Fruit drinks to keep you cool this Summer

As the scorching summer sun beats down on Dhaka, people are turning to cold beverages and water to keep themselves refreshed. 

Staying hydrated is crucial during this relentless heatwave, and what better way to do so than with fruit drinks? 

Full of essential vitamins and minerals, seasonal fruits offer a refreshing respite from the sweltering heat. Local shops are abuzz with the bounty of summer, featuring an array of options including raw and ripe mangoes, watermelons, java plums, and melons.

Fruit juices are crucial for boosting immunity in the hot summer months. Packed with nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, potassium, and magnesium, fruits play a vital role in maintaining a healthy immune system. Additionally, fruit juices aid digestion and contribute to reducing the risk of chronic diseases when consumed regularly and appropriately.

While departmental stores offer a variety of fruit juices and concentrates from different brands, there's nothing quite like the freshness of homemade fruit drinks. Making them at home not only ensures the use of fresh ingredients but also allows for better hygiene, a key factor in maintaining overall health. Unlike store-bought options, homemade fruit drinks offer the flexibility to control sugar levels, promoting a healthier lifestyle.

Here are some easy fruit drink recipes to try at home: 

Virgin Watermelon Mojito:

For this recipe, you will need fresh watermelon. Take a tall glass and add around half a cup of deseeded watermelon chunks into it. Next, add some fresh mint leaves and approximately two teaspoons of lemon juice. Adjust the sweetness to your taste by adding sugar or sugar syrup. Now, use a muddler to muddle everything together. Fill the glass with club soda and ice cubes. Garnish it with a thin slice of watermelon and a few mint leaves.

Mango-Mint 

Start by taking around two cups of raw mango. In a blender, combine the mango with a handful of mint leaves, a pinch of black salt, one or two green chilies (you can also use black pepper), and a pinch of pink salt and sugar according to your taste. Add a little water and blend until you achieve a smooth paste. Strain the paste and mix it with a litre of water. Serve the drink with ice cubes.

Kiwi-Basil Seed Drink

Begin by adding chopped kiwi fruits to a blender. Sweeten the mixture according to your taste preferences with sugar and add some lemon juice as well. Blend everything with a little water until you get a smooth paste. Then, incorporate water and soaked basil seeds into the mixture. Pour the drink into a glass and add ice cubes as desired.  

However, as appealing as these drinks might look, consuming excessive amounts of juice can lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar levels due to its high sugar content. While juice may seem like a healthy option, it also lacks the fibre found in whole fruits, which helps slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. Therefore, it's important to consume juice in moderation and opt for whole fruits whenever possible to maintain stable blood sugar levels and overall health.