Rains grip Delhi: From fish to leafy vegetables, foods to avoid this monsoon
Delhi-NCR experienced its first aggressive brush with monsoon on June 28. With rainy season upon us, take a look at this list of foods, best avoided
Friday, June 28 marked a historic day in the national capital region. As per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi recorded 228.1 mm of rainfall — the second-highest since June 1936 when 235.5 mm of rainfall had been recorded. A typical bout of monsoon in India comes with its own set of joys and woes. While sitting by the window with a cup of chai in your hand, scenically gazing out at the pouring rain can be quite the enticing hobby, one really has not much control over their immunity falling prey to the humidity and fluctuating temperatures. You can however, take some preventive measures by avoiding certain foods for as long as it pours.
Leafy greens and vegetables
Leafy greens and vegetables are an absolute no-no during monsoon season. Vegetables like spinach, cabbage, lettuce and bok choy to name a few, contain high water content. The monsoon temperatures hampered by the humidity in the air makes leafy greens a very probable breeding ground for bacterial and fungal growth. If intense enough, it can cause stomach infections. These kind of pains and aches during gloomy season then, are best avoided.
Root vegetables
Root vegetables actually form an integral part of most people's everyday diet. Entirely cutting them out then can actually prove to be rather tough. Examples of this span bulbs like onions, tap roots like carrots and everybody's favourite tuber, potatoes to name a few. The logic behind avoiding these vegetables is that the high water content in the soil enables the vegetables to also absorb a lot of moisture. This inadvertently makes them more susceptible to the growth of bacteria.
A hack for safely consuming root vegetables during monsoons is to give them a good boil or cook them thoroughly. However, avoid consuming root vegetables raw, such as in salads, during this time.
Seafood
Seafood is something that is available all year round. However, delectable items like fish and prawn this time of the year tend to become more exposed to pathogens and bacteria, which already stand heightened in the freshwater bodies. This naturally opens the door for the individual consuming the seafood to a higher risk of falling ill.
Additional things to keep in mind
Items like curd which are stereotypically consumed cold and naturally high in their water content can create extended spells of discomfort for those who are already prone to migraines or clogged sinuses. Additionally, consumption of all kinds of melons and items like cucumber and brinjal are best reduced during rainy season.
Will you be tweaking your daily menu to power through the monsoons?