Shravan Month Healthy Food Guide: Nourish Your Body & Spirit

Introduction

Shravan, also known as Sawan, is the holiest month in the Hindu calendar, observed with immense devotion, especially by followers of Lord Shiva. In 2025, Shravan begins on Monday, July 14, and ends on Sunday, August 10 (in most North Indian states following the Purnimant calendar). In South India and Maharashtra (Amavasyant calendar), Shravan starts a few days earlier, on July 10, and ends on August 8.

This spiritually charged month is marked by fasting, mantra chanting, temple visits, and abstaining from tamasic (heavy or impure) foods, such as meat, onions, and garlic. Mondays of Shravan, known as Shravan Somvar, hold special importance, and many devotees fast to seek blessings, inner strength, and purification.

But Shravan isn’t just about religious rituals—it’s also an excellent time to reset your body and mind. The monsoon season affects digestive fire (Agni), making our bodies more sensitive and prone to imbalance. Ayurveda recommends embracing a sattvic (pure, light, seasonal) diet during this time, which helps detoxify, improve immunity, and bring mental clarity.

In this blog, we’ll explore the healthiest foods to consume during Shravan, along with Ayurvedic eating tips, and simple, nourishing recipes you can make at home to stay energetic, spiritually aligned, and well-balanced throughout the month.

 

Why Eating Mindfully During Shravan Matters

During Shravan, many people:

• Follow a vegetarian diet
• Avoid onion, garlic, and heavy grains
• Observe fasts on Mondays or multiple days
• Reduce processed and fried food intake

This practice aligns beautifully with Ayurvedic wisdom that suggests eating light, fresh, and easily digestible food during the rainy season.

 

Top Healthy Foods to Eat in Shravan

1. Fruits (Seasonal and Fresh)

Fruits like bananas, apples, papaya, pomegranates, and berries provide essential nutrients and are perfect during fasts.

 Tip: Break your fast with soaked dates or a banana to quickly restore energy.

 

2. Sabudana (Sago)

Sabudana is a fasting favorite—easy to digest and a great source of carbs.

• Try this: Sabudana khichdi with roasted peanuts and sendha namak (rock salt) for a quick, gluten-free, nourishing meal.

3. Samak Rice (Barnyard Millet)

This millet is a popular rice replacement during fasts.

• Health Perk: Rich in fiber and iron, and helps with digestion.
• Recipe Idea: Samak rice pulao with carrots and green peas.

 

4. Lauki (Bottle Gourd)

This cooling vegetable helps detoxify the body and keeps your stomach light.

 Try it steamed or as lauki thepla without garlic/onion.

 

5. Coconut and Coconut Water

Natural electrolytes and good fats—great for hydration and skin health.

• Recipe Idea: Coconut laddoos made with jaggery and dry fruits for fasting days.

 

6. Curd (Dahi) & Buttermilk (Chaas)

Improves gut health and cools the body. Avoid if you’re prone to a cold or cough during monsoons.

 

7. Rock Salt (Sendha Namak)

Used during fasts, it’s less processed and contains trace minerals.

 Swap regular salt with sendha namak in all your dishes for better mineral absorption.

 

8. Flours for Fasting (Kuttu, Singhara, Rajgira)

These flours are gluten-free and ideal for fasting recipes like:

• Kuttu paratha
• Rajgira roti
• Singhara halwa

Foods to Avoid in Shravan

• Onion & garlic (tamasic foods)
• Non-vegetarian food
• Too much fried food (slows digestion)
• Grains like wheat and rice on fasting days
• Caffeinated drinks (replace with herbal teas)

 

 Ayurvedic Tips for Shravan Month Diet

1. Start your day with warm water + tulsi or ginger
2. Eat freshly cooked meals—avoid refrigerated leftovers
3. Fast mindfully—include fruits, nuts, and fluids
4. Chew slowly to support digestion
5. Avoid cold foods—prefer warm, lightly spiced meals

Sample Shravan Fasting Meal Plan

Time	What to Eat
Morning	Warm water with lemon/tulsi + seasonal fruit
Mid-morning	Coconut water / Buttermilk
Lunch	Samak rice pulao + cucumber raita
Snack	Roasted makhana or banana
Dinner	Lauki sabzi + kuttu roti + sendha namak
Before bed	Warm milk with cardamom or turmeric

 

 Food & Spirituality Go Hand in Hand

Eating light and sattvic during Shravan is not just about health—it's about raising your vibrations. When we eat plant-based, fresh food cooked with devotion, we align our body and mind with spiritual energy.

