Hot and Sweaty? Try Drinking Healthy Homemade Beverages

Did you know that Caffeine and Sugar pull the water out of your cells and make you more thirsty and dehydrated.  Carbonated drinks reduce the minerals in your bones.  Why not try some alternative homemade refreshing drinks.

Barley Water is an ancient refreshing drink.  The Greeks used it in their celebrations and  many cultures use it for the ill and infirmed.  The British drink it as a refreshing drink.  Barley Water is used also for ill babies, children and adults and it provides excellent health benefits.  Check out the healing power of Barley Water.

Refreshing Barley Water

2 quarts water

1 cup hulled barley

2 lemons

1/4 cup honey

Place the water and barley into a medium saucepan; cover, set over high heat and bring to a boil.  Once the barley comes to a boil, decrease the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.  While the liquid is cooking, peel the lemons, being careful not to cut into the white pith.  Juice the lemons and place the juice along with the peel into a 3-quart pitcher and set aside.

After 30 minutes, strain the barley water through a fine mesh strainer into the pitcher. Discard the barley (save and add to your homemade soup, bread, or cereal). Add the honey and stir to combine. Refrigerate until chilled.

For other refreshing barley flavored drinks visit this site.

And to know more about the Health benefits of Barley Water go here and here.

Electrolyte Drinks from the grocery store are full of artificial colors, harmful sweeteners and chemicals.  Here is a recipe to make your own.  Add some citrus or fruit juice and ice and you have a duplicate of the fancy sport drinks.  Drink after long effects of the sun, illness, or you just can't quench your thirst (sign of dehydration). 

If you are on a sodium restricted diet, or medications, check with your doctor before consuming as the baking soda and salt can interact with medications.

From Bob Harper

 Electrolyte Drink

Ingredients:

1 liter of water
1/2 tsp of baking soda
2 tbsp of agave nectar
1/2 tbsp of sea salt

Combine all ingredients in water bottle and sip as needed

Simple Refreshing Electrolyte Drink

 1 cup coconut water (not milk, you can find this easily at a health food store)

1 cup pure water

1/2 tsp Himalayan salt (contains the minerals, essential to rehydrate- do not substitute)

Mix together and add sweetener and flavors as desired.

optional items:  stevia, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, pomegranate or other berry juice

Vitamin C Drinks.  Why not try some refreshing citrus drinks to cool off in summer heat.

6-8 Lemons, Limes, Oranges, or Grapefruits - fresh squeezed.

Water to dilute to taste

Agave, Stevia, or Honey to taste

Heat 1 cup water and add sweetener till dissolved.  Mix into juice and add ice to dilute to your favorite tartness.

Optional:  Add crushed mint leaves, fresh smashed raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries.

Refreshing Fruit Drinks are a summer must.  Here are a few recipes to get started.

Green Cooler

4 Kiwi fruit
2 cucumbers
2 Celery sticks

1/2 inch piece Ginger
crushed pepper to taste
salt to taste
2 scoops crushed ice
1 cup water

 Peel fruits and cut all ingredients in little pieces. Blend in a high power Blender add water as needed and ice to cool.  Don't over blend.  Optional additions:  Parsley, alfalfa sprouts, or mint.

Melon Cooler

2 cups cubed watermelon (no rind)

2 large stalks of celery

1/2 cup ice cubes

Blend in powerful blender

Watermelon Heaven

2 ¼ cups watermelon flesh, de-seeded and roughly chopped

2/3 cup cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped

4-5 teaspoons lime juice

1 cup coconut water

12 fresh mint leaves, rinsed

A pinch of paprika

Unrefined sweetener such as stevia, agave, coconut/palm sugar or maple syrup to taste (optional)

 Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until mint leaves are thoroughly incorporated.Strain and serve over ice. Add sweetener to taste.

Fruit Waters are very light and refreshing.  There are endless possibilities.

1 gallon of pure water

1 orange (organic because we are using the peel) scrub and wash

Cut the orange in half and cut off a small sliver at each end.  Squeeze into the water dropping the whole orange and peel into the water. Do not let the seeds into the mixture. Steep in the fridge overnight or for at least 4 hours.  Strain if desired and enjoy.  Optional: add small amount of stevia or agave.

Substitute any citrus fruit, cucumber, celery, or berry and continue as directed.  (chop any veggies into small pieces to maximize flavor).

Also try mint, ginger, basil  or herbs like rose hips, hibiscus, spearmint, catnip, lavender, lemongrass, lemon balm, lemon verbena, rosemary, thyme or parsley to add a vitamin kick. Try other fruits such as apples, grapes (halved), pineapple, peach, plum, cranberries... you get the idea.  Also, a few spices can be added sparingly: cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, whole nutmeg, etc. 

Wrap herbs and spices in cheesecloth if desired.  If you are really brave you can try evergreen pine, spruce, and fir sprigs, juniper berries, and edible flowers - rose, nasturtium, pansy (make sure they are edible) 

To add more flavor you can add caffeine free herbal tea bags, Honeybush and  Rooibos red tea. (Rooibos and Honeybush are  actually a bush, not a leaf.  They do not contain caffeine or tannin)