Monsoon Foods: What to Avoid, What to Include & What’s special

Monsoon brings relief from the heat — but also slows down digestion, lowers immunity, and increases the risk of infections. The key to staying healthy during this season lies in eating local, seasonal, and freshly prepared food that supports the body’s natural rhythm.

🚫 What to Avoid

• Outside & Street Food: The risk of bacterial and viral infections is high due to water contamination and unhygienic handling.

• Cold Foods & Drinks: These can trigger sore throats, colds, and congestion — something we’re already more prone to during this season.

• Onion, Garlic & Non-Vegetarian Foods: These are tamasik and heavier to digest. With our metabolism naturally slower in the rains, it’s best to reduce them.

• Regular Leafy Greens (like palak, methi): These are more likely to carry mud and worms, and are harder to clean thoroughly during the rains.

✅ What to Include

Seasonal Vegetables & Greens

• Root Vegetables & Tubers: Arbi, Ol (elephant foot yam), sweet potatoes (as the season ends), raw banana, beetroot — grounding, nourishing, and easy to digest.

• Special Seasonal Greens: Kalmi saag, Pui saag, Than Kuni pata, Kule khana pata, Arbi ke patte, Hilancha saag — rich in bitter and astringent tastes that help cleanse and balance the system.

• Creepers & Gourds: Bottle gourd, snake gourd, pumpkin (kumro), ridge gourd — cooling, light, and perfect for this season.

Home-Cooked & Steamed Traditional Foods

• Light dishes like khichdi, poha, idli, and dhokla

• Special preparations like Patra (steamed arbi leaves), Neem bhaja, Shukto (bitter veggie stew), Pati shapta (steamed Bengali dessert), veggies steamed in banana leaves with mustard paste, shaak bhaja or ghonto( a mix of 5 or more wild greens)

• Use these greens in curries, taals, or just lightly sautéed with ghee and jeera

Monsoon Grains

• Include light and nourishing grains like rajgira, kuttu, and ragi — easy to digest, energy-giving, and supportive of gut health.

Seasonal Delights

• Lemongrass Tea: Anti-microbial, aromatic, and digestive

• Bhutta (roasted corn with lemon and salt)

• Peanuts, especially fresh/boiled ones that come during this time

• Taaler bora – a monsoon-special sweet made from palm fruit, traditionally prepared around Janmashtami

• Eat what's growing around you, cook fresh, and keep your meals simple. That’s the real monsoon wellness secret