Foods to Cool You from the Inside Out

When you’re melting into the pavement it’s normal to crave a frosty treat or a tall glass of ice water. But cold or frozen foods aren’t always the right choice. According to the ancient energy balancing philosophy of Ayurveda, you can keep cool by regulating your body temperature and dampening Pitta (fire energy), from within, energetically instead of thermogenically, with food or drink that are cooling but not necessarily cold.

Energetic cooling, according to Ayurveda, comes from a Ph-balanced liver. Foods that lean toward higher Ph-scales, the alkaline part of the scale, include bitter greens such as spinach, beet greens, watercress and Swiss chard. Citrus fruits are usually more acidic, but some, like lime, neutralize pH, so a squeeze of lime over your food or lime water is a great cooling summertime drink regardless of your dosha.

Here’s a short list of more Pitta energy-cooling foods:
• Avocado
• Melon
• Cilantro
• Mint
• Cucumber
• Coconut
• Nectarines
• Cherries
• Grapes
• Pears
• Mango
• Plums
• Herbal Tea
• Broccoli
• Zucchini
• Chickpeas
• Butter
• Milk
• Rice