thumbnail|right|[[Chia seed agua fresca]]
thumbnail|right|[[Guava agua fresca]]
Aguas frescas () or frescos or aguas, are light traditionally non-alcoholic beverages made from one or more fruits, cereals, flowers, or seeds blended with sugar and water. The drinks are ladled from the jars into glasses. They are popular in many Latin American countries, as well as parts of the United States such as the Southwest and heavy-Latino population cities, such as Los Angeles and San Antonio. Some of the more common varieties include , , and .
Aguas frescas are sold by street vendors and are commonly found in convenience stores, restaurants and juice bars.
History
People have been flavoring water with fruit and flowers in Mexico since ancient times. The
Aztec people of Tenochtitlan gathered fruit and flowers as they traveled by canoe along the
city's canals and prepared early versions of these drinks for hydration. Sugar, today the
most common sweetener, was introduced after the Spanish conquest of the early 16th
century, which also brought Old World ingredients that diversified the category: hibiscus
(Jamaica), tamarind came to the Americas from Africa and Asia through colonial trade
networks; and rice, cinnamon, and barley became the basis of horchata. These beverages
are typically made by blending fresh ingredients with water and lightly sweetening them,
resulting in refreshing drinks especially suited to hot climates.
Outside Mexico, aguas frescas have grown significantly in the United States. Industry
analysts at Technomic report that their popularity is growing faster than lemonade, driven
by demand from both Latin American communities and younger consumers seeking lower-
sugar alternatives to carbonated soft drinks, as well as interest in natural ingredients and
traditional preparations.
Terminology
The terms aguas frescas is most common in Mexico, however, they are called "fresco" in Nicaragua and Honduras. Frescos refers to non-carbonated drinks, usually referring to traditional drinks, or those made from fruits. Some of them include fresco de Cacao, melon con naranja, chicha, pinolillo, and others.
Aguas frescas could lead to confusion in some Spanish speaking countries, as they may refer to bottled soft drinks. In Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panamá soft drinks are referred to as "frescos" (short for refresco), which in Mexico means soft drinks and in Nicaragua means aguas frescas. Soft drinks in Guatemala are called "aguas", short for aguas gaseosas, which could easily be confused with the Mexican aguas frescas or Nicaraguan soft drinks which are called gaseosas.
Types
It is common to find aguas frescas in these flavors:
{| class="wikitable"
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! scope="col" | Type
! scope="col" | Ingredients
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! scope="row" | Sweet fruits
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! scope="row" | Sour fruits
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! scope="row" | Seeds
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! scope="row" | Cereals
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! scope="row" | Flowers
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|}
See also
- Licuados
- Paleta (dessert)
- Samalamig