We naturally crave foods according to the season – comforting soups in the winter, sprouts and salads as spring starts to bloom, and – who are we kidding – ice cream in the summer! Our bodies are always seeking balance, so it makes sense that we’d crave foods to counteract the effect of the weather.

Ayurvedic practitioners, masters of seasonal eating, have these recommendations for eating cooling, summer food:

1.  Favor foods that are cool and liquid. Minimize foods that are hot.

2.  Favor foods that are sweet, bitter or astringent. Minimize foods that create heat (spicy, salty or sour).

3.  Light proteins are best – if you eat meat – fish and white meats in small amounts are best. Otherwise, light protein rich grains like quinoa are ideal.

4.  Coriander, mint, cardamom, and fennel are nice summer spices that can make you feel cooler than you are.

In addition, making most of your meals quick-cooking or no cooking will help retain much of the water content of fresh fruits and veggies with the added bonus of keeping you out of a hot kitchen! This summer try adding more fresh, seasonal foods to your diet… just think of how “cool” you’ll be!

Here are some of the cooling summer foods on sale at the local greenmarket this month:

Peaches
Nectarines
Plums
Apricots
Blueberries
Tomatoes
Zucchini
Yellow Summer Squash
Cherries
Cucumbers
Melons
Kale
Chard
Cabbage