With the weather getting warmer, proper nutrition and adequate water intake become even more important. It's easier to lose control, especially when you break your daily routine on holiday. Highlighting that a proper diet and sufficient fluid intake can help you get through hot summer days without any health issues, Fadıloğlu shared the following tips: "Consume fruits and vegetables high in vitamins, minerals, and water. Give importance to consuming ayran, cacık, and yogurt, which maintain electrolyte balance. Healthy smoothies can be made from vitamin C-rich fruits like strawberries, watermelon, and tomatoes, and leafy green vegetables. Instead of heavy and fatty foods that make digestion difficult, opt for grilled, boiled, or steamed fish, meat, and salads. Choose dairy desserts, frozen yogurt, and ice cream over very sugary and fatty desserts."
Portion control at buffets
Noting that hotel restaurants offering buffet meals appeal to many people but are risky in terms of portion control, Dr. Eylem Ezgi Fadıloğlu, Lecturer at Yaşar University's School of Applied Sciences, Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, said, "When dining at a buffet, portion control should be considered, and the consumption of high-calorie foods should be avoided as much as possible. Emphasize balanced and healthy eating, and pay attention to food diversity on the plate. A balanced menu consisting of protein groups like meat, chicken, and fish, and grain groups like vegetables, bulgur, quinoa, and rice should be preferred. Opting for à la carte restaurants instead of buffets also helps in maintaining portion control."
Stressing the rules that establishments must adhere to when hosting guests, Fadıloğlu said, "The quality of all products offered at the buffet should be continuously monitored, and care should be taken to keep hot dishes hot and cold dishes cold. Hygiene rules must be followed and the buffet must be sanitary. Staff should regularly wash their hands, food products should be protected, and serving areas should be kept clean."
Fadıloğlu continued, "Balanced and healthy eating also has a significant impact on managing chronic diseases. Diabetic patients should keep their blood sugar levels under control and prefer fruits with lower sugar content like strawberries and cherries over fruits with high sugar content like grapes and watermelon. Water or ayran should be chosen instead of sugary, acidic, and calorie-dense drinks."
Waters is a necessity anf medicine
Emphasizing that the body's most important need in hot weather is water, Fadıloğlu provided the following information: "With increasing temperature and humidity, our body loses more fluid and electrolytes through sweat, respiration, feces, and urine. As the body constantly sweats to maintain its temperature, mineral losses also occur, leading to fatigue, exhaustion, blood pressure instability, and arrhythmia. Therefore, in hot weather, regular water intake of 2-2.5 liters per day is recommended. Those who don't like drinking water can add lemon, mint, or fruit slices to their water; they can also consume ayran, kefir, cacık, and fresh fruit juices. Attention should also be paid to coffee and tea consumption in hot weather, as the caffeine in coffee can cause more fluid loss."