summer coolers · Top Summer Drinks · Dec 27, 2022

Top Summer Drinks For Summer Heat

Summers have arrived. Let us welcome it with summer drinks that help us beat the scorching summer heat. We all get tired of the heat and humidity in summer, so we need to hydrate and replenish ourselves in summer with a few summer drinks to beat the summer heat.

We prefer having summer beverages or some healthy summer drinks in summer instead of having oily snacks and food with high calories. Summer drinks include Shikanji, Aam Panna, Sugar cane juice, Lassi, Barley water, etc.

The motive behind all these summer drinks is to keep our body hydrated and provide it with the necessary nutrients needed by our body which are lost while beating the heat. Initially, we should know the shikanji recipe as people generally get confused between shikanji and nimbu pani.

There is a difference between shikanji and nimbu pani. The word shikanji is derived from the word shikanja, which means ‘trap,’ i.e., the lemons are trapped and then squeezed, whereas nimbu pani is made by adding sugar to lemon water. The shikanji recipe is well known for its perfect blend of spices in it.

Summer drinks are generally expected to prevent our bodies from dehydration and solve digestion problems.

Out of the summer drinks, Shikanji is a lemon-based summer drink. It originated in the northern part of India. Different states know it as Shikanji. The word shikanji is derived from the word “trap .”Therefore it is justified when street vendors require a small wooden device to squeeze lemon.

Shikanji recipe often contains ingredients like lemon, salt, water, cumin, sugar, black pepper, and gingerol.

Add four cups of water to two squeezed lemons.
Add eight spoons of raw sugar, and stir it well till the sugar gets fully dissolved in it.
Add gingerol to the above mixture and stir.

It is optional to add black pepper, but most people add black pepper for a better taste to shikanji.

Shikanji recipe may include shikanji masala for the taste buds

Adding a pinch of cumin to shikanji is not optional. It is necessary because cumin has a cooling effect and is specially used in almost all summer drinks.

To increase the nutritive value of shikanji, we can include coriander in the shikanji recipe, as coriander helps improve eyesight.

Shikanji is used as an antioxidant. As lemons are rich in vitamin C, their alkaline nature helps in the process of oxidation and acts as a natural cooling agent. Additionally, lemon helps in regaining and preventing the loss of electrolytes due to sweating.

The recipe for nimbu pani is different from that of the shikanji recipe. The derivations of both the summer drinks are different.

The procedures of preparations are also different.

In early ages, the shikanji recipe included the preparation of sugar syrup; first and then onwards, the preparation would be the same as the shikanji recipe now.

Sugar syrup was prepared by adding sugar to a bowl of water and keeping it under the heat for the sugar to melt for 4-5 days.

HEALTH BENEFITS

The health benefits of shikanji are the following;

Improves digestion

The summer drink, Shikanji, helps beat the heat and improve digestion. It is necessary to take extra care of our health during summer by keeping our bodies hydrated.

Lemons are rich in pectin fiber and ascorbic acid. The acid and lemons act together for the smooth functioning of the liver, therefore improving digestion.

Ayurveda says that shikanji helps to stimulate your Agni. It may improve gastric problems and prevent ulcers.

Natural cooling agent

The benefits of shikanji include its use as a natural cooling agent. Along with the temperature rise in summer, the consumption of shikanji increases as it helps in regaining the lost electrolytes and prevents the loss of sodium from our body. Thus, keeping the body cool and hydrated.

Weight loss

As shikanji helps to improve digestion, it helps to remove all the toxic waste materials, acting as a natural cleanser. A glass of shikanji helps to keep full for a long time, lowering the intake of unnecessary snacks. It proves that shikanji aids in weight loss.

Nutrient booster

Shikanji is a nutrient booster, as it contains vitamin C, alkaline, and gingerol. A bioactive compound in fresh ginger lowers the risk of infections. The active powder of gingerol has analgesic, sedative, and antibacterial effects. Thus, Shikanji acts as a natural booster.

Shikanji also helps to protect cells from damaging free radicals. Shikanji may also help in lowering the risk of disease related to the cardiovascular system

Prevents kidney stones

Citric acid is present in lemons, the main ingredient of shikanji. Citrate, a citric acid component, helps make the urine less acidic and may even break small stones. The intake of shikanji means the intake of liquid.

