Monsoon is a season that is as beautiful as it is dangerous. It brings us the relief from the scorching heat of summer days, and at the same time makes us crave a different set of foods that have a warming and immunity-boosting effect. With the beauty of rainy cloud formations, abundant greenery, and flowers blooming everywhere, comes an array of infections and diseases capable of ruining your health in no time. Some precautions need to be taken to strengthen your body and give it the necessary boost to fight off anything nasty coming your way. Food is the perfect remedy to do just that! Here are 11 best foods to eat in the rainy season.
Ginger
Ginger is the number one immunity booster when it comes to warming you up from the inside during the overly fresh monsoon days. It’s also a great source of vitamins and a food with powerful anti-inflammation features. Grate some ginger into a cup, add hot water and freshly squeezed lime juice, and mix in one teaspoon of organic honey. This drink is the perfect way to start your monsoon day!
Lauki (Bottle Gourd)
With all the greenery around, it is only natural to start consuming more veggies yourself. Lauki is packed with nutrients, fibre, as well as Vitamins D and C. It’s a powerful anti-oxidant you should consume as often as possible. Cook some sabji with it or add lauki to your favourite soup recipe to experience all the health benefits it offers. It is a low-calorie veggie, which makes lauki a perfect addition to your diet.
Beetroot
Beetroots are rich in fibre, potassium, and folic acid, as well as minerals, vitamins, and nutrients. They are also low on calories, which makes them a perfect monsoon food. Use beetroot juice to detoxify your body or simply stir-fry grated beets with grated carrots and a bunch of spices like black pepper and cumin seeds. It’s a light meal that will both cleanse your body and keep you healthy during the rainy season.
Masala Chai
There’s hardly a better drink to have during a fresh rainy day, be it in the streets or sitting comfortably at your own home. Masala chai is a staple monsoon drink that is sweet, savoury, and packed with flavourful spices that will warm you up from the inside. It may not have as many health benefits as other foods on the list, but it will definitely improve your mood and the world around you will seem like a better place.
Turmeric
Turmeric is the best food when it comes to immunity boosting properties. It’s a well-known natural antibiotic, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory agent. You just have to include it into your monsoon diet plan! Cooking with turmeric is one way to rip its many benefits, but you can also mix yourself a turmeric latte or simply add half a teaspoon of turmeric to a glass of hot milk, then add some honey, and your super monsoon drink is ready.
Almonds
If you feel like you need some proteins, then look no further – a handful of almonds is all you need! This yummy nut is also known to normalize blood pressure, keep a number or diseases at bay, and provide you with much-needed nutrients during the monsoon. They are also good for your digestive fire as it tends to dim a bit during the rainy days.
Pakora
Pakoras are a traditional monsoon food you simply can’t miss during the rainy days. They’re warm, crunchy, and are usually paired with some truly mouth-watering chutneys and even chillies for some added hotness. Combine pakoras with a cup of hot masala chai and you have the perfect monsoon meal!
Karela
Karela is a bitter gourd packed with goodness – magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamins B1, B2, B3, and C, beta-carotene, calcium, and potassium just to name the few! Karela might be small and bitter, but consuming it has more benefits than any other veggie, especially during the monsoon season. Karela purifies blood, fights diabetes, promotes weights loss, and has powerful antiviral properties.
Tinda (Indian Squash)
Well, squashes are perfect no matter where you eat them! You can steam them, bake them, add to salads, turn into yummy sweets, and still rip all the benefits of this magnificent vegetable. Tinda will do amazing things for your gut health and digestive system. It also relieves bloating, makes the whole digestive process run as smooth as possible, and prevents bowel disorder. Need we say that it is rich in fibre, too?
Sprouts
Sprouts are incredibly healthy whenever you eat them, but we advise to include them in your diet during the monsoon days as they will significantly boost your immunity. They are chockfull of protein, which makes them perfect for breakfasts and daytime snacks. Mix them into salads, smoothies, or turn them into yummy chaats – whatever works for you!
Hot soup
We can’t emphasize enough how important it is to stay hydrated during the monsoon season. We often forget to drink water as it is so damp all around us, that’s why consuming liquids with our foods is a must. Soups will not only hydrate you in the most pleasant way, but they will also warm you up from the inside, especially if you add a number of warming spices like ginger, black pepper, or chilli.