Diet Mistakes to Avoid this Diwali

Diwali is around the corner and celebrations are in full swing. The festival brings with it joy and togetherness, and one thing that you certainly cannot resist during the festive time is the temptation to gorge on sweets and some scrumptious food. Nevertheless, indulging in ghee-laden sweets and calorie-rich foods can take a toll on the health.

All this does not mean that you need to compromise on your celebrations. You can still enjoy the festival of lights and savor some of your favorite dishes without being guilty. We bring you some diet mistakes that you can avoid this Diwali:

Choice of Sugar

Sweets made at home or brought from the market are commonly made of white sugar. It is advisable to make sweets at home, and while doing so replace white sugar with brown sugar. You can also choose to use jaggery if you do not wish to use brown sugar. White sugar is not recommended as it contains traces of sulfur that enter during the process of refining. Another way in which you can use less sugar is by using dates, figs and fruits to sweeten your dish.

No White Flour

White flour, also known as Maida, is a common ingredient used in the preparation of dishes like Gulab Jamun, Gujiya, Mathari, Kulcha, Bhatoora etc. Though these dishes please the taste buds, use of Maida invites diseases like obesity, diabetes etc. Instead of using white flour, go for wheat flour which is undoubtedly a healthier option. Furthermore, instead of deep frying these dishes, use an air fryer or oven to cook or bake the dishes.

Avoid Items Fried in Reused Oil

Needless to say, fried sweets are unhealthy. Furthermore, sweet shops often reuse oil while frying sweets and other items. This makes these sweets even more dangerous to consume as the oil once used should not be reused. Once the oil is reused, free radicals are created which can cause clogging of arteries, acidity and heartburn. It is best to avoid buying sweets from the market, but in case you have to, ask for sweets that have been made in fresh oil. Always remember that using or buying sweets made in Dalda is forbidden as it has huge amount of trans fats. Another way to avoid consumption of these items is by opting for other baked options like Khandavi or Dhokla. 

Portion Control

As soon as the festive season arrives, we tend to forget our diet and eat anything that appeals our taste buds, and often, indulging in scrumptious dishes leads to overeating. It is extremely important to practice portion control of everything that you eat. If you think that you can have an overdose of sweets and fried food by skipping your meals, then this is not the right approach. Make sure you have your meals, fruits and drink lots of water. Another way in which you can control the sweets and fried foods that you have is by eating small portions within a gap of three hours.

Say no to Aerated Drinks

Instead of serving and consuming aerated drinks, go for coconut water or Nimbu Paani. This will keep you and your guests hydrated and at the same time decrease calorie consumption, Furthermore, apart from keeping the body hydrated, these drinks will provide essential vitamins and minerals that can help in flushing out toxins from the body.

Lastly, most importantly do not forget to exercise! If you cannot follow your regular exercising routine, take out some time and do exercising for whatever little time you can.

Wishing you all a very happy, safe and healthy Diwali!

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