Summer is here! It’s time for you to dig out your sunglasses and favorite pair of flip flops and get outdoors. Here is our list of 7 great superfoods you need to try this summer.
All of us are aware of certain health considerations we need to keep in mind during our summer adventures, wearing enough sunscreen being the most common. But how many of us consider changes or additions to our diet to help our body during the change of seasons?
- Macha Green Tea.
Macha green tea is a premium tea that is native to Japan. It has been a highly prized drink for centuries, due to its natural health benefits and great taste. Since Macha green tea is served as a powder rather than soaked as a leaf, or in a bag, you get the benefits of drinking all the nutrients in the leaf. This is also the reason that Macha green tea has such a famed, rich and unique flavor. Macha green tea contains L-Theanine, an amino acid that is known to help boost dopamine in the brain making you feel better. So want a happier day, drink a cup of green tea. Drinking green tea also helps prevent dehydration. Very few of us give much thought to how much water we are drinking, as the temperatures rise. Mild effects of dehydration include fatigue, as well as loss of energy and concentration. Drinking a few cups of Macha green tea will greatly improve your hydration levels, as unlike caffeine, tea does not cause dehydration.
- Tomatoes.
Tomatoes are an amazing summer food. They contain a chemical called Lycopene, which is not only the chemical responsible for giving them their red color but has been found to help protect our skin from the sunburn. In tests, patients given the equivalent to a single tomato worth of Lycopene were found to exhibit up to 50% less skin burning when expose to UV light, making Tomatoes a great way to help to protect your body this summer.
- Oranges.
Oranges are a fruit that most of us associate with summer. Not only do they taste great but oranges are rich in vitamin C, which acts as a strong antioxidant, thereby helping to prevent damage to cells. Oranges are also rich in potassium and so are great at replacing the large amounts lost by the human body while sweating. A lack of potassium also causes cramps and muscle stiffness, as potassium is used to transmit nerve impulses around the body. Finally, oranges are rich in water. In fact, they are roughly 80% water, meaning that they are another superfood that helps keep you hydrated during those long, hot summer days.
- Raspberries.
With their great taste and great nutritional qualities, not to mention being a largely seasonal addition to our diets, raspberries are a great superfood you should be eating this summer! High in fiber, which aids digestion, as well as vitamin C, antioxidants and believed to have good anti-cancer effects, there are nothing but good reasons to load up your basket with raspberries the next time you go shopping.
- Watermelon.
Another food rich in lycopene, vitamin C and D, Watermelons are a great summer treat. Full of water, they are a tasty addition to any meal or snack. It’s not only with food, watermelons make a great addition to lots of drinks, smoothies, even cocktails, and at only 44 calories per glass they truly deserve the title of superfood.
- Zucchini.
Perhaps a surprise addition to this list, but only because we don’t consider the real health benefits of zucchini’s in our everyday health. Zucchinis are high in potassium, so are good for the muscles and the heart. They are filling, but low in calories helping to aid in weight loss, while the high fiber level helps to lower cholesterol and keep you healthy. Their high levels of vitamin A and C have a range of body benefits from maintaining eye health, to keeping your bones strong.
- Salmon.
Salmon is not just one of our favorite fish but also one of the healthiest. It is rich in omega 3, which helps maintain healthy brain functions, along with helping in digestion and cartilage regeneration. A single serving of salmon can contain over 200% of your daily required intake of vitamin B12, which is responsible for amongst other things, maintaining good memory function and preventing anemia. Salmon is also rich in protein needed to build and maintain muscle too. So even if Salmon wasn’t also so good at helping to fight cancer, aging and in preventing heart attacks, the taste alone would be enough to make salmon a part of your summer diet.
With so many exciting and tasty superfoods available to you this summer then why not dig up some exciting serving suggestions and start today? You may choose to eat them as snacks or as part of cooked main courses. But whatever way you choose to eat them, you can be sure that our 7 summer superfoods are a tasty and healthy addition to your summer diet that you will simply adore.
