Sugar-Free Cherry Lemonade is a refreshing summer drink. Sweetened only with fruit, this drink is the perfect healthy choice.
When it's hot and sticky outside, it's so nice to have a cold, refreshing beverage.
Sadly, our grocery stores are FILLED with sugar-laden drinks. Almost all sodas, juices, and lemonades have tons of sugar. And even the few that are labeled "sugar-free" have chemicals and additives that create the illusion of sugar, but in reality are just as bad for you.
I don't know about you, but I'm over it. I just want a tasty drink that I can actually feel good about sipping all afternoon.
Enter: Sugar-Free Cherry Lemonade.
It's a sweet-tart drink made only from plants!
And when I say "sugar-free" I mean it. No sugar. And no chemicals that artificially alter the flavor to taste sweet. We're talking 100% real food.
There are two "secrets" in this drink that make it sugar-free AND sweet.
The first is obvious: cherries.
If we made regular lemonade, it would likely just be lemon juice and water. Not so sweet. But when we add cherries, not only do they add their unique flavor, they also bring a subtle sweetness to balance out the tart lemons.
The second is hidden, but is the best way to tailor this drink to your preferred sweetness level: date syrup.
Most of my sweet recipes have date syrup because it is one of the healthiest sweeteners there is.
Date syrup is made entirely from dates. It's not a refined, processed sweetener. It's natural. The sugars in the syrup WON'T spike your blood sugar like other sweetners.
Why? Fiber.
Without fiber sugars pass right through your system, elevating your blood sugar and giving you that sugar-high (and subsequent fall). Fiber helps release the sugars slowly, at an even pace, allowing you to enjoy sweetness without the crazy ups and downs of refined sugar.
The other great thing about date syrup in this recipe is that you can tailor it to your taste. Personally, I only added a small amount of date syrup because I wanted a tart drink. But you can customize your lemonade however you prefer.
This Sugar-Free Cherry Lemonade is super simple to make. Let's run through the ingredients.
In a microwave-safe dish, heat the cherries on high for 1 minute. This will release their juices for maximum cherry flavor!
Soak the cherries and your desired amount of date syrup in 2 cups of boiling water for 10 minutes. It helps to add the date syrup to hot water so it completely dissolves. Strain and press the cherries for extra juice. Remember, we want as much cherry flavor in this lemonade as possible.
Add the lemon juice and 3 cups of cold water. Stir well. Taste for sweetness and add additional date syrup, if desired. Note that as the lemonade cools it will be harder to dissolve the date syrup.
Refrigerate for at least an hour, until the lemonade is cool. Enjoy!
Thank you God for refreshing summer drinks. Thank you for satisfying our thirsts. Amen.
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Sugar-Free Cherry Lemonade is a refreshing summer drink. Sweetened only with fruit, this drink is the perfect healthy choice.
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