Diet for Navratri fasting

Navratra will begin this weekend. It is an important festival in several Indian states and fasting is an essential aspect of it. Fat gain during the festive season can be avoided if you try to eat the right ingredients at the right time of the day. As its name suggests, the Falhari diet consists mostly of fruits. Apart from these, sabudana, sumac rice, koto atta (buckwheat flour), singhara atta, roasted peanuts, makhana, paneer and milk are widely consumed by fasting people during Navratri.

What to eat during Navratri?

“Remember, sabudana khichdi should be consumed sparingly as it is high in calories,” says Karishma Chawla, a nutritionist and lifestyle educator. Therefore, preferably in the first half of the day and in small amounts.”

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Let’s break down the meals for Navratri fasting

Breakfast: Buckwheat (koto) Apma or Rajgira Roti with a bowl of fat-free curd.

Mid-morning: Low-sugar, high-fiber fruits such as apples, pears, or papaya with skim milk.

Lunch: Buckwheat khichdi with some green onions and slices of skimmed milk cheese.

Dinner: some mixed nuts such as almonds, walnuts, peanuts with some fat-free curd or fat-free milk.

Dinner: A bowl of fat-free paneer, Rajgira roti and lauki raita. Sweet treats can be made with skim milk plus stevia instead of whole milk and sugar. Consider loki or buckwheat or halwa. For taste, sprinkle a little tea powder.

Cheat sheet for Navratri

*Steam instead of frying
* Use sugar substitutes instead of sugar
* Minimize high calorie foods like sabudana, makhana and arbi
* Use whole fruits instead of dried fruits
* Ensure 2 to 3 servings of protein in the form of fat-free dairy products
* Always stay hydrated
* Dairy products can only be consumed if they are compatible with your gut. Please do not use it in case of allergy or intolerance. You can use plant protein powders instead.

Fasting is a spiritual process

Remember that fasting is done to pay austerity, strengthen will and sacrifice! The byproduct of this practice helps promote spirituality and scientifically aids the healing process. Hence, focusing on high-calorie foods is not the best thing to do here. Instead, challenge yourself to eat differently and help the breaking process. First, eat what is in harmony with your gut and choose lower calorie options. The closer you are to nature, the better the healing process. The less you pay attention to food than prayer, you will have a better connection with existence and higher spirituality.