Eat These Foods if You Want to Keep Your Summer Body Rockin'

With so many outdoor activities, barbeques and baseball games it can be easy to let yourself just eat whatever is available. Believe me, I love a big juicy burger as much as the next person! But to keep your system running smoothly you need to keep your nutrition in check and give yourself a variety of fruits, vegetables and proteins. I have compiled a list of the best foods for you to eat in the summer to keep your body in kickass shape!

The more abundant and intense the colors- the healthier the grub!

We spoke with expert dietician and founder of Working Class Wellness, Danielle McClure, MS. She gave us a few insights on her favorite things about food this season! "What I love about summertime foods is the amount of brightly colored chow. Vitamins, antioxidants, and phytochemicals [helpful non-nutrient compounds] are linked to the different hues of our foods. The more abundant and intense the colors- the healthier the grub!" And we have plenty of colorful options for you to feast on!

Corn on the cob

Corn is a natural diuretic and as an added benefit it’s delicious. Try to eat your corn with very little salt and butter, this will help keep your cholesterol low. Keeping your corn as naked and natural as possible will only allow your body to soak in all of its available fiber. Also, using yellow corn over white corn is suggested due to yellow corn’s high content of Vitamin A. Tip: Save some of your corn and you can use it in a salad or salsa later!

Watermelon

Just as its name suggests, watermelon is 90% water. This healthy choice is great to munch on to keep you hydrated when you’ve had a long hot day in the sun. Not to mention, it’s only a mere 44-calories per cup, enjoy! Tip: Watermelon has cancer-fighting lycopene, even more than a raw tomato.

Gazpacho

Although this dish might sound like one of the Muppets from Sesame Street, it’s actually a really yummy chilled soup! No one wants to stand over a boiling pot of liquids in the summer so that’s why gazpacho is a welcomed change and the perfect solution. Gazpacho is typically full of healthy ingredients like tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers and spices. Tip: Serve gazpacho with unsweet iced tea for a light and flavorful drink that is also low-calorie and high in fiber!

Grilled chicken kabobs

We all know that summer is the season of grilling! Chicken is one of the easiest and healthiest options when it comes time to spark the Barbie; chicken is packed with protein while staying low in calories, fat, and carbs. Tip: If you add red bell peppers to your skewers you will add a touch of sweetness and loads of Vitamin C.

Zucchini

This tasty delight is the perfect summer veggie! Any way that you look at it, raw, sliced, diced, grilled, zucchini is a must in the summertime. It has only 20 calories per cup, zero fat and cholesterol, and a whopping 35% of your daily-recommended intake of Vitamin C. "Zucchini is very versatile and has great flavor, especially when grilled. Subbing zucchini for noodles will give your summertime pasta dish a light, summery taste and save 30-90% of calories compared to traditional pastas. BONUS: Making 'zoodles' is a fun kitchen activity for kiddos" added McClure, MS. Tip: Save some of your grilled zucchini to diced into a salad or slice into a wrap later.

Here are a few of our favorite recipes for a delicious summertime meal:

Mexican Street Corn Salad - This is light and tasty! You can take this recipe and use your leftover corn on the cob to create a colorful second meal.

Summertime Gazpacho - If you've never had gazpacho this is the dish for you! It's a whirlwind of flavors and savory veggies. You'll thank us later!

Enchilada Zucchini Boats - Throw a healthy twist on a couple of already yummy dishes with this recipe! It's easy to take your love for mouth watering Mexican food and change it up by removing the carbs of the tortillas and adding some fresh zucchini! 

Fresh Watermelon, Feta and Mint Salad - All of the summer favorites are mixed together to create a colorful, healthy dish that will leave your guests coming back for more!

Bon Appetit, foodies!