News alert: you WILL have temptations to cheat this summer. That’s just human nature. For starters, it’s sunny and warm. Secondly, there’s BBQ’s every weekend (sometimes twice a week). But don’t feel guilty about what you eat this summer, just adapt.
There’s foods and ways to keep that belly from reappearing. And don’t worry, you can still indulge with the burgers and hot dogs on Fourth of July. Here’s several summer foods that you help you keep the fat off and help you to enjoy the season.
Fruits Fruits and More Fruits
Nothing tastes better in the summer than fresh fruits. Of course, the king of them all is the watermelon. And yes, you could have this without guilt. Actually you should eat as much fruit as possible. For instance, the watermelon will keep your body cool and hydrated. That also means you will eat less. Raspberries are the the best summer fruit when it comes to fiber. Eat those as much as possible because those little red berries will help boost your weight-loss. Lastly, you should also eat tart cherries. The fruit has a number of benefits such as easing the post-workout pain and help you sleep. It also revs up the fat burning and decreases fat storage.
Alternative Sweeteners
The major thing that kills all diets is the sugar intake. And during the summer, you will be tempted to sweeten your iced teas and iced coffees. Now it’s time to sway from ingesting pure cane sugar. There’s a number of healthy alternatives to making your cold summer drinks taste sweet. From now on, try using agave, honey, cinnamon, maple syrup and apple sauce. The best of the bunch is agave. The natural sweetener comes from Mexican plants and chock-filled with nutrients and vitamins that will boost your immune system. Even more, the agave tastes even better than pure sugar cane. The agave nectar is the critical part of the skinny margarita. Just saying.
Embrace the Science
The hallmark of summer foods is the burger and meats. The biggest trend these days is the rise of lab-based food. There’s companies like Beyond Meat that produce plant-based meats that have been trending a many U.S. restaurants and consumers. The prices are steep but the meats — such as grilled strips, burger patties and sausages — are some of the juiciest and healthiest you will eat. And it’s great for the environment. “Once clean meat is commercially available and is offered alongside conventional meat — and consumers are thereby informed of all its advantages — we at GFI have no doubt that consumers will opt for the former,” Bruce Friedrich, co-founder and executive director of The Good Food Institute, told The Boss Magazine.
Try to Find Kohlrabi
This veggie produce is trending for many farm-to-table fans and jump on the bandwagon. The German turnip is different from its traditional form as it’s mild and lightly sweet. It’s also very rich in vitamin C, offering more per serving than an orange. There’s several variations of the vegetable from green to purple but the tastes remain the same. The key for the best flavor of the veggie is pull off the outer tough layers and get to the juicy white meat in the middle. Its best served sautéed and grilled.
Eat All the Seaweed You Can
This is an old trend that never dies. The inclusion of seaweed in any meal will add a distinct flavor but also give you a boat-fill of nutrients that will spark your metabolism. The seaweed is a mainstay for sushi and poke bowls, but you could add to any meal or salad. There’s loads of omega-3 fats, fiber and vitamins A and C. Moreover it’s sustainable. “Sustainability is an essential seasoning in modern cuisine, and few ingredients deliver as high a dose of feel-good flavor, “ Barton Seaver, a sustainable food professor at Harvard, told CookingLight.com. “And as sea greens are loaded with umami, they provide a perfect platform for other ingredients to shine.”
The days of struggling with the perfect and healthy summer meal are over. No more sacrificing health for flavor.
Image credit: Ted Major [Flickr]
