Detox Water Recipes
Detox water recipes have been a part of our natural body cleansing protocols for many years. The main benefit is hydration. Detox water tastes better than water. So you drink more. This can help support the kidneys and flush out toxins. Adding herbal extracts to support specific body cleanse goals can make the detox and body cleansing process much more effective. We use these often as well.
The purpose of this experts guide is to share our experience with detox water. We cover our top detox water recipes, the correct way to make fruit infused water, benefits, side effects and misconceptions.
We hope this guide will help you enjoy the many detox water benefits while minimizing the risks.
In This Guide
- Lemon water detox. (The overnight toxins flush).
- Colon cleanse water recipe.
- Herbal extracts recipes for specific concerns.
- Liver, gallbladder, kidney cleanse.
- Joint pain, inflammation.
- Weight loss.
- Brain & mood.
Top Ingredients
- Core: Lemon, lime, cucumber, apple cider vinegar.
- Fruit infused water: strawberry, grapefruit, pineapple, orange.
- Add-ons: mint, ginger.
Top Detox Water Recipes
Below are the top detox water recipes. In addition to the instructions of how to make the detox water, we also covered their purpose and benefits.
1. Lemon Water Detox
The lemon water detox recipe below is one of the most effective natural remedies to quickly and safely remove toxins and accumulated waste from your body. Also known as the overnight toxins flush, it is ideal for:
- Constipation or digestion issues such as gas, bloating.
- Promote gut health.
It is best to drink the lemon water detox before bedtime.
Expect the next day to have a series of bowel movements with many of the toxins being eliminated.
Most people feel a significant relief when these toxins are being flushed out
Lemon Water Detox
The lemon water detox recipe is one of the most effective natural remedies to quickly and safely remove toxins and accumulated waste from your body. Also known as the overnight toxins flush, it is ideal for constipation or digestion issues such as gas, bloating, and as a natural home remedy that may help to promote gut health.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lemon juice (organic)
- 1 Teaspoon apple cider vinegar (organic raw unfiltered)
- 16 oz. distilled water
- 4-8 Capsules Oxy-Powder
Instructions
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Squeeze the juice of ½ organic lemon.
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Add 1 teaspoon of organic raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar into 16 ounces of distilled water.
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Drink before bedtime with 4-8 capsules of oxy-powder on an empty stomach away from any foods or other supplements. See below additional comments for best results.
Lemon Water Detox Additional Instructions
- Oxy-powder releases oxygen in the colon to detoxify and loosen toxins, undigested food particles and waste buildup so they can be flushed out naturally by the body.
- If you have never taken oxy-powder before, start with 2 capsules and gradually increase if needed.
Lemon Water Detox Ingredients
- Lemon juice is well known for its cleansing and detoxification properties, and is included in many intestine cleanse and colon cleanse drinks. Lemon juice was suggested by research to have a protective effect on the liver by reducing the levels of serum ALT and AST liver enzymes as well as triacylglycerol and lipid peroxidation in the liver (1).
- Apple cider vinegar on its raw unfiltered unpasteurized form also known as apple cider vinegar with mother, has naturally occurring acids and good bacteria that can promote healthy digestion and gut health.
Many people who consume apple cider vinegar on an empty stomach report more bowel movements and better digestion. - Oxy-Powder as its name suggests releases oxygen in the entire digestive tract to soften and loosen dry and hard waste buildup so it can be flushed out naturally by the body through normal bowel movements.
Overtime this waste buildup becomes drier and harder and sticks to the colon wall to a point the body can’t eliminate it through normal bowel movements. The released oxygen loosens this toxic waste, so that the body can easily eliminate it.
Learn more about Oxy-powder.
2. Cucumber Detox Water
Cucumber detox water is the base of many detox water recipes. There are however, a few common misconceptions about the cucumber water benefits. So before we’ll get to the cucumber water recipe, let’s set the right exceptions.
cucumber water benefits
- Hydration is the main benefit of cucumber water recipes. This can help your skin looks better.
- No Calories: a refreshing drink that tastes better than water but has no calories.
- Additional cucumber water benefits for acne and weight loss are not supported by science.
- Weight loss: cucumber detox water may support weight loss by keeping you hydrate. Drinking enough liquids can help your kidneys flush out more toxins. Drinking cucumber detox water is not going to accelerate your weight loss.
- Nutrients: cucumber water is not considered a good source of B vitamins or antioxidants.
