Navratri fasting: Healthy food options you can try
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The festival of Navratri is finally here. During the nine days, many people observe a fast. If you too are fasting and are looking for healthy options that will make you feel satiated and energetic throughout the day, here are some unbeatable foods that can help, recommended nutritionist Simran Khosla.
Khosla took to Instagram to share some foods that are nutritious and also help slow down the release of insulin naturally and keep hunger pangs away.
Kuttu atta
Kuttu atta or buckwheat flour is packed with high fibre that helps detox the body. Also, fibre helps to keep hunger pangs at bay thereby, making us crave less while fasting. “You can also use singhare ka stta (water chestnut flour) and rajgira ka atta (amaranth flour). Instead of rice, you can have samai ke chawal or samvat ke chwaal (barnyard millet) that can be used to make khichdi, dhoklas or kheer,” said Khosla.
Sabudana or sago
It has a cooling effect on the body and is easy to digest.
Makhana
Foxnut is a very popular fasting food. It is loaded with antioxidants, and acts as an anti-ageing food by preventing white hair, wrinkles, and premature ageing.
Dry fruits
Almonds, pistachio, cashew nuts, and kishmish (raisins) are eaten during fasts.
Fruits and vegetables
Vegetables like bottle gourd, potato, pumpkin, bananas, arbi, potato colocasia, yam, sweet potato, lemon, honey, cucumber, raw plantain, tomato, carrot, raw papaya, and spinach are commonly consumed during Navratri.
Dairy products
Dairy products are considered to be holy during an auspicious occasion. Hence, you can consume natural products such as milk, curd, paneer, butter, ghee, khoya, and condensed milk.
As far as spices are concerned, you can use black pepper powder, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, ajwain or carom seeds, black peppercorns, dry pomegranate seeds, kokum, tamarind, and nutmeg. “Some people also use fresh coriander leaves, red chilly powder, dry mango powder, chaat masala (especially with fruits). A lot depends on the devotee’s beliefs and home traditions,” said Khosla.
Avoid:
Non-vegetarian food, eggs, alcohol, smoking and aerated drinks.
Grains: Wheat, rice, oats, bread, semolina, gram flour, cornflour, millet flour like ragi, and pear are strongly prohibited during the course of these nine days.
All fast-related food needs to be prepared without onion, garlic since they produce heat and are tamasic in nature,
Salt: Sendha namak is used during this time and it has low sodium content as well.
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https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/food-wine/fasting-navratri-healthy-food-combinations-fibre-insulin-veg-7557684/