The intake of shikanji means more intake of liquid and more passage of urine not only increases the intake of citrate but also helps remove stones from the kidney, which may pass in the urine.

Also Read: Grape Seed: Benefits, Uses, and More

Shikanji masala

Shikanji masala makes shikanji even more tasty. Shikanji masala is made by roasting and grinding cumin powder (jeera powder), black salt, and white salt, then mixing the above spices with chat masala. The shikanji masala also improves digestion. It also makes shikanji a bit tangy in taste.

We can include shikanji masala in the shikanji recipe if a person likes strong and tangy shikanji.

If we add too many spices and leaves like mint coriander etc., to the shikanji recipe, it may turn into masala shikanji. If we add soda as a base instead of water and follow the shikanji recipe, it becomes masala soda. Though masala soda and shikanji are considered summer drinks and both ingredients are a bit different, the benefits are the same.

Other Top Summer Drinks

Bel sharbat

Bel Sharbat is also listed in the summer drinks. Bel is a seasonal fruit. It also has a cooling effect, prevents heat stroke, and maintains sugar levels. Additionally, it also cures an upset stomach. It also prevents dehydration.

Peach iced tea

You can welcome summer with other refreshing summer drinks like peach iced tea. Though peaches are of less nutritional value, they act as antioxidants, which are essential in summer.

To prepare it, we need to add peaches, sugar, and water to a boil in a saucepan. Lower the heat and stir it using a wooden spoon until the peaches are crushed, and the flavor gets infused well. Cover it and let the heat pass. Meanwhile, you can prepare the tea in a pot.

Aam Panna

Aam Panna is also known as aam shot. It is also known as Kairi Panna. It is added to the category of summer drinks. It is renowned for its cooling properties. It is made of raw mangoes. Raw mangoes are generally green in color.

The raw mangoes are peeled off and boiled. After boiling the raw mangoes, they are crushed in a mixture grinder and strained in another vessel. We add black pepper, salt, and sugar to the above mixture and keep it in the refrigerator. It tastes better if we add a bit of sugar to it.

It is only made in the summer season as mangoes arrive in summer.

Sugar cane juice

On hot sunny days, as we prefer summer drinks, a glass of sugarcane is categorized as one of the refreshing, delicious, and energetic summer drinks. While we have several options in the market offering summer drinks, sugar cane juice is still on the top list.

Sugarcane juice is prepared by squeezing sugar cane and then adding a few spices like salt and black pepper. Consuming chilled sugarcane juice is very helpful, especially on summer days, as it helps keep the body hydrated on sweating and helps regain the lost electrolytes as it is alkaline and energizes the body.

It also has several other health benefits:

1. Instant energizer

Sugar is easily absorbed from the body and helps stabilize sugar levels. Hence it instantly provides energy to the person.

2. High in mineral

Sugarcane is highly nutritious. It contains magnesium, potassium, iron, and fiber.

3. Good for liver

Sugarcane is a remedy for jaundice, as per Ayurveda. Sugarcane strengthens the liver.

4. Helps to boost immunity

Sugarcane juice is good for the body’s immunity. It helps to treat sore throat, cold, and flu.

5. Rich in folic acid

Sugar cane is rich in folic acid; hence it helps in pregnancy.

Lassi

Lassi is another good drink out of the summer drinks to beat the summer heat. It is a smooth, creamy yogurt-based refreshment drink. It truly has a cooling effect on the body. Its flavor changes from sweet, minty to salty, from avocado to mango to a banana.

Barley water

Barley water is also picked from the bucket of summer drinks and dates back to ancient times for good health. You need to add honey, lemon, and salt for healthy barley water. Doctors have always suggested that barley water cooling affects the body.

CONCLUSION

Beating the scorching summer with healthy summer drinks is the main motive. Though summer drinks may be tasty, they must also benefit our health.

Suppose we add shikanji masala powder to any summer drinks and keep it in the refrigerator for approximately 15 minutes. In that case, it may even taste better as we have a more cooling effect and chilled drinks are preferred the best.

Authored By: Bhavishya Pahwa

About the Author: Bhavishya Pahwa is a budding writer who has always confided in a pen. He believes that art is a cure-all and that introspection followed by writing can add to the sanity of the world.