Impress Your Friends with a Rose Petal Lemonade!

The heat is on now that pitta (summer) season is in full swing and we’ve got the perfect cooling, heart-opening beverage to help you beat the summer heat- Rose Petal Lemonade! Balancing to all 3 doshas- vata, pitta and kapha, this recipe is an Ayurvedic, all-natural take on store-bought lemonade that both adults and children will love. It is simple to make and preparing it is a beautiful process that will connect you with the loving energetics and healing properties of both rose and lemon. 

From the Ayurvedic perspective, rose is particularly good at reducing pitta dosha, while also bringing balance to vata dosha and kapha dosha, when used in moderation. Further, sweet and gentle rose is revered in Ayurvedic medicine thanks to its myriad of health benefits. Some of the many beneficial properties of rose include:

• antioxidant-rich
• high in Vitamin C
• anti-inflammatory
• antimicrobial 
• antibacterial
• opens the heart
• embodies love
• reduces stresses
• eases tension
• uplifts the senses
• harmonizes the mind
• heals + cools the skin 

Lemon will make your lips pucker, but the sour taste of lemon actually increases saliva, known as bodhaka kapha in Ayurveda, improving your sense of taste and your ability to digest foods and beverages with more ease. Additional benefits of lemon include:

• high in Vitamin C
• antioxidant-rich
• alkalinizes the digestive tract
• kindles agni (digestive fire)
• purifies the body by cleansing both the liver + gallbladder
• promotes positive energy
• cools + clears the skin 

• 14 cups of fresh water
• 1 cup dried PAAVANI Rose Petals
• 2 tablespoons of honey (optional, recommended if you want a hint of sweetness)
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 
• cheesecloth
• mesh strainer
• 2 glass gallon jars

Add 1 cup of dried PAAVANI Rose Petals into a glass gallon jar and pour in the 14 cups of fresh water, gently stirring the rose and water mixture together. Fasten the lid securely.

Place the gallon jar outside in a sunny area and allow the roses to steep for 3- 5 hours in the direct sunlight. If you want a stronger tea, leave it outside in the sun for longer (at least 5 hours), if you want a lighter-tasting tea, we recommend leaving it out in the sun to steep for a shorter period of time (up to 3 hours).

While your Sun Tea is steeping, place a double layer of cheesecloth into your mesh strainer.

Once your Sun Tea is steeped, bring it back inside and, using your mesh strainer, strain the liquid from the rose petals, pouring the liquid into your 2nd glass gallon jar. Discard the rose petals outside in your garden so they can naturally decompose. 

While the Rose Petal Tea is still warm from the sun, if using, add your honey and stir to dissolve. 

Add your cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice and stir. 

Securely fasten the lid on the glass gallon jar and place your Rose Petal Lemonade in the refrigerator to chill slightly.

When ready to serve, you can keep your Rose Petal Lemonade in the glass gallon jar or transfer to a glass beverage dispenser. 

Feel free to beautify your beverage with a sprinkle of dried PAAVANI Rose Petals and lemon rinds to impress your guests with your sophisticated and Ayurvedic take on a summer lemonade!

Please note that since you prepare the Rose Water Lemonade with the warmth of the sun instead of boiling water, we suggest enjoying this beverage within 1-2 days after it is prepared. This way it tastes fresh and will not spoil. 

From 4th of July parties, summer BBQs and picnics to festivals and PRIDE celebrations, there are ample opportunities to share this simple yet elegant Ayurvedic beverage with your loved ones. We hope this Rose Petal Lemonade reminds you and yours to stay cool and hydrated while you celebrate the best of summer in the great outdoors.