Summer Detox Drinks (Printable Version)
Three hydrating, low-sugar summer blends—citrus-cucumber, watermelon-basil, and ginger-lemon green tea—ready in minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Citrus-Cucumber Detox Water
01 - 4 cups cold water
02 - 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
03 - 1 lemon, thinly sliced
04 - 10 fresh mint leaves
→ Watermelon Basil Cooler
05 - 2 cups watermelon, cubed and chilled
06 - Juice of 1 lime
07 - 6 fresh basil leaves
08 - 1 cup cold water
→ Ginger-Lemon Green Tea
09 - 2 green tea bags
10 - 2 cups boiling water
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, thinly sliced
12 - Juice of 1 lemon
13 - 1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large pitcher, combine the cold water, sliced cucumber, lemon rounds, and mint leaves. Stir gently, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse. Serve chilled over ice.
02 - Add the cubed watermelon, lime juice, basil leaves, and cold water to a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve if a smoother texture is desired, then pour into glasses over ice.
03 - Place the green tea bags and sliced ginger into a heatproof vessel. Pour the boiling water over them and steep for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags and ginger slices, then stir in the fresh lemon juice and honey or agave if using. Allow to cool, then refrigerate until chilled. Serve over ice.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- These three drinks come together in ten minutes with zero cooking, which means your kitchen stays cool and you stay hydrated without any effort.
- Each one doubles as a light cleanse and a genuine thirst quencher, so you never feel like you are suffering through a health trend.
02 -
- Green tea left steeping longer than four minutes releases tannins that make the drink astringent and undrinkable, so set a timer and respect it completely.
- The detox water actually tastes better on day two because the cucumber and lemon have fully surrendered their essence to the water, making it worth making ahead.
03 -
- Roll your citrus fruits firmly on the counter before slicing to break down the internal membranes and release significantly more juice from each piece.
- Muddling the basil and mint briefly with the back of a wooden spoon before adding liquid extracts twice the fragrance with zero extra effort.