Get ready for summer: 10 foods and drinks to keep you cool, support digestion

Summer humbles you real quick. The heat makes you squint and burns your eyes, blazing hot loo scalds your face, and the scorching sun feels like it’s sipping the energy out of you with a straw (remember that one childhood TV commercial?)

Worse, along with dehydration, the intense heat leads to digestion issues, like bloating, acidity and more. So, how do you stay ahead of the summer heat? The solution is to cool yourself down with hydrating, gut-friendly foods and drinks that keep you grounded and refreshed.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Narendra K Shetty, Chief Wellness Officer, Kshemavana Naturopathy and Yoga Center at Kshemavana wellness centre, shared 10 calming foods that should be on your radar this summer.

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1. Cucumber

It's hydrating with high water content helps to calm the stomach, lower stomach acid, and prevent dehydration.

2. Yoghurt

High in probiotics supports gut-friendly bacteria, which improves digestion. It is the perfect summer food as it also has a cooling effect. Have it as it is, as a lassi, or mixed into a fresh smoothie.

3. Bottle gourd

This light, fibrous vegetable assists digestion and prevents heat-induced bloating. Give it a go in a cooling soup, curry, or juice.

4. Coconut water.

Promoting gut health and hydration, coconut water is a natural source of electrolyte-rich liquids.

5. Muskmelon and watermelon

Melons help digestion and hydration since they are rich in water and fibre. On a warm afternoon, a bowl of watermelon cubes can help you stay hydrated.

6. Coriander and mint

These green herbs serve great purposes in cooling the body and avoiding bloating; they are not only decorations. For an instant refresh, combine them with drinks, chutneys, or salads.

7. Saunf (fennel) seeds

After meals, fennel seeds, which help digestion naturally, are frequently chewed. Fennel's kashaya is cooling, and even more potent is fennel-infused water.

8. Sabja seeds

Hydrated basil seeds turn into small relaxing spheres that soothe the belly and keep agony at bay. Combine all of them well in lemon water or coconut milk. Otherwise, thoroughly combine them into smoothie preparations.

9. Aloe vera juice

Definitely hydrating with advantages and also soothing everywhere in the gut, aloe vera juice helps to relieve inflammation and protects against digestive discomfort.

10. Tender coconut malai

Along with being moderately sweet and naturally soft, coconut malai is rich in many vitamins and simple for the body to digest; therefore ideal for a summer treat.

Bonus hack:

Used in warm climates for water storage, clay pots naturally cool water through evaporation. Even today, matkas (clay pots) provide an eco-friendly and energy-free way to keep water cool without the need for refrigeration.

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Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.