Monsoon health: Include these foods in your diet to stay fit this season
While hygienic practices like boiling your water, washing your veggies thoroughly and cleaning your hands frequently can help prevent infections, one must also re-design their diet to make it more monsoon-friendly. A well-rounded diet can help support our immune system.
A robust immunity can help fight off infections. (Source: Freepik) Monsoon is the perfect weather to relish a plate of hot flaming pakodas and a cup of tea while enjoying the rain. However, the season brings with it several health concerns that are hard to ignore.
“Monsoon brings with it various challenges like water-logging and stagnant water on the roads, which significantly increase the vulnerability to infections and illnesses. The combination of heightened humidity and moisture in the environment fosters a conducive breeding ground for bacteria, fungi and other pathogens, demanding our utmost attention,” Mehakdeep (Mac) Singh, Co-founder and CMO, Fitelo told indianexpress.com.
The expert shared that some of the most common monsoon diseases are transmitted through various mediums, namely mosquitoes, water, air and contaminated food. These diseases, including malaria, dengue, leptospirosis, respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections and skin infections, pose significant health risks.
A robust immunity can help fight off infections. While hygienic practices like boiling your water, washing your veggies thoroughly and cleaning your hands frequently can help prevent infections, one must also re-design their diet to make it more monsoon-friendly. A well-rounded diet can help support our immune system.
Highlighting the same through an Instagram post, Nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar shared a three-part monsoon food guide along with some easy-to-make recipes. “Monsoon food guide. The grains, pulses, vegetables and special preparations you must try. Note: Recipes are for reference only; you should use your local, regional recipes and preparations,” she captioned the post.
Have a look.
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In the first part of the monsoon food guide, the nutritionist recommended including foods like boiled peanuts, pulses (soaked, sprouted and cooked as dal or sabzi), corn, dudhi, cucumber, pumpkin and other creeper vegetables, along with suran, arbi and other root vegetables, in your diet at least 2-3 times a week. Additionally, she shared a recipe to incorporate arbi into the diet.
Method:
*Pressure cook arbi with water for 2-3 whistles.
*Peel off the skin, and cut it lengthwise.
*Coat it with a mixture of chilli powder, haldi and leave it for 10 minutes.
*Add salt to it just before frying.
For part two, Diwekar listed down food items that should be consumed at least once a week. The list included millets like rajgeera and kuttu, as well as wild and uncultivated vegetables of the season like ambadi (gongura) and alu (colocasia), among others. She also shared a recipe to make ambadi chi bhaaji.
Method:
*Add chopped ambadi leaves into boiling water.
*Pressure cook the leaves, jowar/rice, kani, tur dal and soaked peanuts.
*Give tadka with rai, hing, haldi, chilli powder and add the pressure-cooked mixture.
*Add salt, jaggery and grated coconut to it.
*Cook for a while, and give tadka again with red chillies.
In the third part, she mentioned foods that should be eaten at least once a month. It includes steamed local dishes like patoli, modak, bafla, siddu, along with speciality preparations of the season such as bhaji or pakoda of ghosala, mayalu, ajwain, among others. You should also consume wild mushrooms, lingdi, and bamboo, either cooked fresh or turned into pickles, for 2-3 months. The nutritionist also shared a quick recipe to prepare modak without any hassle.
Method:
*Ukad: make rice flour dough.
*Puran: make a golden-brown ghee jaggery and coconut mixture. Add nutmeg and elaichi powder.
*Preparation: use your hands or a modal mould to shape them.
*Steaming: grease the vessel with ghee and steam them for 15-20 minutes.
Steer clear of street food as the moisture in the environment enhances bacterial growth, making it a risky choice. (Source: Pixabay)
Similarly, Dr Ritesh Shah, Senior Consultant Physician, Bhatia Hospital, Mumbai said monsoon is the time for gourds like bottle gourd, bitter gourd, ash gourd, ridge gourd, snake gourd, and other veggies that are available in plenty, including cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, okra and radish. Adding these veggies liberally to your regular diet plan fosters good gut health and immune activity.
On the other hand, Dr Charu Dua, Chief Clinical Nutritionist, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad advised avoiding excessive consumption of oily and spicy foods as digestion tends to slow down during this season, making it harder to process such foods. While everyone craves pakoras and fried snacks during monsoons, it’s essential not to overindulge in them.
Moreover, she recommended that certain fruits like watermelon and muskmelon are best avoided during monsoons as they are prone to bacterial growth. Additionally, steer clear of street food as the moisture in the environment enhances bacterial growth, making it a risky choice. Opt for hot, freshly prepared food when eating out.
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