Summer is finally here and so are all the sweetest fruits, ice creams, cold drinks and delicious summer dishes that we all love to indulge in. This is also the season during which most families enjoy at least two months of vacation time with the kids at home or travelling around the world. From summer evening parties in your garden to get together and family outings, summers can be a really enjoyable time for foodie families. However, the season does come with its pitfalls.
Due to the rising temperature, hot winds and severe heat waves in large parts of India, summer season remains a critical time for your health. While you may want to eat all the dishes you love to during this season, the fact remains that the human body demands more hydration and less rich foods that are deep-fried or fried. On the other hand, it is a fact universally acknowledged that eating chillies during summer can help your body stay cool. So, what should you eat and what should you avoid?
Video courtesy: YouTube/Sanjeev Kapoor Khazana
The question may seem complicated, but a few simple guiding tips can help you keep it all sorted. In fact, follow these summer eating tips and you are going to feel healthier throughout the season. The best bit is, if you stay healthy during summer, nothing can stop you from enjoying the best foods and drinks the season has to offer—and that’s a perk every foodie would love to have, right? So, check out these easy summer eating tips to stay healthy and enjoy all the benefits of the season.
Use Portion Control
Portion control is one of the most effective ways to ensure that you get a taste of everything you love without falling sick or succumbing to summer stomach upset. This means you can continue to eat your favourite fried foods without any fear of excessive saturated fats leading to health issues like weight gain, diarrhea, etc. Moderation is the name of this game, so make sure you actually stick to smaller portions of fried food and larger portions of healthier foods like fresh fruits and veggies.
Stay Fat Free
Fried foods, rich curries, heavily spiced food—what all of these have in common is a higher amount of saturated and trans fats. Eating too much of these can not only increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes and cholesterol, but also cause digestive issues when mixed with the hot weather of summer season. So, the best thing you can do is avoid fatty foods altogether, whether they are your favourite Pakodas or Puris or cashew or cream-loaded curries. Even if you can’t avoid them completely, opt for the first tip of portion control.
Choose Lean Proteins
While you might love red meat, the problem with this source of protein is that it is packed with fats and can lead to indigestion, acidity, stomach upset and dehydration if consumed in large amounts. So, for the duration of summer season, cut off red meat—or limit them to once a month as a treat—and instead opt for lean protein sources. This not only includes chicken and fish, but also dairy products like paneer and yoghurt, and vegan sources like chickpeas, kidney beans, whole grains, etc.
Watch Your Sodium
Summer season can send mixed signals to your body, especially due to dehydration. While you may crave salty foods, that’s just another way for your body to let you know that you are dehydrated. On the other hand, eating excessively or artificially salted foods can lead to major health issues, including higher blood pressure, weight gain and heart disease. So, it is important that you opt for healthy sodium sources, like fruits and vegetables, to keep your body replenished during summer instead of high-sodium junk foods that can harm you in the short and long run.
Stay Hydrated
It is undoubtedly important to stay hydrated throughout the year, but during summer, excessive sweating and dry winds can lead to severe dehydration, which in turn can cause great harm to your health. So, drink plenty of water during summer and indulge in watery fruits and veggies that can replenish your body’s water levels. You can also drink plenty of low-calorie or low-sugar beverages that are made with yoghurt to replenish the natural salt and water balance in your body.
Skip The Sugar
While it is very important that you increase your fruit and veggie intake during summers, it is equally important to eat them in the right form. While fresh cut fruits and fresh squeezed fruit juices are great sources of nutrition during summers, avoid pre-packaged fruit juices and pre-cut fruits. While the latter are likely to lose their nutrients the longer they are cut for, the former are packed with excessive sugar—which can further dehydrate the body and lead to unwanted weight gain too.
Eat Local
Eating locally sourced fresh fruits, veggies and grains is always a healthy practice, but especially so during summers. Getting your fruits and vegetables from local markets and mandis is a great way to get the right nutrition during summer, because it can not only prevent any risk of eating contaminated food but also prevent any loss of nutrition from the long travel required for exotic products. At the same time, eating local can also introduce you to less-known summer products that are grown locally and have loads of benefits to boost your immune system during summer season.