COOLING FOODS IN AYURVEDA
We long for summer for months, and then as soon as the temperature reaches the midsummer 35 degrees, it's too hot for us. We feel listless and heavy – even though we want to enjoy this time of year to the fullest.
The good news: There's a way to cool your body in hot temperatures: through your diet. In this article, you'll learn about cooling foods in Ayurveda and how YLUMI can help you stay cool in the summer.
Contents
Digression: What is Ayurveda?
The term Ayurveda refers to the millennia-old traditional Indian healing art. "Ayuh" is the Sanskrit word for life, and "Veda" means science—the science of life. Ayurveda is based on very universal and nature-based treatment principles. From these, many small tips and tricks can be derived that can be easily integrated into modern everyday life.
Ayurveda focuses primarily on the individual's personal needs. Holistic health is the motto – and this health should primarily be maintained and (if illness is already present) restored. If you are interested in this topic, we recommend this detailed article on Ayurveda and how it can help you in your everyday life .
A major component of the teachings of Ayurveda is nutrition. According to Ayurveda, food can be both medicine and poison for us. Therefore, it is important to choose the right foods in every situation to keep the body healthy and strong. For example, there are cooling foods in Ayurveda that can support you in hot temperatures, and others that have the opposite effect.
Which foods should I avoid in summer?
According to Ayurveda, there are warming foods that generate heat in the body during digestion and processing. To prevent your digestion from overheating in the summer, you should avoid foods made with these foods as much as possible. Of course, as always, everything is allowed in moderation. The following foods are considered warming according to Ayurveda:
- Onion
- Garlic
- Cooked tomatoes
- Beans
- Red lentils
- kidney beans
- Citrus fruits
- Mangoes
- Carrots and other root and tuber vegetables
- freshwater fish
- Meat: Chicken, beef, pork, lamb
You can rely on these foods especially in winter to warm yourself and nourish your body.
Which foods have a cooling effect?
Sour, salty and spicy foods have a heating effect, which is why cooling foods are mainly classified as sweet, bitter or tart.
Cooling foods in Ayurveda
With the following foods you can naturally reduce your body temperature and support your body in summer.
- Cucumber
- tomatoes
- spinach
- coconut
- strawberries
- Watermelon
- Oats (cooked)
- rice
- pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- mint
- sage
- Green tea
- Cinnamon
- yogurt
What to eat in hot weather – YLUMI recipes
Smoothies, in particular, are a wonderful summer breakfast. They don't place unnecessary strain on the body in the morning and still provide you with all the nutrients you need to start the day full of energy. If you then incorporate a few of the cooling foods mentioned above, you'll be doing everything you need to optimally support your body on a hot summer day. That's why we don't want to withhold our recipe for a delicious detox smoothie from you.
Since cooked oats also have a cooling effect, warm porridge in the morning isn't just for a cold winter day. You can also enjoy your porridge in the summer. How about topping it with a handful of strawberries and shredded coconut for an extra cooling effect? As a base, simply follow the recipe for our Beauty Porridge .
Which YLUMI products are good in hot weather?
Our products are based on the teachings of TCM (Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine) and Ayurveda. If you'd like to learn more, we recommend this article about TCM . The beauty secret ingredient in all our smoothies, bowls, and teas is our COCO BEAUTY SPARKLE , which, in addition to traditional adaptogenic herbs, vitamins, and minerals, also contains the perfect spice for hot summer days: cinnamon . This has a proven cooling effect on the body – by up to 2 degrees Celsius [1].
Green tea also has a cooling effect. It's contained in ourENERGY CAPSULES , which help you keep cool in the summer. You can take them as needed, for example, to overcome annoying afternoon slumps, or every morning to start the day fit and full of energy.
Lavender is also a cooling plant, which is why we recommend our brand-new CALM ME CAPSULES for the summer. This new product promotes mental balance, regeneration, and stress reduction—and keeps you cool all summer long.
We hope we've been able to give you some helpful tips about Ayurveda and cooling foods. We wish you lots of fun trying them out and a wonderful summer!
