Tips for a healthy and balanced diet in summer

A summer ours as well way of eating like the type of food what we consume change. This is because during the holidays we have different schedules and another pace of life, and the heat makes us have less appetite or we only fancy cold dishes and drinks.

The ideal thing in summer is to follow a balanced diet with nutrient-dense, low-calorie recipes that they provide us energy at the same time as they are refreshing and help us keep going hydrated.

However, it is not enough to eat just anything that meets these requirements; rather, one must pay attention to our diet. As summer is the season when people tend to make the most plans, eat out more than usual, do less sport, and many people neglect their diet and tend to put on a few extra kilos.

That is why since Astrid Tapería Orgánica we want to share with you a series of healthy habits to maintain a healthy diet during the summer:

1. Stay hydratedHydration is essential in all seasons of the year. However, in summer, high temperatures and greater exposure to them make it necessary increase water intake and foods rich in it, such as fruit and vegetables.

2. Avoid heavy meals and opt for light, spaced-out mealsEating late, having few meals or very heavy ones not only contributes to putting on those dreaded extra pounds, but also causes a feeling of heaviness and tiredness. Therefore, the ideal approach is to have 5 light and refreshing meals. For example, a good breakfast, a piece of fruit mid-morning, a salad for lunch, iced tea and a handful of nuts for an afternoon snack, and a cold soup for dinner.

3. Eating out is no excuse to eat badly: there are numerous bars and restaurants like ours organic restaurant in Malaga where eating out and healthily is possible. You can order a salad or dishes made with seasonal greens, vegetables, and fruit, thus avoiding heavy dishes or those high in processed fats.

4. Keep exercisingwe know that the heat makes it harder to exercise and that the times when you can do it are restricted to early morning or late afternoon. However, this is no excuse since there are numerous activities that you can do in summer such as swimming, walking along the shoreline or going on mountain hikes that will allow you to keep fit whilst having fun and enjoying this time of year.

5. Cut out sugary drinks and ice creamin the heat you always fancy a chilled drink like a beer, a slushie or ice creams. They are drinks and foods especially related to this season. But you can have a refreshment without needing to consume too many calories by opting, for example, for diet soft drinks, fruit water, iced or herbal teas, slushies and homemade ice lollies.

6. Make the most of seasonal fruit and vegetablesthis season is abundant in vegetables and fruit, making it an ideal and healthy way to consume few calories while also refreshing and hydrating ourselves.

The best way to follow all the above advice and not increase the calorie intake of meals in summer is to prepare dishes as simple as possible. For example, vegetables are better raw than cooked and fruit in its natural state, thus we will make better use of their vitamins, minerals and water content.

If you live in Malaga or spend your summers here, don't forget to drop by and see our organic restaurant. We want to look after you, which is why we prepare breakfasts, dishes, drinks, desserts and menus with organic and seasonal food that allow you to enjoy the summer in a healthy and balanced way.