Written By: Upneet Pansare | Updated : October 12, 2018 12:31 PM IST
Looking forward to eating chana puri halwa during Navratri? © Shutterstock
Worried about what to eat during the nine-day fast of Navratri? Celeb nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar is here to guide you. It s the time of the year when the end of Pitru paksha leads to the beginning of Navratri. Both, in their own way, are a means that use food or anna as a learning tool. Pitru Paksha is about charity and offering food to the ancestors who no longer live in their bodies and in the realm of our world. Navratri, amongst many other things, is about staying disciplined with food to help nurture the creative and the feminine principle in our physical bodies.
In Navratri, the food is restricted as a method of disciplining the senses. Nutritionally, it empowers the women with nutrients that make them not just physically stronger but helps bring about a balance at the neurotransmitter and hormonal level too. It s a religious method of teaching families that good physical health of the women and girls is of paramount importance to the wellbeing of communities and societies. It guides us to look after, nurture and create opportunities for women to express themselves freely versus suffocating them under the guise of culture , sabhyata or sanskriti.
Meal 1: Fresh fruits/ handful of nuts
Meal 2: Breakfast: Singhare ke pakode/ sabudana khichdi/ sweet potato with dahi/ aloo ki kheer/ chana puri and sheera
Meal 3: Lunch: Kuttu, Rajgira or singhare atta ki roti + aloo sabzi/makahe ki sabzi or kuttu ki kadhi + samo chawal/upvasacha thaalipeeth
Meal 4: Dinner: Samo chawal + dahi/ jhangora kheer/ paneer ki sabzi + kuttu or singhare or rajgira or banana flour ki roti
Mid-meals: Fresh fruit/ chaas/ shikanji/ kheer/ shakarkandi ki chaat/ sabudana wada with dahi
Immediate effects:
Less mood swings
Better hormonal balance
Smoother digestion
Clear skin and denser hair
