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The relentless summer heat is back yet again, and its scorching effects have increased with time. While having access to air conditioners and coolers can help a lot, it doesn’t always do the trick.
Our body needs something to cool it from the inside. Think about it – how well does a glass of chilled water feel when you’ve just come back from a long day in the sun?
But drinking water all day can be a little boring, so let’s take a look at some fun, iThrive special summer drinks that will help you keep cool internally. The best part is that they are not tweaked versions of the good old Nimbu-Paani concoction and have many other benefits, too.
Directions: Take 1 small cucumber, half a bowl of spinach, half a bowl of cilantro (dhania), 1 red apple (skinned and diced), 1 cup of filtered water and blend them all together. Your liver restoring smoothie is now ready to be consumed.
As the name suggests, this summer drink gives respite to your overheated body and helps detoxify the liver by restoring your liver glucose stores.
Its ingredients help your body fight digestive diseases like acid reflux, gastritis, heartburn, and indigestion. Drinking this smoothie regularly can also help you prevent obesity and give you fabulous looking hair and skin.
Directions: Take 2 mangoes and one banana and blend them into a fine mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of chia seeds to this and let them soak for a little while. Garnish with a pinch of elaichi or cardamom and enjoy the deliciousness!
This recipe can be consumed as a pudding or even as a shake – and it is perfect to be used as a meal replacement. In addition to being delicious, mangoes are a great source of magnesium and potassium, which help lower blood pressure and calm the nervous system. Mangoes also help stabilize the digestive system by soothing the stomach lining. They are rich in fiber, which helps prevent problems like constipation. Bananas have excellent antiviral properties and are loaded with minerals like manganese, selenium, copper, boron, molybdenum, and potassium. These minerals can improve heart health and digestive health and help regulate blood sugar levels. (1)
Chia seeds are a great source of antioxidants, protein and fibre and are the perfect addition to this preparation.
Directions: Take 1 avocado, 1 mango, 1 orange, 1 cup of raspberries, half a bowl of spring greens like mixed lettuce or spinach, and a small cup of cashews. Blend these together and add just enough water so that all the ingredients can combine smoothly.
This one is a must try – not only for the fitness freaks but also for people who want a boost in their energy levels, relief from regular muscle cramps and back pain. It is the go-to remedy for women with menstrual cramps and menopausal symptoms. It also helps in case of memory loss, candida overgrowth, and frequent headaches.
The spring greens in this smoothie are a rich source of folate- which helps reduce the risk of heart diseases, hair fall, and depression. Avocado, the most famous superfood, helps prevent osteoporosis, improves digestion, and provides antimicrobial action.
The smoothie is rich with Vitamin C, which helps in the absorption of iron, the formation of collagen and ensures proper functioning of the immune system. (2,3)
Directions: Grab a handful of spinach, 1 banana, 1 cup of blueberries, 3-4 strawberries and throw them in a blender with some water. Your nutrient loaded summer drink is now ready!
This lip-smacking combo delivers a multitude of health benefits: the bananas, berries, and spinach work together as a super healing force that fills your body with antioxidants, magnesium, selenium, potassium, zinc, chromium, and calcium. Their antiviral properties help prevent Candida overgrowth, heal a sluggish liver, correct hormonal imbalances, regulate high cholesterol, and also help treat ear pain, neck pain and jaw pain.
Blueberries, if consumed regularly, can help improve eye health, alleviate gastrointestinal issues and are also a useful remedy for UTIs. (4)
As a bonus, this smoothie can also help relieve problems like joint pain, dry or scaling skin, and heartburn.
Directions: Take a cup full of spinach, add 1 diced banana, 1 diced pear and a cup of pineapple to it. Blend these ingredients with water till a smooth mixture with liquid consistency is formed.
This smoothie is the smoothie for people with issues like Candida, liver dysfunction, bloating, diarrhea, ulcers, acid reflux, insulin resistance and intestinal inflammation.
Not only does the pear provide rich fiber content, but it also promises a dose of Vitamin K, Copper, Vitamin C and Potassium. Pineapple is rich in flavonoids, which are antioxidants with longer lasting effects and help reduce oxidative stress. (5)
This concoction helps combat a range of problems like dry skin, joint pain, heart palpitations and is anti-inflammatory in nature.
Directions: Take 2 large oranges, 1 banana, 2 inches of turmeric root, add a pinch of black pepper, 2 pinches of cinnamon and half a teaspoon of honey. Blend them till a smooth and frosty liquid is formed.
This smoothie is filled with all that is good and taste like a mocktail – what more could one ask for!
Turmeric has an anti-inflammatory compound called curcumin, which helps fight infections and keeps the immune system strong. In addition to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, turmeric also reduces congestion from a sore throat, cold or flu. It is the go-to addition to any health drink but must be combined with the right components to be effective.
As we read above, bananas are excellent for our digestive system as they aid in healing our mucosal layers. Oranges are literally sunshine in the form of food: they are rich in Vitamin C, protect our cells from damage, help our body make collagen (a protein that heals wounds and makes the skin smooth), and help prevent vision loss. Honey helps in internally healing ulcers and has excellent anti-bacterial properties. (5)
Directions: Take 2 ripe bananas, 1 cup of blueberries and some honey to taste. Mix them in a blender and serve immediately for the best taste.
This summer drink is the easiest and most convenient one to make and is packed with two superfoods. Bananas are easy on the gut and are rich in minerals like manganese, selenium, copper, boron, molybdenum, and potassium, which are essential for the optimum functioning of our body. They are also a powerful antiviral food.
Blueberries are a true brain food: they are rich in antioxidants and anthocyanins, which help boost the body’s defense against cancer-causing radicals and reduce oxidative stress. Berries are also excellent for correcting an imbalanced lipid profile.
8. Celery Juice
Directions: Take about 100 grams of celery stalk (without leaves), juice them in a juicer, or grind them with enough water to make one glass and then strain the mixture. It is best to drink this juice immediately after preparing it.
Celery is a great source of phytonutrients that reduce inflammation in the digestive tract, blood vessels and liver. It starves the waste bacteria, yeast, mold, fungi, and viruses present in our body and flushes them out of our vital organs. Celery also has enzymes that support digestion by improving the stomach lining, reducing instances of stomach ulcers, and modulating stomach secretions. (5)
Drinking celery juice regularly helps resolve ammonia permeability: a condition in which ammonia gas seeps through the intestinal lining and causes health issues like dental rot and brain fog.
So, the next time you’re looking for a solution to the unbearable heat, try out one of these super cool summer drinks, which will give you instant relief and improve the way your body functions internally.
References
2.https://chopra.com/articles/3-reasons-to-include-spring-greens-in-your-diet
3. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/270406#benefits
4. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/health-benefits-blueberries
5. https://www.healthline.com/
Recipes created by: Ria Jain.
