23 Jul 2022

Monsoon Foods For Staying Healthy This Season

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Image of a monsoon window in a city with water droplets during the rain

We love monsoons in India – especially in the north. After months of high temperatures and dryness, we welcome the showers with joy. We love to accompany it with a chai or a coffee, freshly fried pakode (veg fritters), and some sweet tunes in the background. No wonder our vote goes to chai and pakode as the (un)official favourite out of all Monsoon foods in India!

However, this season of soothing and delicious food comes with its care guide too! In this blog, we’ll explore the Monsoon season in India and how to stay healthy in its duration.

The Importance of Monsoons in India

The real importance of monsoon goes way beyond our balcony chill sessions. India is primarily an agricultural nation and monsoon rains are essential to feeding the population and the export industry. They’re also majorly important for adequate electricity and water supply for our population and industry too.

During monsoons, the rivers flood and dams are able to run at their full capacity. This ensures electrical and water supplies in our homes, food and employment for people, and the sustenance of our economy as well.

Monsoon Health Tips

Do infections spread faster during the Monsoons?

Unfortunately, the answer is yes.

The moisture content/humidity in the air is fairly high during the monsoon season. It aids in the growth of micro-organisms, bacteria, viruses, etc. It also helps spread their infection easily. That’s why people with susceptibility to allergy or infections are prone to falling ill during the season. Especially if they have underlying gastrointestinal or pulmonary issues.

A man standing in the monsoon rains showing lack of precautions. Dropped mask.

Another reason why infections grow during this season is the abundance of stagnant water. Puddles and stagnant water causes the growth of mosquitoes and microorganisms. Even damp places inside our homes can act as breeding grounds for mosquitoes and infections. This includes big plants, dirty bathroom corners, buckets, cabinets under the sinks, etc.

Mosquitoes also lead to a faster spread of diseases. Illnesses like allergic bronchitis, viral fevers, cholera, diarrhea, chikungunya, malaria, dengue, etc. are quite common during the season.

Get a Monsoon detox with these rainy season foods

While there are common problems that arise during the season, there are also traditions and practices that can help us manage them. Nature and science have both provided us with ways to stay fit and maintain our health.

According to tradition, here are some of the popular Monsoon foods in India. Enjoy the rainy season food items that will also help you stay fit and energized.

Best Seasonal Fruits to eat during Monsoons

One of the best monsoon foods that you can consume are seasonal fruits. In India, the rainy season gives us many fruits like –

Peaches
Jamun
Plums
Cherry
Mango
Pineapple
Pears
Indian Pear or Nashpati

Best of monsoon foods in india - Jamun or indian blackberry — Jamun (Indian Blackberry)

Image of seasonal Indian plum fruit - a good monsoon season food in india — Indian Plums (Aloo Bukhara)

These fruits are abundant in fibre, vitamins, and minerals which are important for a healthy gut. They will aid in the digestion and expulsion of digested food from your body. Given our modern city diets that are full of preserved and packaged foods, it’s essential to consume natural foods. They will help you in staying free from disease and discomfort and stay healthy and joyful too.
Thankfully, living in the city gives you the privilege to order monsoon fruits online. You can use an online grocery shopping app to get a doorstep delivery. Order monsoon fruits online on the Milkbasket grocery shopping app now.

Vegetables to eat during Monsoons

Why do we avoid green leafy vegetables in monsoons?

Since monsoon is the season where microbes breed and spread faster, one needs to be wise in their choices of natural foods too. It is generally recommended that we avoid leafy green vegetables during the rainy season. It’s because they can act as comfortable breeding ground for microorganisms.

If consumed without proper hygiene steps, they may cause gastrointestinal problems, viral infections, etc. Therefore, we advise that you properly wash, boil or blanche these vegetables before using them. It is important that you buy these seasonal vegetables during monsoon from a reliable source with strict quality control. It is also advised to store them properly and consume within a given period of time only.

Milkbasket purchases from select hygienic providers and has strict quality control measures. You can also buy certified organic produce here. Download Milkbasket to shop green leafy vegetables online now and get doorstep delivery.

