As the navratri festivity has begun, so has the shift from regular food to traditional food. Many Hindu households have started navratri celebrations. The nine day long festival is a reverence to feminine power, Shakti, in Hindu religion.
During these nine days, people indulge in religious activities and from attire to diet everything is changed so as to make it more religious.
During these nine days, many Hindus abstain from eating non vegetarian food and even onion and garlic and only consume traditional foods like kuttu ka atta, rajgira, sabudana and others.
During this time, people consume a lot of potatoes and sabudana as an alternative to the regular meals. Hence the amount of consumption of these items during navratris increases than what it is during regular days.
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Potatoes
On the consumption of potatoes and sabudana, Ayurvedic expert, Dr. Rekha Radhamony has an important message for all.
"If you have heat in your body and are an obese person, try to reduce the amount of potato in your diet," advises Dr Radhamony.
Root vegetables like potatoes are known to cause heat in the body. According to Ayurveda, these foods require more energy to be digested and hence cause more heat in the body.
Sabudana
On sabudana, she leaves a clear message to make a choice before opting for sabudana as a fasting food.
Sabudana or sago that we normally consume during puja are small beads of starch which are commercially produced. These are not natural foods. Due to its high starch content and the fact that it cooks easily and acquires the taste of anything it is put into, it is considered to be one of the best foods during fasting.
Healthier alternatives
As an alternative to these, one can have other vegetables and seasonal fruits during navratri fasting. Nuts are a great source of nutrients and are widely used in several sweet dishes during navratri.
If one is unwell or having any sort of health complications, it is always advisable to consult a doctor before going on fasting.
