Cucumber, Lemon & Mint H2O Recipe

Good morning! With the weather starting to warm up a little, the realization that I’ll be wearing shorts is starting to creep up on me!

With our recent move, general school craziness, and everything else going on in our lives I haven’t been eating as healthy as I would like to. I’m definitely ready to get my heath back on track and one of the best ways to do that is to start off with a delicious and refreshing detox water!

 

Why Detox Water?

We all know that water is beneficial for our bodies, and a necessity to our good health. But it’s also a great way to flush out toxins, and it helps reduce bloating and makes you feel better all around. This particular recipe is like a double detoxifying beverage because of it’s yummy ingredients!

Lemon: Not only is lemon known for it’s antibacterial, antiviral, and immune-boosting powers. But it’s also a powerful detoxifying cleanse for your liver and a digestive aid as well. It helps cleanse and alkaline the body. If you’re in a hurry add a simple slice of lemon to your water! Lemon water tastes great all by itself! (Note: Over use of lemons can damage the enamel on your teeth, so eat in moderation.)

Mint: Mint is great for promoting digestion as well as soothing an upset tummy! It has also been known to help with morning sickness and motion related nausea. Although for my pregnancies this was not the case LOL!

Cucumber: Cucumbers, a.k.a. commonly referred to as a super-food, are one of the best foods for your body’s overall health! They are a great source of B vitamins, and will rehydrate and replenish daily vitamins while helping the body eliminate toxins. They can also be used to sooth skin irritations, fight cancer, relieve bad breath, aids in weight loss, promotes joint health, and aids in digestion! Seriously? With all that, who can afford NOT to eat cucumbers?

 

So let’s get on with the recipe shall we?

 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cucumber
• 1-2 Lemons (2 if they’re small)
• Fresh mint leaves (about 10 leaves or so)
• Distilled or Filtered Water (Don’t use tap water, it’s full of gunk and we’re detoxifying here!)

 

Directions:

This recipe doesn’t have to be exact, so feel free to alter it based on your tastes. That said, let’s start chopping!

Before I do anything, I quickly wash off my cucumber and lemons. Just to get off all of the germs from people in the grocery store handling them.

First you’ll want to grab a handful of fresh mint leaves and place them in your pitcher. I don’t love mint, so I did a couple sprigs, or about 10 leaves if you don’t want the stems in there. But really it’s easier just to drop it in whole!

 

Next slice about 1/2 a cucumber, make sure to leave on the skin for added health benefits!

 

Next cut 1-2 lemons into whole slices. If they’re small I’d suggest using 2 whole lemons, skin and all.

Just slice it up and get it in there!

 

Next, fill the pitcher full using either distilled or filtered water. I don’t really recommend using tap water as it has too much gunk in it and we’re really trying to detoxify here!

 

Put your detox water into the refrigerator and chill overnight to let all of the goodness infuse your water.

Once your water is fully immersed, drink away! I suggest drinking this over 1-2 days. After that the mint starts getting kind of icky.

 

not only is this drink good for your body, it’s absolutely delicious and refreshing! Ready for summer anyone?

Flavor Alternatives:

• 1 lime, sliced and 1 cup of watermelon chunks
• 1 cucumber, 1 lemon, 1 orange, 10 fresh mint leaves (All sliced with peel on except mint)
• 1 cup strawberries, 2 cups watermelon cubed, 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 6 wedges grapefruit, 1 tangerine, sliced, 1/2 cucumber sliced, a couple mint leaves

EDITED: I’ve had a lot of questions regarding how many times per week to drink this, if you need to fast, etc. This is NOT a dietary substitute. It’s just simply a refreshing and healthy drink to help your body. I do NOT recommend fasting or drinking this water everyday for an extended period of time. I typically make it, then drink it up within 2 days or so because the ingredients get yucky after that. Lemon can hurt the enamel on your teeth if used too frequently, so just use common sense and drink this whenever you feel like having a nice refreshing drink that’s a bit more tasty than plain water. But do not use it as a means to lose weight, or as a fast.

Disclaimer: I am not a health professional, if you have any questions regarding these recipes, please ask consult a physician.