Designing a Healthy Navratri Platter Effortlessly

You must be ready to welcome the season of festivals with arms wide open and eyes fixated on the delectable food prepared only during the fasting days. Isn’t it? After all, it’s Navratri, the days we wait for the whole of the year, be it for the Dandiya-Garba nights, Durga Puja, or just the impressive line-up of foods in the menu. But does that wait entitle you for getting carried away with unhealthy fasting routine?

We don’t think so..
While many people take part in the festivities for religious reasons, many follow the trend just to detoxify themselves and lose weight. So, make sure you follow a healthy diet.

Here are a few tips to make your Navratri fasts healthier-

• Small meals — Fasting doesn’t equal starving. Keep small meals handy so that your blood pressure and sugar don’t fluctuate to abnormal levels and you feel energetic like any other day.
• Hydration — Plan your fast around hydrating agents, for example, coconut water, lemon water, buttermilk, etc. Lack of water could lead to dry mouth, lethargy, muscle cramps, and dizziness. You wouldn’t want that to happen to you, right? Then, stay hydrated and avoid tea and coffee.
• Carbohydrates —You can include certain amounts of carbohydrates in the small meals that you eat throughout the day. The basic ingredients may be sweet potatoes & sabudana, alongside other fibrous veggies like cabbage, spinach, tomatoes, capsicum, bottle gourd, etc. Also, try baking, roasting or grilling the vegetables instead of deep-frying them. They’re healthier!
• Healthy Snacking —Keep a safe distance from salt and fat-rich snacks that are popular in India. Go for those that are naturally savory and salty, such as Amaranth snacks, Sabudana bhel, Roasted Makhana, etc.
• Milk —Milk and its derivatives are consumed in heavy amounts during Navratri, which eventually result in weight gain rather than its loss. So, opt for their skimmed and low-fat versions. Swap curd with yogurt for Lassi, shakes, Raita, and smoothies.
• Shakes and Smoothies —For satiating your cravings and hunger pangs in between meals, take the healthy, fiber-rich route of milkshakes and fruit smoothies.
• Samak rice —Vrat rice or Samak rice is rich in organic fiber which is easy to digest and is easily absorbed by the body. Because of this, they stay longer in your system leaving you feeling full for a longer period.
• Kuttu —Being a brilliant combination of carbohydrates (70-75%) and protein (20-25%), Kuttu, or Buckwheat flour, is a great source of energy to run you through the day without compromising your protein intake. Just try not to make puri out of it. Go for air fried chilla or chapatis.

To keep your diet on track and help you have a Healthy Navratri, we have designed a Navratri diet plan which is available on our website. Feel free to download and use it!
Over to you
It’s Navratri and your soul craving for fun and celebration is natural. Nonetheless, know that they will last only nine days but the damage by unhealthy food may trouble you for a longer time. Therefore, pay heed to the health tips shared above.

Keep an eye out for your health and fitness, and enjoy the festival to the fullest. Wishing you a healthy and joyous Navratri!

Enjoy Responsibly!