IN the hot summer weather, many people lose their appetite and like to drink plenty of juice. But it's still important to eat well, as well as drinking a lot of water to compensate for lost fluids. According to Dr Emad Sobhi, an Egyptian consultant nutritionist, low-fat foods are suitable in the summer season, such as white cheese, watermelons and grapes. Watermelons and grapes provide the body with water and salts, while white cheese is rich in amino acids and salt, which is well absorbed because of the glucose in the watermelons, he adds. Drinking water is not enough to compensate for the water we lose due to sweating; we also need food that provides the body with the potassium, sodium, calcium and phosphate it needs. Dr Sobhi urges people to avoid eating fatty dairy products and meat in the summer, replacing them with vegetables such as cucumber and lettuce that contain a lot of water and fibre. He also recommends other salad vegetables of different colours, because they are highly nutritious. Dr Sohbhi stresses that eating fruit, particularly watermelons, apples and grapes, cools one down in the hot weather. As well as water and fibre, they also contain a lot of minerals and vitamins. “Drinking a lot of fizzy drinks is inadvisable, as this can lead to osteoporosis in the long run,” he warns.
