While the summer heat hasn’t hit most of the country, some parts are already scorching. Sunday marked National Lemonade Day. It’s a beverage many people appreciate during the hot months, so it deserves its own day. But, people with blood sugar concerns often give the delicious drink a miss. Traditionally, lemonade is essentially just sugar and lemon juice. The amount of sugar needed to balance out the lemon juice and make it palatable is too much for many folks to enjoy in a healthy way.
That’s why we’re sharing four lemonade recipes that are much lower in carbs and will allow you to enjoy the drink without worrying about your blood sugar. You can make sugar-free lemonade from a powder. Or you can make it using a sugar-free sweetener and lemon juice. These recipes take the drink a little further and make them something new and special, so you can celebrate the summer in style!
We are big fans of strawberry lemonade. But, the ones you can buy to make at home rarely have real fruit in them and are packed with sugar. This version, made with sparkling water, has fruit and a lighter, less cloying taste that will help you stay cool and hydrated this summer without the sugar. You can add extra sweetener if you like; we think the recipe is fine as it is. But, you might prefer a bit more Stevia or whatever non-caloric sugar substitute you are using. A serving has seven calories, 1.3 grams of carbs and 0.4 grams of fiber. Get the recipe.
While this recipe is very straightforward, including a pinch of salt seems to be the secret. Often, if you have blood sugar concerns, you can yearn for treats you miss. Come summer, that might be a frozen lemonade from Chick-fil-A. Fans of the fast-food restaurant love it. The problem is that a serving has 330 calories and 65 grams of carbs. This claims to be a dead ringer for the tantalizing drink but healthier! A serving has just five calories, 1.7 grams of carbs and 0.1 grams of fiber. Get the recipe.
This scrumptious drink is the most complicated as you need to use a blender and a strainer. But it is delicious and worth it if you want something fancy without buying it! And, you don’t have to make melon ball ice cubes as shown in the picture, but they are pretty — and pretty tasty! The inclusion of melon balls is up to you, of course, that will up the carb count, but a single melon ball ice cube won’t derail your whole day! This drink will make you feel like you have gone to a spa or like you are on vacation, and we love it! A glass has 17 calories 5.1 grams of carbs. Get the recipe.
Frozen lemonades cool you down on a hot day, and mint always makes you feel even cooler. There is something wonderful about the combination of mint and lemon. Putting the whole fresh mint leaves into the blender along with the flesh of the lemon, sparkling water and ice will turn your drink a beautiful green color! Using the flesh of the lemon gives this lemonade far more fiber than the other drinks on this list, and that makes us big fans. A serving has 23 calories, 7.5 grams of carbs and three grams of fiber. Get the recipe.
We hope these drinks help you stay cool and hydrated and stop you from feeling like you’re missing out on everyone’s favorite summer beverage!