Cucumber Water Recipe
The cucumber lemon water recipe below is a very tasty cucumber water recipe that is also very easy to make.
Popular Add-ons:
- Lemon cucumber mint detox water.
- Strawberry and cucumber detox water.
Cucumber lemon water
The cucumber lemon water recipe is a very tasty cucumber water recipe that is also very easy to make. Popular Add-ons: Lemon cucumber mint detox water.Strawberry and cucumber detox water.
Ingredients
- 2 Medium cucumbers
- 1 Small lemon
- Mint, Rosemary (Optional)
- Himalayan pink salt (Optional, to taste)
- Stevia or monkfruit (Optional, to taste)
Instructions
-
See below.
Cucumber lemon water Recipe: Instructions
- Slice the cucumbers and lemon. No need to peel.
- Add the cucumbers and lemon to a large pitcher or mason jar.
- Add a few leafs of mint or rosemary (optional).
- Pour spring or purified water.
- Refrigerate overnight.
- Drink within the next day.
- Keep refrigerated.
To improve taste, consider the following tips:
- Add Himalayan pink salt to taste.
- Add Stevia for a little more sweetness. Stevia is a natural plant based sweetener that has minimal impact on blood sugar. Typical serving size has no calories or carbs.
- When it comes to stevia or monkfruit, little goes a long way! If you are still not satisfied with the sweetness, consider experimenting with adding more Himalayan pink salt. Salt brings out other flavors.
3. Watermelon Detox Water
Can you enjoy the taste of watermelon without the extra calories? that is exactly what the watermelon infused water recipe is all about.
Watermelon is not considered a high calorie fruit due to its high water content. It is very easy however to eat a lot of watermelon. So you can still end of with high amount of sugars from it which is something many people wish to avoid.
Watermelon detox water recipes follow fruit infused water principles as shown below:
- Cut the watermelon into cubes.
- Add the watermelon cubes to a large glass pitcher or a jar.
- Pour spring or purified water.
- Refrigerate overnight.
- Drink within the next day.
- Keep refrigerated.
4. Strawberry Water
Just like the watermelon water, the strawberry water recipe is very easy to make with the same purpose. Enjoy the flavor of strawberries without the calories. When it comes to strawberry water however, a few important comments:
- Eating whole fresh berries is linked to many health benefit.
- Berries are condiered low sugar fruits that have very high levels of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
- You may not get all these nutrients and benefits from the strawberry water.
- For these reasons, drinking strawberry infused water should not replace eating fresh whole berries.
- Lastly, when it comes to berries, always go organic.
Same detox water recipe can be used to make raspberry water. You can also combine different berries together.
Popular combinations:
- Strawberry and blueberry detox water.
- Strawberry and cucumber detox water.
- Raspberry mint detox water.
How to make strawberry infused water
Strawberry infused water is one of the most popular fruit infused water used in many detox water recipes.
- Slice the strawberries.
- Add the strawberries to a large glass pitcher or a jar.
- Pour spring or purified water over the strawberries.
- Refrigerate overnight.
- Drink within the next day.
- Keep refrigerated.
What is Detox Water?
Detox water is a water based drink that contains ingredients that can help flush toxins out of your body. The main ingredient in detox water should always be high quality water. The other ingredients usually have natural medicinal, detoxification or hydration properties, and can also add flavor to the water. Detox water with lemon, cucumber and raw apple cider vinegar are considered the gold standards of detox drinks, and make the core of many detox water recipes. Additional ingredients are added to the detox water recipes based on the detox goals or to enhance flavor.
What is the purpose of detox water?
The purpose of detox water is to compliment your detox plan, water cleanse, or fast by providing your body with key nutrients that can support the cleanse without the extra calories. Detox drinks are usually easy to digest, giving your body a break from constantly having to digest solid foods and when done properly, they taste much better than plain water.
The Problem With Detox Water Recipes
The most common mistake when making detox water recipes is to replace too many meals with detox drinks on an ongoing basis. This risky approach may help to lose more weight or increase the effectiveness of the cleanse, but can also lead to nutritional deficiencies and other health issues. Detox drinks or any type of cleanse drink can’t provide your body with all the essential nutrients it needs on an ongoing basis. Regardless of the type of detox water or detox drinks you use, getting all the essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, fatty acids and others just from drinks is not practical.
