With digestive-friendly and immune-boosting benefits, Guafra Fresca is the most hydrating drink you’ll wish to drink all through the year. Have a look at Fresca Nutrition Facts below!
Are you looking for a tasty way to refresh your palate? Try agua fresco, which is a popular Mexican drink. It’s refreshing, sweet and typically made with fresh fruits, making it a delicious alternative to plain old H2O. It’s also easy to make using your favorite fruit, be it delicious mango or sweet pineapple.
Furthermore, agua Fruta has numerous nutritional benefits when you make it using fruits. Learn more about the drink and how you can create it in your kitchen.
What is Agua Fresca?
Agua fresca is an alcoholic drink that is sweetened and water-based, composed of cereal, fruit grains, seeds, and flowers, according to Oscar Hernandez, chef and chef director at Tacombi Tacombi, a Mexican brand that sells food and drinks with taquerias on all of the East Coast.
It means “fresh waters” in Spanish the word “agua” is frequently used as a collective term to describe these drinks, even though the exact ingredient list determines the exact name of each variant (e.g. “agua of pina” is made from pineapple) According to Hernandez. While all kinds of agua Fruta need the attention they deserve, This article will focus mostly on the ones based on fruits typically made using lime citrus, watermelon, cantaloupe, and pineapples in Mexico, as noted by Hernandez.
Agua Fresca Nutrition Facts
The nutritional value of agua-fresca is a bit different according to the ingredients used and the preparation method (think homemade or. packaged). But generally speaking, if it’s made using fruits, the drink contains the same nutrients found in a particular ingredient. One example is vitamin C, an antioxidant, a vital nutrient found in fruit, as per the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).
Fruits (and consequently, agua Africa) provide additional nutrients like folate and potassium, as per the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). When the drink cannot be removed from the fruit as the pulp (aka the solid components that make up the fruits) remains, the agua Africa has a significant quantity of fiber, according to a Dietitian registered with the FDA Krista Linares R.D.N., who is of Mexican and Cuban roots. Additionally, the agua-fresca beverage can add to your daily intake of fluids and support your hydration because of its water content.
Here is the nutrition information for an 8-ounce portion of the brand name version of fruit-based Agua Fresca made from mango puree concentrated passionfruit juice, citrus juice, and sugar as per USDA:
- 60 calories
- Zero grams of fat
- 15 grams of carbohydrates
- 1 gram protein
- 11 grams sugar
Beneficial Health Effects from Agua Fresca
It helps to prevent chronic conditions.
- If you’re looking to increase your antioxidant intake, drink Agua Fresca. Fruits such as orange, cantaloupe, and pineapple, are frequently utilized in the agua fresca and are full of antioxidants. They are substances that “are required by the body to repair damage to your cells that is caused by free radicals” according to Figueroa. This is a bad thing because free radicals harm molecules that, when in excess, can cause oxidative stress circumstances that can increase the chance of developing chronic illnesses like cancer and heart disease.
- But, by incorporating foods that are high in antioxidants (see the fruits in agua Fruta) You can benefit from these health benefits to prevent disease as stated by Figueroa. (BTW, how many servings of fruits and vegetables do you really need each every day?)
Supports Immune Function
- ICYMI, the fruits mentioned above and, consequently fruit-based agua Fresca (especially those that are made from watermelon, strawberries, and papaya according to Linares) are awash in Vitamin C. This is significant because of a variety of reasons: First Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant. This means that it can help fight chronic diseases by shielding cells from stress caused by oxidative.
- Additionally, it “plays an important part in the functioning of [theimmune system, for example, by activating the creation of white blood cells,” Linares says. Linares. White blood cells guard the body by eliminating dangerous microorganisms (e.g. bacteria) which could cause illnesses, according to NCBI.
