10 Amazing Summer Foods for Kids to Keep Them Energetic
From: NDTV Food
By: Harnoor Channi-Tiwary
Here are 10 great summer foods that kids will love and keep them full of energy.
My usually-unfussy daughter has suddenly lost her appetite. Hours are spent on the dining table, ending with frustration, both at her end and mine. After a few days of this uncharacteristic behaviour, I decided to take a step back, assess the situation and discuss this with my pediatrician. It is then that we realised that the summer heat was to blame. It was sapping away her energy and her appetite too. Children are active and energetic, often expending more energy that what they take in. Add to that, the relentless summer heat and the dehydration it invariably causes. It thus becomes imperative to ensure that their nutrition is adjusted accordingly, to fuel them along.
1. Watermelon
Who doesn't like juicy, cooling watermelon? They may be available all year round at supermarkets nowadays, but it still is a treat to see the fresh local ones in stock when the summer rolls around. The bright red ones are usually the sweetest. Made up of 92% water, they are great for hydration and help clean out toxins from the body too. The Vitamin A content keeps the skin looking good. Here's a tip, look for one with a yellow splotch and which seems to be heavy for its size (there's a good chance it will be ripe and sweet).
2. Tomatoes
Here's a fun fact: Did you know that tomatoes are scientifically classified as a fruit and not a vegetable? Yes, that is correct. They help prevent skin pigmentation and tanning, something like a natural sunscreen. You could make a tomato juice or just serve raw slices as a salad or a snack.
3. Cucumber
The saying 'cool as a cucumber' doesn't come out of nowhere! This vegetable is popular on Indian dining tables as part of the 'green salad'. Summer months also bring in a cousin called 'kakdi' which is long and thin. Cucumbers help cool the body and have fiber which keeps constipation at bay. If your child is being fussy about food, just leave a bowl of cucumber sticks on her table and watch them disappear.
