6 Non-alcoholic Summer Drinks To make this summer refreshing!

Summer drinks summer drinks, where are you all? I need to drink you so much right now.

It’s another dog day afternoon here in Mumbai, India. The living room where I’m sitting and writing this article has no air-conditioner, but I do have one big ceiling fan spinning over my head and another big table fan whirring by my side to keep me cool.

Let me grab my glass of freshly-made Sweet Curd Smoothie (Lassi), I’ve made it just now. Okay, I got my glass full of Lassi. Let me take a few sips. Wow, it feels refreshing and cool. Alright, I’m setting it aside on this writing desk now.

So, with global warming at its peak, the summers are getting hotter and hotter every year. To add to this hot, blazing weather, we also have sudden climate changes resulting in untimely rain, wildfires, and drastic temperature fluctuations. These climate changes increase the humidity, which in turn, makes the summer days feel hotter than they actually are. The out-of-control increase in vehicles and traffic has made the air quality worse than ever before, resulting in a severe increase in UV (Ultraviolet) rays.

All these things are heavily contributing to these blazing, hot summers. The blazing heat also causes fatigue and tiredness in you. You don’t feel the energy to carry out your work or day-to-day tasks. Of course, we have air purifiers and air conditioners to keep the pollution and high temperatures under control, but not everyone can afford those and their maintenance. We have other cheaper options such as fans and air coolers but the heat of these hot summers can overpower the air and coolness we get from fans and coolers.

It doesn’t matter what part of the world or city you are in right now, the climate crisis is just as severe everywhere. Normally, bright sunshine uplifts your low spirits. But nowadays if you step outside in the afternoon for a hike or to get anything, it feels like you are getting baked in the oven. Please read my article about climate change and Mother Earth where I talk about some small, easy-to-do ways to improve the quality of life here on earth.

Whether you live in a fully air-conditioned house or work in a fully air-conditioned workplace or travel in an air-conditioned car, there comes a time when you do need to step out for something or other. And when you do step out on a hot summer day such as this, within a few seconds, you begin to sweat like hell. You get fatigued and feel a loss of energy in no time. So, you must keep yourself hydrated at all times. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Drink a glass of water after every hour right from the time you wake up to two hours before you go to sleep at night. Keep drinking water.

On a hot summer day such as this, you may get tempted to buy some cold drinks from the store to quench your thirst and keep your ruffled soul calm. However, these carbonated and canned cold drinks contain loads of sugar and added preservatives and emulsifiers, and if you continue to consume them regularly, especially in large quantities during the summer, they will do you more harm than good in the long run. From a health and diet point of view, these ready-to-drink cold drinks are nothing but full of health hazards.

So, it’s best to find some other fresh and healthy alternatives. Therefore, I’m going to share with you some of such natural, healthy, yet refreshing cold drinks to keep you cool on any hot summer day such as this.

Before you continue to read, I want you to stop for a few minutes and grab a glass full of water. Now, sit and drink it sipping slowly. Alrighty, now you can read on. Here are some of the natural and healthy cold drinks that you can try this summer whenever you are low on energy or feel fatigued. These drinks will fill you with instant energy without compromising your health:

1. Sweet Curd Smoothie (Lassi).

To prepare this drink, you need fresh curd and some tablespoons of sugar. Take 200 ml of fresh curd in a large bowl. Add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar to it. Now, stir it all with the help of a whisk. If you do not have a whisk, you can use a tablespoon to do it. If the curd is too thick, you can add a half cup of water to it. Stir it well until that mixture becomes a thick liquid. Transfer that smoothie into a glass. You can add some 1-2 ice cubes to it. You can also sprinkle some crushed almonds and cashews on it. And now, your sweet, delicious, yet healthy summer drink Sweet Curd Smoothie (Lassi) is ready to sip on.

Health benefits of Sweet Curd Smoothie (Lassi):

1. It helps in cooling your body down instantaneously.

2. Since curd has some probiotic properties, this drink will also help improve your digestion.

3. Since it is a homemade smoothie, it does not contain any preservatives or additives, or loads of sugar. It is an out-and-out healthy drink.

