CO₂LD DRINKS  VS 

CO OL DRINKS

Ascorcher of a summer is upon us, and it will remain with us for at least the next few months. What better way to battle it than taking a long sip of an ice cold rink. Followed by lots more of them. In summers we tend to look frequently for new drinks options. Hence it becomes important that the ones we consume have the necessary levels of vitamins and calcium. Vitamins help to regulate the body's metabolism, assist in forming bone and tissue, and help convert fat and arbohydrates.

The body needs calcium to make strong bones. Calcium is also needed for the heart muscles and the nervous system to work properly. Carbonated/Soft drinks are the most easily-available options but not the safest ones. For many reasons. They lower calcium levels and push up phosphate levels in the blood. When phosphate levels are high and calcium levels are low, calcium is pulled out of the bones. Carbonated/Soft drinks are also the single greatest source of caffeine.

The markets are flooded with low carbohydrate versions, but there exists a wide range of low carb drinks that you can make at home yourself instead of leaving your health concerns at the mercy of commercial beverage producers. Lemon, unripe mango, and curd are some of the commonly used items for homemade drinks. They are also a great source of calcium and vitamins.

Lemon is an inexpensive, easily available citrus fruit, popular for its culinary and medicinal uses. It is used to prepare a variety of food recipes and drinks. Lemon juice consists of about 5 per cent citric acid that adds a tarty taste to it. Lemon is a rich source of vitamin C but it also contains vitamins like vitamin B, riboflavin and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium as well as proteins and carbohydrates.

    Nimbu Pani (Serves 4 glasses)   

Ingredients:

¦    4 juicy Lemon (Nimbu)

¦    8 cup Water (chilled)

¦    1/3rd cup Honey (Shahad)

¦    Salt to taste

   How to make Nimbu PanI  

Cut the lemons in halves crosswise, remove the zest from 6 of the halves and squeeze out the juice. Add chilled water, salt and honey to the zest and keep stirring. Strain through a muslin lined sieve. Serve chilled.

300 ml of Soft Drink costs Rs 12 200 ml Nimbu Pani costs Rs 5

The unripe mango fruit is acidic, astringent and anti-scorbutic. The skin of the unripe mango is astringent and stimulant tonic. It contains more vitamin C than half-ripe or fully ripe mangoes. It is also a good source of vitamin B1 and B2 and contains sufficient quantity of niacin.

   Aam Panna   

Aam Panna is an Indian drink renowned for its heat resistant properties. It is made from Green Mangoes and it is used as a tasty and healthy beverage to fight gainst the intense Indian summer heat. Apart from being tasty this drink also looks good due to its refreshing light green colour. It is also a good source of vitamin B1 and B2 and contains an adequate quantity of niacin. Since it is prepared from raw mangoes it is an excellent source of vitamin C also.

   Ingredients (Serves 4 glasses):   

¦    6 medium sized Green Mango (Aam)

¦    3 to 4 cup Water

¦    1 tsp dry-roasted and grounded Cumin Seed (Jeera)

¦    1 tsp Salt (Namak)

¦    3 tblsp Sugar (Cheeni)

¦    3 tblsp chopped Mint Leaves (Pudina Leaves)

¦    12 crushed Ice-cubes

   How to make Aam Panna:   

Place the mangoes with water to cover in a sauce-pan and bring to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Drain off the water and then peel, stone and pulp the mango with a spoon. Place the pulp in a deep bowl. Add water, sugar, salt, and cumin. Whisk thoroughly, stir in the mint and whisk again. Transfer it to a serving jug. Serve chilled with crushed ice.

Ingredients of Carbonated Drinks

• Excessive sugar which translates to high calories and can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and premature ageing
   
• Caffeine which can cause insomnia and high blood pressure
   
• Sodas lower bone marrow, which can lead to osteoporosis
   
• Sodas also weaken the teeth enamel