How to choose refreshing foods that keep your energy up

By Julie Kailus

As the seasons change, so do dietary cravings and requirements. Though not to the degree of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, we still respond to the year’s natural rhythm. But beyond the obvious modifications (like drinking more water because we sweat more), there are subtler tips to follow when long and lovely summer days lure us out into the sun.    

Most of us respond to clement weather and longer days by upping our outdoor activity, and that too plays a key part in what our bodies want and need. The pot roast, lasagna and stuffed cabbage that hit the spot in January just don’t seem so appetizing in July, and not only because cooking them heats up the house.    

“Summer is a great time to listen to our bodies and eat what we are craving, which is more often water-based foods—fruits and vegetables,” says Whitney Gerschke Johnson, a nutritionist and certified clinical herbalist who owns Trust Your Gut Nutrition in Lafayette. With increased activity, it’s also important to keep up protein intake to sustain energy, help muscle recovery and guard against fatigue. However, Johnson says, the type of protein our bodies ask for may change from meat in the winter to seafood, lentils, almonds and quinoa, to name just a few, in warm weather.

 “If you feel like eating less animal protein and more plant protein in summer, use nuts and seeds to boost the amount of protein in your meals, as vegetarian meals may provide less protein,” says Erin Livers, a nutrition therapist who teaches at Boulder’s Bauman College, a school for holistic nutrition and culinary arts.   

The idea is to follow the body’s lead in the summer: Eat lighter, water- and nutrient-dense foods, and spread them over several mini meals to keep energy levels high. Lisa Lanzano, M.S., R.D., of Boulder-based Essential Nutrition, says our natural tendencies during the summer are for more carbohydrates and foods that digest easily. However, she advises maintaining a smart balance of carbs, proteins and fats.   

“You don’t want to go too low-fat, because that can cause low blood sugar. You also don’t want to overeat carbs, because you may end up eating too many calories,” she says. “Make sure you are getting enough essential oil fats through walnut oil or milled flax seed”—both are higher than olive oil in omega-6 and -3 fatty acids.

Hot Stuff

Heat and sun are other elements that can trigger imbalances in the summertime. Higher temperatures cause us to sweat more and lose sodium and other essential nutrients, while sunshine can wreak havoc on skin, hair and nails.    

“Active people will notice an increase in thirst, so it’s important to ensure electrolyte replacement along with added water,” Livers says. “Without it, we may become overly dry and show symptoms such as dry skin, constipation, and either anxiety or apathy.” Water-dense fruits like melon (90 percent water) are a good summer staple; they’re also high in beta carotene, which turns into skin-nourishing vitamin A. To make summer’s key replenishing fluid—water—even more attractive, Johnson suggests adding fruits or herbs (orange and basil/strawberry, or cucumber and mint/lemon).
       
Protecting the skin from the sun while still soaking up summer’s abundance of vitamin D is the wisest approach to the outdoor season.
  
 “We want nutrients in our diet to ensure our skin is healthy and protected from the rays of the sun,” Livers says. “B vitamins and minerals are key for healthy skin, hair and nails. Antioxidants like vitamins C and E and plant nutrients are important for protecting our skin from the sun’s damaging rays.” Look for vitamin C in tomatoes, red, green and yellow peppers, melons, broccoli and citrus fruits. Vitamin E is found in avocados, almonds and sunflower seeds.
   
Johnson also recommends plenty of vitamin A (carrots, leafy greens, sweet potatoes) as an overall supportive skin nutrient, as well as selenium (turkey, Brazil nuts) and zinc (pumpkin seeds, peanuts).
cooling foods

Even as extra sunlight boosts our levels of mood-lifting serotonin, summer’s higher temperatures can deplete us physically. “It’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by the heat, and most of us respond by eating a lighter diet that emphasizes cooling foods,” says Livers. “Imagine the cooling nature of cucumbers, melons, berries, lemons and limes, tomatoes, apples, sprouts, leafy greens and snow peas,” she continues. “Try lemon wedges squeezed over grilled fish, a bed of leafy greens, with morning poached eggs, and a slice of watermelon on a hot afternoon.”
   
Livers also points out that Chinese medicine, a traditional system based on balancing various bodily elements, advises steering clear of things that cause “heat” in the body—fried foods, refined sugars, and overuse of sweeteners, spicy foods, red meat and alcohol. Better suited for a summer diet are traditional “cold” foods including the less-obvious rhubarb, mung beans, bananas and dandelion leaves. Fruits, spinach, summer squash, most greens, cabbage, celery, bok choy and mint are considered “cool” foods.
   
For an ideal summer breakfast, Lanzano has an easy suggestion: Greek yogurt with mixed berries and a few Brazil nuts for 100 percent of your daily selenium and a nice crunch. Avoid the habit of eating cooling “liquid lunches” during on-the-go summer months, she warns. “It’s easy on a summer day to grab a smoothie, but you’ll get hungry again fast because liquids leave your stomach sooner. Try a grilled chicken sandwich. It will last you a lot longer.”
   
Between cooling foods, essential vitamins and a careful balance of fresh fare, summer can be a season to reconnect with natural instincts. “It’s neat to think of how the seasons affect us,” Johnson says. “It pulls us out of our static, temperature-controlled lives and reconnects us with the idea that we are dynamic beings living on a dynamic planet.” u

Freelance writer Julie Kailus, a former Boulder Magazine editor, lives in Evergreen with her family.

Share: