Ancient Eastern medicines, specifically both Indian and Chinese cultures which considered the energy of a food qualitatively.
They understood that food which foods is more appealing in summer is more beneficial in summer months due to the cooling properties of the food.
This takes into account both the foods and their preparation techniques appropriate for summer.
Salads
We instinctively eat more salads in August than in a cold month, like February. By observation, you must have realized that raw foods and foods which are eaten cold are more cooling than cooked foods.
Vegetables
While our urban lifestyles don't give us need to consider this, foods that grow quickly are usually the ones to be the most cooling.
This includes lettuce, celery, radish, cucumber, summer squash, broccoli, tomatoes, and most leafy vegetables.
On the other hand, slow going vegetables and root vegetables have neutral thermal qualities - there are some vegetables and fruits which are warming, like cabbage, kale, mustard greens, onions, garlic, winter squash, parsnip, leek,
chive, scallion, cherries, and dates.
Color of Food
Generally, green, blue, and purple vegetables and fruits have more cooling properties than red, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables.
For example, the green apple more cooling than a red apple, and green pepper, a more tempting salad ingredient in summers than red peppers.
Oils
Soyabean oil is warming - for salads and vegetables, a soybean oil base will render the dish less cooling than dressings with other oils.
Manner of Cooking
Food that is cooked quickly and lightly - preferably steamed will be more cooling than something cooked longer and slowly - which will be warming,
With frying, a quickly stir fried entrée will be more cooling than traditional deep frying, which is considered the most warming of all food preparation techniques.
Herbs and Spices
Cinnamon and dry ginger are warming spices - they are also more appealing in winter, along with cloves, basil, rosemary, parsley and the most warming of all - Cayenne pepper.
Cooling spices include fresh ginger, marjoram, cilantro, lemon balm, peppermint, and white peppercorn, and thus appeal for summer dishes. Kelp and all seaweeds also have have cooling properties.
Beverages
An ice cold drink is more appealing, but isn't easy for the body to assimilate. Alcohol is obviously more warming.
Though coffee is warming, this doesn't hold true for all warm beverages like herbal teas and vegetable broths, which are cooling.
Butter is the only warming food amongst dairy products, which have neutral thermal qualities. However, yogurt is the most cooling dairy product.
Fruit and vegetable juices also have cooling thermal natures.
Meat
While most meat (bird or livestock) will have warming properties, most seafood has cooling properties.
Grains and Legumes
Grains like amaranth, barley, millet, and wheat have cooling properties.
Legumes are easily digested if you've soaked them in water for 12 hours prior to cooking, and tend to be cooling.
