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Eat for the Heat Choosing the right foods can keep it cool and healthy 
That frost-glazed carton of ice cream looks pretty tempting when the temperature matches your misery zone. Or maybe you want to drown your discomfort in a brew or two. You’ll find a lot of quick fixes that will cool you down in summer heat, but to maintain your good health, you’ll have to make some thoughtful picks. “You want foods that also offer nutrition, not just calories. Really high-calorie ice cream and lattes may not be the best choice,” says Heather Rae Mangieri, registered dietitian, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Fortunately you don’t have to spend a lot of time planning or cooking to eat healthful and light snacks and meals. Nutrition experts offer a couple of strategies to get you started. Think “S” for smoothies, salads and seafood, and for a refreshing treat, sorbet, not ice cream, says Mangieri, a Pittsburgh specialist in sports dietetics. You can also build warm-weather menus based on the five food groups, according to Toby Smithson, registered dietitian with the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center, Waukegan, Ill. Each food group – dairy, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and proteins – includes refreshing options, says Smithson, also an ADA spokesperson. She suggests such simple and fun foods as fruit and low-fat cheese kabobs with pretzel-stick skewers; yogurt, fruit and cereal parfaits and no-cook canned salmon salad. Mangieri’s vocabulary includes seafood spring rolls; smoothies using fruit, fat-free milk and fat-free yogurt; and a salad combination of greens, fruit and grilled chicken with a low-fat dressing. Along with what you eat, how you structure your meals can also affect how you feel during hot days. Although it’s tempting to skip meals, that strategy can backfire, say the nutrition experts. “I always advocate eating food throughout the day. When you skip meals and get home at 8 or 9 at night to a cooler house you get hungry and tend to eat a really big meal,” Mangieri says. In addition, don’t drink your calories to stay cool. You could be consuming far more calories than you think and still be hungry. “Your brain doesn’t register that you’re full,” Smithson says. Hydration is essential, but so is keeping an eye on calories. Sip ice tea or water with a lemon slice instead of alcoholic beverages or caloric soft drinks, Mangieri says. The following blueberry smoothie makes a wholesome snack alternative to rich ice cream. You can also serve it for breakfast along with a whole-wheat English muffin. Blueberry smoothie 3/4 cup nonfat milk, well chilled 1/4 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup fresh blueberries 2 ice cubes Combine milk, yogurt, cinnamon and blueberries in blender container. Puree. Serve immediately. Makes 1 serving. Serving has: 200 calories; 0.75 grams total fat; 10 grams protein; 39 grams carbohydrates; 7 milligrams cholesterol; 135 milligrams sodium and 3.5 grams dietary fiber. Note: If desired substitute 1 cup frozen blueberries and omit the ice cubes.
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Bev Bennett, a veteran food writer and editor, is the author of "Dinner for Two: A Cookbook for Couples" and "30-Minute Meals for Dummies"
