10 drinks without added sugar to quench your thirst all summer long

Intense heat, beach vacations and tan lines… There is no doubt, we are indeed in summer. And who says sun and rising temperatures, necessarily says need for intense hydration. In this period of sunny days, although sugary drinks tend to be eye-catching, the glucose they contain does not entirely contribute to our hydration. It’s actually quite the opposite! In addition to being stored as fat by the body, excess glucose is absorbed almost instantly by the intestine and then diluted in the blood. Following this process, to restore balance, our cells will then release water into the blood, and thus signal this need for H₂O to the brain. Result ? Just ten minutes after consuming sugar, you feel thirsty!

Fortunately, for those who never drink water, or who struggle with its neutral taste, infusions, detox waters, and sugar-free iced teas are here to help. Customizable as desired, most only require a few minutes of preparation, and can be kept for about a week in the refrigerator, although we recommend, for a feeling of absolute freshness, to consume them the same day.

How to make a sugar-free drink?

Ingredients

To flavor your water, nothing could be simpler! We focus on seasonal foods with strong, vitamin-rich flavors, which, thanks to their natural composition, will contribute directly to the hydration of our body. Made up of 97% water, the cucumber, for example, is the champion of freshness, closely followed by the tomato, which is 94% full of water. On the fruit side, melon and watermelon take precedence. With their seductive look, it is no coincidence that they grow during the hottest weather of the year. But the list doesn’t stop there: strawberries, pineapple, mango, peach or kiwi… The combinations are limitless, provided of course that you opt for the freshest products possible.

Also, prefer to add pieces of fresh fruit to your drink rather than mixing everything to benefit from their dietary fiber.

Obviously, in addition to pieces of fruit, our drink would not be complete without a little touch of flavor, herbs and/or spices. Used for the preparation of Moroccan tea, mint, for example, offers an unparalleled feeling of freshness. You can also opt for basil, lavender, thyme, ginger, hibiscus or even rosemary, which we slip generously into our preparation. If you don’t like the feel of herbs or spices in your drink, use a cheesecloth that is soaked in water while infusing.

The preparation

There are no rules as such when it comes to the quantities used. It’s more up to everyone’s taste.

For homemade juice, you press the food using a citrus press. If you don’t like the pulp, you can remove it by passing the liquid through a fine strainer. To soften the overly bitter taste of certain fruits, there is nothing stopping us from adding a little water to our freshly squeezed juice.

For an infusion or detox water, simply add the chosen foods to the water, once they have been washed, peeled and cut into pieces. Leave to rest for at least 30 minutes to a few hours in the refrigerator. Obviously, the longer the resting time, the more the infusion will have its effect and the flavor will be intense.

For a homemade iced tea, you start by preparing a classic tea by boiling water, before adding the tea. Then, we garnish everything with ingredients of your choice: pieces of fresh fruit, herbs and spices.

Each time the combinations are endless, and the important thing is to use fresh foods for optimal hydration, but above all to have fun. To follow: 10 sugar-free drink recipes to counter the heat as it should be.