Everyone agrees that the heat and long summer days are making fasting a little more challenging this Ramadan. The main complaint from those of us who are fasting is that we are very thirsty at the end of the day. For Iftar we tend to fill up on water and drinks and have very little appetite left for food. That is why it is essential to make sure that the juices we drink are healthy and provide enough vitamins needed by the body to compensate for the lack of nutrition as a result of fasting. Drink lots of liquid to replenish fluids lost through sweating to avoid health problems like dehydration, headaches, dry skin, and urinary tract infections. Fresh fruit juices offer lots of health benefits during Ramadan and even after the holy month. Fresh fruit juice is rich in vitamins, anti-oxidants, and minerals, and the natural sugar it contains gives a quick boost in energy. Nutritionists recommend eating five pieces of fruit per day. Drinking 100 percent fresh fruit juice helps you get your daily fruit requirement, because just one glass of fruit juice is almost equivalent to eating four pieces of fruit. Try to make your own juice every day before sunset, and store it in the fridge (covered to minimize nutrient loss). Make a fresh batch each day. All you need is a high quality juicer, a citrus juice squeezer, and blender, and the combinations are limitless. We suggest some mixed juice recipes with a brief mention of their health benefits. Blood Red Juice Chop some fresh raw beets, carrots, and apples and pass them all in a juicer. The beet juice is excellent for constipation and anemia. Beets nourish the blood and heart and can lower blood pressure. The carrot juice improves vision and immunity, helps heal ulcers, strengthens the body and can help protect against cancer. The apples add a sweet taste to the juice and are also good for liver and kidney problems, dysentery, gout and cardiovascular disease. Lemon Cleanser Squeeze fresh lemons, dilute with cold water, and sweeten with honey instead of sugar. Lemons are known to increase immunity and are great for cleansing and helping the body get rid of toxins. Iced Berry Lemonade This drink is a tasty twist that combines common lemonade and iced tea. Heat four cups of water and let two tea bags steep in them for a few minutes. In the blender puree half a cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, one fourth cup of honey, and one cup of strawberries. In addition to the health benefits of lemons, the strawberries contain carotenes that have been linked with a decreased risk in cancer of the lungs, colon, bladder, prostate, and skin. The tea can give you the pick-me-up that you may need to get you through the Taraweeh payers. Grape juice This juice is simple to make either in the juicer or blender. Use red or purple grapes as they are nutritionally superior to the white or green grapes and don't remove the skins. A substance in red grape skins lowers blood cholesterol levels and shows promise in preventing heart disease. Grape juice can also help reduce fatigue and support the function of the kidneys and liver. Pomegranate juice This is a favorite and common Ramadan beverage, and for good reason. Pomegranate juice aids the body in recovery after illness, childbirth, or surgery and helps treat anemia. Pomegranates are a good source of vitamin C and potassium. Freshly squeezed orange juice Orange juice is an ideal source of vitamin C. Perk up your orange juice by adding something new each time such as juice of a lemon, lime, tangerines, or grapefruit, or pour in some orange blossom or rose water. Honeydew Lime Cooler In a blender puree half a small honeydew melon, half a cup seedless red grapes, half a cup fresh lemon juice, half a cup honey and three cups sparkling water. This is a refreshing and relaxing sweet drink. Honeydew melons are a good source of vitamins C and A, and potassium and calcium. You can enjoy these delicious home-made juices, but in moderation to avoid weight gain. Although fresh fruit juices are healthy, they still contain quite a bit of sugar (fructose); hence they are a bit high in calories. In addition to your fruit juice, always remember to drink eight to 10 cups of water daily since water is the fluid of life and your body is made up of 70 percent water.
