There's nothing better on a hot summer day than a cold, refreshing glass of lemonade.
This classic sunny day beverage is tangy and sour, with just the right amount of sweetness.
Whether you pick it up from a children's lemonade stand, or make a batch in your own kitchen, it's always delicious and refreshing.
For the lemonade connoisseur, the drink also comes in a variety of flavors, like raspberry, strawberry, and even aloe vera lemonade for the adventurous!
But the most wacky and unique lemonade recipe of them all might be black lemonade, an ink-dark take on the summer drink.
As you may have guessed, the lemonade is pitch-black in color. That might sound a little crazy, but don't worry, it's also delicious and healthy!
In fact, the recipe is a lot like ordinary, yellow lemonade. The drink just gets its dramatic signature color from one unusual, but totally safe, mix-in.
Scroll through to learn the secret ingredient, and how to make this black lemonade for yourself.
Pitch Black Lemonade
Jen, the creator of this pitch black lemonade, posted the ingredients and instructions on Instructables, where she explained how to make it.
She wrote:
Black lemonade is a quick and simple recipe requiring just a few ingredients. You probably have most of them in your kitchen already… except the charcoal.
Make It Yourself! Ingredients:
Black Lemonade
- juice of one lemon
- 1-2 capsules activated charcoal
- stevia or maple syrup
- water
- ice
Step #1: Cut & Squeeze Lemon
Cut lemon in half and squeeze it with a juicer releasing the juice.
Make sure to pick out any seeds that may sneak in. Add lemon juice to a 16 ounce glass.
Step #2: Open Charcoal Capsules
Break open 1-2 activated charcoal capsules (check dosage on your bottle or container), add to the lemon juice, and stir to combine.
Step #3: Add Ice & Sweetener
Fill glass to the top with ice and add water. Stir in sweetener to taste.
I used 5 drops of stevia. (I like it tart!)
Step #4: Drink And Enjoy!
Garnish with a slice of lemon. Drink and enjoy!
Why Charcoal?
Jen explained:
Black lemonade is a refreshing drink that gets its black color from activated charcoal.
Activated charcoal has many health benefits including: preventing hangovers, whitening teeth, anti-aging, and removing toxins from the body. It works by bonding to toxins which get carried out of the body through elimination. (There is a much more scientific explanation of how this works in the link above.)
*Please note that I am not a doctor so do your homework before taking activated charcoal for yourself! It can interfere with some medications.
**It is important to drink enough water when taking activated charcoal. Some of you may ask ‘Why not just take the capsule instead of mixing it in a drink?’
I do this simply so I know that I am consuming enough water to circulate the charcoal well enough in my system. Plus, since activated charcoal has no flavor, the lemonade is delicious!
Would you drink this midnight black lemonade?
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