It is hot and I do not feel like cooking. I am craving crisp lettuce, fresh salad and juicy sweet tomatoes. I feel hot and bothered and I want something to cool down my body temperature. I think back to when my Dad used to tell me that the best drink to cool you down is a hot cup of tea. I used to laugh at this but I discovered it was true. Our body temperature increases when we have a hot drink, our body reacts with producing sweat on the surface of our skin and reduces the sensation of us being too warm therefore cooling us down.
I read that in Ayurveda an ancient medicine, often referred to as the science of life, it is not the external temperature of food that defines it as being a hot food or cold food. Ayurveda assesses whether a particular food has a cooling effect from inside of our bodies. It may surprise you to know that ice cream is termed as hot food. This includes fruit such as apples oranges and mangos. Heat producing vegetables include broccoli, beans, and spinach. It is also recommended that you stay away from onions, black pepper, garlic and spicy foods.
Foods that will cool you down.
Eat watermelon, apricots, bananas, strawberries and kiwi fruit, these may have a cooling effect on your body temperature, Also believe it or not, according to Ayurveda tradition, dairy foods will cool you down. Milk, yoghurt cream and cheese, as well as soy milk and tofu, Great now I fancy a milkshake with kiwi, But can I add some ice? Well yes, but if you really want to cool down you are better putting the ice on your wrists. As hot tea can cool us down, Ice will have the opposite effect.
When the weather is scorching a cool crisp salad is what I need, but I also need nutrients. Why do we need salad when it gets hot anyhow and is there a reason why we reach for cold food and ice cold drinks? Apart from not having to slave over a hot stove, we can rehydrate ourselves with some wonderful refreshing crisp and crunchy salad and raw vegetables, maybe mix some juicy fruit it to add some sweetness.
Try this salad, mix some watermelon with feta cheese on a bed of crisp lettuce. decorate with some mint leaves.
Watermelon is 92% water and one of the most hydrating foods you can eat.
Peaches are 89% water and are delicious in a salad with cottage cheese.
Cucumbers are 95% water and contain Vitamin K, potassium and magnesium. Mix with yoghurt and mint for a cool dip. and according to our Salad King, Kurt, eating cucumber is beneficial for your memory….mmmn? must eat more cucumber
Throw in some mushrooms, asparagus, and green crispy lettuce, all are easy to digest when the weather is unbearably hot. A good salad will provide you with essential nutrients fibres and hydration. My father called it rabbit food. He was right about drinking hot tea but sadly missed out on some amazing salad combinations.
Don’t forget your favourite salad dressing.
Do not fool yourself into thinking Ice Cream And Cold drinks such as cold sweet soda will cool you down.
If you live local to me in the Costa Blanca, come and join us for some salad treats and nutritional advice. July 21st at 11.am Club Claudia Jalon. The event is salad chat and you can book here.