4. Curd also contains vitamin B12, which is essential to make you feel energetic. So, this drink is a great source of vitamin B12.

2. Coconut Water.

You can buy a fresh, green coconut (also called Tender Coconut) from any grocery or fruit store or order it online from any online grocery store. All you need to do is slice its rind from its top (pointy) side (if it is not already sliced). Carefully make a hole in the sliced side of it with the help of a big kitchen knife, and pour that fresh coconut water slowly into a glass.

Now, sit and drink it sipping slowly. Avoid using drinking straws as they contribute to plastic waste. Coconut water is naturally cool, but you can also add 1-2 ice cubes to it to make it even cooler. You’ll instantly feel energized and fresh on any hot summer day when you drink coconut water.

Health benefits of coconut water:

1. It is low in calories.

2. It is a good source of potassium, and it also has electrolytic properties, which help you stay hydrated and energized for long hours on a hot, blazing day.   

3. It helps in cooling your body down instantly.

3. Watermelon Juice.

Buy a fresh, ripe unit of watermelon. Carve out its red, juicy part, and cut it into small pieces. Remove its seeds and then grind or blend it in a mixer/blender. You don’t need to add any sugar to it because it’s naturally sweet. You can sprinkle some black pepper powder in it once you take it out in a glass. Add 1-2 ice cubes to it, and your fresh, healthy watermelon juice is ready to fill you with energy.

Health benefits of watermelon juice:

1. Low in calories.

2. It contains antioxidants and minerals that help in reducing inflammation and stress.

3. It keeps the body cool for a long time.

4. Lemon Water Juice.

For this, you need a fresh medium-sized lemon. Cut it into two halves and squeeze it into a glass. Add some 200 ml water to it. Then add some 1-2 tablespoons of sugar to it. Add a pinch of salt and stir it until the sugar has melted. Then add some ice cubes to it, and your freshly-squeezed lemon-water juice is ready to make its cool journey down your thirsty throat.

Health benefits of lemon water juice:

1. Low in calories.

2. It helps in improving your digestion.

3. It contains vitamin C and other minerals and antioxidants, which help to reduce inflammation in the body.

5. Cold Turmeric Milk Drink.

To make this, you need freshly refrigerated 200 ml milk and 2 tablespoons of pure honey which you can get from any online or offline grocery store. Take 200 ml of cold milk in a glass. Add 2 tablespoons of honey to it and then add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder and stir it. Strain it with a strainer into another glass to filter the excess turmeric powder at the bottom of the glass. Your fresh, delicious, cold turmeric milk drink is ready to delight in. You can also add some crushed almonds and cashews to it if you want to make it healthier.

Health benefits of cold turmeric milk:

1. It is healthy because milk is a great source of protein and vitamins such as B12 and D. It is also a rich source of calcium and iron. All these vitamins and minerals fill you with the necessary energy to get through a hot summer day without any frustration.

2. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties to help you combat inflammation in the body.

3. Cold milk helps in relieving acidity.

Avoid this drink if you are lactose intolerant, otherwise, this is the healthiest summer drink that you can ever have.

6. Water.

Finally, the most natural way to keep yourself hydrated and fatigue-free on a hot hot summer day is by drinking plenty of pure water. Drink a glass of water after every 1 hour throughout the day until 2 hours before you retire at night. Water will keep your body cool from the inside out. But make sure to drink it slowly sipping while sitting quietly in a chair every time you drink water. Please avoid drinking cold water, as it may cause gastric problems. Drink normal temperature, pure water.

There you have it, these are some of the healthy, refreshing summer drinks that you should include in your daily summer diet. And remember, have these drinks in moderation. Please do not drink tens of hundreds of glasses of them daily, 1 to 2 glasses are enough, except for water, you can drink as much water as you want. Please also note that these are only summer drinks, it’s not advisable to have these drinks during the cold weather.

As we’ve reached the end of this article, I still have my glass of lassi by the side of my laptop. So, I’m going to sip it and finish it now. You go and make yourself a fresh, cold drink if you haven’t already.

Keep cool and carry on.

Cheers!

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article are based on my personal experience and research. The pictures used in the article belong to their copyrighted owners.