Promotes Healthy Digestion
- While agua fresca made from the fruit is typically strained to eliminate the pulp (which gives that silky-smooth texture that people love so much) however, it’s not unheard of to not drink -and in doing so, remove the fiber in the fruit, according to Linares. The exact proportion of soluble. insoluble fiber will be contingent upon the fruit(s) utilized, but both kinds of fiber are vital to a healthy digestive.
- Soluble fiber produces a gel-like substance within the gastrointestinal tract that helps in forming stool, possibly reducing diarrhea. Additionally, insoluble fiber increases the size of stool and encourages healthy movement of GI muscles, thereby decreasing constipation and irregular flow of bowels, according to Mayo Clinic.
Helps to Hydrate
- The body requires water to carry out a myriad of important functions including controlling the body’s temperature to the lubrication of joints. This means it’s important to drink enough water — drinking agua-fresca will help you achieve that, claims Linares. This is because of the drink’s mix of fruit and water which also has a lot of H2O. But if you’re looking to hydrate your body, make sure not to think too much about the fruits you choose to use when making Agua Fresca.
- “When you incorporate fruit into an agua-fresca, there’s not any fruit that is more hydrating than other fruits in the event that the amount consumed is approximately equal,” she explains. But beware: for certain people, excessive consumption of sugar (which is present in agua Fresca) could actually cause a rise in thirst, according to Linares. Are you familiar with this? It is possible to avoid this by adjusting the components of your agua fresca drink -for instance, using less sugar and/or more water – i.e., making use of less sugar or more water — in order to decrease how much sugar in each serving.
- Furthermore, even though agua Fresca can help increase your daily intake of fluids and keep your body hydrated, it shouldn’t be a substitute for plain water as explained by Figueroa. Agua frescas, however, can be a fantastic option to spice up your water intake, while also adding variety to your food choices according to her.
Factors to Take into Account Before Trying Agua Fresca
- Agua fresca, a drink is a beverage that is sweetened because of its natural addition to sugars. Therefore, if you’re dealing with prediabetes or diabetes, Linares suggests monitoring your blood sugar levels after drinking agua Africa to ensure that they’re within acceptable limits. Your doctor or dietitian might recommend other strategies like making use of lower sugar (or more water) in your homemade agua Fruta to lower amounts of sugar in each serving. In the same way, they may suggest removing the pulp that is high in fiber or, in certain cases you can pair drinks with meals that are high in fiber according to Linares. Why? Fiber can reduce the absorption of blood sugar, eventually helping to keep the blood sugar level within acceptable levels.
- If you’re allergic to certain fruits, be sure to stay clear of agua fresca that is made using the ingredients mentioned above. This is especially true in the case of trying a new fruit that isn’t part of Agua Fresca. Some signs of food allergies are shortness of breath as well as coughing, difficulty swallowing, and wheezing as per the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.
Making Agua Fresca
It’s often available as a bottled drink or powdered mixture at the supermarket, agua fresco can be made at home — and allows you to customize the taste to your preference. Making an agua Fresca recipe at home also means you’ll have a more nutritious agua fresca drink. You can reduce the amount of sugar added to your drink, but also be confident that there will be full of vitamin C, unlike those mixes that are sold in stores that often do not contain the real juice of the fruit According to Linares.
If you’re still unsure what you can do to make agua-fresca There are some tips to remember to get the most taste, choose fruit that is fully ripe and is in season, suggests Johnny Hernandez, chef and chef at La Fruteria, the Mexican restaurant located in San Antonio, Texas. Be sure to taste the fruit before throwing everything in the blender, advises the recipe in Oscar. Since fruits can differ in sweetness and taste, a quick tasting test can help you decide how much sweetness you’ll add or add, if you need to.
Additionally, “agua frescas prepared with more naturally sweeter-tasting fruits such as pineapple or mango may not require sweeteners,” notes Figueroa. In terms of sweeteners white sugar has become the standard option for the agua fresca, however, you can also add sweeteners like honey, agave syrup monk fruit sugar, stevia, or piloncillo, which is a kind of unrefined sugar that is used in Mexican food preparation, says Oscar.
