- Apr 16, 2025
10+ Vietnamese Body-Cooling Foods You Might Not Know
When the days are very hot, our bodies can easily get out of balance and feel more tired than usual. To deal with this heat, many people look for foods that help cool down the body as a natural way, instead of just using ice water or air conditioning. Making a few small changes to what we eat every day – choosing the right foods in the right way – can help our bodies feel lighter, our skin feel calmer, and our mood become better.
In this article, let's look at some common foods with CHUS that are very good at cooling us down – they are simple, easy to find, and good for our health.
Cooling foods for hot days – easy to find and good for your health
Body Cooling Foods and Have Lots of Water
When the weather is hot and sunny, our bodies can easily lose water. Instead of just drinking ice water, try eating foods that have a lot of water. These refreshing summer foods can help your body cool down naturally and also give you extra vitamins and minerals.
1. Watermelon - One of the Best Cooling Foods
Watermelon is a great choice to cool you down in the summer because it's mostly water – about 91%! Besides water, watermelon also has a little bit of carbohydrate (7.5%) and very few calories. It has almost no protein or fat.
Because it has so much water, watermelon helps your body get the water it needs. It also makes you feel refreshed and good. You can eat watermelon as it is or make it into juice to quench your thirst. It's a perfect way to cool down on hot days.
2. Cucumber
Cucumber is a really good food for cooling down your body. It has a lot of water – about 95% – which helps your body stay hydrated, lowers your temperature, and gets rid of bad stuff. Because it cools you down naturally, cucumber can also help with uncomfortable feelings from being too hot inside, like heartburn. Vitamin C and potassium in cucumbers are good for your skin, help keep your blood pressure normal, and protect your heart.
Also, cucumber helps your digestion work well and stops you from getting constipated because it has fiber and pectin. Importantly, it has very few calories and makes you feel full, so cucumber is a smart choice if you want to lose weight in a healthy way.
Cucumber cools the body, hydrates skin, and supports healthy weight loss
3. Cantaloupe (or Muskmelon)
Cantaloupe is another great food for cooling your body because it has a lot of water, which helps you stay hydrated and feel less hot. Plus, cantaloupe has beta-carotene, which is good for your eyesight and makes your immune system stronger. The Vitamin C in cantaloupe not only helps your skin look better but also helps your body make collagen and keeps your blood vessels healthy, which is good for your whole body.
Cantaloupe also has a lot of potassium, which helps keep your blood pressure normal and protects your heart. So, cantaloupe is not just a refreshing snack, but it also gives you many benefits for your overall health.
4. Luffa (or Sponge Gourd)
Having a cool luffa soup or a plate of stir-fried luffa with garlic in the summer is like a lifesaver! Luffa doesn't just help you cool down quickly, but it also gives you vitamin A, C, antioxidants, and fiber, which helps your digestion work smoothly and keeps constipation away.
Also, luffa can help clean your body, cool you down, reduce swelling, and treat coughs and pimples. In traditional medicine, luffa is even seen as a "wonder medicine" that cools your blood and makes your skin look nice. That's why luffa is always a must-have cooling food in the summer
Luffa cools the body, clears skin, aids digestion, and detoxes in summer
Fruits Rich in Vitamins & Antioxidants
5. Citrus Fruits (Oranges, Lemons, Grapefruit)
Oranges, lemons, and grapefruit are like quick and refreshing "friends" that cool your body down in the summer. They taste fresh and are also very good for you. Besides their pleasant sweet and sour taste, they are also great for cooling you down and helping your body feel less hot and sticky in the summer. Especially, because they have a lot of Vitamin C, oranges, lemons, and grapefruit help boost your immune system, acting like "bodyguards" that protect you from colds and other hot-weather illnesses.
They also help clean your body, can make your skin look brighter, prevent aging, and are a must-have in salads, juices, and refreshing drinks. For sure, nothing feels better than sipping on a cool glass of grapefruit juice on a summer day!
