Navratri: Foods to eat during fasting for better immunity

With Navratri just around the corner, it is essential for you to look out for healthy fasting options. The presence of coronavirus in the country might have made you question whether you should be fasting in this time or not. Put all your worries aside, as the below given food options will not only make your fasting healthier but will also increase your immunity at the same time.

Makhana

Also known as foxnuts, makhanas are the healthiest of all fasting food. With almost zero calories, these puffs will keep you full for a long period. With high protein and fiber properties, makhanas will give you enough energy for the day. Foxnuts help in increasing immunity by detoxifying and flushing out toxins from your blood.

Dry fruits

Loaded with vitamins and minerals, dry fruits are the optimum food choice to boost your immunity. While fasting you can eat walnuts, almonds, dates, pistachios and raisins which are also a storehouse of energy. The presence of Vitamin E in nuts help fight off bacteria and thus, keeps our immune system active.

Green vegetables

Going green is always a good choice and especially when you are fasting. Packed with Vitamin C, K and iron, green vegetables act as amazing immune system boosters. Eating vegetables like spinach, broccoli, cabbage and bitter gourd will not only be the healthiest food you eat during fasting but will also keep illnesses at bay. You can either drink a green vegetable soup or make a salad out of them.

Pumpkin soup

If you are a fan of soups and are looking for soups to drink during fasting, then pumpkin soup is here for you. Made with pumpkin, ginger and turmeric, pumpkin soup is a powerhouse of immunity boosting agents. It will not only act as a good substitute of other fried snacks but will also help you keep full.

Singhara atta

Singhara atta also known as water chestnut atta is the perfect substitute for your normal wheat flour during Navratri. You can make roti, parantha and even cheela using singhara atta during your fasting days. With low calories and high nutrients, singhara atta is an ideal choice for you. It has its unique properties of detoxifying and cooling properties, which will help regulate water levels in your body.

Samak rice

For those who find it hard to let go of rice during Navratri, samak rice is an ideal substitute for you. With high fibre content, samak rice will make you full in less proportion. You can use samak rice to make pulao, roti and even porridge. It fastens the detoxification process of your body and quickens digestion.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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Navaratri Diet Is A Good Detox Diet !

With more and more people getting health conscious, people are looking at ways and means to eat healthy. People have started consuming millets, as they've realised that it has more health benefits than rice or wheat. As much as we care for our external cleanliness, we've to care that much for our internal one too. Navaratri diet is a very simple and transparent process our body follows. Our body needs energy all the times. So, if we stop or minimize the intake of food in any form, the body’s internal metabolic system starts searching for stored energy. Fats are the storehouse of energy, and hence, the body starts utilizing them in running itself. In this manner, we can gradually lose all the fat content within a span of 9 days of Navratri festival.

Navratri fasting – Doing it right
Proper fasting techniques help us to set us back on track when it comes to good health. But unhealthy practices such as consuming deeply fried or sugary food during the festival period was not an ancient process but which somehow developed along the way and hence, should be avoided. Going salt-free and including fruits and vegetables in our diet help our bodies pass this time with ease. A Navratri diet plan was actually made to detoxify our body.

Incorporating Variety of Grains: Amaranth, Chestnuts, and Samak are equivalent to cereal and are rich in proteins and  carbohydrates. Recently scientists have found that these pseudo-cereals have high nutritional content as compared to wheat. They are also the best sources of minerals and vitamins and free from gluten. The practice of including such foods with us in the past which might have been lost as we evolved and the festive occasion is a good opportunity to bring about the change.


Similarly, khichdi made from Kuttu also serves the need of a balanced diet with proper carbohydrate minerals and other vitamins. It's effortless to cook which helps to make time for celebration as well. Chapati made up of Kuttu is also a great option for those who prefer parathas and puris. You can also make roti using ragi flour, along with oats powder.

The potato which is also a rich source of carbohydrate in a baked form can suit the need of Navaratri diet plans. Sabudana, either as Khichdi or mixed with milk not only enhances the taste buds but also provides quality nutrition. It's better to have these alternate grains at regular intervals instead of an extended period of fast.

Drinking plenty of fluids: Plenty of fluids like water, buttermilk, fruit juice should be taken. Lime diluted with warm water helps to detoxify your body at faster levels. A variety of such foods should be eaten to satisfy the taste buds and providing proper nutrition to the body.

