Here are some healthy food options for when you are fasting. (Photo: Getty/Thinkstock) The festive season is upon us. In a few days, many Indians will begin fasting for a nine-day period called Navratri, wherein they will invoke Goddess Durga and seek her blessings. The nine-day fasting is said to be done in appeasement of the Goddess, whose mercy can bring in prosperity and good fortune. Besides, fasting is always a good idea, as it makes a person more disciplined and conscious of what they put on their plate.
Dolly Kumar, the founder and director at Cosmic Nutracos — parent company of Gaia — says that since the standard options for food during fasting may not be as healthy, you can try some recipes to deal with your cravings without compromising on your health.
She lists some of them for indianexpress.com; read on.
1. Banana walnut smoothie: This smoothie is one of the easiest and most filling food options. All you need is a banana, yoghurt, walnut and honey. Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You can either put one spoon of honey or two if you want it to be sweeter. You can have it with walnut chunks as garnish.
2. Honey coconut balls: You need four ingredients — peanut butter, honey, coconut flour and desiccated coconut. First, mix honey and peanut butter until smooth. Add flour to it and mix it. Add a few drops of water if the mixture is dry. If all the ingredients are mixed well, roll the mixture into different balls. In the end, roll the balls in coconut and keep them in the refrigerator to set.
3. Oats kheer: All you need for a scrumptious breakfast like oats kheer is ghee, oats, milk and dry fruits. To make it rich in flavour, heat ghee in a pan, add oats, saute them well, and then add milk. Mix them and let the oats soften. You can then add dry fruits to the kheer and let it simmer until thick. It can be served both hot and cold.
Adding fruits to your yoghurt can provide double health benefits through prebiotic and probiotic effects. (Photo: Getty/Thinkstock) 4. Roasted or baked makhana: Roasted makhanas are delicious, healthy and low-calorie snacks. Several roasted makhanas options are available in the market, but you can roast them at home. Heat some ghee in a pan, add some salt, black pepper and add makhanas to it. Roast them for a few minutes on low flame.
5. Trail mix (dried fruit and seeds): Made with nuts, seeds and dry fruits, trail mix is a healthy snack-on-the-go, high in fibre, protein, and iron. Loaded with good fats, essential vitamins and minerals, a truly power-packed snack gives strength and stamina for vigorous activities or any form of exercise.
6. Green tea: Blended with the goodness of vitamin C, green tea has therapeutic benefits. It is a healthy concoction that instantly energises you. Its fat-burning qualities help in weight management along with keeping you fresh and active. Available in different flavours, you can have green tea at any time of the day and feel fresh.
7. Fruit diet yoghurt: Adding fruits to your yoghurt can provide double health benefits through prebiotic and probiotic effects. It will help to manage the calorie intake as well.
📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.
