Summer is the time that leaves people exhausted and dehydrated. It is one of those times when your body needs more attention. Even if you drink a gazillion liters of water, it does not make any difference. The best way to keep yourself cool during summer is by keeping your diet right. While one might crave cold drinks and frozen yogurts to feel better, they only make your body worse for that matter.
Therefore, below are the 10 best cooling foods for summer in India that can help you to stay hydrated throughout summer. Go through the list, add these foods to your diet, and have happy and healthy summer.
Coconut water
The first thing that you have to include in your diet is coconut water (not the one that comes in a bottle). This not-so-expensive drink is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Moreover, it contains cooling qualities that can aid your battle against heat. You can consume it daily to have better summer.
Apart from that, coconut water can also help reduce blood pressure. Therefore, you should include coconut water in your diet, especially during summer.
Green leafy vegetables
There are several advantages to eating green leafy vegetables not just during summer but throughout the year. Green vegetables have a high-water content and boost your immunity as well. These vegetables are high in nutrient value and provide a good cooling effect on the body.
These days you don’t even have to visit the market to shop for grocery. You can simply make a few taps on your phone and your order will arrive in just a few minutes. Check out the list of the top 10 instant grocery delivery apps in India.
Buttermilk
Chilled buttermilk is a soothing drink for summer. Not only it keeps your body cool, but it also helps in digestion and has several health benefits. It is an effective drink for maintaining water balance in the body and prevents dehydration.
Apart from that, it also helps to boost energy and keeps you active throughout the day. Not only this, but if you consume buttermilk daily then your cardiovascular health is also maintained.
Fish
Usually, it is suggested to stay away from chicken and red meat throughout the summer as they generate heat inside the body. Therefore, instead of red meat, you can go for lean proteins like fish and tofu. Fish is low in cholesterol content and is digested by the body more easily than chicken and other meats. Additionally, fish does not make you tired.
So, if you want to eat fish, you can go for freshwater fish as they have a low sodium content so you don’t feel too thirsty and your blood pressure won’t rise. Wondering where to get fish? Check out Licious which is a one-stop fresh meat delivery shop.
Watermelon
Summer is the time to eat lots and lots of fruits and one of the best one of all the fruits is watermelon. It not only keeps your body cool but also helps you to meet the body’s water requirements because it is around 91.45% of water. Due to its abundance of anti-oxidants, it offers fantastic cooling properties.
In fact, musk melons are also similar. They don’t just hydrate the body but also boost the body with power-packed nutrients like Vitamin B, magnesium, potassium, and fiber.
Curd and Yogurt
Everyone knows that curd and yogurt are packed with calcium and should always be your go-to option for a healthy summer alternative to cold frizzy drinks which have nothing but sugar in them. Rich with vitamin B and gut-friendly bacteria, curd makes the body cool from within.
You can do a lot of experiments with curd when it comes to it. You can add a pinch of salt and consume it that way or you can add some vegies to it and make vegetable raita with it. Apart from that, you can add a few fruits to it including mangoes and strawberries to make the most of it.
Cucumber
Cucumbers are known for instantly hydrating the body and bringing down the body heat. There are several ways to consume cucumber; you can munch on them as a salad or with your favorite dip or put it in juice with ginger and some lemon.
Apart from that, you can also add citrus fruits to your diet like lemon, orange, and pineapple which are excellent for relieving thirst. They all are loaded with fibers and have good water content.
Onions
The cooling properties of onion may surprise some people however, it has cool powers. In fact, onion juice is very effective at treating heat stroke and even sunburned skin when it is applied externally.
Additionally, you can use onions to prepare salads and combine them with salt and lemon. You can also add them to raitas and curries. Consuming onions daily can help to save you from sunstroke.
Banana
Bananas are good for digestion and are a rich source of roughage. If you often suffer from acidity, banana is the right food for you. Bananas are a rich source of roughage and are high in fiber which is also good for digestion.
You can also consume it by making a banana shake; just add milk and sugar to it and blend it in a blender. It not only keeps you cool but also gives you energy throughout the day.
Mint
We all know about the cooling properties of mint which can be consumed in various ways. You can add it to beverages, chutneys, and even smoothies. It is indeed a good source of folate, iron, manganese, vitamin A, and fiber.
Apart from that, it also relieves nausea and headaches along with easing fatigue. Making tea with mint leaves can also help induce sweating to reduce body temperature.
By adding the 10 foods given above, you can easily safeguard your body from the heat while also satisfying hunger. Apart from the foods mentioned above, drink plenty of water and fruit juices. Also, don’t forget to apply sunscreen every day to protect your skin from the harmful UV rays of sun. Check out the list of the top 10 sunscreens available in India.