Should the diet change in the summer? You may never have fallen for it, but as you surely have heard «we are what we eat» the body responds in one way or another according to the type of nutrients and foods that we provide. It is for this reason so basic that it takes all the sense of the world to change, even slightly, our diet in summer.
As you know, and many will suffer each year, the temperatures in this season are bordering unsuspected limits, something that logically drains our energies and makes it impossible to do certain activities that in winter we had no problem doing.
Above all, this happens more frequently and intensely just in the time interval in which we take off our long-sleeved clothes for the freshest clothes. A moment that has recently happened in our country suddenly, almost from one day to the next, so … why not prepare in all possible ways? As usual, the solution is not only on the outside, it is also on the outside, and at its best, on the inside.
So attentive to these keys that we offer below, some of them may seem logical, but it is good to remember them.
1. Add more Extra Virgin Olive Oil to your diet
As producers of Extra Virgin Olive Oil we could not let this advice escape, although careful, do not try to exceed the amount but to replace it with another type of supplements, specifically saturated fats such as butter. And that’s where the EVOO comes in, king in polyunsaturated levels like salmon, tuna, walnuts or avocado.
In addition, there are studies (such as one conducted by the University of Georgia in the United States) that show how a diet rich in polyunsaturated fats, with foods such as those described above, reduces appetite by satisfying more than diets where saturated fats prevail.
According to one of the researchers in this study, she said: «The findings tell us that eating foods rich in polyunsaturated fats can favorably change the appetite hormones so we can feel satiated for longer.»
Therefore, in addition to having a much healthier diet, we will help our metabolism and body to keep it satiated for longer, something that helps us feel much lighter when performing any type of activity.
2. Greater hydration
This is one of the most well-known keys, but far from drinking at least the 2 liters of average per day that we recommend all television reports in summer, there are many ways to add more level of hydration to the body. If we get bored resorting to the typical bottle of water, we can make cold infusions, natural juices or so-called «smoothies» and of course incorporate much more fruit into our diet.
There are dozens of fruit varieties with which we can count in summer and consume differently, watermelon is known for the amount of water it has and that it provides, as well as cherries, papayas, berries, peaches, etc.
Without forgetting the lemon, of course, which besides being rich in calcium and Vitamin C, strengthens our immune system. Lemon is also known for its antioxidants, which help to free us of toxins and tone our cells.
Often, when we hear «consume more pieces of fruit» not everything is summarized to the typical piece we consume after lunch. If we delve more deeply into the benefits of other types of food, we may be surprised.
The same goes for cucumber, a food that is 97% water and rich in vitamin E.
3. Fiber, pulses, whole grains
Surely you have already heard about the asthenia, that incipient fatigue that appears just when the time begins to change, the hours of natural light are greater, the temperatures rise and the day seems to be much longer. Spring and summer are seasons that conquer but also have a negative impact on our way of life.
To do this, foods with whole grains or legumes are perfect, the magnesium, vitamins and tryptophan that they contain will help us conserve energy with greater performance and thus be able to cope with fatigue and the natural fatigue of these dates.
In turn, foods rich in fibers, such as vegetables, will enable us to free ourselves naturally from past excesses. And is that, as we all know, in winter it is easier to fall into the temptation to consume heavier meals, fatty foods and processed with the false belief that is what «the body asks us.»
If we manage to modify, however little, our Diet with some of these instructions, we will check what we have been warning for a long time: how important is the diet in our lifestyle.