Drumstick leaves are not safe to be part of monsoon diet: Dietitian explains

The rainy month of Karkidakam is here, and it's time for karkidaka chikitsa or treatments. This season, food and diet play a crucial role in ensuring health, as we need to condition our body to adapt to the changing weather. The oushadha kanji (medicinal porridge) and the pathila curry, made with ten different edible leaves believed to have incredible nutritional value, are the most popular dishes cooked in Malayali homes during Karkidakam.

However, moringa or drumstick leaves, which Malayalis generally have around the year, are not part of a monsoon diet.  LR Akshara, a dietician at General Hospital, Alappuzha, explains the reasons for moringa's absence during the rainy season. 

Why are drumstick leaves absent
It is said that drumstick leaves shouldn’t be consumed during Karkidakam, as certain chemical reactions occur in the leaves during the monsoon. Chemical compounds such as uformin and umbelliferone accumulate on the leaves and may cause vomiting and dysentery. Besides, the tannins produced by the drumstick leaves during monsoon prevent the human body from assimilating minerals. These are some reasons why drumstick leaves are not recommended for the rejuvenation diet during Karkidakam.

When to have drumsticks next
Once the monsoon month of Karkidakam passes and 'Chingam' or harvest season arrives, moringa can safely return to the kitchens. Dishes like moringa stir-fry (moringayila thoran) and moringa erissery (a curry made with moringa leaves, dal, and coconut) find a place even on Onam sadya leaves in many places. The dishes would be a good source of plant-based protein, riboflavin, iron, vitamin C and B6.