8 vegetables you should eat to beat the summer heat!

Eating light during summers is essential. These 8 vegetables will help you stay in the pink of health.

Kriti Saraswat | Updated: April 1, 2014 11:45 am

The summer season is almost here and it is time to change our clothing, footwear and food too. Eating very heavy meals can make you feel uneasy and lead to problems like indigestion as well. Eating seasonal vegetables is important to keep us in good health. Though all vegetables have their own set of benefits, there are some which you shouldn’t miss out especially during summers as they are light, full of nutrients and keep us hydrated and in the pink of health by enabling our body to handle heat more efficiently. Here’s a list of 10 such veggies.

Cucumber

Cucumbers are your best bet in summers as they are 96 per cent water and eaten in raw green state. They contain vitamin C and silica which are known for tissue growth and skin cleansing properties. Their high water content makes them ideal for summers. It is important to eat cucumbers with the skin because their outer skin is rich in potassium, magnesium and fibre which has tremendous health benefits for the body.

Calorie count: One cup of sliced cucumber has only 16 calories and 4 grams of carb which makes them ideal for weight-watchers.

Brinjal

Brinjal or baingan is a common purple vegetable containing lots of dietary fibre and antioxidants. It is an excellent source of molybdenum, potassium, vitamin K, magnesium, copper, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, and niacin. It is known to have a dominant antioxidant which can also lower bad cholesterol. But if you already have kidney problems or gall bladder issues, you should avoid eating brinjal.

Calorie count: One cup of cooked bringal has only 35 calories, 9 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of fibre.

Tomatoes

Listed both in the category of fruits as well as vegetables, the health benefits of tomatoes are splendid in summers. Tomatoes are considered to be helpful in reducing prostate cancer risk and are good for diabetics and heart patients. They are a wonderful source of vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin K. Other important nutrients in tomatoes include lycopene, potassium, vitamin B6, folate, dietary fibre, manganese, magnesium, niacin, and vitamin E. They are great as coolers.

Calorie count: 1 cup of tomatoes has only 32 calories and 7 grams of carbs.

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Green Beans

Green beans are an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A, as well as bone-building vitamin K which is important for blood clotting too. They also have antioxidant vitamins that protect cells against oxidative damage and keep the immune system healthy. Vitamin A not only preserves night vision but also keeps skin and the cornea of the eye moist. Green beans are a good source of heart-healthy fibre that helps lower cholesterol levels. They also contain respectable amounts of potassium and magnesium, which help to normalise blood pressure. Green beans make for an excellent dish in the summers as they are light on the stomach. You can even include them in your salad.

Calorie count: One cup of green beans has only 44 calories.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin or kaddu possesses great cooling and diuretic properties. It is also good for digestion and eliminating intestinal worms from the digestive system as it is full of fibre. It contains potassium and also controls blood pressure and sugar as well as stimulate the pancreas. It is excellent in curing skin diseases. Extremely high in fibre and low in calories, pumpkin has disease-fighting nutrients like pantothenic acid, magnesium, and vitamins C and E.

Calorie count: 100g pumpkin has 26 calories and 6g carbs with negligible fat.

Celery

Celery acts as diuretics which helps in losing excess water weight without causing dehydration. It stimulates kidneys, easing them to flush waste and extra fluid from your body, which results in beating bloating.

Calorie count: 100g has 16 calories.

Bottle gourd

Bottle gourd or lauki is good for dealing with the summer heat. It keeps flatulence, constipation and acidity under control. Provides more nutrients and very less calories and fat. 96 % of this gourd is water. It provides vitamin C and some B vitamins, trace elements and minerals like iron, sodium and potassium. Bottle gourd has cooling and calming ability due to its good water content. It is absolutely helpful during summers and has the ability to prevent heat strokes and recover the water lost due to perspiration.

Calorie count: Only 15 calories and 0.1g fat in 100g.

Bitter Gourd

Bitter gourds or karela are beneficial in lowering sugar levels, fighting cancer and a number of infections. It provides relief from constipation and helps in improving blood circulation along with being blood purifier too. In summers, when you face various eye and skin infections consuming bitter gourd will help.

Calorie count: 100g has just 17 calories.

It will not be wrong to say that nature brings in all these vegetables in summers to improve our immune system and keep the system cool and clean. So those who are planning to make an effort to lose weight this summer or get fitter, should add these veggies in their diet.

With inputs from Kanan Gautam.

Also read about the health benefits of these vegetables:

15 health benefits of methi
15 health benefits of garlic
Amazing health benefits of beetroot
10 health benefits of ginger
Top 9 health benefits of radish or mooli

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Published: March 28, 2014 12:20 pm | Updated:April 1, 2014 11:45 am

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