Water- improving taste without adding sugar?

[mallypants]

We have a reverse osmosis filter in our house, which in my opinion makes the water taste great, It doesn't go through as many filters as the store, and in my opinion tastes much better. The system is definetly worth it if you drink lots of water. Plus you save on them damn trips to the store all the time.

[bunsenhoneydew13]

People have suggested mint extract, but I like to soak tea bags overnight in a big pitcher of water.  I use peppermint tea (just the leaves, no real "tea") and hang the bags...it depends on your taste, but I use maybe 4 to a pitcher.  It's ready in the morning and it tastes great when it's super cold.  This probably won't keep too long, but it doesn't last too long anyway.

[jennieingram]

**Ok, new favorite discovered this week...  I have tons of loose tea in the house, and I'm trying to use some of it up, making large batches of iced tea.  I used some called Market Chai, which I got loose from a sweet little tea shop that sells it from giant apothecary jars.  It's a black assam tea, with various spices.  I'm not sure the exact blend, but I know it included cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, peppercorn, and cloves.  I mixed about half and half with water, and it's fantastic!  It has a delicious "bite" to it, like an old fashioned rootbeer or sasparilla, but with none of the sugary-syrup-ness of soda. 

My second favorite is mixing seltzer and a sprig of fresh mint OR a little juice, like lime or pomegranite.  While I like sparkling water, which doesn't have any sweeteners or anything else for that matter, I find it a bit too fizzy.  So I generally do a mix of half water, half seltzer, a few drops of lime juice, and a sprig of mint.  You can also mix 1/2 a glass of juice in, or even iced tea.  I try to limit my sugars and caffiene, so watering it down with sparkling water makes it feel like a treat and keeps you drinking, but has few to no calories. 

And I'm so going to try the cucumber water now!   

[PixieSkull]

Drink tea! All sorts of lovely ones that are different flavors. I also use blueberries, grapes, and kind of berries, really, as ice cubes. Sugar-free candies can work, too.

Also, I drink drinking water or bottled water sometimes when my water gets extra-rusty.

[megmoira]

I'm weird, I can't drink anything too cold without getting the dreaded brain-freeze. My 'iced' tea is sun tea from off of the counter, I drink hot tap water (during the winter, at least).

My favorite water additives are tazo's wild sweet orange tea (four bags to a 2 Qt pitcher) makes a nice strong orange Jello flavor for the summer, and Linden tea (leaves and flowers) for colder weather, but we'll see how it ices once the snow melts.

Congrats on keeping your resolution so far!

[cat2007]

i just read the first page so if this has been mentioned sorry.

Stevia (here in US  at GNC stores-health food ) is an excellent way to add natural sweetness to your water without calories  or the side-effects of the aspertame/sweet n low/Splenda/ Sucralose.  using just  1/4 tsp will sweeten a gallon of tea, it can be used in baking, it comes in liquid, powder and tablet forms.

Artifical sweetners from Crystal Light (peach tea- which i love love love) did dreadful things to me (headaches all the time and mood= mainly anger), and I actually tested myself by stopping drinking it for 2 wks (not changing anything else in my diet but that one thing) and within 5 minutes of my partaking again of the Peach Tea I developed a horrible headache, did some research and found a site (which I can't find the link to now) which convinced me that I wasn't loosing it when it came to the side effects FOR ME (everyone will be different but for me) it was not pleasant. 

here are some things I've used in water:
frozen strawberries
frozen blueberries
lemon juice (Sicilian brand)
sliced peaches

good luck on finding something that works for you.

[Onlybluemomma]

i didn't read all the replies.. but try a slice of lemon,lime or even some orange slices put into your glass