How To Adapt Your Diet As Per The Season

A question that we must consider asking ourselves is, ‘should we change our diet according to the season change?’ The answer is YES! 

If you want to be health-conscious, energetic, and high on immunity, then there are certain lifestyle changes that one must adapt to. India is a country that enjoys nearly every season imaginable. From snow-peaked mountains to forests, desserts, and an expansive coastline, each state and city have different topical climates and different foods to offer depending on their climatical wellbeing. 

One of the best ways to understand food is by looking at the different climates a state may experience. We must not forget that each season in India is connected to the principles of Ayurveda, offering only ideal advice on what food should be consumed and when. 

In modern times like these, it is very easy to transport food from a different state or even a different country. But what we fail to understand is that we are losing out on the freshness of that edible product. Apart from that, many cooking and preservation techniques have been formulated over time. But again, is preservation really necessary? There are many side effects to preservatives and it’s a gamble with our health. 

Seasonal eating is an art, which everyone must master. 

Why is Seasonal Eating Beneficial?

The ancient Indian practice of Ayurveda, term seasonal eating as Ritucharya. This concept enlightens us about what to eat during each season, which eventually helps us to maintain good health and wellbeing. Apart from the health benefits that you procure by eating season-wise, seasonal foods also taste better. They are fresh and savoury because they are meant to be eaten during that period. 

To give you a brief idea of which food is available in which season, below is a list. 

Spring Season

• Asparagus
• Bean Sprout
• Garlic
• Cherries 
• Leafy Greens
• Mushrooms
• Kiwi
• Radish
• Lychee

Summer Season

• Apricot
• Avocado
• All types of berries
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Peach
• Plum
• Tomato
• Watermelon
• Zucchini

Autumn Season 

• Apple
• Beetroot
• Bell Pepper
• Broccoli
• Carrot
• Lettuce
• Pumpkin

Winter Season

• Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Thukpa
• Orange
• Fenugreek Leaves
• Turnip
• Peas

How to Adapt to Seasonal Eating?

Like Ritucharya, there exist Dinacharya in Ayurveda. This concept enlightens us to decipher an ideal routine to practice for seasonal eating. It can divulge when to eat, rest, and even work out. However, it says that our day must begin before dawn, maybe with a healthy breakfast like granola or muesli. And end after it is dark. This helps maintain a healthy balance in our life. 

Furthermore, let’s understand what you can eat during the top three seasons, to remain healthy and maintain stability in your lives. 

• Summer Season 

Summer, as we all know is the hottest season and during this time you feel like you are on fire, inside out. The heat dominates your body and sometimes causes dehydration as well. There is also some amount of dryness in the air, depending on which state or country you live in. Hence, staying hydrated and keeping your diet light is the need of the hour. 

Diet: As mentioned, consume light food. Avoid oil and spices as well. Make sure you include seasonal fruits and veggies in your diet. You can refer to the available fruits and veggies during the summer season from the list above. Even juices are a healthy option to consume, they will help to keep you hydrated. Make sure you have a heavy and healthy breakfast. During summers, you tend to avoid having lunch because of excessive heat and hence a healthy and filling breakfast will keep you energized for a longer time. You must add muesli to your diet, check them out on our website. They are available in a number of flavours, like fruit & nut roasted muesli, cocoa & cranberry muesli. 

Exercise: Make sure you keep your exercises light. Sweating is great for detox and during summer we sweat a lot, so don’t overdo it.  

• Monsoon Season 

During monsoon, our digestive power is affected due to the wet and cloudy environment. Plus, this is the season when our body’s immunity level reduces. So, working towards that will provide you with health benefits and also experience tasteful seasonal foods. 

Diet: Healthy food must always be your go-to food, and a must during monsoons, even though most people love to eat fried food during this season. This is an ideal season for some evening munchies. Instead of opting for fried items, choose to make a healthy bowl of granola with your favourite monsoon veggies or fruits as a topping.  

Exercise: Make sure you keep it indoors. Monsoons are the perfect time to try yoga. This will benefit your immunity as well.

• Winter Season