Beat the heat with these summer veggies
It is said “Eating seasonal food helps provide you with important nutrients needed to encounter the season,” which means it will help you keep nourished and deal with the scorching heat.
1) Cucumbers
It is probably the best vegetable to eat this summer. They are low in calories but high in water content about 96% and have vitamin C, K as well as antioxidants. Eating them with peel provides the maximum nutrients which benefit health in various ways. They help keep you hydrated, improve bowel movement and help reach your weight loss goals. More often, they are consumed in the form of salads, part of cooling beverages and even pickles.
2) Bottle Gourd
It can be cooked in the form of Lauki curry, can be grated and added to flour to make vegetable rotis or can be included as raw vegetable juice alone or along with certain other vegetables.
About 100 gm of it offers around 15 calories, which makes it a great choice for health-conscious people. It offers both soluble and insoluble fibre known for reducing cholesterol, curing constipation, and promoting weight loss. It offers vitamins and minerals, high potassium is beneficial for reducing cholesterol levels and maintaining your blood pressure.
3) Ridge Gourd (Tauri)
This gourd works amazingly in detoxifying your liver, blood and hence removing toxins from the body. This helps enhance immunity and it is alkalising which keeps away acidity, and also acts as great cooling properties. Vitamin C, B vitamins and the minerals zinc, iron, manganese are some of the nutrients present in good amounts. It is usually consumed in the form of curry and goes well with all kinds of spices.
4) Bitter Gourd
Its juice has long been known for lowering sugar levels and cleansing the blood. It may not be on anyone’s favourite list, but it offers amazing benefits for health. The antioxidant, antimicrobial properties help in treating blood disorders, skin problems like acne. It is especially rich in vitamin C, which helps in the prevention of disorders and vitamin A which promotes vision. It is a good source of catechin, gallic acid, epicatechin and other powerful antioxidants which protect against oxidation.
It can be enjoyed as stirred fried vegetables with condiments, or as a raw juice along with other vegetables to be consumed in the morning.
5) Green Leafy Vegetables
Mint leaves have cooling properties and are used in various summery drinks, it helps lower acidity as well. Cumin-mint water is usually consumed by people who have acidity problems.
Spinach and amaranth leaves have versatile use by making them into vegetables, including them in vegetable broth. They offer vitamins and minerals in good amounts.
To maintain a balanced diet, including these seasonal vegetables in diet holds importance which helps alkalise your body, provide with nutrients, fibre without offering much of calories.