Background information
Not enough vitamin B12? These groups are at risk
by Moritz Weinstock
Can eating turn down the heat? 10 foods that keep you cool
5.8.2023
Translation: Julia Graham
Ayurveda, refresh me! These 10 foods are cooling and the perfect accompaniment to any summer meal.
Are you kapha, pitta, vata or another type of dosha? If that’s all gobbledegook to you, let me explain. In traditional Indian medicine, better known as Ayurveda, nutrition is dependent on your body type and temperature. Consequently, those who follow an Ayurvedic diet, or are an advocate of traditional Chinese medicine, attribute thermal properties to food. In plain terms, this means that some foods warm the body from the inside, while others cool it.
Generally speaking, hot, salty and sour foods warm the body, while sweet, bitter and tangy tastes have a cooling effect. Before your next midsummer dish brings you out in a sweat, try these ten cooling foods that are perfect for summer Ayurvedic cuisine.
Nutrition according to Ayurveda
But let’s cover the basics first. According to Ayurveda, the world is made up of the five elements: water, fire, ether (space), air and earth. Equally, humans are comprised of a combination of these elements, also known as the three doshas or life energies: vata (air and space), pitta (fire and water) and kapha (earth and water).
The goal of Ayurvedic nutrition is to balance the doshas in your body with the right foods.
Thermal properties of food according to Ayurveda
Proof that a dosha-balanced diet contributes positively to overall health is more anecdotal than scientific. However, what is scientifically backed up is the thermal property of food. In other words, which foods warm the body and which cool it.
This comparative study gives a good initial overview. Researchers seem to agree that carbohydrates, fats, caffeine, proteins, spiciness and foods that dilate the blood vessels generally heat the body up.
Meanwhile, alkaline and anti-inflammatory foods with a high water and fibre content have a cooling effect. Certain vitamins also play an important role, according to a study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Research. Vitamin B6 is said to have a warming effect, whereas vitamin B12 and folic acid tend to cool.
A study in the Metabolism journal confirms our theory surrounding the thermal properties of food. In this study, the authors found that ginger has a warming effect by stimulating thermogenesis, i.e. the body’s own heat production through metabolic activity.
Chilies, cinnamon and pepper were found to have the same effect on thermogenesis. Essentially, spices heat you up.
Eating to combat the heat: these foods cool you from the inside
What with summer and its high temperatures already in full swing, I’m finally getting round to shining the spotlight on foods that cool and refresh you from the inside. Sweet, bitter and juicy: these are the foods that’ll keep you going this summer.
1. Cucumbers
It won’t come as much surprise, but cucumbers have a cooling effect on your body. They’re 95% water and therefore the perfect refreshment for summer days – whether in a salad, as a snack or in a mocktail.
2. Watermelon
The water content in watermelon is, as the name suggests, over 90%. As a result, Ayurvedic tradition considers it the perfect thirst quencher, and it’s ideal for those warm days when all you want is to cool down. It’s also rich in vitamins, including folate (folic acid), which enhances the cooling effect further – even more so if you have it straight out of the fridge.
3. Strawberries
It’s not just their high water content but also their proportion of vitamins that single out strawberries as a cooling food. In hard figures, 100 g of strawberries contain a whole 65 mcg of folate, which boasts additional cooling properties. What’s more, the high vitamin C value in strawberries makes them a healthy accompaniment to hot days by the open-air pool.
4. Tomatoes
At the risk of sounding repetitive, the main reason tomatoes are cooling is because of their high water content. But tomatoes can do even more. They contain a variety of vitamins, trace elements and minerals – too many even to list in this article. Their ingredients include lycopene, beta carotene, vitamin E and vitamin C, which are anti-inflammatory. Tomatoes are also an alkaline food, which increases the cooling effect. Along with lettuce, cucumber and a squeeze of lemon juice, they’re an ideal meal for summer days.
5. Citrus fruit
Speaking of which, citrus fruit such as oranges, grapefruit and lemons are also the equivalent of hitting the cool down button for your body. Whether you enjoy these as freshly squeezed juice, in a salad or cut into wedges for snacking, it’s entirely up to you. In Ayurvedic nutrition, grapefruit in particular is considered an all-rounder. It’s said to not only cool but also stimulate digestion, help you maintain a healthy weight and remove toxins from the body.
6. Coconut
Coconuts come in various guises – as water, oil, yoghurt and raw fruit. Either way, in Ayurveda they hydrate the body and have a balancing effect on your temperature.
7. Mint
Mint is also one of the cooling foods according to Ayurvedic tradition. There’s a reason it’s one of the most popular accompaniments to summer drinks. This herb creates a cool sensation in the mouth. It’s all down to the menthol it contains, which activates the same sensory cells as cold. Mint is also said to have a detoxifying effect.
8. Green tea
Green tea, enjoyed cool or lukewarm, is another Ayurvedic hack for the heat. As this kind of tea is very bitter, it tends to be classified as a cooling food. According to Ayurveda, the drink has a refreshing, balancing and calming effect. To triple the cooling effect, you can make homemade iced tea with lemon and mint.
9. Sage
Sage is an essential in every summer kitchen. It makes a great addition to refreshing drinks as a lukewarm or cool tea, or as homemade sage syrup. Most of all, sage is known for its antiperspirant properties, which makes it the perfect addition on hot days.
10. Tofu
According to Ayurveda, one advantage of tofu is that it contains a lot of protein, which, unlike meat and fish, actually has a cooling effect on the body. In addition, tofu has a high isoflavone content. This natural chemical boasts an oestrogen-like structure and therefore combats hot flushes and sweating. All in all, a glowing recommendation for a cool Ayurvedic summer – in both senses of the word.
Header image: Shutterstock
Olivia Leimpeters-Leth
Autorin von customize mediahouse
oliver.fischer@digitecgalaxus.chI'm a sucker for flowery turns of phrase and allegorical language. Clever metaphors are my Kryptonite – even if, sometimes, it's better to just get to the point. Everything I write is edited by my cat, which I reckon is more «pet humanisation» than metaphor. When I'm not at my desk, I enjoy going hiking, taking part in fireside jamming sessions, dragging my exhausted body out to do some sport and hitting the occasional party.
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