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The most-awaited festival of the Indian calendar is here. Diwali is the biggest Indian festival, which falls on November 12th this year. During Diwali, it is no secret that there are elaborate preparations when it comes to home decoration, Diwali outfits, and obviously the most important: food and dessert preparations.
Traditional foods and desserts are nothing short of a blissful experience with each bite you take, so long as they are made from high-quality ingredients. Otherwise, it may not be best suited for your health. Unfortunately, many of these celebratory treats may be deep-fried, sugar-laden, and nutritionally lacking, packing quite a calorie punch.
But what if we say you can make your Diwali food a bit healthier? You can do that by doing some smart grocery shopping and replacing them with the ingredients you would otherwise generally use to make them. In this article, we will look at some of the healthy grocery items to shop for this Diwali.
Pick Natural Sweeteners
The recent trend in the health industry has seen people swiftly shift from regular sugar to more natural sweeteners that provide the same (usually more) sweetness without the calories of sugar. Pick sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit-based sweeteners, as they are the two natural sweeteners you can enjoy in place of chemically produced sweeteners. Stevia and monk fruit sweeteners are both available in different forms, such as powdered or liquid. Buy according to your needs, and make sure you enjoy Diwali mindfully.
Load Up On Organic Pulses
Like anything organic, these pulses are produced without the use of chemicals during the growing process. Since no chemicals are involved, the dals stay unharmed and get the maximum nutrients from the soil. Look for organic pulses in the market in place of your regular dals to get the most out of your pulses. Use organic dals such as toor dal, moong dal, urad dal, kidney beans, and more, and make iconic dishes like khichdi and dal makhani on Diwali.
Use Cold-Pressed Oils
Indian households mostly use refined vegetable oil in their cooking. It is a common practice and a staple in the country, but that doesn't mean it is the best choice for your health. Use cold-pressed oils such as coconut oil, olive oil, hemp seed oil, flaxseed oil, sesame seed oil, mustard oil, or simply ghee for your food and dessert preparations in place of refined oil. This way, you can consume healthy fats and get the most out of the nutritional value that they add to your balanced meals.
Look For Organic Spices
There are many kinds of spices used during Diwali to make traditional snacks, sweets, and appetizers. Now, this might seem like a small thing considering spices are generally flavour enhancers and not primary ingredients, but this one goes a long way when it comes to health. Organic spices are essentially spices that are manufactured without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers. They are free of chemicals, and those spices are in their most natural form, and anything natural is better than chemically produced.
Also, organic spice packs come with an expiration date. This helps you buy spices that are fresh and potent, unlike those that are bought loose in the markets, which may have been old stock and closer to their expiration date. It is rumoured that sometimes old stocks of spices like coriander, cinnamon, etc. are coated with a polish made from harmful chemicals when they lack lustre to restore their shine and make them look fresh.
Choose Organic Flours
Organic flours are essentially pesticide-free grains cultivated on land that are only fertilised by natural substances and are a healthier choice than refined flour.
Whether it is a Diwali party or a dinner with family, Indian meals are incomplete without rotis. But swap your regular flour with organic flour like bajra flour, wheat bran flour, barley flour, and jowar flour to make Indian flatbreads like roti to serve with gravies, curries, and dals. This small change will surely make a huge difference and enhance the taste, texture, and nutritional value of the ingredients used.
