Foods that Will Keep You Cool This Summer

As much as you would like, an ice cream can't help you cool down in the scorching heat of this summer. Although one may argue that one feels just fine after an ice cream, the truth is that it's only temporary. Cooling foods are what you should have as they help to cool heat and cleanse toxins from the body.

Here are some of the foods that help cool down your body naturally:

1.     Cucumber - Not surprisingly, being 'cool as a cucumber' actually holds true. Cucumbers are fruits that help keep the body hydrated. Keeping your body cool during hot days is vital to your health as it can help prevent a number of complications such as heat strokes and dehydration. Munching on cucumber slices and hummus is a good way to beat the heat and stay cool.

2.     Watermelon - This quintessential beach fruit is yet another one which would help you beat the heat. This seasonal fruit acts like an internal air-conditioner, and is rich in water, helping in reducing body heat to a large extent while keeping you hydrated.

3.     Peaches - Peaches are not only delicious but are very rich in vitamins A and C, which help in keeping your body cool. Besides, these vitamins also help in maintaining healthy skin and provide useful calories to the body.

4.     Apples - Apples are fruits that help to fill you up and cool down your body at the same time. They contain about 4g of fiber and around 95 calories and are enriched with a soluble fiber called pectin, which stops hunger and helps in shedding weight.

5.     Pineapple - Along with banana, cucumber, and some other fruits, pineapple helps to make a healthy smoothie. These ingredients have cooling properties, which hydrate the body and help to clear the heat. Also, pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain, which reduces inflammation in the body.

6.     Avoid caffeinated or carbonated beverages, alcoholic beverages, and those high in sugar - All these drinks contain preservatives, colours and sugars. They are acidic in nature and act as diuretics. They cause loss of fluids through urine.

7.     Do not drink very chilled liquids - They do not really help cool you down in summers, though they make you cool for some time. Drinking really cold liquids when feeling hot may lead to a slight constriction of the blood vessels in the skin and decrease heat loss, which is not advisable when trying to cool down.

Apart from this you must limit all strenuous activity, eat light, nutritious and non-fatty meals, and reduce intake of heaty vegetables and fruits, like spinach, radish, hot peppers, onions, garlic, beetroot, pineapple, grapefruit and ripe mangoes (if you cannot resist mangoes, soak them overnight in water).