Cooling Foods for the Body

Each season the microbes that live in the mucous membrane of our digestive system change with the influences of weather and daylight. These microbes allow for maximum absorption of seasonal foods. When we ignore the body’s natural abilities to digest nutrients, we weaken the system as a whole and constipation, allergic reactions and food sensitivities can occur.

In late summer, the prolonged heat dries out and dehydrates the body. Summer barbeques heavy with meats, spicy foods, grains and alcohol are all depleting and heating and can quickly overwhelm our digestion.

Lighter and moister fruits and veggies, which are abundant this time of year, are perfect to cool the body and reduce the digestive load.

Which fruits help reduce body heat?

Look to your local farmers market (or your garden!) to find the perfect balancing foods of late summer that balance and heal. Focus on summer foods that cool and restore:

Melons-all varieties
Apples
Peaches
Plums
Apricots
Pomegranates
Berries
Tomatoes
Cherries
Coconut (and coconut oil)

Top 10 foods to help your body cool down in the blistering heat

In addition to fruits, these foods can bring down the internal temperature:

Asparagus
Bitter Greens (Kale, spinach, arugula, chard)
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cooling herbs (mint, basil, cilantro)
Cucumbers
Fennel
Green Peppers
Squash
Zucchini

Body cooling drinks

We think of iced drinks as cooling the body, but ice serves to dampen our digestion and decrease absorption of nutrients. When we throw cold water on a fire, it goes out pretty quickly! Digestion is weakest in the summer so throwing ice cold drinks into our stomach makes digestion sluggish and the body has to produce more heat to accomplish the task.

Instead, add cooling fruits and herbs to your water or drink juices made from cooling foods. Think watermelon juice with mint or a smoothie made from berries, apples and peaches! Berries or peach water at room temp is cooling, refreshing and hydrating.

These foods are in abundance during this season and are so delicious and fresh it’s easy to enjoy the benefits of caring for your body and your health.