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.

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 atta (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.

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.