3 Tips for Flavoring Water Without Extra Calories

A major natural food store chain took some flak last week for having bottles of water containing asparagus stalks on one of their store’s shelves. The asparagus water turned out to be a mistake and a big “oops” moment for the chain, but not drinking enough water shouldn’t be an “oops” for you. I’ve been paying more attention to this part of my plan lately in my quest to replace soda and other beverages with plain or flavored water. During our annual conference last month, I was surprised to hear how many of our top weight-loss winners attributed part of their success to drinking more water. Our bodies are about 60% water, and getting enough fluids helps with regulating body temperature, digestion and even your appearance. It’s amazing how something so simple can be so good for us. The trouble is plain water can be…well, boring. To help keep drinking more water fun and tasty during these last weeks of summer, check out my three favorite ways to flavor water.

• Place sliced cucumber and fresh basil leaves in a pitcher and add filtered water. Sometimes, I’ll add a splash of lemonade or just plain sliced lemons to add a little zing. Pop it in the fridge so it’ll be nice and cold whenever thirst hits.
• Consider investing in a reusable plastic mason jar (pictured above) with a straw. These are available in many popular chain stores right now and may even be on sale with the summer winding down. Add mint leaves (which, for me personally, sometimes curb my cravings for salt and sugar) and fresh berries or slices of melon to water. Enjoy sipping knowing that you’re not taking in extra sugar or calories.
• Pour just a splash of your favorite lemonade or juice and add sparkling or seltzer water. Part of the TOPS approach to healthy eating is that you shouldn’t have to give up the foods or drinks you love. You may just have to take a modified approach to them.