We may be very particular about our health & eating habits but when it comes to festivities we tend to forget everything. We take the leverage of the festive fervor & conveniently indulge in all those sweets & savories that have been our legacy for ages or are part of our family traditions. The repercussion is gastric issues, bloating, allergic charges, insomnia, and weight gain. Taking a break from your regular lifestyle is not an issue but why be harsh on your body that has become used to all those healthy eating habits by now? Why betray your dedication & commitment towards your health goals? It’s just a little pre-planning that is required to keep you hale& hearty even during the festive season so that you can enjoy your favorite delicacies without any guilt & hangover later. Just a little transformation is required like we can substitute food items that are usually used during festivals with their ‘Healthy Swaps’
| Usually Used during Festivals | Healthy Swaps |
| Refined flour or Maida – | Whole Wheat flour, Rice Flour, Millet Flour, or a combination of flours |
| White Sugar | Jaggery Powder, Palm Sugar, Coconut Sugar, Dates, Honey |
| Dairy butter | Nut butter – such as Almond, Cashew, Peanut, Coconut and Seed butter – Sesame Seed |
| Deep-Fried | Baked, Air fried, Grilled, Sautéed |
| Shallow Fried | Steamed, Zero Oil cooked food |
| Cold drinks & canned juices | Buttermilk, Fresh juices of seasonal fruits |
| Sweets & desserts | Homemade sugar-free sweets made from dry fruits such as figs, raisins, dates, etc |
| Refined flour Biscuits/cookies | Homemade cookies or Dry fruits |
| Milkshakes | Fruit Smoothies |
| Paneer& Non-Veg Items | Tofu & Mock Meat options |
The list of these swaps is endless but the approach is the only one which is to look for a lifestyle change of eating healthy, to make it a journey which is not only lifelong but enjoyable too.