However, there is no need to give yourself the worry lines! Here’s a list of vegetables that are safe to consume during the season:

Monsoon vegetable - Bitter gourd or karela

Karela (Bitter Gourd/Bitter Melon)

This vegetable is the one we love to hate, while a miniscule percentage of people also immensely enjoy it. However, this magical vegetables is full of nutrients that fight disease causing microbes in our gut – which are particularly widespread during monsoon. There are numerous karela recipes that can make this vegetable delicious for you too.

Fresh louki or bottle gourd - a good food for the monsoon season

Lauki/Ghia/Ghiya (Long gourd/Bottle Gourd/Long Melon/Dudhi)

Lauki is rich in water content, potassium, and phosphorus. It helps keep the body cool and deal with the temperature fluctuations during the season easily. People who are susceptible to bronchial problems must seriously consider making it a part of their regular diet. The pulp of this safe to consume rainy season vegetable also helps flush out excess bile and waste from your system.

Parwal - a good vegetable for the rainy season

Parwal or Palwal (Pointed Gourd/Potla/Patol)

This underrated vegetable is a perfect monsoon food in India. Its nutrients help in fighting with fever and allergies. It is particularly good for the liver, lungs, and guts. It can be shallow fried with light Indian spices for a delicious dish.Buy Parwal vegetable online in your city with Milkbasket

Tinda - a heap of round gourds in India - good monsoon food

Tinda (Round Gourd/Indian Squash).

This tiny round vegetable has many nutrients that are great for our health. It is easy to digest, high on water content, and helps boost immunity. It has compounds that help fight disease causing microorganisms during the monsoons.

Beetroot sliced, juiced, and whole. Good for monsoon health

Chukandar or Chakundar (Beetroot/Beets)

Beetroot contains many nutrients and compounds that are easy to digest. They are also extremely good for the healthy bacteria in the gut. It helps fight the pathogenic microbes in the intestine, keeping us free from infections and falling sick.

Tori or torai is a great seasonal vegetable in the monsoons

Ridge Gourd (Tora/Tori/Torai)

This cool and nutrient-rich vegetable is great for the wellness of the excretory system. It helps to flush out toxins from the body and keeps it cool. This makes it one of the best monsoon foods in India.

Kundru or Ivy gourd - an all season vegetable that is particulary good during monsoon

Kundru (Ivy Gourd/Kundri/Tindoli)

Although this vegetable throughout the year, it is particularly great during the rainy season. It has nutrients that help fight seasonal monsoon allergies like cod, cough, fever, diarrhea, etc.

Popular Monsoon Foods in India

Dishes made from besan are particularly popular in the rainy season all across India. It is believed that food made from besan provides heat to the body and it helps deal with the fluctuating temperature during this season. This is because of the sudden drop in temperature during the rainy season after a few months of scorching heat.

Besan Ka Halwa

Prepared with ghee, besan (gram flour), sugar, milk, and dry fruits, this dish is a popular monsoon food in India. It is a dessert that is tasty and should ideally be consumed responsibly and in moderate quantities. This dish provides heat to the body and is also extremely delicious.

Besan Ka Sheera

This dish is much more thinner in consistency than the halwa but has some similarity to the dish. It is more liquid due to the higher content of milk in it and is used as a sleep-inducer. It especially is given to give relief from pain during an injury or fever, cold or cough.

The healthier version of the sheera is also made with haldi (turmeric). Adding turmeric to the recipe adds to its anti-inflammatory properties and makes it into a healing home remedy.

Chai and pakode (veg fritters covered with gram flour or besan) are the ultimate rainy season food of india

Besan ke Pakode

Chai or tea, paired with fritters made from vegetables and gram flour (besan ke pakode) is the most popular monsoon food in India. Now, we’re not sure if you will actually believe us but there’s a scientific explanation for this.

The crispness of the pakodas go well with the damp season. It helps deal with the lack of Vitamin D absorption during the season which leads to a lack of serotonin. The carbohydrates, the capsaicin in the chilies, both help in providing heat and relieving stress in our body.

How did you like our list of popular monsoon foods in India? Do you have any questions for us? Let us know in the comments below! If you found this blog to be helpful, share it with friends and family!

Monsoon Health Tips

Do infections spread faster during the Monsoons?