Eating in Seasons: Healthy Summer Diet Plan

Make your own summer healthy diet plan

Summer is almost here. We probably enjoyed lots of green food during spring. But now, it’s time to start eating more summer food. Difference between spring and summer food is not very big. Green vegetables, lots of fresh vegetables and fruits are the basics of summer diet too.

When summer comes all active energy in nature comes to its peak. We can choose among all kinds of fruits and vegetables, which give us wide range of nutrients.

During summer we should eat less, but more often. Breakfast is very important, maybe the most important compared to other seasons, because it will prevent low blood pressure and dizziness during very hot days.

Eating quality food will help us cope with summer days much easier. Our skin will be healthier and look nicer. It will be less prone to all influences which come from nature, such as sun radiation or insects’ bites. That way we will be able to spend more time in nature and breathe fresh air, which will bring further benefits for our organisms.

During summer, we will spend the least time in the kitchen preparing food. Cooking takes minimum of time, food is prepared quickly and no special cooking is required. This is why it is so easy to take lots of vitamins and minerals through summer food. We tend to eat more raw food, which gives us as many nutrients as food can give us.

Generally, all food should be light and refreshing. Oil, salt and pepper should be used in very small dosages. Instead, use healthy fresh herbs and spices to season the food.

During hotter days, what we drink is also very important. Resist the temptation to drink cold and sweet drinks, such as ice tea and all kinds of refined juices. Drink lots of water or have some quality tea. Always have a bottle of water with you and drink when you feel thirsty.

But, whatever food you decided to introduce at the beginning of summer, try to avoid alcohol and fried food.

Here are some examples of daily menu you can easily try in order to make your own summer healthy diet plan.

Breakfast

During summer you can also eat cereals for breakfasts. Sweet wholegrain rice with almonds and rice malt is very tasty summer breakfast. Other cereals you can prepare for breakfast are amaranth, quinoa or couscous. Add some seeds to it and you will get very nutritious meal.

Lunch

Try to eat soup as often as you can. Great summer soups are cold and very tasty. They can be a substitute for quality drink during hot summer days. Cold cucumber soup with fresh basil is something you will definitely enjoy eating.

All kinds of vegetables make a great choice for summer lunch. You can steam them or cook very shortly.

Mix wholegrain pasta with steamed vegetables, add some seeds and you will get healthy summer lunch with very few calories.

Snack

Enjoy great summer fruits. Summer is a season with the most different fruits and they can be healthy desserts. Lunch will be lighter, so we can enjoy afternoon shack without feeling guilty. Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are only some of the food that can be eaten as a separate snack. Or, you can mix them into yoghurt and eat it as fruit yoghurt. Healthy and refreshing.

Seeds can be eaten as a snack too. Pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and flax seeds are full of minerals and essential fatty acids.

Dinner

At the end of the day, food should be the lightest. Summer salads should be the basic part of summer healthy diet plan, so you can enjoy endive, rocket and lettuce. If it doesn’t make you full enough, you can add some legumes. Red lentils are great summer legumes, because it takes 15min to be cooked and is great when eaten cold.

Other legumes, such as chickpeas, can be prepared as a spread. Humus is the most popular summer spread, because chickpeas are rich with iron, calcium, magnesium and folic acid. Spread it on wholegrain bread and you’ll have a nutritious meal.

 

Summer salads – most common meal in summer diet

Salad is the best choice for summer warm days. You can prepare it quickly and it doesn’t require almost any cooking. Summer salads are a full of minerals and vitamins. Summer salad is not just a simple green salad seasoned with oil and vinegar. Summer salads represent complete meal, which gives you all nutrients one meal can give you.

Here are some suggestions for summer salads as a part of summer healthy diet plan:

1. Wholegrain cereals and pasta salads are very healthy and full of vitamins. They can be combined with any kind of vegetables.
2. Legumes salads are great source of proteins and minerals. They are prepared quickly, if you choose the right legumes for summer (e.g. red lentils) and are well combined with cereals and raw vegetables.
3. Vegetable salads are made of steamed or very shortly cooked vegetables. Prepared in this way, vegetables contain lots of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. They are also easier to digest than the raw ones.
4. Fruit salads are so tasty and, besides vitamins, they give us additional refreshment, which is very important during summer.

 

Herbs and spices - important part of your summer healthy diet plan

One of the many advantages of summer diet is fresh herbs and spices. Herbs can be added at the end of the cooking and they give the food special and rich taste. Herbs and spices are considered as very important part of healthy cooking and eating.

Basil

Basil acts as a toner and helps in preventing the colds. You can use it in salads, dressings, pasta and soups. You can also combine it with tomatoes, as a salad or sauce.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a great substitute for aspirin! It calms down our nervous system and strengthens the digestion.

It goes well with stews, soups and vegetables baked in oven.

Mint

Mint helps reduce the nausea and digestion problems. It tastes well in salads, vegetables, desserts and refreshing drinks.

Sage

Sage can influence the sweating during summer in a way that decreases it. On the other hand it can stop the milk production in breastfeeding women, so it is not recommended if you breastfeed. Sage is very beneficial if you have a cold and a sore throat, because it acts as a natural remedy.

You can put it in soups, casseroles and oven dishes.

Coriander

Coriander helps ease the pain and infection of the urinary tract. It gives salads, soups and vegetables very special taste.

Dill

Dill decreases the gases. Commonly it is used in soups, sauces and dressings.

Parsley

Parsley is a great breath refresher, diuretic and helps with urinary tract infections. You can add it in any kind of dish, from soups to cereals.