It’s hot outside! This is what foods to reduce and include in summer

As the season’s change, so do the foods we eat!

This is mainly because the weather changes our bodily functions and therefore our needs change. In winter we may need and crave more heat and warming foods and in summer things change!

Healthy Mummy nutritionist Cheree tells us what foods we can reduce in summer to compliment our body while we are following the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

Foods to reduce in summer

One of the reasons we need to reduce certain foods and include others is due to the seasonal changes in our metabolism, and hormones.

Cheree says that during the warmer months we tend to have a slower metabolism than in winter as our bodies don’t need to heat us up as much.

“We can’t ‘get away’ with eating heavy winter foods, as we just won’t burn it all off!!” she says.

So, what does this mean in terms of food choices?

Consuming ‘winter foods’ in summer could be an issue for our digestion and weight loss because as the weather heats up, so do we.

“Traditional Chinese medicine encourages us to eat foods that promote sweating to avoid overheating, as well as foods that are internally cooling, and avoid foods that are warming and heavy,” says Cheree.

Try to reduce these foods:

1. Reduce slow-cooked foods like stews and casseroles.

2. Reduce saturated fats, they tend to be higher in winter foods. Fats in winter foods kept us warm, but we no longer need this insulation!

3. Reduce the portion sizes of meats. Use the size of your palm as a guide or our portion control guide.

4. Swap out the heavy comfort food of the colder months for lighter, salad-based meals, that are based more on raw vegetables.

Eat more of these foods:

1. Include heat with spices to promote sweating.

2. Include seasonal fruits like mango, pineapple, watermelon and cherries to aid digestion and keep you cool.

3. Include more easy to digest protein sources like seafood or Tempeh.

4. Use fresh seasonal foods as a guide! Check out how to use this in season vegetable in seven ways.

No one wants to feel bloated in summer, try these foods to reduce inflammation.

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