While it is tough to say no to celebratory delicacies, it is also possible to modify your food choices to ensure you are eating healthy and right while enjoying the festivities.
Find alternatives for sugar
Festivals are not complete without sweet dishes, no matter how many there are. Consuming sweets can certainly make you vulnerable to weight gain and more susceptible to lifestyle diseases. While people are opting for artificial sweeteners, one can also look for natural substitutes such as honey, dates and fruits. Add natural sweeteners such as cardamom, apples, figs, jaggery, dates, raisins and saffron to puddings, halwas, fruit salads, laddoos, chocolates and cakes.
Roast instead of frying
Roasted foods are not only delicious, but they also have some intriguing health benefits. The cooking process improves the texture and depth of flavour of anything you are preparing, making the food crunchier.
Use healthy dips
If you are used to dipping your food in mayonnaise, consider yoghurt-based dips that have fewer calories and a lower quotient of fat. Yoghurt has high levels of protein, calcium and probiotics. Alternatively, choose spicy green coriander chutney or the sweet but sour tamarind chutney instead of fat-laden dips.
Swap regular chocolates with dark chocolate
While it can be enjoyable to have a whole bar of chocolate by yourself, it can’t be too healthy. Even when consuming chocolate in limited quantities, it would be a safer bet to consider dark chocolate over sweet, milk and white counterparts.
Reach for cinnamon tea
During the holidays, it’s easy to consume too much sugar, so if you feel yourself going overboard, brew a cup of cinnamon tea. Due to cinnamon’s influence on blood glucose, the warm beverage may potentially assist reduce blood sugar.
Swap salty nuts with raw ones
Keeping an eye on your salt cravings is equally vital as keeping an eye on your sweet hunger. Reduce salt consumption and replace salted nuts with raw nuts which are rich in heart-healthy lipids, fibre and protein.
Have fruits as dessert
Instead of sweets, pick fruits. Laden with wonderful health benefits, they work as desserts or snacks. Don’t give up on your sweetmeats, reserve them for rare occasions.
Make your sweets at home
Instead of getting store-bought sweets, consider making sweets at home with healthier ingredients. Whether a pudding, halwa, ladoo or cookies, add healthful ingredients that are great to taste, satiate your taste buds and keep you healthy.
