7 Traditional Beverages You Must Drink to Beat the Summer Heat

Summer brings along with it many reasons to be happy – holidays, vacations, travel etc. to name a few. But as the temperatures soar, we start to crave ways to cool down. Convenient, over the counter options like packaged juices, artificially flavoured fruit drinks, squashes, aerated or fizzy drinks etc. usually find their way into our shopping carts, into our refrigerators and eventually into our stomachs. Although these options satisfy our cravings, this cooling effect comes with unhealthy effects due to the added sugars, preservatives and artificial flavouring agents.Also Read – Here Are 4 Benefits of Buttermilk And Why You Should Include in Your Lunch Everyday in Summers

Also, we have forgotten many traditional Indian beverages that help in quenching our thirst and hydrating our bodies, without adding many calories. Here are a few traditional examples that can cool you down without adding to your waistlines. Also Read – 5 Natural Energy Drinks You Should Add to Your Diet Right Away!

Anushka Baindur, Senior Dietitian, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road shares 7 beverages you must add to your summer diet. Also Read – Chaas VS Lassi, Which is The Better Option For Weight Loss?

• Buttermilk: It is a probiotic drink that stimulates the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut, thereby preventing stomach infections which we are more prone to during the summer. A glass (200 ml) of buttermilk has about 30 Calories. Buttermilk can be made more flavourful with the addition of asafoetida, chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves, ginger etc. Traditional South Indian households generally have a glass of buttermilk as an accompaniment with all meals. Storing buttermilk in an earthen pot keeps it cool and refreshing while imparting a unique flavour.
• Tender coconut water: Come summer and you see mounds of tender coconuts everywhere. Packed with electrolytes and containing very little natural sugar, each glass of coconut water provides just 30 calories. People who do moderate exercise regularly can consume coconut water to replenish electrolytes and fluids. It may also help prevent kidney stones.
• Sol Kadi: This spicy and sour pink coloured delight is made from the extract of the kokum fruit, grown in the coastal belt of Goa, Karnataka and Kerala. The kokum extract is mixed with coconut milk, green chillies, ginger and salt and served chilled with a coriander garnish. It is a natural digestive taken to cool the stomach after consuming a spicy meal. The rind of the kokum fruit contains Hydroxycitric acid, which helps suppress appetite and can also aid in fat loss. Some studies also indicate its beneficial role in preventing various types of cancers.
• Jaljeera: This drink literally meaning cumin water, is another summer favourite. It is a spicy concoction of cumin, ginger, black pepper, mint and dry mango powder. Cumin is a medicinal ingredient providing a good amount of fibre, vitamins and dietary minerals. To add to that, it can provide relief from nausea, post-meal bloating and indigestion. The mint leaves added to it, also have a cooling effect in the heat.
• Chilled Rasam: Be it summer or winter, it is a delicious accompaniment to meals throughout south India. However, in the summer it can also be bottled and chilled for drinking between meals. The ingredients of rasam namely tomatoes, garlic, pepper, turmeric powder, curry leaves and particularly tamarind have immense health benefits including providing relief during a cough and cold, improving digestion and preventing bloating.
• Bael Sharbat: Another forgotten summer cooler, has umpteen benefits. It can be very effective against heat strokes, can help revive energy, and helps fight against bacteria that induce diarrhoea. So, a very ideal summer drink! When unsweetened it can help control blood sugar levels. Since it is rich in vitamin C it can be a good immune booster. Also reduces cholesterol and the risk of cancer.
• Ragi Ambli: Ragi Ambli made by adding curd to ragi porridge, is a popular option in South India, but can also act as a healthy beverage between meals. It is a powerhouse of nutrients like calcium, iron and fibre. It also has a unique amino acid profile like tryptophan, cysteine and methionine, which make it a natural relaxant. It can help alleviate conditions like depression, insomnia, anxiety and migraine attacks. While benefitting our health, it also gives an immediate cooling effect to our body.

All the options above have the common benefit of no added sugars, and are quite unique in their individual flavours, ensuring that you don’t get bored and tired of them through the summer. However, one should remember that no drink rivals good old water in thirst-quenching and cooling down, so make sure that you drink adequate amounts of water apart from these drinks.