Cold soup, or gazpacho, is a typical summer dish. Now, we understand that summer is long gone, but a season of heavy and unhealthy eating is right around the corner. We don’t expect everyone to avoid the classically unhealthy and hardy holiday dishes. This chilled soup, however, may help balance those unhealthy dishes. It is light, refreshing, and full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Just make sure to let it chill in the fridge before you devour it.

If you need a dish to help cleanse your digestive system after a day or weekend of heavy eating, this may be the dish you seek. This chilled soup is fantastic, if we do say so ourselves! In fact, a chilled soup such as this is a popular dish in the Mediterranean diet, which many health experts consider to be the best for heart health. Cold soup contains a high concentration of vegetables with the occasional fruit. Because you do not cook the ingredients, they retain their nutritional compounds, which can break down during the cooking process.

Chilled soups, such as this recipe, do a great job at keeping the body hydrated. Most of the ingredients, especially the cucumbers, contain a high concentration of water and electrolytes, which are necessary for optimal hydration. You can easily dehydrate during the winter, believe it or not, so this will help you up your water intake. It also contains essential vitamins, such as A, E, and C, which work to keep your immune system strong during winter cold and flu season.