How to Avoid Delhi Belly: Tips from a Local

Can you eat Indian street food? Is Indian street food safe? Is Indian street food hygienic? Can you get sick from Indian street food? Is Delhi belly real? How to avoid Delhi belly? Readers and fellow bloggers often ask me these questions from around the world. Here’s a post in response to all those questions!

Further Reading: Where to Stay in Delhi with Family

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My Take on Delhi Belly

So, you must have heard of Delhi belly while researching and planning your trip to India. That’s the reason you are here!

As you might be aware, Delhi belly is a term for travelers’ diarrhea or stomach upset contracted while traveling or eating street food in India.

You can get sick by eating outside food anywhere in the world. It’s not only in India. It’s hyped in India.

I reckon that the drastic changes in climate, food habits, and drinking water while traveling to different countries pose potential health risks. Locals have become accustomed to and developed immunity over time, but foreign travelers run a higher risk.

You need time to adjust to the change. Plus, it becomes even more critical to practice general hygiene, even if you are exhausted from all the sightseeing.

Besides, even if you contract travel belly, it goes away on its own (mostly) in a few days or can be treated in a short time with easy remedies:

• Taking proper rest and sound sleep
• Staying well-hydrated with filtered water, lemonade, or coconut water
• Consuming ORS
• Eating light food like khichdi (rice and lentils) with curd or soups
• Avoiding spicy, oily, and heavy foods
• Reducing dairy intake
• Taking required medications like antacids, antibiotics, or probiotics after consulting a physician

Nevertheless, you must take care and practice caution when eating food from a roadside stall, a pushcart, or even a fancy restaurant. If you do, you’ll be fine, trust me.

Eating and drinking are a significant part of travel, and the risk of sickness is part and parcel of being a world traveler. However, this shouldn’t interfere with the spirit of travel.

I’ve traveled extensively in my homeland, India, and have explored quite a few countries abroad. So, I surely have learned a few tips and tricks along the way to stay safe and avoid travel tummy in India, or any country in the world, for that matter.

Learn More: An Ultimate Travel Guide to Delhi

How to Avoid Delhi Belly

Indian street food is world-renowned and offers a multi-sensory experience.

You can’t visit India without trying its varied, innovative, flavorful, and aromatic street food. It’s a bucket list.

Don’t worry. You don’t have to miss out on the exciting culinary journey. There’s a way around the infamous Delhi belly.

For all those who want to relish street food in India without getting sick, here are a few hacks for eating it safely.

Use your common sense, gut instinct, and judgment while following these precautions to stay healthy and get the most out of your trip to India.

Do Your Research

We all do it. Right. We research the best places to visit, stay, and eat, and the best foods to eat in a country or city we are traveling to.

The best street food eateries should have a good rating. Make a list of such eateries. Talk to a local to be doubly sure.

Check For Food Allergies, If Any

While researching famous dishes, check the ingredients used to prepare them if you have any food restrictions or allergies.

Buy a Robust Travel Insurance

The most sensible thing you can do before your trip is to buy all-inclusive travel insurance that covers medical expenses, in case you fall sick while traveling.

It’s a savior when you are traveling to a foreign country.

Read More: The Ultimate 1-4 Day Itinerary for Delhi

Take Recommended Vaccines

Make sure you get the vaccinations recommended by the CDC and WHO for travelers to India, such as hepatitis A and B, typhoid fever, tetanus-diphtheria, and cholera.

Vaccination protects you from several infectious diseases that may be contracted abroad.

Pack a Travel Medical Kit

It’s often a good idea to talk to your doctor back home and bring OTC treatments like Pepto-Bismol, Pepticalm, or Imodium, activated charcoal, grapefruit seed extract, pre + probiotic capsules, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin C, and other antidiarrheal medications to be on the safer side.

Attitude is Everything

Come with a positive state of mind. Being paranoid all the time about getting sick will cause more harm than good.

In the words of Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.” So it’s all about attitude.

Let go of your fear of getting sick, practice necessary caution, and relish India’s iconic street eats.

Manage Jet Lag

Please take steps to get over jet lag because otherwise, it can mess up your sleep patterns and ultimately your gut, which can lead to diarrhea.

You don’t want to get to India dreaming about versatile, delicious street food and then not be able to eat it.

So, make sure you remain hydrated at all times – before, during, and after the flight and steer clear of alcohol and caffeine on the flight.

Getting adequate rest and sleep on the plane is also essential.

And adjust your schedule to your new time zone as soon as you land. If you reach your destination in the daytime, try to stay awake and walk around the city – that’ll help you stay awake and regulate healthy bowel movements. If it’s nighttime at your destination, try to get a good night’s sleep.

Ease Yourself Into a New Destination

Don’t go overboard. Don’t overwhelm yourself.

It’s natural to want to see and eat everything on your list right away. Don’t.

Resist your temptation to go on a food spree or rush through places.

A sudden change in climatic conditions, food, and water, combined with jet lag, is bound to mess up your system, so give it time to get accustomed to the change.

Eat light, take proper rest, and quality sleep so your immune system remains strong. Don’t try to do too much at once. Slow down. Don’t rush through your days and experiences.

