Dehydration is the biggest health hazard during peak summer months. The best you can do for your health this season is to stay off aerated drinks and beverages like tea and coffee.
Aerated drinks only serve to introduce empty calories, excessive sugar and unwanted caffeine into your system. Consuming excessive amounts of this can affect your alertness and mental clarity. Too much tea and coffee can leave you with a poor appetite and affect your sleep rhythms.
Fruit juices provide an excellent alternative, by keeping you hydrated and refreshed throughout the day, in addition to providing you with essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Re-discover these popular and traditional favourites this summer and drink to your health!
Sweet sugarcane for energy
Sugarcane juice is a high energy drink, chock full of nutrients and natural sugars. The humble sugarcane can satisfy one's craving for sweets without exposing one to the myriad health risks posed by refined white sugar. Fresh sugarcane juice contains about 15% natural sugar, so it's lower in calories than refined sugar or simple syrup. It's also a good source of riboflavin, calcium and magnesium.
Riboflavin helps the body cells to utilise oxygen more efficiently. It is essential for healthy skin, preventing dry, chapped lips, and aids in the building and maintenance of vital body tissues. Sugarcane juice also effectively relieves stress while revving up the metabolism.
Prune juice for effective detox
A juice squeezed from sun dried plums, prune juice is exceptional in its health properties and its burst of both sweet and sour flavour. Due to their high dietary fibre, this is an excellent laxative. It is also prescribed for those suffering from high blood pressure. With high antioxidant content, it is rich in iron and potassium.
Prune juice also provides modest amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin B3 and B6.
It can keep your energy levels raring to go this summer, but remember that moderation is the key, especially where this fruit juice is concerned since it is high in calories—one cup of prune juice can leave you with as many as 180 calories, but is an excellent way to detoxify the body.
Citrus shakes for glowing skin
High Vitamin C content of citrus juices such as lemonade and orange has been known to ward off scurvy and other bone diseases, give you clear glowing skin and provide an overall cooling effect on the body. Because of its low sodium content, these juices can be used to flavour the meals of those who are on a low salt diet. Orange juice is the most nutrient dense of citrus fruits, with an 8 oz serving providing 72 mg of Vitamin C (120% of the required daily value).
Red apple to fight bad cholesterol
For decades, the humble apple has been hailed as the wonder fruit, the solution to a host of health issues. Recent research has confirmed that apple juice is just as potent. According to a study conducted by researchers in Finland, 12 ounces of 100% apple juice dramatically reduced the damaging effects of “bad” LDL cholesterol. New research from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, suggests that consuming apple juice may protect us against cell damage that contributes to age-related memory loss.
Watermelon to hydrate
Nothing can compare to the joy of sipping watermelon juice on a steaming hot day. The origin of watermelon can be traced back to Egyptian civilisation, as apparent from hieroglyphics and cave paintings. Watermelon consists of more than 91% of water and nearly 8% of natural sugar. Recent studies have established that the red variety of watermelon juice contains a high concentration of lycopene, an anti-oxidant that helps to reduce the risk of many diseases. The American Heart Association has certified watermelon to be one of the constituents of a sensible heart healthy diet, low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
