Drink your way to health in fasting month

With temperatures soaring, drinking enough fluids and water is essential this Ramadan to cope with the long hours of fasting and the loss of liquids from our body.
Arab News met with Dr. Ruwaida Idriss, a PhD holder in Food Philosophy, who explains the benefits of Ramadan drinks, and Saudi chef Mona Mosly, who provides us with some lip-smacking recipes of traditional Ramadan juices:

1. Sobiya:
Sobiya is strongly linked to the holy month of Ramadan as almost all households serve it on their Ramadan tables.
It is prepared with barley, oats and dry bread or raisins. We add specific ingredients to it after the liquidation stage, such as sugar, cardamom and cinnamon as well as certain pigments as Sobiya is known for its color. Usually, raisins constitute the basic element of the recipe.

Barley Sobiya:
Ingredients:
A cup of crushed barley.
A teaspoon of cardamom.
5 cloves.
½ cup of sugar.
5 cups of water.
¼ teaspoon of blueberry tincture.

Method
- Dissolve the sugar in the water and then add barley, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and the tincture; mix them until they blend together.
- Cover it and leave it to soak for three hours outside the refrigerator.
- Keep it in the refrigerator for 12 hours before drinking it.

Notes:
It is necessary to use a sieve to sift the barley, cinnamon and cardamom.
The water must be warm while soaking the barley.

Raisins Sobiya
Ingredients:
1½ cup of black raisins.
1 tbsp of Quaker oats.
2 cups of sugar.
Half teaspoon of crushed cardamom.
½ teaspoon of cinnamon.
1 tbsp of rose water.
Half cup of condensed blueberry.
6 cups of water.

Method:
- Heat raisins and oats in a saucepan; then add three cups of water.
- Mix it with a spoon and leave it for 24 hours (in a cool place or in the refrigerator).
- After 24 hours, add cardamom, cinnamon, sugar, rose water and the remaining three cups of water.
- Mix all the ingredients in a blender and then filter it. Add a cup of blueberries to enhance the color.

Dr. Ruwaida lists the many benefits of Sobiya:
- Sobiya has a good nutritional value, whether it is prepared with barley, dry bread or raisins.
- Medical studies have shown that Sobiya helps reduce blood cholesterol, which works on detaining bile salts in the body.
- Sobiya prepared from barley lacks a type of protein called gelatin, which is available in dry bread.
- Barley is an acceptable cooling drink, and the fermentation process of Sobiya gives it a good percentage of acidity with lactic acid.
- It is recommended to drink Sobiya within two or three days, before it loses its nutritional value.

Tamarind:
It is also considered one of the favorite beverages in Ramadan.

Ingredients:
A cup of tamarind
8 glasses of water
2 teaspoons of rose water
Sugar (optional)

Method
- Wash the tamarind well and cut it into small pieces. Heat it with two cups of water and bring it to a boil.
- Leave it to cool and then pour it in a piece of gauze and add six cups of water.
- Squeeze it until all the juice comes out.
- Place it in the refrigerator and serve it after adding sugar and some drops of rose water.

Carob juice:
Carob pods are dry, large and evergreen fruits that grows in dry, rocky land. In addition to its great taste, the fruit has some wonderful benefits as well. Dr. Ruwaida explains:

- Carob contains acids and has qualities of an anti-sensitivity analgesic, antibiotics, anti-oxidation, antiviral and antiseptic.
- Carob improves digestion and lowers the level of cholesterol in the blood.
- It is used to treat diarrhea in children and adults alike.
- It does not contain caffeine, so it is useful for people with high blood pressure.
- Regular use of carob helps in the prevention of lung cancer.
- Carob contains vitamin E, which helps in the treatment of cough and flu.
- Contains iron, which helps to overcome anemia.
- Contains acid known as gallic acid, which helps in the prevention and treatment of polio in children.
- Carob is also used in the treatment for osteoporosis, because of its richness in phosphorus and calcium.
- Singers usually chew carob, because it works on clearing the sound and throat.

5- Hibiscus:
Hibiscus can be taken cold or hot, and both have their benefits.
Cold hibiscus works to reduce high blood pressure that is caused due to the lack of fluids in the body. Also, hibiscus mixed with carrots is a good laxative and reduces vomiting.



6. Tamarind:
Drinking a glass of tamarind daily for breakfast will purify your body of toxins, and it is also useful in cases of gastrointestinal disorder and laziness.

- Tamarind juice is refreshing and useful for cases of constipation, gastrointestinal disorder and laziness due to the presence of acids and minerals. It is useful in ridding the blood of its excess acidity and expelling the toxins.
- It contains a number of antibiotics as it kills a number of bacteria and cleanses the body of germs.
- It is added by pharmaceutical companies to children’s medicines as an antipyretic.
- It is used in cases of high blood pressure, vomiting, nausea and headaches.

7. Apricot juice (Qamar Al-Din):
Qamar Al-Din is not only characterized by its wonderful taste but it also possesses enormous benefits, such as its use in curing insomnia, enhancing appetite and immunity.
Whether in Ramadan or in other months of the year, make your child drink a glass of apricot juice daily, as it is useful for the growth of children’s bodies.

8. Licorice:
Licorice sellers in Egypt are known for their traditional appearance. It is used in the treatment of asthma and cough and is good for moisturizing the skin. However, licorice is prohibited for those who have high blood pressure.

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