Five healthy foods to crave during the summer
Food cravings sometimes feel like this indomitable figure behind us that whispers into our ear and tells us to grab that coffee, or ice cream, or potato chips, and with warm weather finally here, these delicious foods seem all the sweeter.
Avoiding these foods can be hard, but remember that summer is also an amazing time of the year where fresh produce is plentiful and healthy summer options come into season. To help guide you through your cravings, here is a list of five healthy summer snacks.
Watermelon
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Staying hydrated and cool when it’s hot outside can make eating ice cream, slushies—or even ice cubes—feel like the only way to go. The problem with these cold snacks is that they are either high in sugar and calories, or can damage your teeth. Besides drinking a nice cool glass of water, a famous summer snack that could help deal with the heat is watermelon.
Recent studies looking into high-lycopene foods have watermelons on their radar too. Lycopene is the pigment that gives tomatoes and pink grapefruit their red colour (not strawberries, that is due to a different compound). While more studies are being conducted on the benefits of lycopenes, some evidence suggests that boosting lycopene levels in our blood can help reduce the risk of hardening arteries, which is common in heart disease.
Corn
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Corn seems to go hand-in-hand with summer, and can be a great addition to your plate. This crop is a rich source of vitamins and nutrients and is prebiotic, meaning it promotes the growth of good bacteria in your gut.
“Lutein, zeaxanthin, and anthocyanins are bioactive compounds which have shown several health benefits for humans,” said Elsayed Abdelaal, PhD and acting research manager at the Guelph Food Research Centre, in a TIME article discussing the benefits of corn. Some of the studies that Abdelaal speaks of have linked corn to improving eye health and preventing cataracts.
Unsweetened iced tea
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Besides water, another cool drink for the summer that could help hydrate you is unsweetened iced tea. According to The Harvard School of Public Health, some health benefits of tea (iced or not) can include: reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, protection from cancer, and reduced risk of high blood pressure. The things to watch out for with iced tea is weight-loss claims and bottles bought in stores. Some advertisements will claim “diet” effects or have added sweeteners to them. To fully enjoy the benefits of an unsweetened tea, brew it at home with friends and family.
Salad
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Fruit salad or green salad—both are healthy and tasty options for the summer. For a fruit salad, the amount of calories that you consume depends on the fruits that you use. If you want to know more about the health benefits of certain fruits, looking up nutritional profiles can help you decide.
While the words “green” and “salad” may seem automatically healthy, the benefits from eating a green salad depend on what you put on it. A couple of tricks to help make your salad a little healthier this summer include: using light dressings like olive oil, adding a protein, and choosing a variety of vegetables to add more flavour and provide an assortment of health benefits.
Chicken kebabs
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You don’t have to go vegetarian for the summer to be healthy. Dishes like chicken kebabs can offer you a great source of lean, low-fat protein and can be a great addition to the summer barbeque. You can even add the chicken to that salad mentioned earlier. To keep the dish healthy, try to avoid using heavy creams or eating deep fried chicken.
Keeping a healthy diet is all about balance, and fighting cravings can be like walking a tightrope. To help keep on track this summer, make a list of your summer cravings to avoid and tack it up on your fridge, and enlist friends to keep you on track.