Food for Thought: Eating for Summer

 

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Food for Thought: Eating for Summer

When eating along with the seasons, there are two elements that should be taken into account. The "nature" of the food and the "flavor" of the food. The nature of the food refers to the foods innate temperature ie: cold, hot, warm, cool or neutral.  According to Chinese Medicine, eating a moderate amount of all flavors including sweet, salty, pungent, bitter and sour, can help to keep your body balanced and regulated.

Summer is actually divided into two categories. The first category is the early part of the summer, which is the transition from Spring to the Summer Solstice. The second category is classified as Late Summer. This is when summer wanes into the real "dog days" or the hottest days of the season..

In general, eating light and easily digestible foods are most important. Fruits and vegetables are at their greatest peak, giving us an abundance of choices for eating the right way.

It is particularly important to avoid overeating, especially as the summer moves on. Therefore, heavy, greasy fried foods should be avoided as they tax the heart, small intestines, stomach, and spleen. Foods that are cooling in nature are what the body craves.

Although the temptation for ice cold drinks, ice cream, and other frozen treats seem to be appropriate, moderation is very important. Eating too much cold or raw foods can injure the spleen and stomach, cause headaches, upset digestion, and slow metabolism.

In Chinese Medicine, a bitter taste is attributed to the heart and small intestine while sweet taste attunes to the spleen and stomach. Therefore, adding some bitter foods in your diet during early summer and more sweet tasting foods in late summer, can improve the body's function. 

Consider watermelons, honeydew, and cantaloupe. These fruits, in particular, have a tendency to clear summer heat, cool inflammation and benefit the stomach. 

Juice therapy is a great way to take advantage of seasonal fruits and vegetables and helps your daily nutrition. You might also consider drinking mint, chamomile, and chrysanthemum teas.

Food as Medicine

Written in 203 AD, the Taisho Tripitaka contains a Buddhist sutra called "The Sutra Containing Pronouncements of Buddha on Buddhist Medicine" (adapted from Paul Unschuld's "Medicine in China: A History of Ideas")

Buddha says: "There are nine causes for the premature, unexpected end to human life." The first five of these are related to how we choose to eat and are listed here. The others are related to proper conduct:

1. It is not recommended eating foods which are out of season or improper for you as an individual. 

2. It is not necessary to eat beyond your comfort zone or more than you should.

3. You should avoid eating at inappropriate times (other than breakfast, lunch, dinner) and eating a large number of foods your body is not yet used to consuming. 

4. It is not advised to eat again before you have finished digesting your previous meal, as well as eating when you are not hungry. 

5. It is not advised to suppress elimination and defecation.

Consider eating these foods for Summer:

1. Foods for summer are cool or cold in temperature and should be eaten in moderate amounts. Foods that are more cooling in nature are bamboo shoot, banana, bitter gourd, clams, crab, grapefruit, lettuce, persimmon, salt, seaweed, star fruit, sugar cane, water chestnut, watermelon, lotus root, cucumber, barley, bean curd, chicken egg whites, marjoram, oysters, pear, peppermint, radish, strawberry, tangerine, yogurt, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, corn, tomatoes, pineapple, turmeric.

2. Grilling is a big part of summer eating yet, grilling often dries out the natural juices in food. If you grilled or fry meats in summer, serve them with cooling, moisturizing fruits and vegetables such as cucumber, kiwi, mango, papaya, pineapple, squash, and tomatoes. These fruits and vegetables can be lightly grilled or marinated in a side salad or side dish as they complement the drying effects of grilled meats.

3. Keep food out of the sun. Direct sunlight causes the immediate loss of vital essences or vitamins and can spoil food. Consider keeping foods refrigerated until they are ready to be served, especially foods containing mayonnaise, oils, vinegar or sauces.

4. Enjoy vegetables such as bamboo, sprouts, bok choy, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, corn, cucumbers, mushrooms, snow peas, spinach, summer squash, water crest, seaweeds, potatoes, and mung beans.

5. Eat spices, condiments, olive oil and herbs such as cilantro, mint, and dill.