Don’t feel like tucking into a hearty meal these days? You have the heat to blame. With temperatures soaring, we just want to sip on endless amounts of coconut water and eat light food. But if you’re unsure of what tweaks to make to your diet this summer, we asked the experts to guide us. Dr. Karishma Chawla recommends the following foods:
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are filled with antioxidants, like vitamin C and lycopene, which contribute to good skin too.
How to use it: Can be eaten in salad or raita or in sandwiches or lettuce wraps. Can also have it prepared in skewers, with cottage cheese.
Watermelon: It helps to keep the body hydrated! It also contains lycopene which helps protect skin cells from sun damage. Watermelon is a good source of pectin. Hence, the fruit can easily be made into jams, jellies and marmalades.
The inner portion of the dark coloured watermelon seeds can be dried and eaten. The seeds are considered to have a cooling effect.
Best time to eat: Is best eaten in the first half of the morning by itself or in a fruit salad.
Zucchini: It is composed of water (94 % of its weight ) making it a perfect ingredient in summer. It’s a high source of antioxidants like vitamin C, helps to boost the immune system, helps in skin and eye care. Also has
anti- inflammatory properties. With its potassium content, it helps to keep blood pressure in check.
How to use it: Can be made into noodles (spaghetti) and tossed in olive oil for an evening snack. Can be added to sauteed veggies, salads or paired as a side dish with grilled fish or chicken.
Oranges: They are seasonal in summer and also help in hydration. They are best eaten by themselves or can be juiced!
Berries: They are high in antioxidants and can be used in a summer smoothie. These fruits also help maintain fluid levels in your body.
Leafy veggies
Spinach is high in moisture content.
Best eaten: By itself, in raita, salad or added to lassi or as a smoothie with skim milk or almond milk.
Holistic Nutritionist and Integrative Wellness Coach, Janvi Chitalia says: “It is essential that one should tweak their diet for summer. So firstly, eliminate heat-containing foods like Bajra, pepper, garlic, ginger and methi (fenugreek). Stop consuming oily and spicy foods. Replace these foods with more cooling grains like Nachni (Ragi) and other additions like mint, and tender coconut water.
According to Janvi, these are the foods you should add to your diet:
- Soak sabja (1-2tsp ) in water and drink it to keep the body cool
- Have kokum water (4-5 kokum pods soaked in water). Do not consume kokum syrup available in the market as it is high on sugar.
- Add a glass of pomegranate juice to your diet as it cools down the liver. Use an ice pack around the stomach or liver if there is excessive heat generated in the body.
