The wet spells of monsoons bring down the soaring temperatures of summers by several notches. The sudden change in the weather can hamper the proper functioning of the body and can give birth to all kinds of bacterial infections. The rains float free radicals in the environment that can enter the body through air, food and water, and give rise to health issues, some as serious as malaria or bronchitis. The condition demands utmost caution on our part, especially when it comes to our diet. It’s a pertinent move to eat those foods that protect the body and also aid in dealing with viruses that flourish in this weather. Amla or Indian gooseberry fruit has been a pivotal healing food in age-old Ayurveda practices because of its notable medicinal properties. Loaded with nutrients and antioxidants, amla provides solutions to many common health problems along with boosting skin and hair health.
Weight management expert, Gargi Sharma explains, “Amla can be used in a number of ways to create homemade remedies for treating common problems like cough, cold, fever, mouth ulcers, acidity and constipation.” Since it is a low-calorie food and high in fibre content, it also helps in losing weight in a healthy way.
Amla can be consumed raw or juiced or mixed with other ingredients to make chutney, achaar or juice. Here is an incredible drink made with amla, ginger and lemon that makes for a perfect concoction for monsoon. Why? Firstly, there is amla with its horde of immunity-booting properties, and there is ginger, which is known for its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics. These two powerful foods are mixed with lemon juice that possesses antiviral and antibacterial properties, and is also high on vitamin C, a natural antioxidant.
Amla Lemon Ginger Juice Recipe
Ingredients –
1 cup amla
1 tsp ginger (adrak), chopped
Juice of 2 lemons
Half cup sugar
Salt to taste
Method –
Step 1 – Remove seeds from the amla and put the fruit slices in a blender with chopped ginger.
Step 2 – Blend both the foods thoroughly
Step 3 – Place the mixture on a large sieve and push out juice from amla and ginger with the help of a flat-base ladle.
Step 4 – Boil sugar in some water till it is completely dissolved. Add amla and ginger juice to it.
Step 5 – Add salt and let the mixture cook for a minute on low gas.
Step 6 – Wait for the drink to cool down to room temperature. Add lemon juice and refrigerate. Serve when cold.
If you are in a hurry, you can skip cooking the amla and ginger juice. Simply add sugar syrup, salt and lemon juice to the drink. Add ice and serve. If you don’t want sugar in the drink, you can leave it out and have the drink with just salt. Lemon will neutralise the bitterness of amla and will make it palatable enough to enjoy glugging it during the rains.
