10 Summer Nutrition Tips

As the weather starts to warm up, your nutrition needs are going to change a little bit. Sure, the basics stay the same – you need to eat a balanced diet, watch your caloric intake, etc. However, there are some extra things that you have to pay attention to when the temperatures outside start to rise.

Here are 10 smart nutrition tips to remember this summer:

1.    Drink water. It is always important that you get enough water in your diet. Water helps to make all of your bodily functions work properly. It helps with the digestion of any of the other foods that you take in. Drinking water helps to keep your energy levels up. It’s particularly important in the summer since it’s so warm outside. Your hair and skin can easily dry out in the summer but this problem is prevented (at least in part) when you drink enough water. Drink the minimum of eight glasses of water per day. Try to get in other forms of water as well.

2.    Cut back on the caffeine. Not only do you want to make sure that you are getting enough water in the summer but you also need to make sure that you’re not getting too much caffeine. Among other things, caffeine can dehydrate the body, which will negate the positive effects of all of that water that you’re drinking. You can’t afford to have that happening during the hot summer months so you should cut back on coffee and soda. If you can’t stand to only drink water then you can add unsweetened herbal iced tea and low-fat milk to your diet.

3.    Eat more berries. Your body will be better capable of storing the water that you’re providing it with if you eat the right foods. Berries are some of the best foods that you can add to your diet in the summer. Not only do they assist your body in using water but they also taste nice and refreshing during that summer heat!

4.    Be smart about your salads. Many people start to eat a lot of fresh salads during the summer months. This is a great idea because salads are easy to prepare, don’t require cooking in a hot kitchen and are healthy for your body. However, you do have to make sure that you’re using smart nutrition when you eat a lot of salad. The main thing is to pay attention to how much dressing you put on your salads and what type of dressing you are using. A fresh dressing made from lemons and olive oil is going to be a lot healthier for you than a creamy packaged dressing.

5.    Get in your protein. Many people tend to reduce their protein intake during the warmer months of the year. Your body just doesn’t crave all of those meats in hot weather. However, you don’t want to neglect protein altogether. It’s an important part of your diet. Plus, it’s going to help your hair stay healthy which can be tough in the summer months with all of the warm weather and chlorinated swimming!

6.    Add vegetables to the grill. One way that people do get their protein in during the summer is by grilling meat on the barbecue. That’s great (especially if you’re choosing smart, lean cuts of meat). However, you shouldn’t neglect the opportunity to get in some other important nutrition during this time as well by adding vegetables to the grill. Make some shish kebabs or simply add veggies to the top of the grill so that you’re getting more than just your protein every time that you barbecue.

7.    Get enough potassium. Many people tend to be more active in the summer months. There are more hours in the day so you have more time to get outside and horse around. Unfortunately, sweating during the summer months can cause muscle problems because it throws off your electrolytes. You can avoid this problem by making sure that you get enough potassium into your diet during the summer months.

8.    Eat seasonal produce. There are a lot of really great foods that come into season in the summer. They help to form the bulk of your healthy diet at this time of year. Both fruits and vegetables that come into season throughout the summer will be great for your body. Shopping at your local farmer’s market is a terrific way to find out which foods are in season in your area.

9.    Eat fruit smoothies instead of ice cream. It’s tempting to eat some foods during the summer that really don’t offer the best nutrition for you. Ice cream is a terrific example of a summer food like this. Learn to make substitutions so that you’re eating foods that are just as refreshing but a lot healthier for you. Substituting fruit smoothing (made from milk, yogurt and fresh fruit) for your ice cream is a great example of how to do this.

10. Make sure that your food is fresh. All of that great nutrition that you’re getting from following these other tips is going to go right out the window if you make yourself sick by eating foods that aren’t fresh. This is a particular concern in the summer because the temperatures get warmer and foods spoil more quickly. Make sure that you pay extra careful attention to the freshness of meats and seafood.