It just keeps getting hotter out there, but the food you’re eating might be making the heat even more unbearable. The easiest way to avoid this is by eating seasonally- there are foods specifically designed by nature to help keep us cool during the sweltering months.
Foods that need a lot of sunshine to grow typically contain high levels of potassium which, when eaten, can have a naturally cooling effect on the body, keeping you feeling light and airy instead of hot and sticky.
Salads, tomatoes, cucumbers and delicious summer fruits such as watermelons and berries are all great cornerstones to your summer diet. Switch warming meat dishes for cooling seafood choices and pair them with seaweed products since they also have cooling properties.
If you’re looking for something a little heartier; amaranth, barley and millet are the best summer grain choices, and navy, kidney and lima beans are all great choices for cooling bean salads.
Specific spices can add a great degree of cooling to your favorite dishes as well. Some great ones to play around with this summer are fresh ginger, coriander, marjoram, peppermint and white peppercorn.
Cold soups such as gazpacho or cucumber soup can be an elegant treat on a hot summer night, and using yogurt as a base for cold cream sauces can easily add richness and depth of flavor to any dish.
Smoothies may sound like a great idea but don’t overdo it! They’ll have you sweating again in no time. Instead try room temperature fruit and vegetable juices.
Jacqueline Banks, who grew up in Casa de Campo, is a certified holistic health counselor and busy mother.
Her focus is on helping other busy moms in all stages of motherhood keep themselves and families healthy and happy. She uses natural and organic solutions to solve individual health problems and promote clean living.
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