Through smart dietary choices, you can have meals that sit easy on your stomach. (Generated using AI)Summer causes our digestive system to become more sensitive at higher temperatures. We complain about bloating, gas and acidity because of both heat and the combination of inadequate hydration, irregular eating habits and consumption of heavy oily foods. However, through smart dietary choices, you can have meals that sit easy on your stomach.Start Your Day Right: Light and Hydrating BreakfastYour breakfast determines your digestive system functioning, so you should consume light meals that have a cooling effect and are easily digestible during the summer months. Choose fresh seasonal fruits, which include watermelon, papaya and muskmelon, together with soaked almonds (4-6) which provide healthy fats and sustained energy. You can have a bowl of curd together with poha or vegetable dalia. Papaya has special advantages because its digestive enzymes prevent bloating while curd delivers probiotics which enhance gut health and decrease gas production.Mid-Morning Snack: Keep it CoolLong gaps between meals create acid build-up which makes mid-morning snacks essential for maintaining digestive stability. Summer weather benefits from light and refreshing options which include buttermilk (chaas) with roasted cumin and mint, a small bowl of cucumber or watermelon slices and lemon water with a pinch of black salt. Buttermilk serves as the ultimate summer superfood because it helps cool the body, supports digestion and provides instant acidity relief.Lunch: Balanced, Light and Gut-FriendlyLunch should include wholesome food because it needs to provide fibre content for hydration needs and protein sources that are simple to process. Fibre acts like a sponge, absorbing water in the digestive tract to form a gel-like substance that aids digestion and moves waste through the body. Summer lunches need to contain one to two chapatis or a small portion of steamed rice, which must be accompanied by either moong dal or masoor dal because these options are easier to digest. The addition of lauki, tori (all gourds) and pumpkin is a perfect solution because these vegetables contain high water content and are easily digestible. Complete with a bowl of curd or raita combined with a fresh salad, which includes cucumber and carrot and a dash of lemon.Evening Snack: Smart and SatisfyingPeople who experience hunger during the evening tend to make unhealthy food selections like fried snacks and packaged foods that cause digestive issues through gas and acidity.People can choose between roasted makhana or chana and a fruit smoothie made with curd (while avoiding milk-based shakes in peak heat). Herbal teas like peppermint or fennel reduce bloating.Dinner: Early, Light, and SimpleDinner should be the lightest meal of the day, especially during summer, when people experience their slowest digestion through the night. The body maintains its digestive comfort after eating vegetable khichdi with ghee, moong dal cheela with mint chutney or light vegetable soup with sautéed vegetables. People should schedule their dinner at least 2-3 hours before their bedtime because late-night dining causes acidity.Story continues below this adBefore Bed: Calm Your GutA small habit before sleep can make a big difference in maintaining digestive comfort. Sipping warm water with a pinch of fennel powder or simply chewing a few fennel seeds can be particularly beneficial.General Tips to Avoid Bloating and AcidityThe body needs 2.5 to 3 litres of water daily because proper hydration supports digestion while preventing stomach acidity. Eating slowly and chewing your food properly helps your body break it down more efficiently, which reduces the chances of bloating.A summer diet does not need to restrict all food choices because it only requires people to select their meals in a mindful way. Your body will experience better results when you consume foods that are fresh and seasonal and processed at the lowest possible level.(Kathuria is a clinical dietician) © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Superfood