Nothing beats ice-cold, zesty lemonade on a hot day. Unfortunately, it’s often loaded with sugar. The good news is that making your own lemonade means you can enjoy a healthier option.
Lemons are chockful of good-for-you nutrients that have several health benefits. They’re packed with Vitamin C and plant compounds that help to boost heart health. Furthermore, the soluble fibre found in lemons (including the pulp) helps to improve digestion.
The easiest way to make lemonade healthy is to swap out refined sugar for natural sweeteners.
Here are two refreshing, low sugar homemade lemonade recipes to quench your thirst.
Healthier homemade lemonade
Ingredients
- ½ coconut nectar, coconut sugar, honey or xylitol (natural sweeteners)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 4 cups cold water
Method
- Add sweetener and 1 cup water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
- Once boiled, remove from heat and decant into a glass jug.
- Add lemon juice and remaining water.
- Place in the fridge for 2-3 hours to chill.
- Serve with ice cubes.
Using this recipe as a base, you can add different fruit for lemonade with a twist.
Strawberry lemonade
Ingredients
- 15 to 20 strawberries
- 2 cups homemade lemonade
Method
- Add fresh strawberries to a blender and then puree them until they’re evenly broken down.
- Transfer the pureed strawberries to a fine mesh sieve and press through to get strained strawberry juice.
- Add ¼ cup of the strawberry juice to the bottom of a jar or tall glass, followed by the base lemonade recipe and then top it off with some ice cubes to keep it cool.
Blueberry lemonade
Ingredients
- 2 cups blueberries
- 2 cups homemade lemonade
Method
- Add fresh blueberries to a saucepan and heat over a medium-high heat. The blueberries should become a darker colour.
- Transfer the cooked blueberries in a fine mesh sieve and press through to strain blueberry juice.
- Add a quarter cup of juice to the bottom of a glass, followed by homemade lemonade.
Top tips
- If you don’t enjoy the lemon pulp, strain it with a fine mesh sieve.
- Refrigerate your lemonade after making it and leave it for a while so the flavours can develop.
- Add slices of your favourite fruit for more flavour.
- Make a little extra to make lemonade ice blocks – regular ice blocks could water down your lemonade.