Feeding Your Health With The Caribbean’s Natural Juices

By Minna LaFortune

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. june 3, 2016: Natural juices, drinks and punches are a staple at the dining table of Caribbean nationals the world over.

These beverages are usually made from various vegetables, fruits and super fruits including ripe bananas, breadfruit, peanut, corn and yams.

As a child growing up in Jamaica, our  meal time was always complimented with one of the following juices:  papaya, carrot, beet, sour sop, mango, June plum, Pineapple, orange,  tangerine, melon, fruit punch (a medley of juices), cucumber, cane and sorrel drink and coconut water.

In recent times other beverages have made their way into the Caribbean cuisine through use of super foods like breadfruit, peanut, ripe bananas, cream corn, and yam punch.

These natural juices and punches are usually served unsweetened or sweetened with condensed milk, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, bitters and cinnamon or sometimes only with sugar.

With summer upon us and the season for mangoes also here, it is a great way to turn our spotlight on the mango juice. Here is a simple recipe:

Mango Juice

Ingredients:

2 ripe mangoes
1 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
A few ice cubes
I/2 cup milk or yogurt (optional)

Method
Wash and peel the mangoes.
Put the sliced mangoes in a blender with water and sugar  to taste.
Blend until smooth.

Serve with ice.

Serves 4.

Bon Appetite!

EDITOR’S NOTE: Minna LaFortune is a trained Caribbean caterer and also president, Society for the Advancement of the Caribbean Diaspora (SACD). Check out her food group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/bestfoodscaribbean/