Virtually everyone knows they are supposed to drink a minimum of eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day, but if you're not unaccustomed to this healthy habit, it can feel like a distasteful chore. Many people would rather drink coffee, tea, juice, and soda simply because it tastes better. Thankfully, like any habit, you will likely eventually get used to drinking water, but tap water doesn't have to be boring. Here are five ways to jazz up that plain glass of water.

Prepare A Fruit Infusion

Each night, add one cup of fresh or frozen assorted berries to a 2-quart pitcher and fill with water. Place the container in the refrigerator, and when you wake up the next day, you will have a vibrant colored and tasting water to drink throughout the day. You can use the leftover strained fruit at the end of the day in a batch of muffins, or just fill the picture again and get another use out of the fruit.

Make Some Fresh Mint Cubes

Finely chop fresh mint leaves. Put a sprinkle of the herbs into each ice cube compartment and carefully fill with water. Once frozen, add a cube or two to club soda for a refreshing, effervescent drink. You can also add a teaspoon of honey if you want a sweet, minty treat.

Add Some Orange Zest

Use a small-scale grater to get the zest off of an orange. Make a tray of ice cubes just like as described above with the mint leaves but using the orange zest instead. Then finish peeling the orange, and separate it into segments. Freeze the segments in a plastic bag and use both the cubes and frozen segments for a citrusy, orange-flavored invigorating pick-me-up.

Take A Trip To The Health Food Store

Many commercial products are available to add natural flavors to your water. You can choose from essential extracts that have concentrated flavors, or you can choose convenient sugar-free compounds that you just need to add a drop or two to your glass for an instant flavor explosion with a touch of sweetness.

Muddle Fresh Fruit

Some cocktails call for muddled fruit on the bottom of the glass. You can do the same with your water. Dice up watermelon, add a cherry, and add just a touch of water. Use the back of a spoon to gently macerate the fruit before finishing with the rest of the water. Cucumber and cantaloupe is another good combination to try.