The goodness of fruits
ANUJA AGARWALA
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Beat the heat by drinking gallons of fruit juices.
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As the heat soars and temperatures cross the bearable mark, everyone runs for succour! Dehydration and heat stroke are the commonest threats during this weather since the body loses salts and essential minerals through sweat. While water may quench y
our thirst, it does not provide you with instant energy nor is it a replacement for the lost minerals. Of the viable options available, juices are your best bet, say experts. Not only can juices give respite to parched throats but are also a rich source of vitamins, minerals. Moreover, they are low on calories and help boost the body’s immune system.
Watermelons, grapes, oranges, mangoes, pineapple, apples are all filled with the goodness of summer. Having a glass of orange juice with your breakfast is a great way to start the day. Besides being loaded with vitamin C, it is rich in antioxidants. Pineapple juice too is a good source of vitamin C and helps digestion. Specifically for summer afternoons, when the heat is at its worst, chilled watermelon and grape juices work best.
Keep a balance
The human body is always working to keep a balance between how much heat it generates and how much it loses. As the scorching summer sun extracts all the vitamins and minerals from the body, a quick replacement should always be the priority. Fruit juices provide the perfect and speedy recovery, especially in today’s eat-on-the-run lifestyle.
Juices contain all the goodness of the fruit in a condensed form. Juicing extracts the liquid from the fruit, leaving the pulp behind; therefore, allowing the system to rest from the constant work it does while still taking in nourishment.
There are however some precautions to be taken, especially in summer months; juices prepared by roadside vendors can cause more harm than good. Fruit juices prepared by these vendors are exposed to heat, dust and other unhygienic conditions besides being laced with loose salts and ice. Every year there are thousands of cases of typhoid, cholera, hepatitis and gastro-enteritis as a result of consumption of juice sold by vendors. Even though the civic agencies ensure regular checks on vendors, water-trolleys and carts the outbreak of these water-borne diseases is an annual feature.
In such a situation, packaged or carton juices are the most feasible option; not only are they hygienic and nutritional but are convenient and easily available. They ensure that the rays of the sun do not harm and soak away all the goodness of juice inside. The packaging maintains freshness, nutritional quality and the exact taste of the juice, making it absolutely refreshing in summer months. Moreover they do not contain any preservatives and can be stored at ambient temperature up to four months (if not opened). So beat the heat and stay healthy by consuming plenty of juices.
The author is a Nutritionist, AIIMS,
New Delhi.
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