Summer is right around the corner, and with it comes all sorts of promises of summer fun. You may find yourself sitting down at your favorite Lakeland restaurants with your friends, staving off the summer heat with a cool glass of something sweet. Sometimes however, you might find yourself unsure of how to deal with the summer heat, opting for air conditioning and an ever present bottle of water just to keep yourself properly hydrated. Luckily for us though, there are many delicious kinds of food in season that can help us deal with the summer heat.
Melons
There’s nothing quite as refreshing as biting into a fresh slice of chilled watermelon in the summer heat, is there? Based on its name, you can probably tell that watermelon contains a lot of water. In fact, ninety percent of watermelon is comprised of water. This makes it a refreshing and delicious way of staying hydrated this summer. Some restaurants serve watermelon with a twist, sometimes in a salad with some feta cheese and fresh basil leaves. Watermelon isn’t the only refreshing summer treat, cantaloupe and honeydew are also excellent ways to stay hydrated during the summer because of its high water content.
Citrus
Citrus fruits are another excellent way to stay cool during the summer. Oranges, lemons, and limes are all excellent sources of Vitamin C, which is a booster to your immune system as well as an antioxidant. Regularly eating citrus fruits is also a good way to keep your skin clear. Citrus is an extremely versatile ingredient that you can find in most restaurants. Whether its a glass of lemon water, or a summer salad with a citrus-based vinaigrette, there is no end to what you can do with some good quality citrus fruits.
Chilled vegetables
Food that help beat the heat aren’t limited to only fruits, certain types of vegetables have cooling properties as well. Cucumbers, radishes, and leafy vegetables are all excellent ingredients that can be incorporated into your diet to help cool down your body. Cucumbers are similar to watermelons in the sense that they both have significant amount of water in them. Radishes are another kind of vegetable with a high water content and is another excellent source of Vitamin C. These ingredients can be incorporated together into one amazing summer salad, or pureed together into a cooling gazpacho.
Mint
Mint has cooling properties that help rejuvenate the body when the heat hits us hard. Mint can also help with indigestion and inflammation. You can find mint in many different forms at Lakeland restaurants, whether it’s in tea form, incorporated into a refreshing salad, or mixed into a cool summer drink.