JOIN USHave more fluids’, ‘Stay hydrated’ — one often hears these advices. With an extremely hot summer here, it is time to pay heed to these suggestions and take in as much as fluids as one can.
The right and best way to go about it is to have plenty of fresh fruit and vegetable juices.
Many enthusiastic juice makers in the city are taking out their mixers and experimenting with various flavours to fulfill their liquid requirement. They are using ingredients in the refrigerator or heading out to the supermarket to get new ones to make the summer a cool experience.
Nandita Nataraj, a homemaker, is one such person who is making her own recipes to beat the heat. The blogger at ‘Pakka Shaale’ makes fresh mango, pineapple and orange juices. But her current favourite is the combination of ‘tomato and orange’.
She says, “Consuming seasonal fruits and vegetables is always a good idea. And since these fruits have a lot of minerals and vitamins, they are considered as an anti-inflammatory powerhouse. My husband loves this with a dash of salt and pepper. It helps in lowering cholesterol, improves digestion and in weight reduction.”
But not many have the time or the space to make their own juices at home.
So they head out to various juice shops available in the city and have their share of chilled drinks.
Savad PK, the owner of ‘Juice Maker’, often sees his customers coming in sweating and going back refreshed.
This summer, he has new additions to his regular juices. These include ‘pineapple, watermelon and ginger’, ‘carrot, apple, beetroot and lime’ and ‘tomato, carrot and apple’ drinks.
He says, “I’ve stuck to using watermelon in whatever combinations I can. There is a huge demand for it.”
“Many Bengalureans are also having juices instead of the regular coffee and tea. It’s becoming a healthy habit. Coffee and tea are not quite suitable for summer anyway,” he adds.
While it might not be possible for everyone to have access to juice mixers and juice shops at all time, many in the city are finding an alternate solution.
Sarah Annie, an IT professional, says, “I’m lucky that I work at a place where there is air-conditioning, so I don’t feel much of heat. But once I go back to my house, it’s quite difficult. I easily get hydrated, so I make sure to make simple buttermilk with curd or buy tetra packs from the store. If that doesn’t seem to work either, I have fruits like watermelon, cucumber, and berries, which is a better option.”