Drink Your Fruit-- and Find Summer Refreshment (recipes!)

(This is a guest post from freelance writer Cathryn Johnson.  With the hot temperatures this summer, this is a welcome post and topic-- with some tasty recipes.  Enjoy!)

Kids these days tend to drink a lot of “junk.”  Water is considered too bland, and thus is replaced with soda, juice and artificially sweetened beverages.  With summer upon us and kids playing outdoors in the sun, they are bound to be a lot of thirsty children.  As soon as they come indoors, they will head to the fridge and gulp down whatever is available.  So, why not have some healthy drink options prepared?

I have come up with four easy to prepare, healthier drinks for kids (and adults). Not all of us have juicers at home.  But, a simple blender is enough to prepare these fresh drinks.

Watermelon-Strawberry Delight

Watermelon is a good thirst quencher.  It is a good source of vitamin B, which helps boost energy.  It is also a natural source of antioxidant vitamins A and C.

Strawberries are a good source of folic acid.  They are known to cleanse the blood of harmful toxins.  They can also help cleanse the skin. 

Ingredients

·      2 large strawberries

·      2 cups of seedless watermelon

Preparation

Slice the two large strawberries.  Blend with 2 cups of seedless watermelon.  Chill and serve.

Tangy Mango Juice

Mangoes are a good source of iron and vitamins A and E.  They are high in anti-oxidants and low in carbohydrates.  And mangoes are effective in combating acidity and poor digestion. 

Lemons are a good source of vitamin C.  They also have strong anti-bacterial properties and help fight problems related to throat infections, sore throat and tonsillitis.

Ingredients

·      ¼ large mango

·      ¾ glass water

·      2 teaspoons lemon

Preparation

To prepare a glass of mango juice, slice and peel ¼ of a large mango.  Blend it to the desired consistency with ¾ glass of cold water and 2 teaspoons of lemon.  No added sugar is needed. 

Banana Shake

Bananas are energy boosters.  They contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, which is the hormone that is known to make people feel happy and improve their mood.  Bananas are also rich in potassium and iron.

Ingredients

·      1 ripe banana

·      ¾ glass of milk

Preparation

To prepare a glass of banana shake, slice one ripe banana into 12 parts (the riper the banana, the sweeter it will be).  Blend with 1 glass of milk.  Chill and serve.

Sparkling Limeade

For those who need carbonation, sparkling limeade is healthier than its soda counterparts. Lime juice is one of the best thirst quenchers.  Limes contain far more vitamin C than lemons.  The vitamin C content in limes increases the body’s resistance to disease, aids the healing of wounds and prevents damage to the eyes.

Ingredients

·      2 teaspoons lime juice

·      1 glass club soda

·      honey if desired

Preparation

To prepare a glass of sparkling limeade, add 2 teaspoons of lime juice (fresh squeezed if possible) to a glass of club soda.  Add honey to taste and stir.  Add a couple of ice cubes and it is ready to serve.

Do not blend this drink.  Blending will de-fizz the carbonation.

With all of the fruit available, summer is a great time to drink healthy!

 image:  by elana's pantry on Flickr under Creative Commons

Author Bio: Cathryn Johnson is a freelance writer. She is currently a resident writer for Online Nursing Schools, which researches areas of nursing education, online nursing programs, and healthcare. In her spare time, she enjoys travel, theater and having fun in the sun.