KT For Good: Stick to a summer-friendly diet, say nutritionists

On part 6 of the #Besummersafe campaign, we catch up with nutritionists who advise UAE residents to tweak their diet to enjoy good health during the summer season.

Summer is all about easy, no-bake dishes and thus, fresh fruits and vegetables are high on the list. With an increasingly urbanised population, awareness of when and where various foods are produced has decreased. 
Imports from around the world ensure that supermarket shelves look the same week in week out.
Janani Satchithanantham, senior dietitian at Aster Hospital in Qusais, said: "Summer brings with it the bounties of mother nature, in the form of many seasonal fruits and vegetables least expensive and most delicious, such as mangoes, watermelons, and pumpkins."
She added. "However, the rising temperatures can play havoc with your body, and the season also brings numerous health risks, such as dehydration, diarrhoea, heat stroke, bacterial infections, etc." 
She said summer is the perfect time to encourage more fruit intake. And often, locally grown summer fruits are rich in flavour and nutrition.
Foods to avoid in summer
Meanwhile, Dr Nadine Aoun, specialist diet and nutrition, Medcare Women and Children Hospital, said: "People should avoid eating fried food as they dehydrate and are high in calories, while spicy and salty food, such as pickles, cause thirst.
"Avoid coffee as it causes you fluid loss through urination and makes you dehydrated. 
"Ice creams also should be avoided as they are very high in sugar and calories that make you gain weight.
Satchithanantham said: "Most packaged juices and cold drinks contain excessive amounts of sugar, which may elevate your energy temporarily, but may result in an energy crash after a few days. 
"So, get rid of those cold liquid empty calories and go grab some fresh fruit juices with natural sugars in them."
Hydration, hydration, hydration
Dr Nadine said: "Some of the foods that aid in hydration are fresh fruits and raw salads as fruits and vegetables are easy to digest and high in water content which helps in hydration.
"Add veggies like cucumber, tomato, carrot, spinach, broccoli, etc to increase the water content in your body. Fruits like watermelon, strawberries, grapefruit and cantaloupe are also helpful."
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com

• KT For Good