Herbs and Hydration

 Hydration shouldn’t be that complicated.
You get thirsty.
You find some water.
You take a drink.

But today, walk into any supermarket or grocery store and you’ll find rows and rows dedicated to hydration. Powders! Packets! Supplements! Sports Drinks!

But there's another side to the hydration conversation that doesn't get quite as much attention.

Sometimes you just need something to drink.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that water is generally the best choice for staying hydrated and recommends drinking plenty of fluids during hot weather.

So before reaching for another packet of electrolyte powder, why not look to the plants?

One particularly interesting candidate is an herb that has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years.

Marshmallow.

And no, we're not talking about the sugary little cubes you put on hot chocolate.

The other marshmallow

Marshmallow, or Althaea officinalis, is an herb native to parts of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa.

Long before the modern confection appeared, people were using the plant itself.

Marshmallow has been part of European herbal medicine since ancient times. Historical records associate the plant with Greek medicine, including references attributed to Hippocrates and Theophrastus, while Dioscorides described marshmallow in his first-century herbal work De Materia Medica.

And there is something unusual about marshmallow root that becomes apparent as soon as it meets water. Dioscorides even described the root as having a "clammy" quality and noted its ability to thicken water.

It contains mucilage, a mixture of polysaccharides that can absorb and interact with water, producing a thicker, slippery preparation.

Modern research has confirmed that marshmallow root mucilage has substantial water-binding properties. A 2024 study examining extracted marshmallow mucilage found that one preparation demonstrated a water-binding capacity of more than 80 grams of water per gram of dry sample.

That's interesting chemistry.

Does marshmallow actually hydrate you?

This is where things get interesting.

Marshmallow root has a long history of being prepared in water. Traditional herbal medicine has primarily used marshmallow root as a soothing, demulcent preparation for irritated tissues, including the mouth, throat and digestive tract. The European Medicines Agency recognizes these traditional uses, while also noting that clinical evidence remains limited.

While, it doesn't provide the sodium and other electrolytes that are specifically lost through prolonged, heavy sweating.

Hydration doesn't always have to mean an electrolyte product.

For everyday hydration, sitting at your desk, spending time outside, taking a walk, relaxing after work or simply trying to drink more water throughout the day, an herbal infusion can be a flavorful way to make water more interesting.

How to make a marshmallow root infusion

Marshmallow root is particularly interesting because a cold-water preparation is traditionally used to extract its mucilage.

For a simple preparation:

1. Start with cold water.

Add marshmallow root to a clean glass jar or pitcher.

2. Let it steep.

A traditional European herbal preparation uses approximately 2–5 grams of marshmallow root in about 150 mL of cold water, with the mixture steeped for roughly 30 minutes and stirred periodically.

For a larger pitcher intended to be consumed throughout the day, you can scale the preparation accordingly rather than making the mixture extremely concentrated.

3. Strain.

Pour the infusion through a fine strainer or cheesecloth to remove the plant material.

4. Chill it.

Refrigerate the finished infusion and enjoy it cold.

You can also add a little fresh peppermint, lemon or another culinary herb if you'd like more flavor.

The result isn't going to taste like a sports drink.

That's kind of the point.

It's an herbal drink.

An older way of thinking about hydration

Today, we have more options than ever for what we put in our water. Some are useful. Some are delicious. Some are heavily marketed. And some are simply unnecessary for the situation we're in.

An herbal infusion gives us another option.

Not a replacement for medical treatment.

Not a magic hydration formula.

Just water, a plant and a little time.

Bear Blend Marshmallow is a simple way to explore this unusual herb for yourself.

The root has a fascinating history, a distinctive relationship with water and a traditional role in herbal preparations that reaches back centuries.

If you're looking for an easy way to experiment with herbal drinks, try making a cold marshmallow infusion and keeping a pitcher in the refrigerator.

Pour a glass.

Add some lemon or peppermint if you'd like.

Take it outside.

Slow down for a few minutes.

And let something as ordinary as drinking a glass of water become part of the ceremony.