In hot weather, your body cannot digest heavy meals. It’s natural to crave lighter, fresher foods during a heatwave, explains registered dietitian Kyra Collins. “Cold meals often feel easier to tolerate, as your body is working harder to regulate temperature and stay hydrated, meaning heavy meals can make you feel sluggish and uncomfortable,” she says.
“So overnight oats replace porridge; pasta salads replace pasta bakes. When it’s hot I tend to eat plenty of wraps, grain bowls, bean salads, boiled egg or ‘picky-bits’ style lunches with cooked and cooled chicken sausages, fruit, vegetables, crackers – tzatziki and hummus.”
We get 20 per cent of our water from food – so eat melon, cucumber and cold soups
“We are constantly losing fluid from sweat and going to the toilet, which can make us feel tired and lethargic and affect our concentration – even at one per cent dehydration,” points out registered dietitian Helen Bond. “While drinks provide 80 per cent of our fluid needs, we also get 20 per cent from our food. I recommend cooling down with water-rich, electrolyte-filled, and easy-to-digest foods, such as raw fruits and vegetables and cold soups like gazpacho to support your body’s internal temperature regulation. Watermelon and citrus fruits like oranges are over 90 per cent water, plus excellent sources of vitamin C. Dairy is another great addition – cooling Greek yogurt and berries is good for the gut with its natural probiotics, contains protein to fill you up, and light on the tummy, providing fluid too.”
