Agua fresca

"Agua fresca" redirects here. For the Native American tribe known as the Agua Fresca, see Utina.

Two large jars of aguas frescas in a Mexican taqueria in Seattle, Washington, USA. On the left is a jar of Jamaica and on the right is a jar of horchata. Restaurant employees serve the drinks by ladling them from the jars into glasses.

Aguas frescas (Spanish for "fresh (cold) waters") are a combination of either fruits, cereals, or seeds, and sugar and water, blended together to make a refreshing beverage. Although they originated and are most common in Mexico, aguas frescas have also become popular in Central America, the Caribbean, and the United States. Some of the most popular flavors include agua de tamarindo (made with tamarind pods), agua de Jamaica (made with roselle), and agua de horchata (usually made with rice and cinnamon).

It is possible that from these aguas frescas the production of bottled fruit sodas such as Jarritos arose. In Mexico the beverage is often sold by street vendors, but in many cases fine Mexican restaurants will have a good selection of Aguas Frescas available.

There is some confusion in terms internationally between the drinks referred to here and bottled soft drinks. In Guatemala and Nicaragua, these are referred to as frescos, short for refresco which in Mexico means soft drinks. Soft drinks in Guatemala are called aguas, short for aguas gaseosas but easily confused with the Mexican aguas frescas.

Another type of aguas frescas, popular in Caribbean islands like the Dominican Republic, is made with oatmeal and a citrus juice.

It may be made with other ingredients, mainly with liquefied fruits:

In Mexico and Central America it is common to find Aguas Frescas in the flavors:

• Sweet fruits
  • Canteloupe
  • Guava
  • Mammee apple
  • Mango
  • Melon
  • Marañón, using pulp of the cashew apple
  • Papaya
  • Passion Fruit
  • Soursop
  • Tuna, the Mexican prickly pear.
  • Watermelon
• Sour fruits:
  • Cucumber
  • Lemon (squeezing with a juicer)
  • Lime
  • Orange (squeezing with a juicer)
  • Pineapple
  • Tamarind
  • Strawberry
• With seeds or flowers
  • Chía, often blended with vegetables.
  • Hibiscus tea, also called Jamaica or sorrel, a sometimes sugared cold drink made from the flowers of the hibiscus plant, popular also in Jamaica and West Africa.
  • Horchata, which is made with walnuts or barley or chufa or (root of Cyperus esculentus), and in Mexico is made often of rice, rarely of oat, and scented with vanilla.
  • Alfalfa, blending fresh alfalfa leaves with water.
  • Cebada, using the grains of barley.
  • Chía

Health Benefits

Aguas Frescas growing popularity is attributed to its various health benefits. Each distinct fresca has its own unique properties and benefits. All the frescas are made with water which has many health benefits such as preventing the clogging of arteries in the heart and brain. Water also increases the efficiency of the immune system to combat disease and infection, it aids the body in replenishing the production of serotonin which lowers the risk of depression and aids the body in the production of melatonin which regulates sleep. Water also recharges the body’s cells to give a person more energy and helps combat addiction cravings. The many health benefits and fresh taste of the aguas frescas makes it an ideal choice for any person, whether dieting or just thirsty (Batmanghelidj).

A popular agua fresca called Jamaica is made from a Jamaica flower. Jamaica is a known diuretic (to increase the frequency of urination) and a laxative (to relieve constipation). Jamaica is also a digestive supplement which catalyzes the body’s digestive system and enhances the body’s normal digestive process. Jamaica is also very high in the antioxidant Vitamin C which helps the body’s immune system and protects the body from free radicals that can cause heart disease or cancer. Jamaica additionally relieves menstrual cramps, normalize high blood pressure, lower high cholesterol, and purify arteries (Phillips). The tamarindo agua fresca is helpful for maintaining a healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels which make it an ideal choice for those with diabetes (Sahelian).

