As the mercury rises in the country and people brace for the summer months, keeping your body cool and hydrated is paramount. Sure, ice-creams and soft drinks are an easy choice and tempting, but it's best to pick healthy options.
Eating cool foods and drinking soothing and cooling drinks are the best ways to keep your body temperature in check. Healthy options also provide essential nutrients, while also being high on taste quotient. Below are 11 delicious and refreshing foods to incorporate in your diet this summer:
Watermelon: Summers are incomplete without indulging watermelons. Refreshing and hydrating watermelons are a summer staple. They have high water content and essential electrolytes that help replenish fluids lost through sweat.
Cucumber: Cucumbers are the holy grail of summer. This crunchy, refreshing vegetable is loaded with water and low in calories. It is packed with vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin K, which makes it a great salad choice on hot days.
Also Read: Stay cool with these top tips to beat Indian summers
Citrus Fruits: Oranges, lemons, and limes are some of the best sources of vitamin C and antioxidants. With their high nutritional value, these fruits boost immunity and keep you hydrated. They can be eaten raw or in the form of juice.
Coconut Water: When it comes to summers, nothing can beat gold, old coconut water. Coconut water is rich in electrolytes like potassium and magnesium, and it is an ideal drink to have on a hot summer day. Coconut water is also low in calories and free of added sugars.
Buttermilk (Chaas): A traditional Indian drink, buttermilk is made by diluting yoghurt with water and seasoned with spices like cumin, salt, and mint leaves. It's a natural coolant and aids digestion, making it a popular summer beverage.
Kokum: A fruit native to the Western Ghats region of India, kokum is a summer delight. The bright red drink made from Kokum is known for its cooling properties. Kokum sherbet is tangy and one of the best drinks to keep your body cool in the summer. It also regulates acidity.
Mint Chutney: No Indian food is complete without some mint chutney in the summer. The chutney is made with mint leaves, lime, coriander and salt. Sometimes, even raw, unripened mangoes are also added to the mix to give it more flavour. The chutney increases the flavour of the food and also helps in digestion.
Sattu: Sattu is one thing that you'll find in most kitchens in Indian homes. It is a flour made from roasted chickpeas or barley, commonly consumed in Northern India. It is packed with protein and fibre and can be mixed with water or buttermilk to make a nutritious drink. It is also a great pre-workout drinks.
Cucumber Raita: Nothing comes close to cucumber raita in summers when it comes to accompaniments in Indian food. Made with grated coconut, yogurt, roasted cumin seeds and salt, cucumber raita is nutritious and works amazingly well to keep your body cool.
Aam Panna: Aam Panna is a tangy and refreshing drink made from raw mangoes, sugar, and spices like roasted cumin powder and black salt. The drink is enjoyed chilled.
Nimbu Pani (Lemonade): Nimbu Paani or the classic Indian lemonade is a staple on a hot day. Just a cold glass of water, lime juice, sugar and some salt stirred together make this delicious drink that is enough to beat the heat.
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