Healthy Fruit Juice Recipe – Iced Mock Sangria

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh orange juice, unsweetened
½ cup fresh white grape juice, unsweetened
½ cup low calorie cranberry juice, unsweetened
½ liter diet lemon or lime soda
Ice cubes
1 cup assorted fruits like halved limes or lemons, thinly sliced oranges, pineapple wedges, seedless green or red grapes, peeled and chopped peaches and chopped strawberries
Mint sprig, fresh

Mock Sangria Cooking Method

1. Stir together all the fruit juices – fresh orange juice, cranberry juice and white grape juice in a pitcher or a bowl. Add the diet lemon or lime soda and stir together to allow the liquids to blend well.
2. Fill 2/3 of each glass with ice. Divide the mixed assorted fruits among 5 tall ice filled glasses. Pour the fruit juices over the ice and fruit mixture in each glass. If desired place a fresh mint sprig on top of each glass. Serve chilled. This recipe makes 5 servings.

Health Tip:

• Mock sangria is a diabetes friendly, vegetarian recipe as there is no added table sugar in this recipe. The main source of carbohydrates is fresh fruit, fruit juices and soda; thus this recipe provides only 15 gm carbohydrates per serving.
• This is a low calorie refreshing drink which provides only about 61calories, 1 gm protein and negligible amounts of fat per serving.
• If the fresh fruits and fruit juices are not sweet enough then you may adjust the sweetness by adding honey or brown sugar or sugar substitute.
• This is a very refreshing and hydrating drink, especially in hot summer days.
• Mock sangria is an excellent way to incorporate fresh fruits and fruit juices in your diet, especially if your diet lacks it. Fresh fruits are low in calories and fat and supply good amounts of vitamins and minerals. However to gain maximum nutritional benefits of fruits it is better to drink mock sangria 2 hours before or after a main meal.
• This is because fruits and fruit juices have simple carbohydrates which can be easily digested as compared to complex carbohydrates and proteins from cereals, legumes and meat in your meals.
• Thus this can lead to decomposition of fruits and can cause unpleasant symptoms like bloating, belching and flatulence. Moreover due to these chemical changes the essential nutrients from fruits are also not available to the body. So to avoid such circumstance have this drink only before or after your meals.
• You may substitute any seasonal berries, melons or other fruits in the assorted fruit list according to your choice and availability.