With temperatures exhibiting an upward rise, and the sun shining down upon us strongly, it is common to feel dehydrated and low on energy through the summer months. What Our body needs during this time of the year are cooling foods that will balance our diets while keeping our energy levels stable. Gayathri Menon lists down the best in-season summer foods that’ll fill you up without weighing you down.
You just need to find that one food item that can satiate you so that there’s no place for hunger pangs to unsettle your mind from work or whatever it is you’re doing. In summer, it is also very important to keep your body cool and maintain the water level which reduces due to sweating, caused by high humidity levels. These foods are calorie-rich but don’t saddle you with fat in return.
According to Dietician Jasleen Kaur, Founder of Just Diet Clinic, “Summer is the best time to lose weight. In winters, most of us tend to crave for high-calorie foods but in summers the soaring temperature suppresses your appetite and your body needs more liquids than solids. Summers are the time when you get most citrus fruits and fresh vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in calories and are quite light on stomach too.”
So let’s have a quick look at all those magic foods that will save our summers!
Watermelon
Thinking about watermelon, has a chilling effect on our body. Its high water content keeps us cool and hydrated which is just what we are looking for! This will help us feel full even after having just a few pieces of the big fruit, killing our hunger instantly. Watermelon also protects us from sun damage as it contains lycopene.
Green tea (with mint)
It is high time that we make green tea our new best friend. Keeping aside its million benefits, it is the perfect drink for summer. It has a compound called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) which boosts fat-burning and controls our appetite. If you want to add some flavour with natural suppressant quality, then there is nothing better than fresh mint itself. A study also claims that daily whiffing of the minty stuff meant consuming 1,800 fewer calories in a week.
Spinach
There’s a reason Popeye used to munch on a can of spinach every time he needed energy. This leafy green super food is loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and folate that too at just 7 calories per cup, which means it’s practically calorie-free. The best part about spinach is that it has the power to kill cravings. You can also make a daily drink with spinach extract as it contains leaf membranes called thylakoids which target weight loss by 45 percent and reduce food cravings by 95 percent. So even adding it to your sandwich or as a burger topper is enough to remove all the weight worries!
Kejal Sheth, Nutritionist and Founder at Nutrivity.in adds, “Eating good protein breakfast kicks your metabolism and keeps you high on energy all day. Opt for cinnamon, dried fruits such as almonds, walnuts, makhanas, isabgul, fresh fruits, fresh salads, high protein foods, green veggies, lean meats and eggs which will provide the required energy. Also, don’t forget to drink a lot of water throughout the day. You can also make quick and easy fruit-infused water which is tasty as well as nutritious.”
Tomatoes
These antioxidant-packed juicy powerhouses are not just an attractive fruit but they can also keep you trim and fit. Being one of the richest sources of lycopene, tomatoes reduce inflammation in the body. It can also control the appetite-regulating hormones that can nullify your cravings. So next time you feel hungry, it’s a good idea to keep tomato sauce handy.
Mango
What is better than getting to satisfy a sweet tooth along with warding off other cravings? Yes. That’s exactly what mangoes do for us.It is a summer fruit, hence it naturally has the ability to provide cool keeping all the summer worries at bay. Being rich in fibre, magnesium, anti-oxidants, and iron, mangoes solve many problems altogether. So what are you waiting for? Mangoes don’t wait for anyone!
Cucumber
High in water content, cucumbers helps the body stay hydrated and stops dehydration from masquerading as hunger. To top it all, it has an amazing taste!! This super food is the cheapest way to shed calories as well as the heat. Drink cucumber juice every day or just cut it into pieces and add it to your sandwich and let the magic work its way through!
Exercise right
Along with controlling your food, you should also take care of the body by doing proper exercise. And summer is perfect to sweat it outdoors and achieve your best body. The arrival of summer seems to motivate us to play, explore and move in ways we simply cannot in winter. But it is equally difficult to stay motivated and not fall for bad habits. Hence we have compiled a few tips and tricks to maintain your physique in this summer!
Sheth further adds that, “Summer is a great weather to be active physically. Generally, extreme hot weather suppresses your appetite but there are a variety of light and fresh food available which gives more options to eat healthy and will help you achieve a bikini body”.
SAIL THROUGH SUMMER ON A HEALTHY NOTE
Time
Since it is summer, you should not be exercising between 10 am-3 pm to avoid the day time heat. It’s the hottest part of the day. Early morning is the right time if you want to tone your body. It is however a good idea to stay outdoors for 10 minutes or so for absorbing vitamin D from sunlight.
Clothes
Taking care of what you wear is very important as it should take into account the weather as well. Make sure to wear loose, light-coloured outfits. The logic behind this is that the lighter colour will help reflect heat, and cotton material will help in the evaporation of sweat.
Sunscreen
Another important thing during the summers for a healthy skin is to use sunscreen. Use a sunscreen with a minimum SPF 15 to protect your skin while working out outdoors. Sunscreen is also important on cloudy days as it will reduce the chances of you getting burned and suffering from reflected sunlight exposure.
Drink
In summer, our body naturally loses a lot of water through sweat. So always make sure to drink a glass or two of water. Carry a bottle of water and drink water every 15 minutes even if you are not thirsty to keep yourself hydrated.
Food
Fill up your body with electrolyte and salt intake before exercising. Small capsules, simple packs of sodium and electrolytes are available in markets that will replenish the salt levels through sweating and working out.
So basically to round up, you need to listen to your body and understand what it needs. Summer can look rude on our skin and system but if proper precautions are taken, it is the perfect season to tone up. Healthy eating with a proper amount of exercise is the key to live longer and summer is just the perfect time to enjoy ourselves in the bargain. Time to have fun in the sun!
