How Important Is Healthy Eating In The Summer?

Dehydration, fatigue from high temperatures, digestive imbalances or food poisoning are the most common summer problems. How to avoid them through food?

For many people, the summer period brings with it changes in routines, and even in the way they eat. But is it important to maintain a healthy diet during the summer?

The answer is yes. Nutrition, like at any other time of the year, is essential for a smooth vacation. In addition, it allows to start the month of September with a lot of energy. We are therefore going to offer you some tips for eating in the summer.

Why should you pay attention to food in the summer?

In summer, a whole series of circumstances set in and turn food into an essential point for feeling good and enjoying it to the fullest. Those that immediately affect weather conditions and the change in routine: increased hours of sunshine, good weather and, in some cases, vacations.

This often translates into less rest, more damage to the skin, and increased overeating outside of meals with friends or family. It is therefore essential to keep in mind that a healthy diet in summer is essential to ensure your well-being. Why ? What should be taken into account? Let’s see all of this in detail.

Risk of dehydration

Staying hydrated is very important for your health. It is essential to pay attention to the quantity and quality of liquids that you drink throughout the day. This is all the more important in summer because climatic conditions tend to increase the risk of dehydration.

To help the body recover the fluids it loses, the following habits should be reinforced:

• Drink very often and let yourself be guided by the sensation of thirst,  which is the main warning signal
• Choose drinks like water, sparkling water or herbal teas
• Avoid sugary drinks and alcohol  as they can promote dehydration
• Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, which also contain fluids. The fruits that provide the most water are watermelon, melon, grapes, strawberries, apricot and papaya

Eat a healthy diet in summer: special skin protection

The skin is one of the longest organs in the body and the first barrier that protects us from external aggressions. In summer, when temperatures rise, exposure and the risk of attacks increase.

In general, this is because the skin is generally more exposed and there is more contact with harmful agents like UV rays, temperature changes, salt and chlorine from swimming pools.

Optimal nutrition can also improve the health and appearance of the skin. As a study published in the journal Nutrients explains  , healthy eating habits  reduce the risk of aging and reduce the effects of solar attacks.

So, which foods should you eat as a priority to take care of your skin? Without a doubt, the ones that contain the most vitamins, healthy fats and antioxidants. Here are a few examples:

• Dried fruits and seeds
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Orange, red or yellow fruits
• Fresh vegetables, especially green in color
• Lean meats and fish

Eat less, but better

Some studies and surveys of spontaneous ingestion show that with high temperatures and humidity, there is a tendency to eat in smaller amounts. Therefore,  since the intake is less important, it is normal that the diet in summer is healthy.

Thus, it is necessary to eat larger amounts of nutritious food and to eliminate as much as possible all superfluous products that provide calories, energy and few nutrients.

• Dried fruits, fruits, fresh vegetables, fish, eggs, legumes or whole grains provide nutrients
• The  snacks  salted, ready meals, pastries, white bread or energy drinks have many calories, sugar and refined flours. They can have their place in the diet, but not in excess

Eating healthy in summer: routines and good habits

As some know, summer and vacation time can be a time when routines are more relaxed. The most common changes are related to sleeping and eating times. But they also have to do with the type of food and drink that one chooses to consume.

So, at the end of the summer, the result may be negative. It may be difficult to rehabilitate or have problems with motivation and depression. To avoid this, it is best to keep the same routines regarding food and its schedules.

Food security inside and outside the home

One of the keys to a healthy diet in summer is to avoid infections and possible poisoning from unhealthy foods. The summer period is indeed a critical period for food poisoning.

This phenomenon is due to the increase in temperature and the tendency to eat more elsewhere than at home. Minimizing this risk is possible, especially when you put certain security measures into practice.

• Maintain good hand hygiene and food handling areas before, during and after cooking
• Separate raw from cooked foods
• Do not eat perishable foods that have been stored at room temperature
• Do not cook too much in advance and immediately put food in the refrigerator
• Ensure good storage and transport conditions for food when it is consumed elsewhere than at home

What should we keep in mind to have a healthy diet in the summer?

There are aspects of healthy eating in the summer that go beyond food. Among them,  it is important to highlight meal times and routines,  observation of food hygiene measures and special attention to hydration.

All this without forgetting that, during the summer, we must continue to consume fresh and nutritious foods that help the body to function well and prevent disease.