Ice cream and beer don

Most people associate summer with ice cream, which gives us a feeling of coolness, although that's not actually true. Chilled ice cream really does cool us for a short time, but after just a few seconds the effect is reversed. Foods rich in proteins and fats activate the entire digestive tract, which requires extra energy, and as a result, the body actually heats up.

It's similar with beer. Beer causes dehydration, expands blood vessels, and increases the feeling of heat on the skin. Capillaries on the face are particularly problematic, so cold beer is more likely to cause a flush than to cool you down.

Red wine also raises body temperature. In fact, all alcoholic drinks have a similar effect, except for vodka. Vodka is among the rare alcoholic drinks that constrict blood vessels, but at the same time, it raises blood pressure.

The feeling of body heat is also caused by spices, especially chili, pepper, ginger… and more. Chili even stimulates sweating, which cools the skin, but the effect on the whole body is the opposite. In summer, if possible, avoid Mexican and Asian food.

The effect of food on the feeling of heat and cold has already been considered by Chinese nutritionists 3000 years ago. At that time, food was connected with the five basic elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water), and they developed the theory that people should eat food according to the season. In winter, food that digests more slowly is recommended, while in summer, we should eat water-based foods.

Among the foods that cool us down the most, watermelon, melons, and strawberries top the list; all green vegetables, cucumbers, zucchini, and broccoli are also highly recommended, and all citrus fruits have a strongly cooling effect as well.

In general, we could say that foods that are green and yellow cool you, while red and orange foods warm you up.

You’ll benefit the most if you eat as much raw food as possible in the summer.

Information on this website is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.