Ganesh Puja 2018, 5 healthy dishes to indulge in without gaining weight
Ganesh Puja 2018: Don’t let your diet and weight loss efforts go for a toss during the festival. Here are 5 healthy alternatives to sugary sweets that you can eat without guilt.
Ganesh Puja is a festival celebrating Lord Ganesha’s visit to the homes of devotees in the month of Bhadra, according to the Hindu calendar. The festival concludes on the 10th day of his visit, when he returns to his parents — Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva — on Mount Kailash. It is celebrated with great fervour across Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Sweets like modak, jaggery and coconut are offered to the deity and a plate with 21 pieces of sweets has to be offered as bhog.
Given the nature of the festival, it is easy to overeat and gain weight. But if you are on a diet and exercise routine, you can still celebrate the festival by eating mindfully and opting for healthier alternatives. Here are 5 healthy options that you need to try:
* Modak: While there are all kinds of modak available in the market — from mango-flavoured ones to chocolate modaks — the healthier alternative is the original one. The traditional version of modak is steamed and made using three ingredients: rice flour, jaggery and coconut. It is low in calories and healthy for you. You can also experiment with the stuffings and add nuts or sliced fruits for variety.
* Puran Poli: This popular dish from Maharashtra is made using yellow gram and is stuffed with coconut, jaggery, and cardamom. The ingredients are good for your diet, and you need to restrict the amount of ghee you pour on top of it to make it healthier.
* Coconut laddoo: Grated coconut can be mixed with a small amount of sugar or jaggery to make coconut laddoos. These laddoos can offer a great energy boost and are a good source of glucose as well.
* