{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Monsoon Cravings Could Cost You: The Foods Doctors Say to Avoid This Rainy Season",
  "summary": "That plate of hot pakoras and street chaat feels irresistible in the rain, but according to Dr. Chanchal Sharma, monsoon weather makes the body far more prone to stomach infections, acidity and digestive trouble.",
  "content": "The moment the first showers hit, the craving for hot pakoras, samosas and kachoris becomes hard to resist. The smell of wet earth, the cool breeze and the sound of raindrops make monsoon one of the most enjoyable seasons of the year, offering welcome relief from scorching summer heat. But that same relief comes with a hidden cost: this is also the season when illness and infection spread fastest. Food sold on the streets spoils quicker than at any other time of year, and it does not take long for that spoiled food to make someone seriously ill. That is exactly why doctors recommend being extra careful about what you eat once the rains set in.\n\nHow dampness and cold weather throw the body off balance\nDr. Chanchal Sharma of Asha Ayurveda Clinic explains that the monsoon brings moisture and coolness into the atmosphere, and this shift disturbs the body's internal balance of vata and pitta. In Ayurvedic terms, the body goes off track in three distinct ways during the rains, each with its own set of symptoms.\n\nVata imbalance: The combination of moisture and cold air raises vata dosha in the body, which shows up as joint pain, stiffness, body ache and persistent fatigue.\n\nPitta imbalance: When rain follows intense heat, the vapour that rises from the ground is acidic in nature. This raises pitta in the body, triggering a burning sensation in the stomach and acidity, which directly affects digestion. As a result, food takes longer than usual to digest.\n\nKapha imbalance: If even a mild chill brings on a cold, cough and phlegm buildup, that is a sign of aggravated kapha dosha, which also points to weakened immunity during the monsoon.\n\nWhat not to eat during the monsoon\nAvoiding illness while still enjoying the rains comes down to making a few adjustments to your diet. Dr. Chanchal Sharma points out that steering clear of certain foods can keep you healthy through the entire season.\n\nSkip fried and outside food: Ayurveda classifies fried food as abhaksya, meaning food that is best avoided altogether. Food sold in the open on the street carries the highest risk of infection during this season, and it can also cause acidity, gas and a burning sensation in the chest. That means street-bought chaat, pakoras, golgappas, roasted corn on the cob and sweet potatoes are best avoided during the rains.\n\nCut out non-vegetarian food: Meat should be avoided during the monsoon because the high humidity in the air helps bacteria multiply faster. Digestion also slows down naturally during this season, so eating too much meat or stale seafood raises the risk of serious stomach infections and food poisoning.\n\nAvoid cold food and drinks: Digestive strength is already weaker during the monsoon, making it harder for the body to properly break down cold food. Cold drinks and cold meals should therefore be avoided. Warm alternatives like herbal tea, ginger water or hot soup help keep digestion running smoothly.\n\nSteer clear of spicy food: Excessively spicy food can irritate the stomach's inner lining and worsen digestive problems, especially during the monsoon when digestion is already naturally sluggish. Choosing light, easy-to-digest food with less oil and fewer spices is a better option for keeping the digestive system healthy.\n\nStay away from leafy vegetables and cut salads: Insects and bacteria cling easily to the moisture found on leafy green vegetables, and eating them can upset the stomach. Cut salads and juices sold outside are also at risk of flies landing on them, so it is best to only eat salad that has been freshly cut at home.\n\nWhat to do to stay healthy\nGerms multiply faster in the environment during the monsoon, so avoiding outside food as much as possible is the safest approach. Home-cooked, simple and clean food is considered the safest option through this season. Try to eat fresh, lightly warmed meals, since they put less strain on the digestive system. It also helps to drink fennel and cumin water regularly, as it keeps the stomach clean and significantly lowers the risk of infection. Ultimately, the rains can only be truly enjoyed when a little extra care is taken with what goes on the plate.\n\nWhat this means for you\n• For you: Avoiding street food, non-veg, cold food and cut salads during the monsoon can help you steer clear of stomach infections, acidity, food poisoning and the extra cost of doctor visits and medicines.\n• At home: Adding fresh, lightly warmed meals and fennel-cumin water to your daily routine is a simple, low-cost way to protect the whole family from infection this season.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. What foods do doctors advise avoiding during the monsoon?\nDr. Chanchal Sharma recommends avoiding fried outside food, non-vegetarian food, cold food and drinks, spicy food, and leafy vegetables or cut salads.\n\n2. Why does the monsoon disturb the body's vata, pitta and kapha balance?\nMonsoon moisture and cold raise vata causing joint pain, the acidic vapour after heat raises pitta causing acidity, and mild cold weather builds up kapha causing cough and cold.\n\n3. Is it safe to eat non-vegetarian food during the monsoon?\nNo, the higher humidity helps bacteria multiply faster and digestion also slows down, which raises the risk of serious food infection from meat during this season.\n\n4. Why can salads and leafy vegetables be risky in the rains?\nInsects and bacteria cling to the moisture on leafy greens, and cut salads or juices sold outside can attract flies, so freshly cut salad made at home is the safer choice.\n\n5. What should you drink to keep your stomach healthy in the monsoon?\nHerbal tea, ginger water, hot soup and fennel-cumin water help digestion and keep the stomach clean, lowering the risk of infection.\n\n6. Does eating cold food affect digestion in the monsoon?\nYes, digestive strength is already weaker during the monsoon, so cold food does not digest properly and can worsen stomach problems.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/health/barisha-ke-mausama-men-jibha-ke-chakkara-men-sehata-se-samajhauta-ye-chijen-barha-sakati-hain-inphekshana-ka-khatara-5098",
  "category": "Health",
  "publishedAt": "2026-07-06",
  "tags": [
    "Monsoon diet",
    "Food infection",
    "Ayurvedic tips",
    "Digestive health",
    "Street food caution",
    "Monsoon health"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}