Fruits and vegetables available in summers are more watery to keep body hydrated and have extra beta-carotenes and other carotenoids that help to protect us against sun damage.
In summer Pitta energy flows at its peak and creates heat in body so it is advised to have food which is having high water content and fast digestive. The fruits and vegetables available in this season have naturally cooling effect on body.
Vegetables
Green peas, pumpkin, bottle gourd or Indian marrow or white gourd, ridge gourd or ribbed gourd, bitter gourd, sponge gourd, asparagus, artichokes, lettuce, spring onion, ladyfinger or okra, pointed gourd, ivy gourd or coccinia, snake gourd, ash gourd, taro or colocasia root, lettuce, scallopini, sweet potato or kumara, arugula, puha or sow thistle or milk thistle.
Fruits
Apricots, cucumber, peaches, plums, watermelon, cantaloupe or muskmelon or rock melo, coconut, mangoes, cucumbers, apricots, figs, passionfruit, pineapple, oranges, papaya, strawberries, banana.
Grains and Legumes
Buckwheat, corn, pearl millet, oats, rice, wheat, sunflowers, soybeans, black beans, mung.
Herbs and Spices
Basil, oregano, bay leaf, black cumin, dill leaves, lavender, licorice, poppy seed, celery.
This is the best time to enjoy sweet dairy products such as fresh homemade yogurt, buttermilk, milk, ghee, cottage cheese and ice cream on occasion. You can also indulge in organic unrefined natural sweeteners except honey and molasses (brown sugar) in moderation. You can also have cooling herbal teas like rose tea, mint tea, licorice tea, fennel tea, bacopa monnieri tea. You can also have sweet lassi, lemon water.
Avoid very spicy and oily food as it aggravates Pitta in body which increases heat.
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