Horchata is made with cinnamon which has many powerful properties. Cinnamon in known to lower LDL cholesterol and regulate blood sugar levels. Cinnamon stops medication resistant yeast infections, and reduces the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cells. Cinnamon has an anti clotting effect on the blood and relieves arthritis pain. Cinnamon is also a great source of fiber, iron and calcium (10 Health Benefits of Cinnamon). Horchata, when made with milk, also carries the health benefits of being a good source of calcium (for strong bones). Milk is also known to prevent osteoporosis, colon cancer, hyper tension, and tooth decay (Benefits of Milk).

Agua de melon is rich with vitamin A and beta-carotene which is essential for healthy vision. It is also high in vitamin C which stimulates white cells to fight infection and promotes a healthy immune system. It relieves constipation and it helps prevent cancer in organs and glands (Health Benefits of Cantaloupe). Agua de Sandia has properties similar to that of Agua de Melon only more powerful. It is amongst the most powerful source of antioxidants of all the aguas frescas. It replenishes the body’s electrolytes lost through sweating and reduces the severity of asthma. It’s rich in lycopene which releases free radicals in the blood and lessens the likelihood of heart attack or stroke (10 Health Benefits of Watermelon).

Agua de Papaya helps aid in healthy digestion and has been known to prevent premature aging. It promotes fertility in males and is good for your heart. It is also rich in vitamin C which aids your immune system (Papaya Juice Health Benefits).

Agua de Fresa is loaded with potassium and minimizes the chances of a heart attack or stroke. It is high in folate which aids in the production of red blood cells. It is also rich in B vitamins (Elliot).

Growing In Popularity

Originating in Mexico, Aguas Frescas is increasing in popularity. It is becoming more common in Central America, the Caribbean, and the United States. You can find aguas frescas vendors in most southwestern states like: Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and California. Aguas frescas is even found in cities most people wouldn’t expect; Chicago, Indianapolis, Seattle, and Boston for example.

Most Mexican restaurants serve it by ladling the drink out of a jug into glasses. They can also be found in supermarkets in ready-to-drink bottled versions, or in cartons from the dairy case and in dried mixes similar to Kool-Aid. Companies sell the Mexico based drink in many flavors; mango, pineapple, orange, watermelon, tangerine, tamarind, cantaloupe, guava, lime and hibiscus are among the favorites. These are made of several basic, all natural ingredients typically including fruit, seeds, flowers, water, and sugar.

Companies like Canita , Klass , and Maria Elena's create and manufacture aguas frescas their own special way. Cañita bottles up their aguas frescas and sells them in stores all around the United States. Cañita comes in two flavors; Jamaica and Tamarindo. Klass sells it in a mix that requires water and/or sugar to be added. They come in a variety of different flavors such as; limonada (lemonade), fresa (strawberry), guayaba (guava), Jamaica, horchata, mango, melon, tamarindo, naranaja, piña (pineapple), and sandia (watermelon). María Elena also sells their product in a mix, but they promote organic and 100% natural aguas frescas. The only flavor this company sells is horchata.

The popular beverage has evolved into a leisure drink instead of a way of replenishing yourself. The traditional way of creating aguas frescas was only use of fruit and water. Now, you can find extra ingredients like sugar, lime juice, and even alcohol included. There are even some cases when people include chunks of fruit in the drink for decoration. The original way to blend the aguas frescas is to mix it with a wooden spoon, but now people just place all the ingredients in a blender.

This drink was influenced by the invention of beer and wine. People used to choose beer and wine over water because the water was highly contaminated. People were dying from drinking water because of the harmful bacteria that was living in it; since bacteria couldn’t live in beer, that’s what people drunk. The discovery of putting acids and spices to kill bacteria was very helpful. People were now starting to put lemons in their water to kill the bacteria, thus creating lemonade. Rice and cinnamon worked as well, this was how the first horchatas were made.

See Also

• Licuados
• Paletas