Instead, restore energy for beautiful immersive experiences in India.

Read more: India itinerary ideas for spending 1 to 4 weeks

Step up your Probiotic and Prebiotic Game

You can keep your gut right while traveling by becoming friends with probiotics and prebiotics, as they help keep your friendly gut bacteria healthy and tummy issues at bay.

It’s best to start taking prebiotic and probiotic foods about a month before traveling and keep up with the routine while traveling.

Garlic, onions, bananas, apples, oats, flaxseeds, and coffee are some of the readily available prebiotic foods.

Yogurt, curd, buttermilk, pickle, kefir, kombucha, and kimchi are natural probiotics.

Eat a bowl of yogurt or curd with every meal, add a pickle to every meal, and drink kombucha tea or buttermilk with or after a meal to replace the good bacteria in the gut.

If needed, you should start taking the prebiotic and probiotic supplements prescribed by your doctor.

Practice Good Hygiene

We often blame food for being the culprit and overlook the fact that basic hygiene is vital.

Good personal hygiene while traveling is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from diseases.

In India, it’s quite a tradition to eat with hands.

Having said that, nail hygiene is vital to save yourself from various illnesses. Keep your fingernails trimmed and clean to prevent dirt and bacteria from collecting under your nails.

Also, wash your hands at all times, without fail, before you eat anything.

Keep a good sanitizer and antibacterial wet wipes, just in case.

Stay Hydrated While on the Move

It’s vital to stay hydrated, especially while traveling. It’s all the more important when traveling in India, which is infamous for its harsh weather.

Travel as such disrupts our daily routines. We are not able to drink as much water as we usually do at home.

Plus, the change in climate, diet, and fatigue from exploration adds to the situation, and we are prone to dehydration.

Keep sipping small amounts of water at regular intervals.

Some travelers (I’ve been the culprit) don’t drink enough water while on the go because they are afraid of getting infected by using public washrooms. That’s a recipe for disaster (been there, done that).

According to my doctor, you can stay safe while using public washrooms if you choose to squat rather than sit on a Western toilet.

In India, I always pick Indian toilets, aka squat toilets, over Western toilets.

Don’t ever go for carbonated drinks, as they mostly dehydrate. It’s best to drink natural water, or better yet, coconut water, as it’s a natural source of electrolytes and has bioactive enzymes that not only keep you hydrated but also ease digestion, boost metabolism, and restore energy.

You can also increase your intake of water-rich foods like cucumbers, kiwis, oranges, pomegranates, carrots, and peaches.

Remain Active

It’s quite a challenge to stick to your regular workout routine when you are traveling.

You are running between places, exhausting your body, and consuming food and water that aren’t familiar to it, so exercise becomes essential to keep your body fit and active.

Take some time to engage in some level of physical activity.

Walk. Jog. Run. There’s no dearth of urban spaces in Indian cities.

Don’t Drink Tap Water

Tap water is not safe to drink in India. Even we Indians don’t use tap water for drinking and cooking. We have RO systems installed in our homes.

Drink bottled, boiled, or filtered water, always.

In fact, I always carry a reusable, eco-friendly, filtered water bottle wherever I travel around the world.

Carrying our own water filtering system reduces the use of single-use plastic products. That’s our bit to lessen the impact on the planet.

If you aren’t carrying your own filtered bottle, a bottle of mineral water like Bisleri or Kinley is sold everywhere in India.

Just make sure you check the seal for intactness when buying it.

Avoid Ice Too

You should also avoid ice cubes because you don’t know whether the water used to make them was clean.

Skip Icy Cold Water

Ask a shopkeeper for a standard mineral water bottle, not a chilled water bottle.

Icy cold water on a hot day may feel good, but that’s about it. It actually slows down your metabolism and disrupts your digestion.

So, make sure you drink your water at room temperature.

Avoid Sudden Temperature Changes

Resist the temptation to turn on the AC when you retire to your hotel room after a day’s sightseeing in the sun. Let your body adjust to the room temperature before you turn on the cooling.

The same goes true when you step out in the sun to explore. Switch off the cooling at least 30 minutes before you go out.

A sudden transition from hot to cold, or vice versa, makes you more likely to get sick.

Avoid Too Much Sun Exposure

Limit the time you spend in the sun. Look for a shade between exploration.

Excessive sun exposure and heat exhaustion are among the potential causes of diarrhea.

Take necessary precautions while exposed to the sun.

Apply a good sunscreen, wear sunglasses, and cover your head with a hat or cap, or a scarf, to avoid direct sunlight. If it’s summer, wear cotton or linen clothes, and if it’s winter, put on layers – but make sure you cover up against heat and sun rays.

Avoid Water-Based Foods and Drinks

The general rule of thumb is to avoid foods like sauces that contain water, because, again, you have no idea whether the water used is filtered.

Ditch fruit juices or drinks like slushies, milkshakes, and cold coffee altogether.

Still-hot beverages like tea, coffee, and soups are fine, as the water used to make these drinks is boiled, killing most disease-causing germs.

