Summer Must-haves 

With summer in full force our dietary preferences are undergoing a massive upheaval as the thrust now is on keeping our stomach cool and light. With the heat making it challenging for our digestive system to process extremely hot and heavy stuff, summer brings in a majority of digestion-related illnesses. To counter the effects of these infections one must include - a range of fluids especially water in the diet; and fibre-heavy foods like oats, barley and wheat. 

Here are some foods that should be part of your summer diet - 

1. Coconut water: It helps soothe the inner lining of the stomach, keeping it cool and light
2. Yogurt: A probiotic summer staple in India, it’s consumed in the buttermilk format too and keeps the body cool besides facilitating digestion 
3. Cooling herbs: Mint, peppermint and chamomile help reduce the heat in the stomach – these are consumed as tea (peppermint and chamomile); and chutney and even sprinkled over tea (mint) 
4. Water-rich fruits and veggies: Summer must-haves include water-loaded fruits and veggies like - watermelon, muskmelon, apples, plums, berries, prunes, strawberries and peach; and asparagus, broccoli, Brussels, sprouts, cucumber and celery

Other suggested foods for summer are –

• Corn which contains antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin that help one remain fresh during summer
• Tomatoes which contain carotenoid that acts as a protective agent against sunburns

Even Ayurveda recommends eating alkaline foods to fight the heat in the body; hence the fad for onion and green vegetable consumption in summer

For those foodies who wish to throw caution to the winds, a gentle reminder through this popular quote by Bethenny Frankel - "Your diet is a bank account. Good food choices are good investments"