Whether you're fasting or just observing the essence of the month, choose foods that energize your body and calm your mind.

 

 Final Thoughts

Shravan is the perfect time to reset your diet, connect with your roots, and practice mindful eating. With these healthy food ideas, you can embrace the spiritual purpose of the month while also nurturing your health.

 

 Explore More on Namaste Healthy

• From Couch to Core: A Beginner's Guide to Fitness Through Yoga
• The Science of Satvik Food: Eating for Inner Peace
• Desk Job to Fit Body: Fitness Tips for Office Workers in India

 

Stay tuned for more wellness guides, desi diet plans, and mindful living tips every week.

 Har Har Mahadev | Namaste Healthy

 Recipe Card: Sabudana Khichdi (Fasting Friendly)

 Ingredients (Serves 2):

• 1 cup sabudana (soaked overnight)
• 2 medium potatoes (boiled & cubed)
• ½ cup roasted peanuts (coarsely crushed)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 2 chopped green chilies (optional)
• Sendha namak (rock salt) to taste
• 1 tbsp ghee or groundnut oil
• Fresh coriander & lemon juice for garnish

 

 Instructions:

1. Soak sabudana overnight (6-8 hrs). Drain and keep aside. Grains should separate when pressed.
2. Heat ghee in a pan. Add jeera and green chilies, sauté till aromatic.
3. Add boiled potatoes, cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add soaked sabudana and crushed peanuts.
5. Sprinkle sendha namak and mix well.
6. Stir on medium flame till sabudana turns translucent (7-10 mins).
7. Garnish with coriander and lemon juice.

Tips:

• Use a wide pan to avoid stickiness.
• Don’t oversoak sabudana – just enough water to cover.
• Can be packed for travel or temple offerings.

 

Satvik Vibes, Soulful Taste
Fuel your Shravan fast with this sattvic classic.
More healthy fasting recipes → NamasteHealthy.in

 

1. Samak Rice (Barnyard Millet) Pulao

Why it’s good: Gluten-free, rich in fiber, light on digestion.

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup Samak rice (soaked for 30 mins)
• 1 cup diced vegetables (carrot, beans, lauki)
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 chopped green chili
• Rock salt (sendha namak)
• Fresh coriander & lemon for garnish

 Instructions:

1. Heat ghee in a pan, add cumin and green chili.
2. Add vegetables and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Add soaked samak rice and 2 cups of water.
4. Add rock salt, cover, and cook on low flame for 12–15 mins.
5. Garnish with coriander and lemon.

 

 2. Rajgira (Amaranth) Chilla

Why it’s good: High in calcium, iron, and gluten-free.

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup rajgira flour
• ½ cup grated bottle gourd (lauki) or carrot
• 1 tsp green chili paste
• Rock salt
• Water to make batter
• Ghee for cooking

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients into a smooth batter.
2. Heat a pan and pour batter like a dosa.
3. Drizzle ghee, cook both sides until golden.
4. Serve with coconut chutney or curd.

 

 3. Sweet Potato (Shakarkand) Tikki

Why it’s good: Complex carbs, rich in vitamin A.

🧂 Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes (boiled & mashed)
• 1 tsp jeera
• ½ tsp amchur or lemon juice
• Green chili (optional)
• 1 tbsp rajgira flour (to bind)
• Sendha namak
• Ghee for shallow frying

 Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients into a soft dough.
2. Shape into small tikkis.
3. Shallow fry in ghee until crispy on both sides.
4. Serve with mint-coconut chutney.

 

 4. Lauki Kadhi (Bottle Gourd Yogurt Curry)

Why it’s good: Hydrating, probiotic-rich, satvik.

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup grated lauki
• 1 cup curd (whisked)
• 1 tbsp singhara or kuttu flour
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• Curry leaves
• Green chili
• Rock salt

 Instructions:

1. Boil grated lauki with a little water and salt.
2. Mix flour with curd, then slowly add to lauki.
3. Temper cumin, green chili, and curry leaves in ghee and add.
4. Simmer until it thickens. Serve with samak rice or rajgira roti.

 

 5. Dry Fruit & Coconut Ladoo (No Sugar)

Why it’s good: Instant energy, no refined sugar.

 Ingredients:

• ½ cup desiccated coconut
• ½ cup chopped dates (seedless)
• ¼ cup chopped almonds, cashews, raisins
• 1 tsp ghee
• Cardamom powder

 Instructions:

1. Heat ghee in a pan, lightly roast coconut and dry fruits.
2. Add dates and cook till soft and sticky.
3. Add cardamom, mix well.
4. Let cool slightly, shape into ladoos.