6. Mint
When it's hot in the summer, just smelling mint can make you feel fresh! Mint is really a "lifesaver" food for cooling down your body on those scorching hot days. Thanks to its amazing menthol oil, it gives you an instant cool feeling. Just drinking a sip of cold mint tea or simply putting a few leaves in your water can make all the heat disappear.
Not only is mint super good at cooling you down, but it's also a great "friend" to your digestive system. It helps your stomach feel calm and says "bye-bye" to uncomfortable bloating, making you feel light and comfortable inside and out!
Mint refreshes, cools the body fast, aids digestion, and eases summer discomfort
Foods Rich in Electrolytes
7. Coconut Water
Coconut water is definitely a must-have cooling food for hot summer days! After spending time in the strong sun, our bodies can easily lose water and a lot of important electrolytes. Coconut water not only helps you get water back but is also seen as a food that cools your body, helps clear heat, and soothes your body from the inside out.
With 94% water, coconut water really helps you quench your thirst and also refills potassium, sodium, and magnesium – the electrolytes your body loses when you sweat. Taking a sip of coconut water makes tiredness disappear, and your body feels refreshed and balanced right away.
8. Celery
Celery is a great way to give your body moisture on hot summer days because it's about 95% water. Besides that, this vegetable is also full of potassium, an important mineral that helps keep your electrolytes balanced, especially after your body has been active or you've been sweating.
You can easily add this cooling food to your daily meals by putting it in fresh salads, making it into a cleansing juice, or using it in soups. Besides helping you cool down, celery also has natural anti-inflammatory compounds, which give you significant long-term health benefits.
Celery cools, hydrates, restores electrolytes, and fights inflammation in summer
Foods That Cool You Down & Help Digestion
9. Pennywort
Pennywort is a perfect cooling food to "soothe" your body on hot, sunny days because it's about 95% water. Pennywort helps you feel cooler, supports your digestive system, and can reduce swelling thanks to its natural compounds.
You can choose to enjoy a refreshing glass of pennywort juice or a light pennywort porridge to get the most benefits from this vegetable.
10. Yogurt
Yogurt is a good choice for a cooling food with about 85% water. It's also a "good friend" to your digestive system because it contains probiotics. Yogurt helps balance the good bacteria in your gut, making digestion smooth, and it also cools your body down from the inside.
Just eating a plain yogurt or mixing in some fresh fruit makes a tasty and healthy snack right away.
Yogurt cools the body, aids digestion, and promotes gut health in a delicious way
Tips for Using Cooling Foods Effectively
Cooling foods are a great choice for hot summer days. They make you feel good and help your health. But to get the most out of them, it's important to use them the right way.
1. The Right Time
It's important to avoid eating cooling foods when you have a cold, feel tired, or when the weather is cold. At these times, your body needs to stay warm to recover.
2. The Right Amount
For foods like pennywort, mint, celery, or coconut water, eating them in the right amount will help clean your body. Eating too much can cause problems like bloating, tiredness, or stomach issues. The suggested amount is usually 1-2 glasses or about 100-150 grams each day.
Moderate intake of herbs like mint, celery, and pandan helps detox without digestive issues
3. The Right Way to Prepare Them
It's best to use fresh foods, wash them well, and cook them properly. Avoid mixing too many cooling foods in one meal to prevent a cold stomach or digestive upset.
4. Pay Attention to Your Body's Reactions
Some people might have mild reactions to certain foods like mint, yogurt, or celery. If you notice signs like a rash, itchy throat, or unusual bloating after eating them, stop using them for a while and see how your body reacts. Everyone's body is different, so listening to your body is very important.
Wrap it up
When it's hot, it's good to think a little about your body when you eat – the right kind of food, the right amount, and at the right time will really cool you down from the inside out. Remember that everyone's body is different, so if you have allergies or are on a special diet, it's always best to ask a doctor or expert.
And if you're looking for cooling foods – like juices, herbal teas, fermented foods, or unique detox drinks – come check out CHUS! They have lots of local, high-quality stuff. Just pick one thing, and it can make your whole hot summer day feel cool and happy!
