During the summer, most sites in India turn into a working oven for most of the day. People are continuously drinking, wiping their faces, or eating cold treats and snacks in an attempt to beat the unpleasant heat. However, in the summer, one can also enjoy nature’s bounty, with easy access to seasonal fruits and vegetables such as mangoes, melons, and berries.
Here are 30 foods to keep you cool this summer:
1. Melons
Watermelon is a seasonal summer fruit that arrives for a cause. It helps to meet your body’s water requirements because it includes 91.45% water. Watermelon also has antioxidant qualities and provides a pleasant cooling sensation. Melons are fantastic to consume throughout the summer since they are high in water content. They keep you hydrated while also providing a cooling and refreshing impact.
2. Cucumber
Cucumber is high in fiber and helps keep constipation at bay in the heat. Cucumber has a significant water content as well. So, consume this crunchier food to stay cool in hot weather. Cucumber, a pleasant vegetable, is another inexpensive yet nutritious summer snack. This is most likely the best vegetable to consume in the summer. It is beneficial to the skin by assisting with skin issues such as dark circles, sunburns, and so on. It contains silicon and sulfur, which promote hair development, as well as a high water content, which cleans the body by removing toxins.
Cucumbers are also beneficial to heart health due to their immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties. They can be consumed in the form of cucumber juice, cucumber salads, and so on.
3. Curd
Curd is not only tasty, but it also has a cooling impact on the body. Curd is available in a variety of flavors. Create a hot buttermilk or a sweet lassi. You can also create a raita and serve it alongside your meal. Another way to eat curd is to mix it with seasonal fruits or make mouth-watering smoothies.
4. Coconut Water
The finest summer drink is coconut water. This ‘not-so-expensive’ drink is available in practically all fruit stores and is high in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. It contains cooling effects that will assist you in combating the hot heat. Drinking coconut water on a regular basis may also protect against cancer, according to research.
5. Mint
This readily available herb can be found at practically any vegetable dealer. Including mint in curd, chaach, or raita may provide additional benefits. You can also make pudina chutney, which is a popular dish in practically every Indian household. Mint not only keeps your body temperature cool but also refreshes you. Lime also has cooling effects, whereas mint is a cooling herb. A wonderfully cool summer beverage can be created by mixing the two.
Both peppermint and spearmint are among the most readily available fresh herbs in the market and are ideal for summertime usage. Mint aids with digestion while lowering body temperature. Additionally, it reduces exhaustion, depression, and headaches, in addition to nausea. Using mint leaves to make the tea can aid in causing sweating, which lowers body temperature.
6. Greens
There are various advantages to eating green leafy veggies all year. Green leafy vegetables are very high in water content; therefore, including them in your daily diet is good. Remember, overcooking these vegetables can cause them to lose their water content.
7. Onions
You might be surprised to learn that onions, too, have cooling characteristics. Eating them uncooked may spoil your taste, so combine them with lemon and salt and use them to make salads. Another approach to consuming onion is to incorporate it into your vegetables, curries, and raita. Red onions are high in quercetin, which is thought to be a natural anti-allergen. Including onions in your everyday diet can also help protect you from sunburn.
8. Lime Water
Lime water, also known as nimboo pani, is another delightful summer drink. A glass of lime water has various health benefits. You can drink sweet limewater with salt and a bit of cumin powder to improve the flavor. All day, lime water keeps you cool and refreshed.
9. Mangoes
Mangoes are the ideal summer snack. Mangoes’ high iron content can help people boost the calcium level of their bodies. It is a pleasant summer fruit that can help prevent heat strokes. It is also abundant in vitamins A and C, which aid in the development of the immune system. Mango ice cream prepared with almond milk is also a great summer treat that is completely vegan and free of added sugar calories.
Aam panna can aid with digestion, constipation, and recurring stomach issues, including irritable bowel syndrome. Two glasses a day can help. To guarantee that the proper amounts of salt and sugar are used, prepare it at home.
10. Berries
Summer is the season for berries of all kinds, which are high in flavonoids, which assist the body in fighting a variety of serious ailments. Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are also known to improve blood flow throughout the body, rejuvenating skin and decreasing sensitivity to light, making the skin appear brighter and smoother. This is especially important during the hot summer months. Berries are very high in fiber, with about 8 grams per cup.
11. Corn
Nothing beats the flavor of fresh corn on the cob on a warm summer evening. This convenient snack is not only tasty but also high in starch. It provides the body with lutein and zeaxanthin, which are beneficial to eye health, and the antioxidants present aid in reducing the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, which causes blindness in the elderly.
12. Chamomile
This plant helps reduce body heat, promote sleep, reduce anxiety, and relax the digestive tract. In addition to being great for the skin and scalp, it also calms irritation, rashes, insect bites, cuts, and scrapes. The sun’s damaging UV radiation can injure your skin in a number of ways. It can be treated with chamomile tea because of its antioxidant, calming, and anti-inflammatory effects.
13. Basil
In the summer, basil is a popular (and simple) herb to grow in your yard. Basil may be used to make homemade pesto or dressings, whether you have a plant by your kitchen sink or out in the backyard with the other summer food you are growing. Not to mention, this herb contains a lot of antioxidants that control blood sugar, lower stress, and prevent disease.
