Cheers to health, says city

Fruity, fizzy, tart or sparkling…what is it to be? Bangaloreans are loving their summer thirst-quenchers this year, and are spoilt for choice, as restaurants and supermarkets offer a gamut of smoothies, spritzers, and sweet waters to beat the heat.

It's summer, when aerated drinks have taken a backseat as people seek out healthier options and make nutrition-conscious choices. For some, it could be a glass of banana mango ice - blitzed in a blender - that's just perfect; for others, it could be a jug of iced tea, or some chilled nimboo pani that is most refreshing. As for aerated drinks, most Bangaloreans agree they have to be taken only in moderation.

Even youngsters are taking the health route these days. Says 23-year-old Subhadra Khurana, a chartered accountant: "My favourite drinks this year are the flavoured milks that I get at the dairy, coconut water on ice  and sports drinks like orange Gatorade. We stock these in our refrigerator now."

Vinisha Halli, a young architect, adds, "We are making a lot of interesting drinks at home this year. For instance we whip up some cold coffee or blend cranberry juice with orange juice to make some really exotic cold drinks. Of course, we also have a lot of lassi, which is almost a summer staple."

Even those who love aerated drinks have toned down consumption this year, and chosen healthier alternatives. Cyrus Dean, a student, says, "I used to drink aerated drinks every day, but now I've reduced it to about three times a week. I am totally addicted to the flavour of these drinks, but I've reduced this now, because I found that I was getting dehydrated and weak on hot days, since I was not getting enough water."

Restaurateurs also find that their clients are increasingly aware that they have to make healthy choices. Prem Koshy, owner of Koshy's restaurant, says, "We are serving a lot of lassi, watermelon juice and light buttermilk, seasoned with curry leaves and onions this year. Our iced tea is a huge favourite and so is our cold coffee, served with ice cream. Even children are opting for fresh lime water or soda. Of course, there are always inevitably some orders for aerated drinks during summer."

Health is top priority all round, and dietitians and nutritionists are happy to report that these choices will do people good in the long run. Says Dr Anju Sood, nutritionist, "Summer is a time when people like to binge on aerated drinks. Most of them offer only empty calories [which means, they only offer calories, nothing else]. When high levels of glucose enter the blood stream, there could be problems, besides which the extra glucose could get stored as fat that could cause weight gain. Some of the healthy summer alternatives are milk shakes, cold coffee, butter milk and fresh fruit."

According to Sheela Krishnaswamy, director of Wellness Chihealth, an online and offline nutrition and wellness consulting firm, aerated drinks are basically sugar, water, chemicals, artificial flavouring and acids. "The healthiest part of it, is the water," she says.

"Some aerated drinks are high in acid content, which could leech out calcium from the bones. If you are travelling, you might find a lot of flavoured waters available, some of which are fortified with vitamins. These do not contain too many nutrients and even the fortified ones usually contain vitamins that can be acquired from natural foods. The energy drinks that are so popular now, have a high caffeine content that can give you an instant mood and energy lift for short period of time. If you like fruit juice, make it at home, without sugar. Your best options would be tender coconut or buttermilk. Nothing is as good as staying hydrated with water."

Summer is also a time when tummy bugs are rampant. Dr Naresh Bhat, chief gastroenterologist, Columbia Asia hospital, says, "Juices may be healthy, but unless they are made in hygienic conditions they could be a source of infection. Many juice shops that offer fresh juice are not always safe because their water sources are not the best. Also, even when you make juices at home, you could get diarrhoea because if you consume large quantities of juice, the load could be too much for the body. After a short spell of rain, it can become very hot and that's when the contamination in the air is high. It is better to drink everything in moderation and keep away from any kind of ice when you are eating out."