Foods that cool you down

[Twyst]

I know you said you had the ice cream covered, but I want to add that I find mint chocolate chip ice cream is the best at cooling you down. Something about Ice cold mint is a godsend when its hot!

[Blether]

... look at beduines (spelling?) wearing long flowing (even black) clothing and drinking hot tea...

Big difference between dry heat and wet heat. Wet heat - you sweat, it has nowhere to go except trickling down your body and soaking into your clothes, which remain wet (& warm). Mmm-mm.

[dcarch]

------

But look at beduines (spelling?) wearing long flowing (even black) clothing -----

There is science in that.

According to thermodynamic law of "black body" theory, Heat tends to go from light color to darker color; therefore your body will give up heat to the black clothing.

Then, the law also states the best heat absorber is also the best radiator, the black clothing will radiate energy from your body to the environment.

Of course, if you are in the sun wearing black clothing, you will become a solar collector.

dcarch

[Panaderia Canadiense]

Here in Ecuador, we go in for coconut milk, pineapple, and watermelon juices (just hork the stuff in the blender with the coconut milk, then strain out most of the pulp. Amazingly refreshing.) On the food end, the hotter the place is the spicier its aji sauces are - because if you get out in a breeze, the more you sweat the cooler you get. Cold chochos (lupini beans) in a lime, onion, and tomato sauce are also quite cooling. Where I live is in the highlands, but when the sun's out it goes up past 100 F very easily, and we all have our coping mechanisms!