Eating right during the monsoons can be very tricky. The wrong kind of food could give you an upset tummy. But don’t worry. To make sure you have a healthy monsoon, here’s a list of foods you should include in your diet as well as tips on how to eat them.

Herbal teas: “Herbal teas like ginger or lemon tea is good for you especially during the monsoons, as it will keep the flu away,” says Namita Nanal, a Mumbai-based nutritionist. Try sipping on a cup or two of herbal tea everyday.

Fenugreek: During monsoons, our immunity lowers automatically and therefore our system finds it hard to digest food. “So include herbs like fenugreek (methi) and cumin seeds (jeera) that’ll help you digest food better during the rains

Garlic: Add a little bit of garlic to your soups, stir fries and curries to build up your immunity this monsoon. “Garlic helps you fight viral infections,” says Namita.

Turmeric: Known for its anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric improves your immunity too. So include some in your food to keep that cold at bay.

Soups: Soups are a good way to get nutrition from veggies during monsoons “as they kill bacteria in them, making veggies safe to consume,” says holistic health guru, Mickey Mehta. Whip up interesting combinations like tomato and onion, potato and asparagus, carrot and chicken etc.

Moong dal: Opt for moong dal and masoor dal this rainy season. “These are not only a healthy source of protein but also of dietary fibre that aids digestion,” says Mickey.

Gourds: Vegetables like snake gourd, ash gourd, bitter gourd et al are extremely nutritious and are a much better option than salad leaves during the monsoons. “They are rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium and manganese,” says Mickey.

Nachini: “Millets like jowar and nachini are rich in calcium,” says Mickey that helps fortify our system and keep monsoon-related infections away.

Source: Idiva