Superfoods have had their day, and now it’s time for super drinks to come to the forefront! And desi super drinks? All the more so! When we think of diet and good health, we often associate it with food intake. While we are what we eat, it’s important to remember we are what we drink as well. When it comes to healthy liquid intake, we often know what to avoid- sugar laden colas, energy drinks with empty calories and so on. But, many of us do not know what we can drink (besides water) that will infuse energy and nutrients in our bodies.
In 50 Desi super drinks by Lovneet Batra (Rupa Publications) we have a ready-to-implement manual that dips into traditional wisdom and local ingredients to come up with delicious concoctions that you can guzzle down guilt-free. The book presents to the reader a collection of 50 ingredients that are local and indigenous. These have been a part of the Indian cuisine for generations. Our ancestors have known about their nourishing and healing qualities. The book talks about each of these super drinks in detail.
Each chapter talks in detail about one specific drink. It could be a pure drink (such as coconut water) or something that is concocted with a few ingredients (such as jal jeera). Either ways, the reader will know about the specific nutrients that the super drink offers, a little trivia on the same, the traditional use, and how one can incorporate it in our daily lifestyle. Best of all, each chapter is topped with a recipe for that particular drink. That is indeed the cherry on the cake!
When you go through the sheer amount of easily-digestible information in the book you’ll end up thinking- how come you were oblivious to all this liquid gold? You may find some innovative ways to incorporate super foods and super spices in your super drinks. For me, the different ways of having milk laden with varied spices was an eye-opener. I was amazed at the versatility of our local ingredients. Some recipes opened my eyes to traditional drinks that we have forgotten (such as barley water). Some recipes were akin to a nutritional boost (the fenugreek yoghurt for instance!). Dip into the book and keep it handy as a manual for good health. Next time you’re craving that cola, turn to this book for the ultimate drink to sip into!
50 Desi super drinks by Lovneet Batra gives you permission to actually drink your way to health guilt-free. You do know we’re talking about super drinks here, don’t you?
