With the weather heating up, make sure to stay hydrated and healthy with these highly nutritious foods! If you're looking to protect your immune system and take in some nutrients into your body, here are the top ten must-eat summer foods to incorporate into your meals!
What makes tomatoes red? It's lycopene, which helps protect the tomatoes from ultraviolet rays of the sun. However, apparently this substance can also help protect your cells from damage. In addition, tomatoes contain potassium, vitamin B & E, as well as other nutrients that can help lower blood pressure.
This vegetable contains a fiber called pectin that has been linked to increasing heart health and lowering cholesterol.
Who doesn't like an icy cold slice of watermelon on a hot day? Well aside from it's refreshing taste, this fruit contains high content of water that can help keep you cool and hydrated. Especially during the summer, because of the heat, your body loses a lot of water when you sweat to stay cool. The high water content in watermelon can help keep you feeling full and it also contains lycopene which can protect your skin cells from sun damage.
Oranges are rich in potassium, which is crucial for us as we tend to lose a lot of potassium when we sweat. When our body does not have enough potassium, we are more likely to get cramps in our muscles. Making sure to eat enough oranges can help you replenish the potassium that you've lost and keep the muscles cramps away. Also, oranges contain a lot of water, so eating oranges can also help your stay hydrated.
Yogurts are low in fat and high in protein. They also contain probiotics - good bacteria that help keep your gut healthy and keep the bad bacteria from taking. It can also help aid your digestive system to run smoother.
This vegetable can act like a diuretic, meaning it can help you lose the extra water weight without causing you to be dehydrated. It can help stimulate your kidneys to flush out waste. This, in turn, can help decrease the bloating in your stomach.
This fruit is also a diuretic - it can help the body get rid of extra fluid and salt.
Blackberries contains a wide array of nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and E. It is also rich in antioxidants which may help reduce the risk of many disease. Raspberries are also great to eat during the summer as they are high in vitamin C and contains about 8 grams of fiber per cup! Strawberries are filled with flavonoids which helps fight diseases. Blueberries are also high in potassium and vitamin C. It can help lower heart disease and help reduce inflammation.
This fruit is jam packed with tons of fibers and vitamins that are believed to help reduce inflammation in the body. Some studies say that pears can also help promote gut and heart health, as well as protect the body against certain diseases.
Figs are high in potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, & copper! That's a lot of nutrients packed into this deliciously sweet fruit!
