It's hot. Very hot. You struggle to cook good meals and yet nothing helps: Mini refuses to eat. When should you be concerned and how do you prevent it from running out of energy or nutrients?
Lack of appetite in the middle of a heat wave is nothing rare or exceptional. In fact, it is a natural phenomenon. The body is an amazing, high-performance machine that self-regulates to maintain internal temperature between 36.1 and 37.8°C.
Eating makes you hot
Digestion plays a very important role in this thermal function. If in winter we are instinctively pushed to ingest more calories, it is so that we can produce more energy and warm ourselves. On the contrary, in summer, the body does not want extra heat and helps us to limit it by cutting our appetite a little. This phenomenon is called thermoregulation.
Low appetite? Nothing out of the ordinary
During a heat wave, we would lose almost 20% of our appetite. Although this is a normal and common occurrence, care must be taken not to become dehydrated and care must be taken to absorb all the nutrients necessary for theproper functioning of the metabolism. Therefore, when the mercury rises, avoid overeating or choosing foods that are difficult to digest (such as protein).
How to eat well, despite everything
So how do you avoid undernourishment during a heat wave? The first thing is to split meals. Indeed, instead of 3 hearty meals, it is better to serve much lighter ones, even if it means increasing the number of snacks between each one.
Avoid
Hot, greasy or oily foods should be avoided. Instead, set your sights on fresh, raw fruits and vegetables that contain a lot of water. We think of tomato, lettuce, zucchini, melon, apple, strawberry, pear, etc.
Since chewing also contributes to the rise in body temperature, it is better to opt for liquid foods (smoothies, soups, etc.) and skip grilled meats, for example.
When to worry?
If your child is smiling, going about his business as usual, and doesn't seem to be lacking in energy, there's no reason to be alarmed. However, if he is apathetic, falls asleep all over the place, is pale and has a fever… a medical professional should be consulted.
Nice recipes
Besides the fact that we must drink enough water (we are talking about 1.5L to 2L per day) and that breastfed children mustmore frequently, here are some light and nutritious recipe ideas that are perfect for hot days and that little ones should not mind eating.
Pea cream with mint
Ingredients
- 300 g of peas shelled fresh
- 5 cl of heavy cream
- mint leaves
- S alt
- A few drops of lemon juice
Preparation
- Cook the peas in a pan of s alted boiling water for 5 minutes (they must be tender). Immerse immediately after cooking in ice water. Drain.
- Add the cream, the mint, the lemon juice, mix, adjust the seasoning and set aside in the fridge. Serve with breadsticks.
Gaspacho with cream cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber
- 500 g of cherry tomatoes
- 2 slices of sandwich bread
- 2 peppers
- 150 g goat cheese cheese
- 1/2 tsp chilli
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs
- 2 white onion
- Coarse s alt
- S alt
- Pepper
Preparation
- Take the vegetable soup again and add 100 g of goat cheese, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, s alt, pepper and chilli according to your taste. Mix again then refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Take the 50 g ofremaining goat cheese, form small balls by rolling them in the palm of your hand. On a plate, arrange the breadcrumbs and roll the goat cheese balls to completely cover them. Chill them for 1 hour.
- Pour the gazpacho into a bowl, distributing the goat cheese balls and sprouts. Serve the gazpacho chilled.
Kids Salad – Crunchy Sesame Flavor
Ingredients
- 500 ml (2 cups) baby spinach, washed
- 500 ml (2 cups) bean sprouts, washed
- 1 large carrot, cut into ribbons
- 1 yellow beet, grated or thinly sliced
- 60 ml (¼ cup) pumpkin seeds
Vinaigrette
- 45 ml (3 tablespoons) canola oil
- 10 ml (2 tsp) toasted sesame oil
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) rice vinegar
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) sodium-reduced soy sauce
- 10 ml (2 tsp) honey
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- Black pepper, to taste
- Water or pineapple juice (optional)
Preparation
- In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients.
- In a small bowl, beat the ingredients for the vinaigrette with a whisk. If needed, add a splash of water or pineapple juice to bulk up the dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the salad, then mix well.
Sources: Physiopathology and prevention of disorders related to heat exposure orcold, Skin biology, E-He alth.
