It's hard to cope with high temperatures during a heatwave, especially when you don't know what to eat or drink! While it's tempting to drink cold, it's better to avoid it, just like many foods. Here's the lowdown!
With the hottest day ever recorded in France set to take place this Monday, July 18, 2022, it can be hard toadapt our bodies to high temperatures. Even if our appetite is generally weaker when it's hot, we still need to eat, and above all stay hydrated! But we sometimes have the wrong reflexes, such as drinking cold to cool down. We take a look at the foods and drinks to avoid in the middle of a heatwave.
Drinks to avoid:
- alcoholic beverages: alcohol doesn't keep you hydrated, so avoid drinking it when it's very hot, especially during the day, as it brings heat to the body and causes digestive discomfort, insomnia and headaches
- sweet drinks: sodas, fruit juices and milkshakes are very high in sugar, making you want to drink even more.
- tea and coffee: these two popular beverages are diuretic and dehydrate the body
- very cold drinks: extreme temperatures are not only bad for digestion, they also require more energy from the body to adapt - just like a cold shower!
In short, there's nothing like a glass of room-temperature water or lemonade to keep you hydrated and quenched!
Foods to avoid:
- red meat: richer in fat, it forces the body to raise its temperature and work harder to digest it
- fried foods and cold cuts: full of fat and salt, they dehydrate and dry out the body, making them difficult to digest
- spicy foods: they increase the sensation of thirst, weaken the digestive system and create a feeling of internal heat
- hard cheeses: rich in fat and containing very little water
- Dishes that are too cold: as with cold drinks! Also, be careful with ice cubes outside, as ice cube trays are loaded with bacteria.
- sugar: stimulates thirst
- complex carbohydrates: pasta, rice and bread are quite hard to digest, so eat in moderation.
We therefore prefer light, fresh meals based on fruit and seasonal vegetables, even if these foods in small quantities are not dangerous.
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