Easy Herbal Water Tutorial By Kami McBride
Not drinking enough water? Try this herbal hack! Read on to find out how to make herbal water, along with 23 herb and fruit-infused water combinations.
Drinking enough water can be a little tricky, especially when we’re surrounded by tempting alternatives, from sugary soda to craft beer and nearly everything in between. However, as we know, the body truly does function at its best when it’s well hydrated. Summer’s heat increases your chances of becoming dehydrated, so it’s even more important to refresh with water throughout the day to temper summer’s swelter.
I’ve been teaching folks how to get more herbs into their lives for 35 years and found that making “herbal waters” is one of the simplest ways to enjoy herbs while supporting our hydration needs. It only takes a few minutes to whip up an entire pitcher of herbal water, and you can easily source the ingredients from your garden, farmer’s market, or local grocer.*
What Are Herbal Infused Waters?
Herbal waters are made by adding herb/fruit combinations to a pitcher of water. That’s it! Nothing fancy, but taking care of yourself this way feels good! The mixtures of ingredients that make simple, yet elegant drinks are endless, including chamomile and kiwi, lavender and strawberry, and more (see my list of 23 Herbal Water ideas below, for inspiration!).
With fresh-picked herbs and fruit, the waters take on the flavor of each season, depending on what is ripe. Herbal water is subtle, you don’t need a lot of ingredients. Just a few sprigs of herbs and a few slices of fruit will do.
Adding fresh herbs and fruit to your water not only makes it tastier, but fruits are full of electrolytes that help the body to more efficiently absorb the water.
I whip up a pitcher of herbal water in the morning to drink throughout the day. The ritual of combining the seasonal harvest into a daily drink is grounding and satisfying for me. I love knowing that there’s something beautiful in my refrigerator or hydration station to serve to whomever finds their way into our kitchen.
I am fortunate to live in an area with lots of fruit tree varieties. These combinations are inspired by the terroir of where I live and my robust herb garden! What combination of herbs and fruit does your location or garden offer you? Here are some combinations that my garden has inspired.*
23 Herbal Waters
- Basil/peppermint
- Basil/pomegranate
- Calendula/melon
- Chamomile/kiwi
- Chamomile/plum
- Elderflower/lime
- Fennel seed/orange peel
- Lavender/plum
- Lavender/strawberry
- Lemon balm/cantaloupe
- Lemon balm/peach
- Lemon verbena/blueberry
- Orange peel/mint
- Peppermint/apricot
- Peppermint/cucumber
- Peppermint/orange
- Pine needle/lemon
- Rose geranium/rose petal
- Rose geranium/watermelon
- Rose petal/pomegranate
- Rose petal/strawberry
- Rosemary/peach
- Rosemary/persimmon
How to Make Herbal Water
- Fill a pitcher with water.
- Add 5 sprigs of clean, freshly cut herbs of your choice.
- Add ½-1 cup of thinly sliced fruit
- Let the ingredients infuse in the water for up to 1 hour before drinking. You do not need to strain the herbs and fruit from the water before you serve. In fact, the longer you let them steep, the better the flavor will become.
Herb waters will last in the refrigerator for approximately 24 hours. Enjoy experimenting with the abundance of the late summer harvest and drink up!*
Kami McBride is the author of The Herbal Kitchen and has taught herbal medicine at the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing. Her 35 years of teaching herbal medicine is steeped in a calling to activate culture that embraces deep connection with the plants and inspires the next generation to care for the earth. Kami’s passion for herbal medicine was propelled by an excruciating brain surgery at 19 years old that resulted from medication side effects. This was an initiatory experience during which she was deeply called by the plants. Her life is dedicated to helping people feel confident in their herbal healing arts skills so they can energize herbal kitchen culture that embraces taking care of our bodies with herbs and inspires a lineage of crafting natural remedies at home. We weave the beauty of the plants into an herbal wellness-centered lifestyle that nurtures love for the earth and passes this knowledge forward. Kami can be reached at www.kamimcbride.com or on IG at @kamimcbride.
