Though summer is almost on its last leg, the oppressive heat is lingering on. Dieticians say that eating the right kind of food can help abate dehydration and make you feel better as you deal with the heat.
Bottle gourd
This vegetable contains 90 per cent water, so it is low in calories and, at the same time, a good rehydrating food, explains dietician and sports nutritionist Deepshikha Aggarwal. She adds, “One hundred grams of dudhi or bottle gourd is just 15kcal. One can gorge on it in various ways like dudhi raita, dudhi pancake, or can make a sweet dish of it like halwa.”
Cucumber
Considered one of the best mid-meal snack or finger food in summer, cucumber (kakdi, kheera) is known to flush out toxins from the body. Deepshikha says, “One hundred grams of cucumber has 10kcal and zero fat. You can add this veggie in a vegetable juice, in a salad or on your biscuits or have as it is.” Clinical nutritionist Nupur Krishnan says, “Choose the green cucumbers and do not peel them. Having them with their skin is very good.”
Spinach
This green leafy vegetable increases your immunity and also helps in digestion thus helping you beat the severe heat. Spinach is high in iron and other micro-minerals which we tend to lose during intense activities. “100gms of this vegetable equals to 24kcal. It is high in fibre and around 0.2 per cent fat. Spinach is considered excellent for people looking for weight loss. Add it in your pasta, dal or soup,” says Deepshikha.
This vegetable helps in purifying your blood and also aids in digestion. It gives a very cooling and calming effect. It is also good for blood pressure patients, say experts.
This is considered a basic salad and you can actually binge eat this because it is high in fibre and 100gms of lettuce has only 15kcal. Experts say that people who suffer from constipation problems should have plenty of lettuce. It is rich in vitamin K, which helps increase bone mass. Deepshikha says, “There are many ways one can have it — lettuce can be added in burgers, sandwiches, salads and stews. It also goes well with seafood.”
With its high water content of around 90 per cent, this vegetable is great to battle dehydration. Experts say that 100gms of Zucchini has 17 kcal and zero saturated fats. It is also rich in electrolytes like potassium that we lose due to perspiration. One should have it on a regular basis to replenish electrolytes. It can be combined with broccoli, red and yellow capsicum and red fruits, to enhance its flavour. This vegetable is excellent when it comes to satiety.
