The Agua Fresca Is the Most Versatile Drink You Can Make This Summer (2024)

If you have fruit, you can make an agua fresca.

By

Oset Babür-Winter

The Agua Fresca Is the Most Versatile Drink You Can Make This Summer (1)

Title: Senior Drinks Editor, Food & WineLocation: New York CityExperience: Oset Babür-Winter has completed the Wine and Spirits Education Trust's (WSET) Level 3 Award in wines and was previously the magazine's associate culture editor, where she edited Obsessions.

Published on May 5, 2023

Whether you’re the kind of person who loses themselves in the bounty of fruits and vegetables at the farmer’s market, or simply want to find more creative ways to hydrate as the temperatures rise, aguas frescas belong in your recipe rotation. “Aguas frescas were born out of resourcefulness,” explains Yana Volfson, beverage director at New York City’s Cosme and ATLA. “They are popular in Mexico due to its generous climate, which provides an abundance of different fruits throughout the year. Combining them with water is just one more way to consume the fruit. It is a wonderful fresh tradition shared by the entire country and is a perfect drink to have when a fruit juice would be too much, or plain water too boring.”

When it comes to making an agua fresca, which literally translates to "fresh water," the three components are fairly straightforward: fruit, water, and some kind of sweetener, like granulated sugar, or in the case of this peach agua fresca from Austin's Nixta Tacqueria, rosewater. While aguas frescas are traditionally non-alcoholic, you can add different spirits depending on the fruit or flavorings of the agua. The herbaceous, spicy notes of this pineapple jalapeño agua fresca play well with mezcal, and we’re partial to adding a bit of white rum to this peach agua fresca, as well as to this blueberry pomegranate colada from All Day Baby, in Los Angeles.

For most of the aguas frescas below, all you need is a high-speed blender and a fine-mesh strainer to make sure every sip is smooth. Read on for five of our favorite aguas frescas that pack a ton of flavor and couldn't be easier to make.

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Watermelon Agua Fresca

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This minty, sweet non-alcoholic drink is our new warm weather go-to.

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Blueberry Pomegranate Colada Agua Fresca

The Agua Fresca Is the Most Versatile Drink You Can Make This Summer (4)

It's worth learning how to whip shake a drink, just for this one alone.

Pineapple Jalapeño Agua Fresca

The Agua Fresca Is the Most Versatile Drink You Can Make This Summer (5)

This earthy, spicy, and refreshing agua fresca comes together in minutes.

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Peach Agua Fresca

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Fragrant rosewater and juicy peaches make for an especially refreshing agua fresca.

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Agua de Jamaica

The Agua Fresca Is the Most Versatile Drink You Can Make This Summer (7)

Hibiscus flower gives this Mexican classic its eye-catching red hue.

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The Agua Fresca Is the Most Versatile Drink You Can Make This Summer (2024)

FAQs

What is agua fresca good for? ›

Its antioxidants may help reduce the risk of diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease, research suggests. Papaya, which is high in vitamin C and antioxidants, also may help prevent heart disease. Linares said the nutritional content in agua fresca can depend on the type of fruit used and how the drink is prepared.

Is it agua fresca or agua fresca? ›

Aguas frescas (English: cool waters, lit. 'fresh waters') are light non-alcoholic beverages made from one or more fruits, cereals, flowers, or seeds blended with sugar and water. They are popular in Mexico and some other Latin American countries, as well as parts of the United States such as the Southwest.

What is the plural form of agua fresca? ›

agua fres·​ca ˈä-gwə-ˈfre-skə plural aguas frescas.

What is a fun fact about agua fresca? ›

This beverage is believed to have originated in the pre-Columbian era, many centuries ago. Historical accounts mention that the Aztecs would travel to Tenochtitlan, present-day Mexico City, to purchase fruits for their agua fresca.

Why Fresca is so good? ›

Fresca's Appeal

It toes the line between classic soda and flavored sparkling water, which is why it garnered instant hype from those in search of a "healthier" alternative to full-sugar co*ke, but a better-tasting option than seltzer water back in 1967. Put simply, it's incredibly refreshing.

Is Fresca good for hydration? ›

Fresca Sparkling Soda Waters are a delicious way to invigorate your day, helping you stay hydrated and delivering a burst of authentic citrus refreshment – naturally flavoured & unsweetened.

Is agua fresca better than soda? ›

Fruits naturally come sweetened, so be aware of how much sugar you add to your agua fresca. “You don't need to add all the sugar that the recipe calls for, and you may find the natural sweetness is enough,” Keating says. Most recipes will have less sugar than a typical soda, which makes them a healthier choice overall.

What is the best flavor of agua fresca? ›

Best Types Of Fruits To Use

While watermelon is one of the most popular kinds of agua frescas, there's plenty of other options. It's best to stick with naturally sweet fruits such as honeydew, or ones that are extremely refreshing such as cucumber. Some of my favorites include: Watermelon.

Why is agua fresca popular in Mexico? ›

Agua fresca is a Mexican tradition with roots in centuries-old Aztec culture. These refreshing drinks have become popular worldwide thanks to their delicious flavor and health benefits.

What is agua fresca called? ›

The Mexican drink agua fresca (“fresh water” or “cool water”) is made with water and fruit, but it is much more than just water and much different from the juice. Fruit juice is typically made by squeezing the liquid from the fruit; it may be somewhat diluted, but it is much more juice than water.

What gender is the word agua? ›

The term Agua is a noun of feminine gender, whose first letter is a a tonic. For these nouns and for those that start with he has, for phonetic reasons, at some point the rule was created to change the feminine definite article, the, for the masculine, he: Agua.

What's the difference between agua fresca and lemonade? ›

Limonada might be the type of agua fresca most familiar to Americans, as it's very similar to two drinks already popular here in the US—lemonade and limeade. However, American lemonades and limeades are often much sweeter than a typical agua fresca, as they typically contain a great deal of sugar.

What are the benefits of agua fresca? ›

It Helps you Stay Hydrated

Agua fresca is a delicious and refreshing way to quench your thirst since they are mostly made with fresh fruits, water, and ice. These refreshing drinks are a healthier option than sugary drinks because it's free of added sugars and harmful chemicals that claim to rehydrate.

How long is agua fresca good for? ›

How long does agua fresca last? Technically 3-4 days. In reality, I would say a maximum of two days. If you drink it within 4 days you'll be perfectly fine but on days 3 and 4 the flavor does change and unfortunately not for the better.

Should you drink agua fresca in Mexico? ›

Like coffee or any other water-based beverage in Mexico, aguas frescas are safe to drink because they're made with purified water.

Does agua fresca count as water intake? ›

Pumper said there are beverages other than water you can drink that count toward hydration—for example, teas, coconut water, homemade agua fresca, broths, and smoothies.

Is Fresca juice good for you? ›

Drinking it benefits our health and skin in a myriad of ways and is a great source of ellagic acid, and antioxidant and punicic acid, an omega 5 polyunsaturated fatty acid which is highly beneficial for cell regeneration and proliferation.

What is the nutritional value of agua fresca? ›

Here are the nutrition facts for an 8-ounce serving of a branded version of fruit-based agua fresca made with mango puree, passionfruit juice concentrate, lemon juice, and sugar, according to the USDA: 60 calories. 0 grams fat. 15 grams carbohydrates.

Is Jamaica agua fresca good for you? ›

Benefits of drinking Agua de Jamaica

Studies show that hibiscus can lower blood pressure, making it a great choice for those looking to improve their cardiovascular health. It is also high in antioxidants, which help protect against cell damage and inflammation.

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