Advantage: Fruit infusions and functional beverages

While most people think edible flowers, green tea, black tea, or coffee beans are the only commercially available herbs that can be added to a water infusion, that’s not the case. While most commercial brands stick to these ingredients, yerba mate is quickly emerging as a fan favorite in many communities.

Yerba mate delivers the strength of coffee, the health benefits of tea, and the euphoric lift of chocolate (thanks to theobromine, the “happy” chemical in chocolate). We build our sparkling waters with yerba mate for the above-mentioned reasons.💪🏼

🧉For more information on yerba mate lore, check out this easy read on our Instagram page.👈🏼

Looking to upgrade your hydration routine? Try a natural, delicious, and healthy sparkling fruit infusion

We may be biased, but if you’re looking for hydration that works to quench your thirst, grab an Ola Mate.

Full of fresh herbs, antioxidants, adaptogens, and no added sugar, this flavorful infusion is both good for your body and your taste buds. At just 20 calories, three grams of sugar, and 125 milligrams of smooth, steadily releasing caffeine per 12-ounce can, it’s the perfect way to start your day.🌅

Our Grapefruit Ginger, Berry Coconut Lavender, and Raspberry Bliss are packed with antioxidants, real fruit juice, and organic steady energy that keeps you fueled and focused, without the jitters or crash.

If you’re looking for a fruit water infusion, try out our tips in the sections above. And when you need an on-the-go sparkling fruit-infused water beverage, opt for Ola Mate.

To try one of our tasty fruit infusions, we invite you to shop our entire collection. We look forward to hearing what you think!

Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about fruit-infused water

1. How long before fruit-infused water goes bad?

If you keep fruit-infused water in the refrigerator and remove the fruit after 12 to 24 hours, the infusion will last for about three to four days. However, if you place your water infusion in, say, a water bottle outside of the fridge, it tends to go bad after about two hours.

The general principle is to keep it cold and remove solids early.

2. How long should you infuse fruit in water?

To reach an optimal flavor, you should infuse fruit in water for about one to two hours at room temperature, three to four hours in the fridge for a more potent flavor, and overnight for a long-lasting flavor.

If you infuse fruit or herbs, like cucumber or mint, for example, for four hours or more, strain the fruits and herbs from the water before storing the infused water in the fridge.

3. What are some of the best flavor combinations?

One way to stay hydrated is by combining these all-star fruit flavors. Some of the best fruit combinations to use in water include:

• Strawberry lemon (to make strawberry lemonade)

• Watermelon mint

• Grapefruit and ginger

• Raspberries and lime

• Pineapple and oranges

• Apple and carrot

• Pomegranate and pear

• Lemon, carrot, and raspberry

• Green tea, blueberry, and lavender

🧉Ola Mate: Sparkling Fruit-Infused Water for Summertime, Training Time, and Any Time🌄