In fact, the classic Indian masala chai infused with good ol’ ginger can help keep diseases at bay as you go carpe diem.

Brush and Bathe with Tap Water

It might shock you, since many people advise against it. But believe me, it’s the most infallible way to avoid travel belly.

Using tap water for brushing and bathing while in India helps you adapt, build some immunity, and boost your tolerance.

It’s okay to brush your teeth, rinse your mouth, wash your face, and bathe with tap water.

You have to be careful not to swallow the tap water. For that, don’t gargle and keep your mouth closed while washing your face and bathing.

Watch for Hygiene Standards

While looking for a vendor, make sure the stall and surroundings are clean, and that they practice basic hygiene.

Check if he’s properly washing and drying his hands.

Are the utensils dirty or wet? The utensils should be adequately washed and immaculately dried. Better yet, carry your own disposable utensils like paper plates, cutlery, and straws.

Are the ingredients left out unattended and uncovered? Avoid anything that looks like it has been sitting out in the open for a long time, especially if it is left exposed to flies.

If you are eating fried food, check if the cooking oil is fresh. If the oil looks sticky, darker, smells foul, or leaves a residue in the container, it has certainly gone rancid. Vendors in India often reuse the same oil for reheating to save money. Ask them to use fresh oil. If they deny it, move on.

Watch out for the space around the stall. Spot for the red flags. Is the street dusty? Are there any open drains? If a dustbin with a proper cover has been installed?

Start Slow on Spicy Food

Indian street food is rich and spicy. Indians, in general, tend to use generous amounts of spices and, of course, lots of green chilies and red chili powder.

This is our idea of flavorful food.

If you are coming from a country not used to spicy food and are new to the spicy food world, ask the street vendor to reduce the spiciness, or it can be stressful on your system.

Or if it’s that much of a problem, you can altogether avoid spicy snacks and choose to eat foods that are easy on your tummy, like idlis, plain dosas, steamed momos, and poha.

Let your system build spice food tolerance. Once you know your spice tolerance, you can experiment with different foods.

Avoid Raw and Uncooked Food

Avoid eating uncooked food, raw or sliced fruits and vegetables (in any form, such as salads, fruit chaats, or fruit juices).

Raw or undercooked food may carry pathogens that cause foodborne illnesses.

Go for fried, thoroughly cooked, boiled, or baked food.

Well-cooked food, whether meat or plant-based, is the way to go.

If you want to eat raw fruits, buy them from a supermarket and consume them only after washing them properly with filtered water. In essence, only eat fruits that you can wash, dry, and cut on your own, or peel the skin yourself.

Eat Food that’s Piping Hot

It’s wise to eat freshly cooked, piping-hot food, as heat usually kills foodborne bacteria and fungi.

Go Vegetarian

Choose vegetarian over non-vegetarian because there’s no way to tell whether the meat or fish is fresh or stale. It might have been sitting out in the open for who knows how long.

Go Vegan or Dairy Free

Dairy products like paneer, milk, or yogurt are safe only if they are pasteurized, frozen, and fresh. Suppose you are unsure about the authenticity. Skip them.

You should also avoid milk-based dishes like ice cream and yogurt-based dishes like dahi puri.

Follow the Locals

Another essential point is to eat where the locals eat – the tried and tested places that have been rated highly.

You can ask any local for recommendations or check ratings on TripAdvisor.

One thing I’ve learned while traveling is that locals are the most reliable reference!

Look for Busy Stalls

Always go to a food stall with a high turnover rate.

If the street food vendor is popular and has a queue or a steady stream of people, especially families with kids and elders, that’s a sure sign the food is fresh and good.

If the vendor cooks to order, that’s a blessing.

Order Mindfully

As a rule of thumb, order something authentic or local to the city or region you are in. If it belongs there, it’s good. Avoid ordering international or non-local dishes.

You must observe what people are ordering before you place your order.

And then order the most ordered dish, as it most definitely will be fresh and delicious because of the quick food turnover.

When in Doubt, Choose Small Eateries Over Street Food Carts

Eating street food in India doesn’t mean that you’ve to stand and eat at a roadside stall.

Not at all.

You can grab a chair to eat at one of the humble eateries serving fresh, hygienic, and delicious Indian street food.

Yes, the street food scene in India also includes hole-in-the-wall shops specializing in incredible dishes.

Book a Food Tour

The best way to relish Indian street food safely is by eating with a local.

Go on a street food tour in India for a hassle-free, unforgettable experience.

Let a local take you to famous, hygienic, and safe places.

Eat in Moderation

Indian street food is so versatile and diverse that the selection of street food dishes changes at every corner, which gets you tempted to try it all.

It’s not possible to eat everything in a single visit. Prioritize.

Remember, moderation is key to avoiding stress on your tummy from unfamiliar food and spices.

Don’t let the fear of contracting Delhi belly stop you from enjoying the incredible flavors of India’s street food scene.

Just listen to your instincts and have a tasteful experience at one of the world’s top food destinations.

I sincerely hope this guide to eating Indian street food safely helps you make conscious, informed decisions about your street food choices.

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