Beat the Heat with Food

Don’t be a prisoner to your air conditioner – learn about what to eat on hot summer days to cool off.

Excessive heat causes irritation and not just psychologically, but also skin-wise with rashes. On top of that, it disrupts our sleep and concentration and even decreases productivity. So, spending time staying cool is worth the effort to prevent heat from disrupting our lives.

Aside from the obvious, like jumping in a pool, taking a cool shower, drinking lots of water and wearing cotton fabric clothes, you can harvest summer’s true glory of sun and warmth by eating these nine foods.

1. Medicate with Onions

The pungent onion not only beats the heat, but also contains a chemical called ‘quercetin’, which has anti-inflammatory effects, thus helping to ease the irritation caused by heat rashes and mosquito bites.

2. Stock up on Veggies

Cucumbers and tomatoes are excellent choices. Steam your vegetables versus boiling them as it preserves their water and nutrient content better.

3. Keep it cool with Melons

Cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon contain more than 90 percent of water and are abundant in the summer.

4. Chill with citrus

Citrus fruits, like lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits, are amongst the most cooling. You can extract their juices and drink them, or cut them for a fruit salad.

5. Balance with bananas

Your body will lose potassium through excessive sweating, so replenish it by balancing the minerals in your body.

6. Go for grains

People usually think that grains are a warm, wintery fare. Cooler grains like barley and bulgur are perfect foods to include in your summer dishes.

7. Bring on the beans

Lima, fava and kidney beans are considered cooling foods and are added in many summer recipes for their effects and flavor.

8. Refresh with Yogurt

Prepare a cucumber and yogurt salad and add some mint which provides a cooling sensation on your tongue. Another benefit to yogurt is that it promotes gut-friendly bacteria which fight against food poisoning, a common threat in the summer months when refrigeration becomes more difficult.

9. Spice it up

Surprisingly, hot spices such as hot peppers, cayenne, chili and black pepper cool us by causing sweating.

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