Eat cold food when it's (too!) hot

Have you ever wondered why? When it's hot in the summer, you may not want to eat as much. Studies of military personnel deployed to countries with record high temperatures have shown that our appetite - defined as our desire for food or the pleasure we find in eating - is reduced by about 20%.

Should you be worried? And what if you don't feel like eating and you don't want to run out of energy when you feel like working out?

Eating produces heat.

In the 1990s, several research teams were interested in the biological principle of thermoregulation. Basically, we know that when we eat food, it is transformed into energy that fuels our brain, our organs, and our muscles. But this energy is also used to create heat, which regulates body temperature. Their hypothesis was that when it is cold outside, humans tend to increase their food consumption to produce heat. Conversely, when it is hot, we would need less food to keep warm.

Hunger and Appetite.

While the explanation may seem logical at first glance, it is not as simple as that. There are many other external factors that can affect our desire to eat. For example, in a heat wave, cold foods (like ice cream) are more likely to make our mouths water than hot foods (like a big bowl of soup). And whether it's hot or not, our body will still send us a biological signal that it's hungry when it needs energy.

The desire to eat cold food.

One thing everyone agrees on is that eating warm food when it's too hot outside is downright uncomfortable. You can therefore opt for light meals or several snacks throughout the day, without having to eat everything on your plate. Eat less, but better! Make sure you have nutritious and balanced snacks that will complement your meals and help meet your needs.

When hiking or doing outdoor sports, we opt for small meals or snacks more often during the day. Cold meals such as cold pasta, rice or vegetable salads are great nutritious and tasty options. A good example is my cold, spicy edamame salad with frozen dressing! Totally refreshing!

Sandwiches will also be popular. Top them with a cold protein or marinated tofu and you're done! For dessert or snacks, lightly glazed fruits and "nice cream" recipes will always hit the spot. Many fruits and vegetables contain a lot of water: vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, celery), fruits (citrus fruits, apples, grapes, melons, peaches, strawberries, raspberries), yogurt and smoothies. Think about serving them more often since it's like hydrating yourself while eating!

Water is always essential. You should drink it regularly during and after training to avoid dehydration. However, it is best to limit the consumption of fruit juices and sugary drinks, which are not very nutritious, and which suppress hunger.

Cold and spicy edamame salad with frozen dressing

For frozen dressing cubes

• 75 ml (1/3 cup) rice vinegar
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) sugar
• 5 ml (1 tsp) sambal oelek

For cold and spicy salad

• 125 g (about 3 nests) rice vermicelli
• 1 carrot, julienned (or grated)
• 375 mL (1 1/2 cups) frozen edamame (do not thaw)
• 250 mL (1 cup) napa cabbage, thinly sliced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally.
• 15 mL to 45 mL (1 to 3 tbsp.) dry roasted peanuts, unsalted
• 15 mL (1 tbsp.) fresh mint, chopped (leaves from 2 stems approx.)
• Grated zest of 1 lime
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Mix dressing ingredients in a bowl until sugar is dissolved. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze for at least 24 hours.
2. Fill a thermos container with ice and set aside. **
3. Rehydrate rice vermicelli according to package instructions. Drain and cut into pieces about 5 cm (2.5 inches) long.
4. Mix the salad ingredients in a salad bowl. Empty the thermos container and put the salad in it. Add 2 to 3 cubes of dressing. Reseal the container Keep very cold from 4 to 6 hours.

** It is strongly recommended to cool the thermos container with ice in order to keep the food colder for longer!

References:
C Peter Herman. 1993. “Effects of Heat on Appetite”. Dans Nutritional Needs in hot Environments: Applications for Military Personnel in Field Operations. Marriott BM, editor: Institute of Medicine, Committee on Military Nutrition Research. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US).