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It’s summer! And its that time of the year again when cotton clothes, cool drinks and chilled foods make an appearance everywhere. Following a good summer diet is very much important now.

You can beat the heat to some extent by including plenty of green, leafy vegetables, fruits, sprouts, juices and other healthy fluids. A tall glass of chilled lassi or buttermilk, fresh fruit juice or lemon juice from a hygienic source is ideal. Use more of the moisture-loaded varieties in vegetables and fruits.

Melons which have high moisture content can be very refreshing in the hot summer months and make a great summer diet. Make a juice with melons, a chickoo milkshake or a banana smoothie, and enjoy them. Eat cucumbers, bottle gourds, ridge gourds, ash gourds, spinach, mint, lettuce, cabbage, mushroom, tomatoes and other veggies regularly that have plenty of water in them.

Avoid foods that increase your thirst and weight. Excess body weight can be more uncomfortable in summer and can be eased to a great extent by following this summer diet. Some foods that might increase your discomfort during summer are high fat foods, fried foods, fatty meats, sugary eats or beverages, high-caffeine drinks and alcohol.

Get more fluids

Don’t ignore thirst signs. In your two-liter fluid requirement, make sure you include healthy beverages as a part of your summer diet. Try something different like green tea, herbal tea, herbal juice, or vegetable juice. Ask your grandma for recipes for traditional summer diet and drinks. They are not only refreshing but also nutritious. Make a smoothie with soy milk, honey and fresh fruit.

Fluid requirement

Approximately, 30 ml of liquid for every kg of body weight that you carry should be the norm everyday. Fluid requirement increases with increase in physical activity, and varies in disease conditions. Consult a qualified dietitian for details. If you take alcohol or caffeinated beverages, make sure you drink some water before or after the beverage.

Even if you work in an air conditioned office, you still need adequate hydration to prevent dry skin.

Safe summer diet

When you make raw foods a part of your summer diet, be sure that they are hygienically prepared and served. Bacterial activity is pretty high in summer and uncooked foods are good storehouses of bacteria. Bacteria can multiply in cooked foods too, placed between temperatures of four and 70 degrees.  If your immune system is not strong, such food can make you sick.

To prevent food-borne illnesses, wash hands before handling food, drink clean water, refrigerate foods properly, and eat freshly-cut or cooked foods as far as possible. If you have to consume leftovers, make sure you heat them well before eating.

Meal plan for summer

On rising: Two glasses of water, followed by a cup of tea
Breakfast: Cornflakes with unsweetened soymilk and fruit
Mid-morning: Fresh lime juice
Lunch: Sprouts and greens salad, brown rice with rasam, veg curry, curd
Evening: Mango juice
Dinner: Clear vegetable soup, whole wheat bread, lean sandwich, fruit and nut salad

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