The hot summer leaves the body dehydrated and tired, and nothing is more refreshing than a cool, cold drink to quench your thirst. Instead of bottled soft drinks loaded with sugar, homemade drinks are both delicious and wholesome, saving you money and giving you peace of mind.
Mixing your own drinks at home isn’t hard at all, and the ingredients are easy to find and cheap. This article suggests simple, naturally cooling recipes so you and your family can get through the scorching summer days feeling healthy.
Juices and Detox Waters From Fruits and Vegetables
Fresh fruit juice is a wonderful way to top up on vitamins and quench your thirst. Orange, guava, pineapple and watermelon all yield naturally sweet, cooling juice. You can combine fruit with vegetables like celery, cucumber and carrot to create cleansing, gentle detox drinks for the body.
A simple detox water is just a few slices of lemon, cucumber and mint dropped into a bottle of filtered water, chilled for a few hours, for a fragrant, cooling, low-calorie drink. It’s a way to encourage yourself to drink enough water every day without getting bored. Go easy on the added sugar to keep all the health benefits.
Herbal Teas That Cool the Liver
Herbal tea is a traditional cooling drink favored by many. Artichoke tea, chrysanthemum tea, pennywort juice and sweet broomweed water all have a cooling nature that helps clear heat and detoxify the liver on hot, sunny days. They’re easy to make and can be drunk in place of water.
Herbal cooling water made from ingredients like coriander flower, cane grass and cogon root is also a familiar thirst-quencher for Vietnamese people. Although cooling in nature, it shouldn’t be overused, and those with a cold constitution should have it in moderation. Drunk sensibly, these teas are a healthy companion for the summer.
Nourishing, Filling Smoothies
A smoothie both quenches thirst and nourishes, and can stand in for a snack. Banana, mango, avocado and strawberry blended with fresh milk or yogurt make a thick, fragrant, delicious smoothie that keeps you full for a while. Add some grains like oats or chia seeds to boost the nutrition and fullness.
To keep a smoothie cold without watering it down, you can use frozen fruit instead of ice. Go easy on added sugar or condensed milk, since ripe fruit is already sweet enough. A smoothie in the morning or afternoon both cools you down and provides healthy energy for a summer day.
Familiar Drinks From Grains and Beans
Vietnamese people have many cooling drinks made from grains and beans. Mung bean water and roasted black bean water are not only cooling but also nourishing. Just roast them until fragrant then steep them in boiling water or simmer a thin brew, let it cool, and you have a cool, refreshing drink for the whole day.
Kudzu starch water mixed with lime is another classic summer cooler that helps soothe the body on hot days. These drinks use cheap ingredients, are easy to make and contain no preservatives, making them very suitable to prepare ahead for the whole family.
Things to Note When Enjoying Summer Drinks
Even wholesome cooling drinks come with a few things to keep in mind. Don’t drink too cold or with too much ice when your body is hot, as it can easily cause a temperature shock and isn’t good for the throat. Drinking slowly, at a moderately cool temperature, is more pleasant and better for your health.
Favor drinks with little or no sugar to avoid taking in excess energy. Plain water is still the most important drink; cooling drinks are just a pleasant supplement to clear the heat. Drinking enough water steadily throughout the day is what keeps the body healthy all summer long.
Preparing and Storing Cooling Drinks
To always have a cool drink on hand at home, prepare it in batches and store it properly. Cook a pot of roasted bean water or herbal tea, let it cool, pour it into a glass bottle and keep it in the fridge to use over a day or two. Juices and smoothies, though, should be used right away to keep the vitamins and not kept too long.
You can also keep cut fruit in the freezer for quick smoothies, or freeze tea and juice into cubes to make drinks without diluting them. Preparing ahead means you won’t depend on bottled soft drinks whenever you’re thirsty. With healthy drinks ready in the fridge, the whole family will naturally reach for the better option.
Homemade cool drinks not only quench thirst but are also a gentle way to care for your health in the middle of summer. Simple ingredients, simple methods, but in return you get refreshment and peace of mind.
Try mixing a bottle of detox water or cooking a pot of roasted bean water for the days ahead. A little care for your daily drinks will help the whole family get through the heat in comfort.