The ideal Nigerian drinks to unwind your stressful day
When you visit someone or you go to the bar, the first thing to be offered or requested is a drink. According to analysts, a higher percentage of people consume more drinks than any other beverage in Nigeria. Nigeria drinks are grouped into several types; from soft drinks, mixed drinks, cocktails, smoothies, seamans, minerals, chapman, and zobo drinks which are used on different occasions or just for leisure. We have lots of fruits in Nigeria but the average Nigerian person is yet to learn how to get the juice out of them. Most times we waste fruits due to a lack of understanding. Most of the fruits could be converted to fruit juice. Almost all ethnic group has a locally made drink of which they are known with, the drinks have its importance in history, ogogoro is used for libation, palm wine itself is also a symbol of peace and acceptance, mostly used in traditional marriage. In Igbo land, the palm wine will be given to the bride by the father to show the kingsmen who the husband is, and if the goom drinks it, it shows acceptance. This article will show you most of the Nigerian drinks.
The best options in the market
We have several drinks you will like based on your taste and preference. Most of these drinks are homemade; let’s begin
Zobo drink
Have you had a taste of zobo before? This drink is tasty and also considered healthy. It is one of the few drinks in Nigeria that are made with only natural ingredients.
The zobo leaves used for coloring and all other ingredients are natural. You can use synthesized pineapple flavor or use the real pineapple, aside from that, it is all-natural. No artificial coloring and no preservative.
Fura Da Nono
This drink is mostly produced in the northern part region, it is healthy and contains nutrients that are responsible for growth and weight gain. The drink is served when chilled for a great taste.
Ingredients: Cup of millet or guinea cornmeal, soya bean meal, dried pepper(grounded), cloves(grounded), dried ginger root(grounded), cornflour, 2 liters of water(for boiling), 1-liter fresh cow milk yogurt, or normal yogurt, granulated sugar to taste.
Kunu drink
This drink is made from tiger nut, date, and garlic. Kunu is a healthy and refreshing drink. These Nigerian drinks are best enjoyed when served chilled.
Ingredients; 7 cups of tiger nuts, 3 cups dry dates, 1 whole coconut, 3 teaspoons vanilla essence.
Chapman
This reddish-pink drink is usually served in a transparent glass. This is a Nigerian cocktail drink with fruity flavor, and a nice blend. It can never go missing in every Nigerian restaurant.
Ingredients; Half cup of grenadine syrup, fanta, ribena(optional) and angostura aromatic bitters, orange, Lemon, ice cubes.
Energy drink
This drink offers hydration but with a hefty dose of unnecessary calories that the body may have a hard time regulating. Some of these drinks include Red Bull, Power Horse, Lucozade Boost, Monster and Fearless, are popular products in the country. All of them except for Lucozade Boost contain caffeine and are not recommended for consumption by children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, diabetics, and persons generally sensitive to caffeine.
Smoothies
This drink is a combination of different blended fruits, the choice of fruits is dependent on the flavor you will get. You can merge 4 different fruits or more. The taste is heavenly especially when strawberry is added to it. It’s a drink for all.
Soft drinks
These are the most common Nigerian drinks. Also known as minerals they are nonalcoholic beverages, such as fanta, coke, sprite, mountain dew, etc., but not necessarily carbonated, normally containing a natural or artificial sweetening agent, are classified as soft drinks.
How do you choose the most suitable drinks?
This depends on the occasion, for instance, you can't be planning a traditional marriage and forget palm wine, it's an error. You can decide to do away with other drinks but when it comes to tradition, palm wine must be present. Hence you should choose your drinks based on the occasion or demands.
Which drink brand is more popular in the market?
So far its coca-cola. This brand is known for its versatility, they come in cans, bottles, and pet (plastic bottle) containers and are sold for at least #100 per product. Some examples of these drinks are Fanta, coke, seven up, mountain dew, and so on. These drinks are super refreshing and the very best way to cool off on a sunny day when served chilled.
You can find these drinks to buy from nearly any supermarket and stores in both retail and wholesale. In the next lines we will talk about some of the benefits of the palm wine, one of the most popular Nigerian drinks.
An example of well know advantage of some drinks
A number of these drinks are found to be refreshing as well as nutritious. For example palm wine, its benefits include; helps to improve eyesight due to its high Vitamin C content. When taken by lactating mothers palm wine increases breast milk production. You have not truly visited Nigeria if you fail to try out these amazing drinks!
How do you properly preserve these drinks?
Most of these locally made drinks especially the ones not bottled or sealed like, zobo, kunu, fura da nono, palm wine are enjoyed when it's freshly made because they don’t have preservatives. So taking little quantity that you can consume that day is greatly advised. Do not forget to store it in a refrigerator to preserve it for a longer period. For other drinks with preservatives, keep them in a cool place and refrigerate them before serving to enjoy their great taste.