Seasonal Eating: Why Choosing Foods by Season Improves Health and Digestion
Verified By
KIMS-SUNSHINE
Specialist,
29 October, 2025
The Indian subcontinent is rich in resources- and its great variety of foods and produce can be attributed to the tropical climate we enjoy all year around. We tend to have three prominent seasons- summer, monsoon, fall (kind of) and winter, which also help dictate which crops will be cultivated throughout the year. We have also classified the seasons into sub-seasons. Our bodies react in highly specific ways to each of these seasons and with the change in temperature, air quality and humidity, our immune system is also greatly influenced. Eating specific foods that are products of each season can help in the long run- as they are full of important nutrients and are super fresh.
What is Seasonal Eating?
Seasonal eating was a norm before because refrigerators were not used that often and because storage needed to be done in specific ways, for foods to retain their freshness. This forced people to rely on fresh ingredients that were easier to come by. Summer means hot, humid days, which means our bodies need lighter, nutritious foods to recover and improve digestive processes. Dehydration can be a major issue in this season, so you will need to hydrate well with buttermilk, water and coconut water. Winter means colder weather, which can increase the efficiency of digestive processes. This is also why we can afford to eat heavier meals in this season. Most of our famed festivals come in the winter and this is also how we can feast on all the sweet and savoury delicacies on offer. During monsoon, the greater amounts of humidity can mean faster spoilage of foods. So, food storage needs to be prioritised. Light foods and intermittent fasting is a good choice for this season.
Benefits Of Eating Seasonal Foods
Some of the most well known benefits of eating seasonally include
- Produce is obviously more fresh, colourful and flavourful.
- They are easier to digest and good for your immunity too.
- They are economical and not as expensive as exotic ingredients.
- Seasonal produce is fresh and there is no need to use chemicals like preservatives, ripeners or pesticides.
- Since you will eat whatever is available, there is greater variety throughout the year.
- Seasonal dishes can be traditional and filling to consume. Helps us preserve our heritage too.
Ayurvedic Perspective On Seasonal Eating
Seasonal eating is also called Ritucharya, in ayurveda. The principle is simple enough to understand- as weather changes, your body begins to behave differently. This is also why you need to change what you eat, to balance the internal energies of the body.
Best Seasonal Foods For Each Season
We have told you why eating seasonally can be good for you. Now, lets focus on what you should be eating, below-
- In winter, it can be in the form of apples, grapes, oranges, gooseberries, etc. Leafy greens are abundants. due to lower temperatures, so eat a lot of greens. Different kinds of beans- like cluster beans, flat beans, eggplants, cabbages and cauliflowers should be considered. Dry fruits and nuts are great for getting essential nutrients. Grains like wheat can help warm you up, so eat different kinds of breads with ghee or butter. With festivities, it is important to eat mindfully though.
- In monsoon, you can eat foods like khichdis, grains and not many greens. Spices like tulsi, ginger, garlic, turmeric, cumin, hing etc. are good for you. All kinds of gourds can be eaten now. Eating meat or seafood is not advisable this season, as it may not be in season or fresh.
- In the summer, the heat and humidity can reduce digestive efficiency, so eating lighter meals can help. The use of fresh fruits like mangoes, jackfruits, watermelons, muskmelons, sugarcane juice and coconut water can be used to cool you down and reduce inflammation. Mint, coriander, cumin, dried ginger, okra, gourds etc. can be used easily.
Conclusion
We have all heard of this saying – ‘You are what you eat’, and eating seasonally reflects this big time. When you eat seasonally, your gut and digestion function better, which means you will absorb more nutrients and all other organs in your body also begin to work better than before. Following simple pointers like limiting salt and sugar consumption, consuming fermented food stuffs and trying to follow a balanced diet, with regular physical exercise can greatly help improve health in the long term.
