One glass, three benefits: Acharya Balkrishna on why shikanji belongs in every Indian home this summer

Acharya Balkrishna took to Facebook recently to call shikanji the best summer drink for Indians. He called it a “desi refresher.” He said it replenishes electrolytes, aids digestion, and purifies the blood. The Patanjali co-founder regularly posts Ayurveda tips on social media, and this one caught attention fast.

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What is shikanji?

Shikanji is a lemon-based drink from the Indian subcontinent. Its name comes from sekanjabin, a Middle Eastern sweet-and-sour syrup. Persian physician Ibn Sina wrote about it in the 10th century.

North Indians call it shikanji. Western India calls it nimbu pani. The base is simple: lemon juice, salt, sugar, and water. Most versions also use kala namak, or black salt. Ayurveda describes black salt as a cooling ingredient that helps the body manage heat. Regional versions add cumin, ginger, mint, or chaat masala. Street vendors sell it across North India all summer. The stalls outside Delhi’s Red Fort are famous for it.

Also Read: The amla murabba tip from Acharya Balkrishna that everyone is talking about this summer

Electrolytes and dehydration

Balkrishna said the body loses water and other elements through heavy sweating in summer. Shikanji, he said, makes up for that loss because it contains electrolytes.

He is right about the science. Sweat drains sodium faster than most other electrolytes. The salt in shikanji puts that back. Lemon juice adds potassium and magnesium. These minerals keep blood pressure steady and muscles working. Together, salt and lemon in water support fluid balance, nerve signals, and muscle contractions.

Indians have been drinking this combination for centuries, especially through summer. Ayurveda links lemon water taken on an empty stomach to better digestion, toxin removal, and stronger immunity.

Digestion and stomach cooling

Balkrishna also said shikanji cools the stomach and improves the digestive system.

Lemon juice triggers secretions in the stomach and digestive tract. This improves digestion and freshens your breath. It also increases bile flow from the liver and gallbladder. That helps break down fats. Vitamin C in lemon softens waste matter and supports regular bowel movement.

Cumin adds more to this. It reduces inflammation and helps manage your blood sugar. Combined with lemon and salt, shikanji works on the gut from multiple angles.

Blood purification and energy

Balkrishna’s third claim was about blood purification and energy.

Lemon is high in vitamin C and antioxidants. Vitamin C pushes the liver to produce glutathione, which the body uses to filter the blood. The Caraka Samhita, one of Ayurveda’s oldest texts, lists lemon as a cleanser for blood and lymph. It also uses lemon to stimulate digestive fire.

Vitamin C protects blood vessels from damage caused by infections. It cuts the duration of colds. The sugar in shikanji gives the body a fast glucose hit, which helps after physical exertion or long hours in the heat.

Old drink, renewed attention

Shikanji has a place in Unani pharmacopoeia too, listed as a traditional preparation called sikanjabeen. Its recipe, lemon, water, salt, and sugar, closely mirrors the oral rehydration formula used in modern medicine.

Balkrishna’s post is part of a wider Patanjali push to bring traditional Indian remedies back into daily life. With Indian summers getting hotter, shikanji’s case is easy to make.