3 Great Stress-Relieving Citrus Drinks You Can Make at Home

Have you been feeling overly tense? Unwind and let go of those frustrations with these stress-relieving drinks you can make at home (with our delicious fruits).

Are you feeling a bit stressed out? You're not alone! Stress levels in the U.S. are the highest they've ever been across all age groups. Fortunately, there's a silver lining.

Because stress is so high and has been an issue for so long, we now know much more about simple ways to combat it in our day-to-day lives. And this includes adding a few relaxing citrus beverages to your daily routine.

Ready to start combating your stress the tasty way, but aren't sure where to start? We're here to help! Here are three delicious and refreshing stress-relieving citrus drinks you can make at home to help you wind down and relax.

1. Tea with Lemon

Humans have been using tea for its stress-relieving powers for centuries, and it's still one of the easiest and most delicious ways to relax and unwind after a long day. That said, adding a splash of lemon juice to hot tea does more than add some fresh, citrusy flavor to it. Apart from infusing your tea with a few extra vitamins, lemon juice can also boost digestion and your immune system.

The trick to creating the most calming cup of tea is picking the right kind. When it comes to stress relief, it's hard to beat classic chamomile. That said, if your not a chamomile fan, you have plenty of options. Peppermint, lavender, lemon balm, and passionflower are super de-stressors that go very well with a splash of lemon.

2. Fresh Fruit Juice

Fruit juice that is high in vitamin C, like orange and grapefruit, is fantastic for lowering the production of your body's natural stress hormones, like cortisol. That said, store-bought fruit juice is packed with extra sugar and other additives and can wind up doing more harm than good.

If you want a delicious and healthy way to combat your stress, you might want to get squeezing and make your juice yourself!

To make healthy fruit juice, start by peeling 2.5lbs of your choice of oranges or other citrus fruit. Then, add the peeled segments to a blender along with 1/4cup of water.

Blend the pieces up into pulp, making sure all of the large chunks are gone. Finally, strain the juice through a fine sieve or a cake cloth to remove all of the pulp, and you're ready to go!

If you like pulp in your fruit juice, feel free to add back in as much of the used pulp as you like.

3. Refreshing Infused Water

If you're looking for a surefire way to cool off physically and mentally, you can't beat a tall glass of ice-cold, citrus-infused water.

It's common knowledge at this point that humans need to drink a lot of water to stay in good shape, between 2.7 and 3.7 liters depending on the person. But, you might not know that not getting enough water can contribute to and worsen your stress levels. So, while water can be a stress-relieving drink on its own, you can heighten its healing powers by infusing it with the flavor and health benefits of your favorite citrus fruits.

Start by adding 64oz of water into a gallon pitcher or carafe. Then thinly slice two limes, one lemon, and one orange, and add them to the water. Finally, top-off the container with ice and store it in the refrigerator for at least two hours, or overnight, to give the fruit plenty of time to steep. Once it's thoroughly chilled and infused, serve your delicious citrusy water over ice, then sit back, relax and enjoy.

For a little extra refreshing flavor, add a handful of fresh mint leaves in with the fruit.

How to Make Stress-Relieving Drinks at Home

Now that you know how to whip up a few simple, stress-relieving citrus drinks, it's time to get cooking! Try our fresh kaffir (makrut) lime leaves for infusing health benefits and intense flavor into your cooking!

Check out our Citrus Delight blog for more insightful articles about citrus including citrus recipes, benefits, unique uses, and more!

Try our seasonal citrus box while its available...the Craft Citrus Club!

Our Rio box is a 15-lb curated box of our fresh-harvested citrus from South Texas. The fruit is NOT gassed, rather it is tree-ripened. Our season runs from Nov-May for oranges, grapefruit and mandarins.

Our Grande box is a 30-lb box of either fresh-harvested Rio Red Grapefruit or Sweet Oranges from South Texas.