I prefer to have fruit infused water verses a sweeter drink so I omit sweetener or just add a very small amount of raw honey to my aqua fresca. But play around with the amounts to find the combination that suits your taste.
Ingredients 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (depending on season) 1 cup loosely packed mint leaves (whole) 6 cups of water Option: 1-2 tbsp honey/maple syrup or sweetener of choice.
Directions Boil 2 cups of water and pour over the berries, mint and optional sweetener. Allow to cool to room temp. Add the rest of the water and using a hand blender or regular blender blend until desired consistency. Place in fridge to cool down and then serve slightly chilled or at room temperature Add a few raspberries or mint as a garnish.
Note: Liquids consumed at room temperature are actually easier to absorb than those that are chilled or iced. When we have icy or out of the fridge cold, it actually shuts down our digestion and makes it harder to absorb and digest the fluids. So if you want to get and stay hydrated, try room temperature fluids combined with 'cooling' fruits and notice the difference. Your body will thank you!
The medicine on your plate:
Mint Mint is considered a cool and acrid/aromatic herb which has surface releasing properties. Which basically means it helps to push things UP and OUT of the body. Really good when you’re feeling the start of sickness or a sore throat and you want that pathogen g o n e! But that’s not all – given its cool temperature properties, mint is also good for things that feel hot. Particularly when heat is combined with irritability. And it’s great for the eyes. So if you’re suffering from a sore throat, red painful eyes, neck and shoulder tension that escalates with stress, mint is your pal. It soothes, smooths and invigorates all at the same time. Be it fresh breath, a clear mind or a moment to cool down and calm your temper, mint has you covered. Read more here
Raspberries The dried unripe fruit is known as Fu Pen Zi in TCM herbal medicine and the sour and astringent nature of the dried berry packs more punch than the ripe fruit. It enhances it’s stabilizing and binding energy which makes it great for any kind of ‘leaking’ conditions such as excessive or frequent urination particularly at night including bed wetting. This also makes it helpful for conditions such as premature ejaculation, involuntary seminal emission or impotence. Raspberry is also helpful in treating anemia as it enriches the blood as well as being helpful in cleansing it. Great for strengthen the eyes, it’s a welcomed dietary addition for anyone experiencing blurred vision. Learn more about raspberries here
Agua Fresca Agua Fresca (which translates as fresh water in Spanish) is a wonderfully refreshing (and medicinal!) traditional Latin American summer drink. Made by combining fresh fruits, herbs or flowers with water this is an easy summer refresher that takes advantage of all the wonderful local fresh produce available at this time of year. And, by understanding some basic medicinal properties of food according to Chinese Medicine, you’re able to tailor this beverage (or cocktail depending on your mood), to help beat some of the summer side-effects of too much heat and sun. And it’s super easy to make! NOTE: Traditionally an authentic aqua frescas are made without blenders and done by simply mashing the fruit with a fork or masher before adding the water and sweetener. If you don't want sweet or intense flavour and want to go for a more gentle favoured water, just add more water to the fruit portion. This is a great summer hydrating drink or post workout drink to help replenish your fluids. Beautiful Photo by Neha Deshmukh on Unsplash