From seafood to mushrooms, 5 foods to avoid during monsoon

The monsoon season's temperature and humidity are ideal for bacterial and fungal growth, particularly on green leafy vegetables. 

The monsoon has brought some relief from the hot summer; however, it is also a season for several health problems. So it's only prudent to be aware and cautious of everything around you, from keeping your house clean and disinfecting anything that comes into the house to eating properly.

That would entail avoiding meals that can breed bacteria or even restrain yourself from indulging in deep-fried foods like samosas and pakoras, such as occasionally street cuisine like chaat, bhel puri, etc.

Know the list of food to avoid during monsoon:

1) Fried and spicy foods
While it is perfectly acceptable to indulge in fried foods such as kachoris, pakoras, and samosas occasionally, you should be mindful of the portion size you consume because excessive consumption can upset your stomach in a variety of ways, causing indigestion, diarrhoea, and other issues. So limit your intake of fried foods.

2) Seafood
During the monsoon, you should avoid seafood such as fish and prawns. First, pathogens and bacteria in the water during the rainy season may infect the fish and so the person who consumes it. Second, the breeding season causes several changes in seafood that can be harmful.

3) Leafy greens
The monsoon season's temperature and humidity are ideal for bacterial and fungal growth, particularly on green leafy vegetables. This may result in stomach infections. Spinach, fenugreek leaves, cabbage, cauliflower, and other vegetables should be avoided during the monsoon season. Choose pungent vegetables such as bitter gourd, ghiya, tori, and tinda instead.

4) Drinks with carbonation
Dehydration is caused by humidity and sweating. So drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, but avoid fizzy drinks, which can dehydrate and deplete your body's minerals. Have hydrating drinks such as nimbu pani and jaljeera.

5) Mushroom
Mushrooms grow in moist soil and can harbour bacterial growth, increasing the risk of infection when consumed, particularly during the monsoon season. So it's best to avoid mushrooms during the monsoon.