Simple Affordable Swaps to Stay Hydrated
Dehydration is caused by not drinking enough water, too much alcohol/soda/caffeine or sometimes due to illness. Symptoms range from headaches and fatigue, to kidney stones and urinary tract infections. See your GP for serious causes and symptoms.
These vegan banana milkshakes (Ela Vegan) are made with frozen bananas (chop them first) to give an ice-cream texture, then blended with plant milk, organic peanut butter and natural vanilla. Despite being ‘opaque’, bananas are nearly all water.
To make an easy mylkshake, blend 1 cup of oat milk with 2 cups non-dairy ice cream, 1 teaspoon real vanilla and Sweet Freedom Syrup (caramel, gingerbread, raspberry, hazelnut or cinnamon). Pour into a tall glass and top with vegan whip.
Most people can rehydrate safely over a few weeks. How much water to drink depends on weight, age, lifestyle and weather (some people with medical conditions should not drink too much water).
A good ball park is to twice fill a reusable water bottle (650ml) each day. More if you drink wine!
After a few weeks, you should see that you feel better and skin and joint conditions improve. Urine should be light straw colour (dark urine is usually due to hydration).
Agua Fresca (like natural Slush Puppies!)
Strawberry Agua Fresca (Broke Bank Vegan)
Do you ever fancy something cool and refreshing and fruity to drink, but don’t want a fizzy pop, nor a sugary fruit juice? Then discover Agua Fresca, the national drink of Mexico! This mixes fresh fruits with water and sugar, and sometimes a little fresh lime juice.
It’s sold everywhere in Mexico on street stalls, and makes a lovely homemade refreshing beverage. It’s kind of like a natural slush puppy (a raspberry drink that’s blue is concerning?)
Avoid unpasteurised juice for pregnancy/nursing or weak immune systems. Just bin citrus/rhubarb scraps, as acids could harm compost creatures.
If used, cantaloupe melon should be stored differently, due to slight risk of salmonella. Thoroughly scrub exterior with a produce brush then store cut melon in a sealed container, discarding leftovers that have been at room temperature for over 2 hours.
Agua de Pina (Broke Bank Vegan) only needs fresh pineapple, water and sugar.
Although in Mexico, the drink is usually made with tropical fruits (like guava), you can make this a seasonal English drink, simply by subbing with local fruits like strawberry, raspberry, apple, peach, plum or cherry.
Simple Agua Fresca Recipe
This recipe makes about 4 to 6 servings.
Shopping list:
- 4 cups fresh fruit, chopped (try strawberry/basil)
- 4 cups cold water
- 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar or agave
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Ice, to serve
Always wash fruit well to remove dirt and pesticides.
- Chop your 4 cups of fresh fruit into chunks. Then add to a blender containing 2 cups of the water. Blend until smooth.
- Sieve the mix, using a spoon to press out the liquid. You can use the discarded pulp for baking or smoothies.
- Transfer the strained liquid to a large pitcher, and stir in the other 2 cups of water.
- Add sugar or agave to taste, starting with 2 tablespoons. Squeeze in lime juice for colour. Don’t add too much.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes to let the flavours settle, then serve over plenty of ice. Garnish each glass with a slice of fruit or mint sprig.
How to Make Mexican Horchata
If you fancy something a bit more creamy, try this recipe for Horchata (Broke Bank Vegan). This is another traditional refreshing Mexican drink, made with soaked rice, almond milk, cinnamon and real vanilla. And optional cane sugar to make it sweeter.
Natural Electrolyte Drinks (for severe dehydration)
Electrolytes are minerals (sodium, potassium, calcium) that help to regular fluid and muscle. Found in bananas, spinach, potatoes and coconut water.
For intense dehydration (like recovering from illness or alcoholism), it may be good to buy electrolyte drinks for a few weeks, to speed up getting hydration back to normal. Freesoul is a natural electrolyte drink for chronic dehydration, sweetened with stevia and containing minerals.
Before consuming electrolyte drinks, check with doctor first for pregnancy/nursing and medical conditions.
Humantra sells fruit powder sachets with all six electrolytes, sweetened with stevia. Just add one pack to 500ml of water and shake, for quick hydration.
These hydrate up to 6 times better than water, and also contain minerals, vitamin B12 and Himalayan sea salt for electrolyte balance.
