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One of the many reasons I look forward to Diwali is the delicious, crunchy, spicy traditional Diwali goodies that I get to indulge in. Chivda, chakli, shankarpali, sev are some of my most favourite Diwali faral items. When I was a kid, I remember helping my aaji and my mom in the kitchen while making everything from scratch. Of course, it was very time-consuming. But it was one of the most cherished moments of my childhood the family coming together to make the chakli flour, filling the chakli mould and watching my aaji s skilful hands drop the chaklis in hot oil. From sev to karanji, it was great to watch and make these goodies.
We don t make chaklis or shankarpalis at home anymore. We buy them at the market. We have been told repeatedly that deep frying anything is bad for health. Deep fried food from stores is even unhealthier because they often reuse heated oil. Reusing oil can create free radicals which cause ailments in the long run. According to diet consultant Naini Setalvad, Free radicals attach themselves to healthy cells and lead to diseases. These free radicals can be carcinogenic i.e. can cause cancer and also atherosclerosis which can lead to increase in bad cholesterol levels, blocking the arteries. All this has made gorging on Diwali snacks a guilt-ridden activity. But how bad are these deep-fried foods, especially those fried in ghee, for your heart? This Diwali, celeb nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar dispels some myths in her Instagram post.
1.Traditionally, we eat deep fried food items during the Diwali celebrations, including chakli, karanji, chirote, shakkarpara, murukku, etc. As we started fearing ghee, we gave up on these delicacies and started eating and distributing packaged and processed foods. Chocolates being the biggest gainers. Here's how to enjoy Diwali guilt-free according to Rujuta Diwekar.
2. Deep fried for a reason - Deep frying in essential fats like those in ghee or groundnut oil, etc, reduces the glycemic index of the food item and also helps absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A,E,D and K. So, not only are the blood sugars regulated, the immune system gets a boost in the changing season and bones get a strengthening dose for the upcoming winter.
3. And now science approves it - From the April 2015 guidelines of USDA where it says cholesterol is a nutrient which is not a concern for overconsumption to Cleveland heart clinic coming out with a poster singing many glories of ghee in Sep 2016, nutrition science is slowly but surely endorsing the time-tested food wisdom.
So this Diwali, Rujuta Diwekar urges you to go ahead, make, eat and share your Diwali delicacies without any guilt!
Read: Why diabetics should replace cooking oil with ghee
Image source: Shutterstock
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