Healthy eating: Immunity boosting summer foods to incorporate into your diet

A low appetite and digestive issues are common complaints in the summer. This is why it's important to consume light and cooling foods in the hotter months. Luckily, the hot season also arrives with a plethora of fresh, colourful foods that are perfect to satiate your appetite and thirst.

Also watch: Food swaps that will let you enjoy summer delicacies guilt-free!

If you want to boost your immunity in the summer without heating up your body, here are the nutritional superstars you should add to your summer diet:

CUCUMBER

Cooling cucumbers aren’t just super hydrating but also loaded with Vitamins A, B, C, K, manganese, copper and potassium. Together, these nutrients play an important role in maintaining a healthy immune system.

WATERMELON

Sweet, juicy and refreshing, watermelons are also a powerhouse of nutrition. They are about 92 per cent water but still rich in vitamin A, C and B6 as well as potassium making them a low-calorie immunity booster.

BOTTLE GOURD

You might have heard about the numerous benefits of drinking lauki juice, and truly bottle gourd in any form offers an array of benefits. The water-rich lauki is rich in dietary fibre, Vitamin C, riboflavin, zinc, iron, magnesium and manganese. Need we say more?

CITRUS FRUITS

Lemons, oranges or tangerines, all citrus fruits are great sources of vitamin C. Additionally, they are also high in phytonutrients, such as carotenoids, flavonoids, and polyphenols which act as antioxidants to protect the body.

MANGO

Everyone’s favourite summer fruit, mango is also a pulpy powerhouse of health. Mango facilitates healthy digestion, contains prebiotic dietary fibre and will take care of about two-thirds of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C.

MINT

A cooling herb known for its medicinal power, load up on mint in summer. It is anti-inflammatory, soothes upset tummies and provides an enormous amount of vitamin A.

GARLIC

Although available round-the-year, garlic is a summer harvest. Each clove of garlic packs a big dose of calcium and vitamins B & C. It also helps fight off bacteria, thanks to the presence of phytochemical allicin.

Also watch: Quench your thirst with these hydrating summer drinks