Summertime Eating

This is the third in our “Yoga and Ayurveda for Summer Series.” Why did we wait so long to talk about food?! It’s one of the best parts about summer, all the fresh easy-to-eat foods available to us this time of year. We are looking at food through the lens of Ayurveda, India’s science of diet and lifestyle medicine. Ayurveda teaches that we are part of Nature, and so we are happiest and healthiest when we honor the cycles of Nature. And that includes what we eat.

Because summer is hot and humid here in Oklahoma, Ayurveda recommends eating to balance these qualities. The best tastes for the season are sweet, bitter and astringent. Here are some great summer choices:

Sweet foods: sweet fruits, especially berries; sweet vegetables; whole wheat bread and pasta; rice; organic whole milk and dairy products; if you need a sweetener, use honey, maple syrup or stevia. Avoid white flour and sugar. 

Ice cream: I know it’s not a food group, but it should be! Summer is the only season where Ayurveda recommends ice cream, so eat it. That’s an order!

Bitter foods: Green leafy vegetables, green and yellow vegetables, kale, celery, broccoli, cabbage, sprouts, beets

Astringent foods: Lentils, beans, green apples, pears, cucumber, cauliflower, cabbage, pomegranates, tea

Hydrate: Drink plenty of water or herbal teas every day, at least one-half of your body weight in ounces (e.g., 150 lbs = 75 oz or 9.5 cups). All drinks should be cool, room temperature or warmer because ice interferes with digestion. 

Our digestion is weakest in the summer, so eating the freshest produce lightly cooked with cooling spices (fennel, coriander, cumin, saffron, mint) will keep us happy and healthy all summer long.