Giving your body a break from eating solid foods for a short time can have many health benefits which are well known (e.g. intermittent fasting, juice detox, etc). This is really where drinking detox water and detox drinks shines. There should be a balance, however, between the time you allow your body to not digest foods and detox, to the time you refeed and eat.
Another common problem we see with many detox drinks has to do with the ingredients that are added in addition to water. Many detox water recipes contain aggressive herbs that can actually be toxic to the body! completely the opposite of what you are trying to achieve when you detox! other detox recipes contain high amount of sugars, which can also impair your body’s ability to effectively flush toxins and cleanse. If you decide to include fruit juices as a part of your detox drinks, you may want to consider eating the entire fruits instead.
Speaking of fruit juices…if you consider doing a detox juice and wonder what is the best detox drink to support your cleanse, our long experience and practice with many detox diet plans and cleanses has shown that the majority of the people will benefit from a green based low sugars detox drinks. Our Living Vitality Green Nectar recipe is a great example. We also cover the juicing vs. smoothies topic.
Detox Water Benefits
Many of the health benefits of drinking detox water are related to the increased consumption of water while eating less foods. This allows the body to get some rest from constantly having to digest solid foods, while getting sufficient amount of water that are required for a healthy toxins and waste removal.
This is a very important benefit, especially since most people overeat and do not drink enough water:
It is estimated that 75% of Americans may suffer from chronic dehydration. Whether the reason is due to not drinking enough water, consuming sodas and stimulants that dehydrate the body or both, this is very concerning and can lead to may potential health issues.
This is where detox water benefits truly shine, especially when detox water and detox drinks are consumed as a part of a water cleanse, water detox or other cleansing water plans. Detox water benefits may include:
- Increased energy.
- Better mood and state of well being.
- Better digestion.
- Reduce bloating, gas and other digestive issues.
- Better complexion.
- Improved mental clarity.
With that said, if you are currently consuming a lot of processed foods, overeat, and planning to just add detox water recipes between your meals, you may not enjoy any of the benefits of detox water. Something to consider.
How to Make Detox Water
Detox water and detox drinks are made by infusing water with fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, or by adding herbs or herbal extracts directly to the water.
When making detox water recipes
- understand the reason for adding each ingredient, and how it may contribute to the goals you are trying to achieve.
- Be aware to sensitivities to certain ingredients and herbs. You want to make it easy for the body to detox, and not to create additional obstacles during your cleanse. A common example is cayenne pepper. Due to its many health benefits, it is a very popular spice to include in many detox drinks. Taken on empty stomach as a part of a detox drink, however, may be a different experience than adding it to spice your meal. Something to consider when adding ingredients to your detox drinks.
Based on our practice and long experience with detoxification, here are the top guidelines to help make the best detox water for your individual needs. Note that many of the steps shown below are optional, so you do not have to include all the steps when making your own detox water.
How to Make Detox Water – Step 1/3 – Add Fruits
Infused water with fruits:
- Use high quality water such as natural spring water.
- Only use glass containers or glass pitcher to store your detox drink. Mason jars work great.
- Add thin slices of the same type of fruit to the water, preferably organic and fresh. Adding sweet fruits such as strawberries, blueberries or other berries work very well. Strawberry detox water recipe is a great example.
- Slicing is optional in case of berries or other small fruits that are eaten with their skin.
- Avoid infusing different types of fruits such as acidic fruits with sweet fruits.
- Avoid mixing fruit juices with the water as they may increase the calories and sugar content. This can backfire the entire detox.
- Lemon and citrus fruits are an exception, see: Lemon Water Detox.
How to Make Detox Water – Step 2/3 – Add Herbs or Spices
Detox Water Recipes For Specific Concerns
Adding herbs or spices with your detox water recipes can do more than just adding flavor. Many herbs and spices have medicinal properties that can support your cleanse and health concerns. Adding liquid herbal extracts tinctures that are specifically designed to address these concerns can significantly boost your detox water recipes benefits.
To make the most out of your detox water recipes, only use alcohol free extracts. Alcohol can completely destroy the delicate flavor of most detox water recipes. Here are the most common examples we use as a part of our natural cleansing protocols:
liver & gallbladder health
For special concerns regarding liver or gallbladder health, liver cleansing herbs such as milk thistle, dandelion root, and chanca piedra are widely used to help the liver detoxify and regenerate.
