During Monsoon digestion is poor and the system is sluggish. Dt. Lakshita Jain, Certified Clinical Dietician, Lecturer, Diabetes Educator, Meat Technologist, and Founder of NUTR suggests what superfoods to add to your food to make you energetic.
Ginger
Dried Ginger, Pipramul, and licorice paste. Ganthoda/ Pipramul in powder form with an equal mix of Dry Ginger or Sonth Powder, Jaggery, and water. In Gujrat, it is widely used in monsoon to reduce pitta dosha symptoms or symptoms related to stomachs, heartburn, and diarrhoea. It is also helpful for monsoon-related conditions like colds, coughs, and joint pains.
Jamun
Jamun or black plum is seasonal produce. It is loaded with iron, vitamin A and vitamin C. It has low-calorie content and is loaded with nutrients like iron, folate, potassium, and vitamins. This fruit should be consumed in the monsoon season. It also helps in treating diseases and gastric problems which usually occur in the rainy season.
Helpful for: Blood purification, Asthma, Constipation, Depression, Dysentery, Flatulence (gas formation), Increasing sexual desire, Inflammation of the airways (bronchitis), Mouth ulcers, Muscle spasm, Sore throat
Neem
During monsoon, the integrity of your food, especially leafy vegetables, is compromised. This often leads to stomach issues and infections or parasites. Adding neem can be used to treat intestinal worms, nausea, belching, and phlegm.
It reduces sluggish digestion and reduces Kapha Dosha symptoms of a cold like a cough, congestion, postnasal drip) and help in detoxification.
Indian Spices
Spices such as pepper, ginger, asafoetida (hing), garlic, cumin (jeera) powder, coriander, and turmeric don’t just enhance digestion but also help in boosting one’s immunity.
Coconut water
Not only does coconut water provide our body with a good dose of electrolytes, but also has the potential of doing wonders for our skin health, heart-health as well as keeping us hydrated.
Helpful for: Weight loss, acidity, gas, lower blood pressure. It’s a great alternative to soft drinks.
Khawa Tea
A hot comforting monsoon beverage that hails from the beautiful region of Kashmir. Fragrant spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and honey with kawa are great monsoon drinks. Helpful for sore throat, runny nose, and sluggish metabolism.
Corn
Corn is rich in Vitamin B12, folic acid and iron, and a favourite monsoon snack. Corn silk soup is great in immunity-boosting drinks. It is helpful for Anemia, energy power pack a snack, lower blood sugar, and cholesterol levels, healthy skin.
Karela [bitter gourd], lauki [bottle gourd], parwal [pointed gourd] become staples in this season. They are low in calories and easier to digest.
