Rich in water, fiber and essential nutrients, this meal ticks all the boxes according to nutritionists. Ready in 2 minutes, it hydrates, supports energy and remains very easy to digest.
When it is very hot, the appetite often decreases. This is normal: the body seeks to limit digestion efforts, because digesting a heavy meal increases internal heat production and accentuates the feeling of discomfort. But the body still needs energy, water, minerals and nutrients to function properly and avoid fatigue. Nutritionists therefore recommend favoring foods rich in water, easy to digest. “When it is very hot, we look for foods that are not very dense and rich in water. As the tongue and mouth are drier than usual, the body seeks to rehydrate itself. This is why some people are more attracted to a fruit salad than a packet of biscuits,” explained Dr Jacques Fricker, nutritionist, to our colleagues at Sciences et Avenir.
In addition to foods rich in water, the body also needs a source of protein because muscles tend to melt slightly when it is hot. “Even in small quantities, we need starchy foods like rice, pasta (cold in salad if you don’t want to eat them hot, editor’s note) or bread to have enough energy“, continues the nutritionist. To put it simply, we asked Aurélie Tetzlaff, dietician-nutritionist, to offer us a fresh, light and filling meal.
His advice: prepare a large summer plate. You put in: a few diced fresh salmon with lime, avocado and pieces of cucumber. Next to it, add two hard-boiled eggs cut into quarters and a slice of Comté or Emmental. You can complete the plate with a few radishes and cherry tomatoes to dip in a homemade yogurt and mint tzatzíki. “We mix the protein with yogurt or cream cheese for a very good protein intake.“, explains our interlocutor.
You can also prepare a little cold zucchini and mint soup with a little yogurt to bring even more freshness. For dessert, frozen yogurt garnished with fresh red fruits and a little grated coconut works very well. And to finish on an even more thirst-quenching note, a homemade water ice cream made by freezing flavored water or mixed fruit. “It’s less energetic, but it’s still useful for hydration and pleasure“, comments Aurélie Tetzlaff.
If nothing appeals to you, here are three tips to stimulate your appetite: drinking sparkling water at the start of a meal improves the flavors and whets the appetite, make smaller but more frequent meals and avoid hot meals or fatty foods which require energy (and therefore heat) to be digested. Don’t worry if the day’s calorie intake is a little lower than usual. When it’s hot, we tend to be more lazy and more sedentary, we exert ourselves less, so our caloric needs are lower. In all cases, you must make sure to stay well hydrated when it is hot and not wait until you are thirsty to drink. “Throughout the day, I recommend drinking flavored water, unsweetened iced tea, homemade lemonade… Anything that can maintain (at least) or increase (at best) fluid intake“, concludes our dietitian.
