Summer is at its utmost peak and there seems to be no respite from the sweltering heat. With the rise in temperature, our will to go out has decreased too, be it at any point of the day. Stepping out during the day has become an even bigger task as nobody wants to feel their skin burning due to the scorching heat. During this time, it gets imperative to load up on foods and drinks that are hydrating in nature. While there is no dearth of summer drinks out there, it's always a good idea to keep experimenting with different summer ingredients to create unique summer drinks.
Here are a few drinks you should try this summer to refresh yourself and your loved ones:
1.Cucumber Mint Lemonade
Known to promote hydration in the body, cucumbers are extremely rich in antioxidants. Combine this superfood with cooling mint and refreshing lemon juice and voila! You have a tasty and refreshing drink ready! All you have to do is add one cucumber, two-three sticks of fresh mint leaves and one tablespoon of lemon juice to a blender. Add in three-four cups of water and two tablespoons of sugar or honey to it. Blend the ingredients until everything is mixed properly and transfer the drink to a pitcher through a strainer so that no cucumber or mint pulp goes into the drink. Cucumber mint lemonade can also be used as a detox drink. Cucumber is the perfect hydrating agent being 95% water; it also cools the body, whereas mint helps with digestion. Moreover, all the ingredients of this drink are detox agents, so it can be your perfect cooling detox drink this summer.
(Also Read: 5 Shades Of Lemonade: Add A Twist To Your Lemonade With These 5 Quirky Recipes)
2.Watermelon Mint Cooler
To make the watermelon mint cooler, all you have to do is mix together four cups of deseeded watermelon, two-three sticks of mint leaves and one tablespoon of lemon juice, along with two tablespoons of sugar. Blend the ingredients and pour the drink through a strainer to get rid of mint leaves chunks. You now have an interesting drink to sip on to keep you cool. You may also add a bit of rock salt to the drink. Watermelon contains a lot of water and is quite hydrating. It also helps reduce body fat and is considered to be good for heart health and bones.
(Also Read: Watermelon Basil Cooler Recipe)
3.Pineapple OJ Smoothie
Get over the regular orange juice and make a pineapple OJ smoothie out of it. All you have to do is mix two cups of pineapple chunks and one cup of orange juice together. You have a refreshing smoothie to get yourself through the summer. You can also add one cup of plain yoghurt and some sweetener to it. Pineapple is not only rich in fibre but is also low in calories. Pineapple also helps induce a glow on the skin. Oranges are rich in water content and have high amounts of antioxidants. This smoothie makes for a perfect drink with multiple benefits.
(Also Read: Top 5 Sweet And Savoury Ways To Eat Pineapple)
4.Mango Lassi
Lassi has been the go-to drink of many Indians since time immemorial. The sweet and cooling drink provides exactly the kind of refreshment you need on a hot summer day. Mango lassi is an interesting take on the drink, which is loved by kids and adults alike. To make the drink, you need to mix two cups of chopped mango, two cups of curd, about half a cup of chilled water (depending on the thickness you want), and one-two tablespoons of sugar. Add a dash of cardamom after mixing all the ingredients and your mango lassi is ready to serve.
(Also Read: 10 Amazing Summer Beverages You Must Drink To Beat The Heat!)
So add these drinks to your summer diet and make the most of this season!
However, if you're feeling too lazy to prepare these coolers for yourself and want something less sugary yet cool to drink, you can easily opt for the original summer cooler of India - chaach. Instead of drinking plain chaach, you can opt for the flavourful masala chaach by Rufil, which is quite different from the regular jeera chaach available everywhere. With natural ingredients like mint, black peppers added to it, the masala chaach makes for a refreshing drink, with a flavour unique from the other ones you've been drinking till now.
The author of this article is Dietician Surbhi Pareek, Consultant Dietician & Nutritionist, Santokba Durlabhji Memorial Hospital and Director, Nutrisaga.
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