Summer on a plate: Traditional cooling foods making a comeback

As the mercury rises across India, many are turning back to the comforting embrace of traditional cooling foods to beat the heat naturally — a revival that blends culinary wisdom with health-conscious choices.

Ancient Wisdom Finds New Fans

From buttermilk and sattu drinks to sabja seeds and amla, old-fashioned summer staples are seeing a resurgence. Health experts point out that these foods not only hydrate the body but also balance internal temperatures, something modern sodas and processed coolers often fail to do.

Regional Specialties Stealing the Spotlight

Across India, regions are celebrating their unique summer coolants. In Odisha, pakhala (fermented rice water) is once again a lunchtime essential. Gujarat’s chaas (spiced buttermilk) and Tamil Nadu’s nannari sharbat (sarsaparilla root drink) are flying off local store shelves.

Social media is abuzz with home chefs and influencers sharing recipes of age-old summer foods like kokum sherbet, bael juice, and cucumber salads.

Markets See a Surge in Demand

Traditional ingredients such as raw mangoes, tender coconut, jaggery, and millets are in high demand at local markets. Vendors report a 20–30% rise in sales of seasonal produce like watermelon, muskmelon, and leafy greens, as people seek natural hydration.

Backed by Science, Not Just Nostalgia

Modern research supports what generations knew intuitively: fermented foods like curd and pakhala enhance gut health, while ingredients like mint, fennel, and basil help in natural cooling and digestion during extreme heat.

In a season increasingly marked by record-breaking temperatures, the comeback of traditional cooling foods is not just a nostalgic trend — it’s a flavorful, healthy rebellion against processed, sugar-laden alternatives. As plates fill up with age-old summer delights, the wisdom of the past is helping India stay cool, one bite at a time.