5 foods to avoid in the summer

Beef

Eating a burger with beef in it may sound great, but it can actually cause your body temperature to rise. Foods high in protein and fat increase your body temperature as you digest them.

They move slowly through your digestive system, causing your body to use more energy. However, this temperature spike is not enough to make you sweat and cool down like when you eat spicy food on a hot day.

Tea and coffee

Your favorite morning beverage is a diuretic, so it’s not the best way to start a hot summer day. Diuretics make you go to the bathroom more often, releasing more salt and water, and you’ll become dehydrated in the process. So instead of tea and coffee, drink fresh fruit juice in the morning.

Oatmeal

Complex carbs like oatmeal, brown rice, and whole grains are similar to protein-rich foods. They are difficult for the body to digest and work overtime, causing a slight increase in body temperature.

Asparagus

Asparagus is available in the spring and is not ideal to eat at any other time of the year. You may still find it in early summer but it may not taste as good as usual. You can substitute other vegetables that are available in the summer such as beans and peas.

Shellfish

Shellfish have seasons, just like fruits and vegetables. Shellfish are considered “off-season” when they are in spawning season, which usually occurs in the summer for most clams, mussels, and oysters.

Harvesting shellfish too early before they have a chance to spawn can be a health risk. Plus, they don't taste as good while they're spawning.