EAT RIGHT, EAT LIGHT

Light meals are the answer to fight the summer sun. A heavy lunch will only zap your energy and leave you feeling too full and lazy. Eat right for the season by adding these essentials in your diet. sanjeev kapoor tells us which foods are must on the summer list.

MANGOES:

Dont we love the juicy king of fruits? Mangoes are enriched with vitamin A that is good for eye sight and also improves formation of healthy epithelium to keep away common infectons. the unripe mango also protects from the adverse effects of hot scorching winds.

MILK:

With every mango you eat, drink a glassful of milk. Mango has sugars but no protein. Milk has the latter but not the former. So why not combine them? A mango milk shake is the best because it will give your body the best nourishment for the summer.

CUMIN:

You need not use just the roasted cumin powder for your panna, raitas and buttermilk. You can also use cumin seeds in the tempering of summer veggies.

MINT:

Mint or pudina definitely adds a new dimension to chutneys. and pudina chutney adds a perk to your sandwiches and snacks. A few leaves of pudina crushed and added to buttermilk leave a lingering tasty coolness on the plate.

CUCUMBERS:

Having a cucumber is like sipping a glass of chilled water. It is refreshing and cooling. Rich in potassium and sodium, cucumbers are boon when the weather gets dehydrating.

CURD:

Make a fresh bowful everyday at home. Drink it in the form of lassi or buttermilk. Have it as raita or have it plain. Your grandma's right when she says its good for you. Eat it the way you like it.

LEMON:

Lemons are precious commodity in the summer. They are treasure troves of vitamin C and a must in evry home. Either have lemonade or use the juice in your dal and veggies. But lemons are something that take the burnt of the summer heat.

WATER MELON:

These sometimes take the back seat as the mangoes dominate the fruit basket. But if you make it a point to bring home the melons, rest assured, they will get polished off in no time. Water melons are moisture rich fruits that are a boon in the summer when someone wants to keep the diet light. A good addition to salads both sweet and savoury and also as juice and of course, just plain fruit instead of dessert.

A word of advice to wind up: Meat and heat dont go well together. Go for slow on the rich gravies and red meat. Have chicken and fish either grilled or in soups. Deep fried stuff like samosas, kachoris and bhajias are the best left for the monsoon and cold winter. All that grease will do your stomach (and your skin) no good.