Hence, it would be good to incorporate such foods into the regular diet, even after the Navratri celebrations are over. It not only helps in minimizing weight but also to maintain it. This diet promotes digestion, improves energy, prevents diseases and fosters a feeling of lightness and well-being throughout the year and entire life. Celebrate the Navratri in a healthy way, not compromising the pomp and grandeur, taking good care of your health along with the joy of playing dandia !

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/   

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For navratras, switch to healthier diet of pseudo grains

Pseudo cereals such as buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth have higher percentage of protein.Most of the pseudo cereals like buckwheat and sago are gluten free and lend well to easy digestion.

Navratras (nine nights) is a ritual that is observed twice every year. It includes fasting for about eight to nine days, prayers and plenty of other rituals.

Its co-occurrence with harvest time may not be a coincidence. During this time, grains and cereals are worshipped in the form of grass and eating them is avoided. The usual range of cereals such as rice, wheat and millets are replaced by alternative cereals such as buckwheat, chestnut, sago, amaranth and a special variety of rice, known as samak rice (Barnyard millet).

Amaranth, chestnuts and samak are, in fact, not true cereals. Rather they are seeds of fruits. These are also referred to as pseudo cereals as they do not grow in grass like wheat and rice.

A research published in 2010 on pseudo cereals such as buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth found that they not only had a higher percentage of protein than wheat but also a better quality. In particular, Lysine, the limiting amino acid in wheat and rice, can be found in high amounts in all pseudo cereals except Samaj rice. Pseudo cereals are also better sources of vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium and fibre, among others.

One of the spin-offs of using alternative grains is the nutritional advantage of the inclusion of several traditional and rarely-used grains. Interestingly, most of the pseudo cereals are gluten free and lend well to easy digestion.

Amaranth

Also known as rajgiri, it is high in proteins, dietary fibre, iron, magnesium, zinc, calcium and B-vitamins. Its corn-like aroma and woody flavour makes it suitable for breakfast cereals and porridge-like dishes.

Amaranth can also be ground into flour, which, in turn can be used to make breads, chapattis or parathas. The flour is usually ground along with its hull, which helps retain most of its nutrients.

Buckwheat

Commonly known as kuttu, buckwheat is high in good quality protein, magnesium, vitamin B6, dietary fibre, iron, niacin (vitamin B3), thiamine (vitamin B1) and zinc. During the navratras, buckwheat flour is usually rolled into chapattis, poories or pakoras. Owing to its nutty flavour, it makes a delicious hot cereal. It can also be added to salads, stuffing, soups, stews and casseroles. It can be ground to make a grey-brown flour which has a distinct, bitter and earthy flavour. There are two varieties of buckwheat — light and dark coloured. The dark variety is traditionally used during fasts to make special Indian roti. The Russian blinis and French galettes use the lighter versions. The seeds, when roasted are called kasha. They can be coarsely ground into grits or groats.

Water Chestnut

Commonly known as Singhara in India, it is a highly nutritive fruit, which is a good source of carbohydrates, calcium, phosphate, iron, copper, manganese, magnesium, sodium and potassium. The benefits of water chestnut flour can be enjoyed in the form of chapattis or pancakes.

Sago (pearl sago, sabudana)

Sago is predominantly carbohydrate with very little protein, vitamins, minerals and fat. It comprises small balls of starch prepared from the inner trunk of various types of palm trees. Sago resembles tapioca but the starch balls are smaller. Sago may be bought as it is or ground into flour. Owing to its thickening properties, it may be used to thicken soups, sauces, stews, puddings, snack food, savoury or sweet porridge or desserts like kheer. Sago starch is also baked in breads, pancakes or biscuits.

Samak Rice

Also called barnyard millet, it is a seed and not a grain. It is high on calcium, potassium, phosphorus and amino acids except lysine. It is usually eaten with hull, which retains majority of its nutrients. Samaj rice can used to make kheer, khichdi, idli or dhokla.

 ps- this is only for information, always consult you physician before having any particular food/ medication/exercise/other remedies.

ps- those interested in recipes are free to view my blog-

http://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/

for info about knee replacement, you can view my blog-

http://Knee replacement-stick club.blogspot.com/

for crochet designs

http://My Crochet Creations.blogspot.com