In summer, with the highest temperatures and the increase in sunlight hours, our diet changes considerably compared to winter, according to a study carried out. We show you what we improve and what we have left to improve in our food at this time of year.

What summer has allowed us to improve

Along with the heat and greater exposure to the sun our whole body experiences a change at the emotional and physical level that allows us to modify our diet in favor of health in some aspects.

For example, we tend to eat more fruits and vegetables, which because of their high water content and freshness we feel like this season. This behavior contributes to our obtaining more vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, benefiting our body in different ways.

Likewise, we increase spontaneously the intake of water, in response to the increase in the loss of liquids by sweating, thus achieving an intake much higher than that reached in winter. With this higher intake of water we favor hydration which in turn can also benefit the diet and the maintenance of an adequate body weight.

Also, if, like me, they are assiduous chefs at home, they will know that in summer they increase the cold preparations rich in good nutrients and with a high water content such as soups and cold creams, salads, smoothies and similar that can increase the nutritional density of the diet and not worry about the amount we eat.

What we still have to improve

Although summer can help us achieve an intake of healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and preparations that contain them, it can also harm our diet in other aspects. Thus, what we still need to improve includes the intake of caloric beverages, the consumption of ice cream, fried foods and other typical preparations of beach bars.

So, we still have to learn to control the consumption of high-calorie drinks derived from alcohol and sugar as well, such as summer red wine or beer, typical of this time of year that we can drink daily and thus, add great amount of energy without good nutrients to the diet.

On the other hand, preparations rich in added sugars and fats such as ice cream, so consumed in summer can also be causing imbalances in our diet and above all, increase energy intake without providing good nutrients to the body.

Also, the tapas that accompany the beer, the fried fish along with the summer red and other caloric preparations, full of fat and sodium or, of sugars that we usually consume on the beach or as tourists while we are on vacation and look for options fast, are factors that spoil our diet and that do not allow us to see the benefits of the positive changes that we named earlier of the summer diet.

In these cases, we can opt for the healthier alternatives of beach chiringuitos, also by homemade ice creams that have less added sugars or do without them altogether, and where possible, choose very carefully looking well at the nutrients beyond the calories at the time of eating while sightseeing or, when we choose tapas.

The summer can be a good time to improve our habits, so, do not stop paying attention to your diet if you want to look better this season and all year.