Bael fruit is a woody textured sweet and aromatic round-shaped fruit. Although its shell is hard to break, the pulp inside is quite soft and maudlin. Bael juice is extracted from this mushy pulp and it is yellowish-orange in colour with a sweet taste. This juice is considered to be one of the best summer drinks for its incredible cooling properties. When it is spiked with black salt, black pepper powder and cumin seed powder, it tastes amazing.

Containing excellent medicinal properties, bael fruit can teat many illnesses including digestive problems, constipation and bloating. This juice also improves metabolism and thus aids in weight loss.

It is very simple to make bael juice at home-

Take a medium-sized bael fruit and hit it with some hard object to break open the shell. Scoop out the pulp using a spoon. Remove the seeds. Add one glass of water (approximately 200 ml) to this pulp and soak it for an hour. Pour it in a food processor and blend for two to three minutes. Strain the juice and add one teaspoon of black salt and one-fourth teaspoon each of cumin powder and black pepper powder. Pour it in a glass and top with few ice cubes. Serve chilled immediately.

You can store the blended pulp for three to four days in refrigerator in an air-tight glass container. Whenever you want to consume this juice, just take it out from the refrigerator and pour into a glass. Sprinkle little black salt, cumin powder and black pepper powder. Mix well and sip. You can consume one glass of bael juice daily without experiencing any side effects. The natural sweetness of this juice makes it suitable for diabetic patients as well. However, consult your doctor before consuming this juice if you are on certain medication to eradicate any side effect.

Health benefits of bael juice:

· Full of powerful nutrients– Bael juice provides with a potent punch of vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. These nutrients act as natural healers in the body and take care of all minor and major health issues.

· Improves haemoglobin– Regular consumption of bael juice increases blood count in the body, thus increasing the haemoglobin level.

· Improves metabolism– Being full of nutrition, bael juice allows you to have an active digestive system. It allows your body to absorb nutrition and helps secrete digestive juices from your gut to stabilise and improve metabolism. By boosting metabolism, it helps in reducing weight as well.

· Immunity booster– Bael juice builds a shield of self-defence around your body. It keeps you safe from various diseases.

· Helps in keeping the body cool– A chilled glass of bael juice is enough to beat the heat in summer season. The scorching heat can cause various illnesses and allergies. To keep them at bay and to keep yourself cool, drink a glass of chilled bael juice every day.

· Enriched with anti-inflammatory properties– Drinking bael juice regularly can help prevent allergies and inflammation of joints. It is a good cure of body ache, headache, migraine and hangover.

· Potent in detoxifying the body- Drinking a glass of bael juice every day keeps the toxins from accumulating in your body. Every day your body crowds up with toxins which can cause a base for various diseases. Bael juice can help you as a proven toxin reliever.

· Powerful treatment for constipation– Bael juice if consumed regularly, can ease the bowel movement and cleanse the intestine properly. Thus it relieves constipation.

· Good cure of breast cancer– Bael juice eliminates cancer cells and thus prevents the possibilities of breast cancer.

· Good for skin and hair– Consuming a glass of bael juice every day is one of the best remedies for natural skin exfoliation. It can treat acnes, skin tans, rashes and many other skin related issues. Apart from this, bael juice consumption enhances hair growth by stimulating scalp tissues and makes your hair stronger and healthy.

Caution– Do not indulge in over consumption of this juice. It may lead to certain issues like vomiting, upset stomach, fluctuation in blood sugar levels, reaction with certain medicines especially during pregnancies and in worst cases, liver damage. Consume it in moderation to reap its amazing health benefits.