Drink to Your Heart’s Content

HEALTH professionals are stressing the importance of drinking plenty of fluids this Ramadan to avoid dehydration, which can occur as a result of the extreme heat and long fasting days. Your body needs 2 liters of water and other fluids each day.

July 18, 2013
Drink to Your Heart’s  Content
Drink to Your Heart’s Content

Amal Al-Sibai

 


Amal Al-Sibai

Saudi Gazette

 


 


HEALTH professionals are stressing the importance of drinking plenty of fluids this Ramadan to avoid dehydration, which can occur as a result of the extreme heat and long fasting days. Your body needs 2 liters of water and other fluids each day.



The Iftar table in every home would be incomplete without the glass pitcher of water and another one of an ice-cold beverage to quench the fasting person’s thirst. Each culture has different traditional Ramadan drinks and some of them are actually very healthy and help meet the nutritional needs of the body after a fast.



Other drinks are unhealthy mixtures of water, sugar, and artificial colors. The media and television advertisements have contributed to the creation of the modern Ramadan practice of making sweet drinks from powder or syrup.



They add no nutritional value and they were almost non-existent many years ago in Saudi and other Arab traditions.



Subya is the Ramadan drink of choice especially in the Western Province of the Kingdom, and stalls selling it can be found on almost every street corner. Buy the white, non-dyed version; it is a nutritious beverage that can quickly replenish energy, support the kidneys, and aid digestion.



Subya is made by soaking barley and brown bread in water for several hours or a whole day and most of its health benefits come from the barley. A bit of sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom is added to give it a pleasant taste and smell yet it takes quite a while to acquire a taste for this drink which is relatively non-familiar in neighboring Arab countries.



The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) highly recommended barley for its nourishing properties. He said, “It removes the grief of the patient’s heart and removes weakness as any of you removes the dirt from your face after washing it.”



Another favorite Ramadan drink made by the women in the Kingdom and other parts of the Arab world is tamarind, famous for its tangy, sweet and sour taste. The tamarind fruit, which originated in tropical African and South Asian countries is quite tough and must be boiled in water to extract its flavors and the brown color of the juice. It is blended, strained, and sweetened with sugar or honey. Tamarind is a good source of copper, potassium, calcium, iron, selenium, zinc and magnesium.



Syrians are known for serving the black licorice drink in Ramadan. This drink teases and confuses your taste buds and is surprisingly delicious because it is bitter with a sweet aftertaste. Recent studies have made evident the wisdom of our grandmothers in preparing this drink from licorice root. It is a mild laxative; helpful in preventing and treating constipation that is a common complaint in Ramadan as the intestines become lazy during the 14-hour fast.



Licorice is also a good remedy for treating flu, colds, fever, and coughs. It tones the liver, relieves indigestion and nausea, treats ulcers, and can help the body deal with stress. Use with caution if you have high blood pressure because it may raise blood pressure.



Another popular Ramadan drink in Syria and Egypt, which has also become widespread here in the Kingdom too is the apricot drink, Qamar El Din.



Again, this centuries-old Ramadan beverage is far healthier than the newer, sugary drinks because it, like licorice, is an excellent laxative and keeps the bowels moving smoothly. The dried apricot paste mixed with water is very sweet and rich in anti-oxidant vitamins, especially beta-carotene.



From the land of the great Pyramids comes a rejuvenating zero-calorie, caffeine free beverage which can be enjoyed hot or cold, and that is hibiscus tea, or karkadeh. Its deep rich color correlates with its use in improving blood circulation and it also helps lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels.



In one study, those who drank 3 cups of hibiscus tea per day for 6 weeks had a significant drop in blood pressure compared to the placebo group. Hibiscus is an excellent source of vitamin C and other anti-oxidants. It eases stomach cramps and bloating, is soothing for the nerves, and helps expel mucus build-up in the respiratory tract.



As Ramadan coincides this year with the hot summers, it is the perfect time for Indians to indulge their love of mangoes. Although a simple, pureed fresh mango juice is healthy and lower in calories, a mango shake with fresh mango and scoops of ice-cream are found on almost every Iftar table in most Indian families’ homes. Mangoes are just as high in vitamin C as oranges are.



Among the luxuries of the Far Eastern cuisine that are highlighted especially in Ramadan, is the use of coconut milk in cooking and as a drink as well. A sweet fruit cocktail made in Indonesia during Ramadan consists of coconut milk, blended with a slice of avocado, melon, and jack fruit.



Coconut milk can help regulate blood sugar levels because in itself it is like a balanced meal as it contains a suitable proportion of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. It is good for the skin and hair and may help boost immune system function. However, nowadays the modern berry-flavored syrup drinks have become a mainstay of the Ramadan Iftar tables in Indonesia and have replaced the traditional fruit beverages made with coconut milk.  



There is a never ending combination of healthy beverages you can make with fresh fruit juices that are delicious, beat the thirst, but also add essential vitamins and minerals that are good for your health. Avoid the added sugar, artificial flavorings and colors, and drink to your heart’s content.


July 18, 2013
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