Summers are here and it’s time for some lazy afternoons and sun downers. After all, it's that time of the year, when the sun shines bright and days are longer than ever! Well, it is next to impossible to imagine this season without the mere mention of delicious thirst-quenchers.

In fact, most of us hop on to grab a bottle of chilled fizzy drinks to satiate the scorching summer heat, which is no wonder very soothing at that moment, but did you know gulping down an aerated drink can instantly spike your blood sugar rate? Despite knowing most of us are inclined towards these sweetened unhealthy drinks.

Of late, as people are turning more and more health conscious and there’s a change in their diet preferences. Right from going for nutritious fruits to health drinks, there has been a paradigm shift in diet patterns. Apart from that, as the world battles the deadly virus, it has turned out to be the need of the hour to stay fit and healthy. With no accurate treatment or vaccine, it is essential to strengthen immunity to sustain this tough time.

Moreover, going for vegetable based drinks will not only give your body the much needed nutrition, but at the same time, these drinks will keep you satiated throughout the day. Another most common thing that happens during this season is the loss of appetite and vegetable juices just fit in perfectly, so even if you don’t feel like eating much, a tall glass of vegetable juice will keep you hydrated and full throughout a day. So, here are a few vegetable juices and their health benefits.

A glassful of vegetable juice can make for a healthy breakfast alternative. In fact, cooking often reduces the nutritional composition of vegetables and even according to the experts, juicing vegetables is a great idea to retain nutrients.

According to Meghna Krishna, Clinical Nutritionist, “The major advantage of juicing the vegetables is that the body absorbs nutrients in a much better way when consumed in the form of juice, than simply eating different vegetables. High amounts of nutrients and antioxidants are provided to the body. Our bodies do not absorb the hundred percentage nutrition from the food we eat. It absorbs according to its metabolism and abilities. So, giving high amounts of nutrients is always good, but not to an extent that it becomes toxic. Another important aspect is that apart from having several health benefits, juices also keep our bodies hydrated and healthy in the scorching heat of summer.”

This might sound unusual, but the health benefits of this vegetable juice will make you fall in love with this sweet veggie. Loaded with the goodness of vitamin D, B1, B2, B6, C, E and minerals like copper,magnesium, iron and phosphorus. So, this summer ditch the usual juices and go for this enticing sweet juice, to enhance the taste you can add in some honey, lime juice and even a few mint leaves. Consuming these veggies in its natural form helps in retaining the health benefits.

Adding a glass full of this juice will not only help in improving your immunity, but at the same time it works wonders for people suffering from liver, kidney or gall bladder stones. The antioxidants present in pumpkin juice helps in unclogging the arteries and reduces the risk of strokes and heart diseases. Last but not the least, the fibers present in pumpkin are great for relieving constipation.

Another seasonal vegetable, but it’s amazing taste and health benefits have made it one of the most versatile veggies used for sweets, soups and juices. With an increase in organic farming this vegetable is easily available throughout the year. Loaded with the goodness of beta carotene, fiber, vitamin K1, potassium, and antioxidants, carrots make for a great dose of health.

This wonder root vegetable helps in curing night blindness and improves eyesight, reduces cholesterol, helps in improving digestion and aids in weight loss.

Although, this root vegetable is usually considered to be a winter veggie, but with new farm to fork technology, it is widely available. Loaded with the goodness of nature, beetroot makes for a perfect healthy juice for summers. Loaded with nutrients like folate (vitamin B9), manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C. Beetroots and beetroot juice have been associated with numerous health benefits, including improved blood flow, lower blood pressure, and increased exercise performance.You can accentuate the taste of this juice by adding lime and fresh coriander. The distinctive taste of beetroot gives you ample scope to experiment!

We have grown up eating this vegetable as a typical Indian dish and most of us dislike eating it, but did you know lauki is a powerhouse of nutrition and is loaded with ample nutrients such as

Vitamin K, C and calcium. What’s more, a glass full of this vegetable juice can help in regulating the blood sugar level in the body along with helping in weight management and balancing the blood pressure level in the blood.

Bottle gourd juice is an unusual drink, but it’s amazing health benefits have made it a fad among health entusiastas. Right from its cooling effect on the body to treating urinary tract issues to treating constipation and relieving stress, a glass full of fresh bottle gourd juice can help your body in several ways. To enhance the taste and health quotient you can also add some fresh cucumbers, lime juice and minty leaves.

A quintessential element of summers, cucumbers need no introduction. Right from adding taste to our bland salads to making those boring sandwiches delicious, cucumber is a magical vegetable, which is loaded with the goodness of nature and adding it to your summer diet can help in boosting your immunity.

Apart from that, cucumber is loaded with nutrients such as folate, pantothenic acid, iron, silica,Vitamin K, Vitamin C, magnesium, phosphorus, riboflavin, B-6, calcium and zinc, to name a few.

What’s more, adding cucumber to your daily diet can help in boosting immunity, fighting seasonal ailments and allergies,helps in digestion, relieves constipation due to the presence of fibers, hydrates and cools your body and helps in weight management. A tall glass of cucumber juice can also work wonders in detoxifying your body. So, this summer go healthy with cucumber juice, add some black pepper, salt and lemon juice to make your juice delicious.