As heatwaves continue to intensify across India, many people are turning to traditional comfort foods like curd rice, buttermilk, yoghurt, fruits, and salads to cope with soaring temperatures. But can simple dishes such as dahi chawal actually help the body stay cool during extreme heat?
Health experts say lighter summer foods may do more than just feel refreshing – they can support hydration, digestion, electrolyte balance, and overall well-being during prolonged hot weather. According to nutrition specialists, the body naturally craves lighter meals in summer because digestion itself produces heat. Heavy, oily foods require more energy to break down, which can increase discomfort, bloating, and fatigue during extreme temperatures.
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Why do light meals feel better during heatwaves?
Heatwaves place considerable stress on the human body. High temperatures increase sweating, dehydration risk, and exhaustion, while also suppressing appetite in many people. Nutrition experts explain that foods like curd rice, kadhi, buttermilk, cucumber, salads, and fresh fruits are easier to digest and often provide additional hydration support.
Curd rice, in particular, remains a popular Indian summer dish because it combines carbohydrates, probiotics, fluids, and cooling ingredients in one meal. Since it is soft and easy on the stomach, it may help reduce digestive strain during periods of intense heat. Doctors also note that lightly chilled or room-temperature homemade foods may provide better thermal comfort compared to spicy or heavily fried meals.
How do curd rice and buttermilk support hydration?
Traditional Indian foods such as chaas, yoghurt, and curd rice are increasingly being recognised for their gut-health and hydration benefits.
Curd contains probiotics – beneficial bacteria that support digestive health and help maintain gut balance. During summer, digestive issues like acidity, bloating, and stomach discomfort can become more common due to dehydration and irregular eating habits. Buttermilk and yoghurt-based meals also provide:
- Water content for hydration
- Electrolytes are lost through sweating
- Calcium and protein
- Cooling relief for the digestive system
These foods may help the body feel more comfortable during heatwaves, especially when paired with adequate water intake throughout the day.
Fruits and salads help your body stay cool
Water-rich fruits and vegetables also play an important role in summer nutrition. Foods such as watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, oranges, tomatoes, and lettuce contain high water content along with essential vitamins and minerals.
Hydrating foods can support fluid intake naturally while also helping prevent lethargy and weakness during hot weather. Experts recommend including watermelon and coconut water. Cucumbers, citrus fruits, and fresh homemade salads in daily summer diets to improve hydration and replenish nutrients lost through excessive sweating.
Food safety becomes crucial during summer
While cold foods can be beneficial, doctors warn that hygiene becomes especially important during heatwaves. Raw salads, cut fruits, and dairy products exposed to heat for long periods may become breeding grounds for bacteria, increasing the risk of stomach infections and food poisoning.
Health experts advise eating freshly prepared meals, avoiding stale refrigerated food, limiting roadside cut fruits during peak heat, and storing dairy products properly. Maintaining food hygiene becomes essential as rising temperatures accelerate bacterial growth.
Are ice-cold foods the best solution?
Experts caution against relying heavily on sugary cold drinks, processed frozen desserts, or excessive iced beverages. While they may offer temporary relief, they do not necessarily improve hydration and may sometimes worsen digestive discomfort. Instead, doctors recommend balanced hydration through:
- Water
- Lemon water
- Coconut water
- Buttermilk
- Fresh seasonal foods
Traditional Indian diets match modern heat advice
Interestingly, many traditional Indian summer eating habits closely align with modern nutritional science. Fermented foods, seasonal fruits, probiotic-rich meals, and water-dense ingredients naturally support hydration and digestion during extreme weather.
As climate change contributes to longer and harsher heatwaves, experts say heat-friendly diets focusing on hydration, gut health, and easy digestion may become increasingly important for protecting overall health.