Energy & Stress
For fatigue, low energy and stress, energy & anti-stress herbs such as ashwagandha, ginseng or maca have shown to very helpful: these herbs do not have stimulants such as caffeine; however, when used correctly, it is quite common to feel long lasting “clean” energy for hours.
Joint Pain & Inflammation
If you are currently taking NSAIDs or other pain medication for headache, muscle, joint pain or inflammation, you may want to check our anti-inflammatory low-carb Pina Colada Miracle recipe. This detox drink contains potent ingredients shown by science to have strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It also tastes great.
Brain & Mood
Here is one of our popular detox drinks for brain and mood: It is a great example of how to make detox water recipe that is very effective and also very easy to make:
Glowing Brain Detox Drink
This blueberry detox water recipe is designed to nourish the brain, promote healthy cognitive function and mood while supporting natural cleansing and detoxification.
See Recipe
It is very easy to make and can be used on an ongoing basis. Ideal before any event that requires focus, concentration, improved creativity or for general health.
Kidneys Health
One of the advantages of doing a water cleanse is the potential benefits to kidneys health.
To help support the kidneys in eliminating toxins and to promote healthy kidney function during your cleanse, kidney cleansing herbs such as Uva Ursi, Chanca Piedra, Horsetail are commonly use. Adding these herbs to your detox drinks as a part of your water cleanse where you increase your water consumption can enhance the kidneys ability to detoxify, and improve the results of your cleanse.
Additional Tips:
- If you are using roots such as turmeric or ginger, cut them to small pieces or grate them and add them to your detox water recipes.
- Another option is to make a detox tea: add the ginger or turmeric to spring water, bring to a boil, cover on medium heat for a few minutes, let the tea cool down and then add the tea to your detox water.
- If you made lemon water detox drink, consider adding fresh herbs such mint, rosemary or others. Choose one each time so it will be easier for you to evaluate how adding each made you feel.
How to Make Detox Water – Step 3/3 – Improve Flavor
After steps 1 and 2 are completed, cover, refrigerate for 2-4 hours, or leave overnight. During this time, the flavor of the detox water drink develops as the ingredients are infused into the water.
Taste the drink, consider adding the following to improve the flavor:
- If your detox water tastes bitter, consider adding Himalayan pink salt. Adding salt reduces our taste buds ability to sense bitterness. Using Himalayan pink salt can also increase the traces minerals content of your detox water recipes.
- For a little more sweetness, consider adding stevia. Stevia is a natural plant based sweetener that has minimal impact on blood sugar. Typical serving size has no calories or carbs. When using stevia, remember that a little goes a long way! if you find yourself adding to much and still not satisfied with the sweetness, consider experimenting with adding more Himalayan pink salt, since salt brings out other flavors.
- Other spices to consider for improved flavor include ground cinnamon, vanilla beans, ground cayenne (for an extra kick). Note that these along with many other spices may also have detox properties.
Detox Water Recipes for Weight Loss
Using detox water recipes for weight loss is very common as a natural way to support your overall weight loss plan. The best approach is always a combination of a healthy diet plan and exercise.
Fat burning detox water
To make the best fat burning detox water recipes:
- Drink your weight loss detox water first thing in the morning and between meals.
- Many people find detox water to be very helpful during short period of fasting, such as intermittent fasting or before a workout.
- Add cold brew organic coffee or matcha green tea.
- Add energy & anti-stress herbs such as ginseng root extract, and jiaogulan (Gynostemma Pentaphyllum).
- Add stevia to taste (optional).
- When consuming caffeine based ingredients such as coffee or tea, start slow and see if they agree with you. Some people are very sensitive to caffeine.
- Skip the detox water with lemon or cucumber detox water for this drink. This is for flavor purposes, unless you enjoy the taste of lemon with matcha green tea. In our testing, most people didn’t like this combination.
Detox water recipes for weight loss – Common Mistakes
The best detox water for weight loss needs to be safe as well. Here are the common mistakes to avoid when you make detox water for weight loss:
- Giving your body a break from eating solid foods for a short time (e.g. intermittent fasting, water fast, water detox diet) can have many health benefits especially when it comes to getting rid of toxins or promoting weight loss. This however, need to be a part of complete exercise and detox diet plan to make sure your body is still getting all the vital nutrients.
- Detox water or in fact any detox drink can’t provide your body with all the essential nutrients it needs to be healthy. Regardless of the type of detox water recipes you use, getting all the essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, essential fatty acids and others just from drinks is not practical.