14. Beets
Beets are a root vegetable that not only adds elegance to your summer salad but is also bursting with health advantages. They include a lot of fiber and B vitamin folate, which is crucial for pregnant women. It also contains a natural red-purple hue that makes it simple to produce a plate that is both vibrant and balanced.
15. Green Beans
Although green beans may not be the kids’ favorite vegetable to see on the dinner menu, you and your family can benefit from its health advantages when properly prepared. Supporting gut health is one of this vegetable’s distinguishing qualities. Green beans are a low FODMAP item that won’t exacerbate the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, but fiber-rich veggies can upset a person’s stomach if they have it.
16. Peaches
Peaches, which were originally grown in China, are another cool seasonal option. They’re not only tasty this time of year, but they also include vitamins A and C, which support good skin—and at 35-50 calories per serving, they’re the ideal diet-friendly dessert.
17. Pineapple
Along with banana, spinach, kale, and cucumber, pineapple is a powerful green smoothie enhancer. Actually, all of these ingredients are thought to be cooling, so blend away. Pineapple is also the only known source of bromelain, an enzyme that is thought to reduce inflammation in the body.
18. Zucchini
This is a type of summer squash with colors ranging from yellow to dark green. In addition to vitamin C and essential phytonutrients, zucchini is high in manganese. The mineral can help protect your body from free radicals (which is especially important during the summer months when you are more susceptible to UV damage), as well as stimulate collagen creation and good bone tissue growth.
19. Avocado
As if we didn’t already have enough reasons to consume more avocados this summer. Avocados have the most monosaturated fatty acids, which aid in the removal of heat and toxins from circulation. Avocados are also easily digestible, so your body will not have to work as hard or generate as much heat to digest the food. So, use those perfectly ripe summer avocados to cool down.
20. Bananas
Bananas are an astringent meal, which means they make your tissue shrink, enabling more water to be absorbed, and so cooling your core. If you’re on the run and need something quick to increase your energy and cool you down, bananas are a terrific cooling snack. If you’re not in a hurry and don’t want to just peel and eat the luscious fruit, it blends well with smoothies and milkshakes.
21. Peppers
I know it seems counterintuitive, but spicy peppers will really help you chill down. Spicy peppers might cause you to sweat, triggering your body’s cooling systems. This is why people who live in highly hot regions or deserts frequently consume a lot of spicy meals.
22. Grains and Legumes
Grains and legumes are the ideal cool food choices because they are both healthy and cool. Not only are barley, tofu, soybeans, and wheat bran cooling agents, but they are also quite healthy. These not only provide a cooling and calming effect, but they are also ideal for persons with a hot constitution.
23. Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds include a variety of nutrients, including protein, minerals, vitamins, and fiber. They also help to keep the body cool and control blood pressure.
24. Gooseberry
It contains a lot of vitamin C and fiber. According to studies, it is a collagen booster, improves the heart and hair, and reverses the aging effects caused by powerful solar rays. You can consume them raw, boiled, or make amla juice by combining four freshly chopped amlas with a glass of water. In a mixer, combine fresh gooseberries, drain the liquid, and add a spoonful of honey and broken ice for added flavor.
25. Sprouts
They are easily digestible and high in water and minerals. They can be eaten alone, in a salad, or combined with other vegetables. A watermelon, pineapple, cucumber, and sprout salad is a refreshing way to beat the summer heat.
26. Iced Tea
Tea contains flavonoids, which are antioxidants that help to keep your bones, teeth, and gums healthy. The health advantages of freshly brewed tea are the greatest. Bring a glass of water to a boil, then add one teaspoon of tea leaves and simmer for ten minutes. Allow cooling before adding honey to taste. Drinking more than one or two cups of iced tea each day is not recommended because it can cause sleep and gastrointestinal problems.
27. Leafy Veggies
In the summer, eat plenty of fresh spinach, kale, turnip greens, drumstick greens, and mustard greens to protect your skin from sun damage. They reduce sensitivity to UV light and heal flaky and dry skin, boosting the skin’s protection against the sun’s harmful rays.
28. Buttermilk
They keep you cool in the summer heat and are high in calcium, protein, and probiotics (good bacteria), which help your digestive system work smoothly. For an extra kick, add a few fresh mint leaves, cumin (jeera) powder, and black salt to the buttermilk.
29. Tomatoes
Without a doubt, sunscreen should be your first line of defense against the summer sun. However, eating tomatoes may provide some additional protection: Eating more lycopene (the pigment that gives tomatoes their red color) may protect your skin from sunburn.
30. Cherries
Enjoy both the sweet and tangy varieties this summer. Drinking sour cherry juice before bedtime can help you sleep better and lessen post-workout soreness. But did you know that tart cherry chemicals can help you thin down and get leaner? Tart cherry anthocyanins activate a chemical that increases fat burning and decreases fat accumulation. Sweet cherries, not to be outdone, are high in potassium, a natural blood pressure reliever. Furthermore, sweet cherries are high in beta carotene, vitamin C, anthocyanins, and quercetin, all of which may work synergistically to fight cancer.
Supermarket produce sections are brimming with many types of fresh food. Many people feel dehydrated during the summer months, and having low energy is another sign of being affected by it. As a result, we must exercise greater caution throughout the warmer season. We can avoid the dangers of summer by eating correctly and making certain lifestyle modifications.
Read also – 21 Helpful Benefits Of Ice Apples