Pomegranate Juice and Mango Nectar: Healthy, Nutritious Drinks
Mangoes, a fruit of the tropics, have gradually found their own niche in the produce section of supermarkets and fruit stands, and now, mango nectar has followed the trend of new and healthy fruit drinks, setting up residency on your local supermarket shelves.
Nutrition elements may vary depending upon the manufacturer and brands available, but you can usually count on an all-natural, delicately flavored drink, boasting a large dosage of Vitamin C, and to a lesser extent, Vitamin A.
If you’ve never experienced the sweet-bitter taste of a mango before, it can be described as a highly refreshing blend of pineapple, apricot, and peach. Made from the pulp of mangoes, it is rather excellent drunk solely on its own or blended into smoothies and cocktails. As a treat for children, try freezing the mango nectar to make ice pops.
Fat free and cholesterol free, it is an excellent choice for low-fat and heart-healthy diets. Rich with antioxidants, the mango nectar also aids the digestive process and is often touted as a comfort drink and an energetic pick-me-up, as feelings of relaxation and contentment often ensue after drinking the nectar or eating the fruit.
A good brand of mango nectar will also provide most of your daily fiber requirement, as well as potassium and beta carotene, and is relatively low in calories and sodium.
Slightly less popular than the mango but quietly gaining recognition and shelf space is pomegranate juice. Revered by other cultures for centuries, several brands of the fruit juice currently exist on the market, but the most commonly seen is POM.
Pomegranate juice is all-natural and contains no added sugar, additives or preservatives. Refreshingly good, the juice is packed with almost three times the level of antioxidants as in other heart-healthy beverages, such as teas and wine, The purple liquid is exotically smooth and tangy, tasting subtly of grapes and cranberry juice, and makes a marvelous blend when added to orange juice.
Promoted as a heart-healthy drink, pomegranate juice is also a natural source of dietary fiber and many essential vitamins and minerals, and is said to help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and other ailments. It has been used to help treat various inflammations and sore throats, and is commonly used for ailments in Middle Eastern cultures.
Drinking a glass or two each day can also help keep arteries from hardening, helping to prevent arthritis and strokes. Considered a sacred fruit by many cultures and religions, the pomegranate has long been utilized for its various medicinal qualities.
