For the Native American tribe known as the Agua Fresca, see Agua Dulce people. For the castle of Aguas Frescas, home of the fictional Count Almaviva, see The Marriage of Figaro (play).
Two types of aguas frescas in a Mexican taqueria in Seattle. On the left is a jar of agua de flor de Jamaica, and on the right is horchata. The drinks are ladled from the jars into glasses.Chia seedagua frescaGuavaagua fresca
Aguas frescas[1][2] (English: cool waters, lit. 'fresh waters') or frescos or aguas, are light non-alcoholic beverages made from one or more fruits, cereals, flowers, or seeds blended with sugar and water. 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. Some of the more common varieties include tamarindo, jamaica, and horchata.
The terms aguas frescas is most common in Mexico, however, they are called "fresco" in Nicaragua. 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:
