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On Saturday morning, Bollywood actress Twinkle Khanna shared a photo of her husband Akshay Kumar holding a coconut next to a vendor selling coconut water. She captioned it “Saturday mornings with empty roads, short drives and unplanned stops”. It seemed like the couple had set out on a drive and stopped to have coconut water. Akshay could be seen in a cap and mask. A fan commented on the post saying "Lucky Narialwala !!..He got to see Mr Akshay Kumar..”. Another fan identified with the star and wrote “No Tantrums, Down to earth person ,Having Natural Healthy Nariyal Pani is best for Health, we also go specially for ride to have it”.
Coconut water is one of summer’s healthiest and most cooling drinks. Vendors selling coconut water can be found in nearly every Indian city. Carts full of bright green coconuts are inviting and attract thirsty customers like nothing else. Both Twinkle and Akshay have had us craving the beverage. If Twinkle’s post made you want to have nariyal paani too, here are some innovative summer coolers you can make with the humble drink:
Lemonade
Make nimbu paani with coconut water instead of regular water for an interesting, healthy twist. Add some lemon juice to a glass of coconut water and sweeten it as per taste. Black salt may be added for a shikanji-like flavour.
Smoothie
Take a fruit of your choice (bananas or strawberries would work well) and blend it with some coconut water. Add a healthy sweetener like honey to make a smoothie that will brighten up your mornings.
Orange juice and coconut water
Mix some orange juice and coconut water together for a healthy drink when the sun is blazing. The natural sweetness from both the coconut water and the orange juice will ensure you don’t consume any artificial sugar.
Coconut water with lemon and mint
Add a dash of lemon juice to your coconut water to up its nutritional value with vitamin C. Put in some finely chopped mint to make a rejuvenating cooler that will help you beat the heat. Mint and lemon go well together, and the added coconutty taste will leave you wanting more.
Pineapple and ginger cooler
Extract some juice from ginger sitting in your fridge. Take pineapple juice and the ginger juice and blend it with coconut water. Sweeten it with sugar or honey and garnish with a slice of pineapple to feel like you’re on vacation.
