Instead of tea or coffee one can use herbal drink as a healthy alterative. Here are a few recipes that will cater to the needs of the habitual craving mind.

                                    Nannari Sherbet

Sarsarparilla or Nannari is a medicinal root. It is also extremely tasty to drink. Boil few roots of it and mix with brown sugar syrup and stored in room temperature for many weeks or in fridge, in a concentrated form. Anytime you want to drink this refreshing drink dilute with water and drink.

     This is good for children instead of giving them soda or carbonated drinks. You can take this to your work place also. Honey is also good instead of brown sugar syrup. Do not use corn syrups.  Please  Click here  to read about the medicinal benefits of this herb.

  AGUA DE AMAICA – Mexican Healthy Drink -

HIBISCUS FLOWER WATER

Preparation:

Soak the dried flower petals of Hibiscus in water (5 grams in 500 ml water) for few hours and then boil well for 10 to 15 minutes. Sieve and add palm sugar and store it  and use when needed.

The Mexican beverages known as Aguas Frescas are an inspiring complement to Mexico's cuisine. Super healthy and oh-so-simple to make, this drink only require three essential ingredients: fruit, water and brown-sugar.

Dried hibiscus flowers, known in Mexico as Jamaica (pronounced hah-MIKE-ah) are used to make this refreshing, delicious drink. It’s a mild, natural diuretic and in Mexico it is often used to combat high blood pressure.

In Ayurveda this is also praised for its health promoting benefits. It has high contents of vitamin C and anthocyanins and so a powerful anti-oxidant a protector of all body organs especially the heart. This flower extract has been scientifically been tested to lower cholesterol and triglycerides.

Instead of drinking artificially colored soft drinks that might harm your body, enjoy this sweet drink giving an anti-oxidant boost to your body.

Preparation:

Add all the ingredients to water and boil well. Sieve and drink the tea hot.

It is very good for health and keeps us fresh and energetic.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Preparation:

Add all the ingredients to water and boil well. Sieve and drink the tea hot.

It is very good for health and keeps us fresh and energetic. Palm sugar is the best.

One of the most popular herbal-tea in South India is the Ginger-Coriander tea (Sukku-malli-kaappi). Coriander seeds , dried ginger (sukku is lime-treated ginger which has superior medicinal value than just dried ginger) and palm-sugar rich in vitamins and minerals combination is an excellent drink for health to aid digestion and a tonic for kidneys. This organically grown coriander and ginger have high medicinal value and you can enjoy this tea for cold weather.

Ginger is one the best known anti-inflammatory drug known to man. It is commonly used to treat motion sickness, vertigo, asthma, backache, bronchitis, congestion, diarrhea, flu, headache, poor circulation, stomach ache, suppressed menstruation and, swellings.

Coriander is soothing to the kidneys. Coriander seeds contribute phthalides and polyacetylenes, phytochemcials, all cancer protectors. They possess blood-thinning properties, along with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds. In Germany, it's approved for the treatment of dyspeptic complaints, mild gastrointestinal upsets, flatulence, and to help stimulate the appetite.
It is interesting to know that every morning this sukku-malli kaapi prepared in Dhanwanthri shrine is the bed coffee given to the lord of Sriranganathar temple in Trichy and then given as prasad to the devotees. This ritual was initiated by the ancient masters who knew the medicinal benefit of this herbal Tea.

Preparation time: 5 minutes.

Ingredients:

Soy Milk	1 Cup	Water	1 Cup
Blue Berries	1 Cup	Sugar	To Taste

Mix them in a blender and drink.


Variations: Use different fruits and mixed fruits for excellent taste and combinations. Apples, grapes, raspberries, mulberries, pears, oranges, kiwi, bananas, apricots can also be used.


PLAIN FRUIT JUICE
Apple              one                             Kiwi                one

Water             one cup                       Honey or raw sugar one tablespoonful

Dates             A few

Mix them in a blender and drink.

Making fruit juices with banana, apricot, blueberries are also good.