A beautiful and auspicious occasion celebrated generally by North Indian married women, Karwa Chauth will be celebrated on October 13. Women doll up in traditional outfits and apply henna on their palms and pray for the long life of their spouse. All the married women get together and celebrate it by fasting the entire day till they see the moonrise and then break the fast.
What is sargi?
The most important part of Karwa Chauth is sargi. It is usually the food that is cooked by mother-in-law for the daughter-in-law and is consumed before the fasting period starts and is consumed in the early hours of the morning.
Well, while the preparations of Karwa Chauth are in full swing, don’t forget to include some healthy food products in your ‘Sargi Thaali’.
What are the healthy foods one can include in ‘sargi thali’?
Since, the fast stays for 12 hours or even more sometimes it is extremely important to pick healthy foods that are energy dense. Opt for foods that provide satiety and at the same time help you sustain for longer hours.
- The meal must include a drink as well. “Remember Karwa Chauth is the fast where most women do not consume water too so, hydration is equally essential. The best drink can be coconut water or lemonade to keep yourself hydrated as well as restoring electrolyte balance,” says Prachi Shah, Clinical Dietitian and Consulting Nutritionist, Founder, Health Habitat.
- You can also opt for healthy smoothies which are quite filling. Smoothies can have milk base with a fruit and addition of nuts or seeds. Nuts and oil seeds are energy and nutrition powerhouses.
- “Fruits, all of which are fresh and in season, are another significant component of the thali. Include citrus fruits in your diets, such as pomegranate, orange, and pineapple, to prevent feeling dehydrated throughout the day. Citrus fruits are high in water content, which can assist in compensating for the body’s loss of fluids during the day,” says Vaidya Shakuntala Devi.
- Have some soaked nuts, such as 5–6 almonds, 1-2 walnuts, 3–4 raisins, for longer-lasting energy. “As they are loaded with potent nutrients and vitality, it is advised to also include soaking seeds such as flax seeds, watermelon seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. By dissolving the anti-nutrient phytates found in the seed skin, soaking them overnight will aid in adequate nutritional absorption,” adds Devi.
- Along with fruit and nuts you can have a light yet filling meal like vegetable daliya or vermicelli
- “Remember it is always better for a meal to have a balance of complex carbohydrate and protein which helps you sustain throughout the day. So, you can pick mix vegetable or paneer paratha with curd,” adds Shah.
- You can also choose a simple paneer sabzi with roti
- “Excessive ‘mithais’ will off course be high in sugars. Yes, they will provide you energy but it will be instant energy which won’t help you sustain for long hours. Milk based sweets or halwa can be avoided or can be consumed in small portion but the focus should be on natural sugars and simple meals,” notes Shah.
- Punjabi sargi ki thali undoubtedly contains kheer. “This keeps the body’s sugar and energy levels at the appropriate levels throughout the day. Additionally, you might also consider drinking a fresh fruit shake,” notes Devi.
- Avoid teas and coffees specially first thing in the morning
These are just some general guidelines along with basic Indian options that will work for you before you start the fast. You can eat any healthy homemade option the whole idea is to not forget hydration and protein in the meal. “Indian meals tend to be higher on carbohydrates anyway so pick a protein option to go along with the meal which gives you satiety and makes the fasting window as manageable as possible,” signs off Shah.
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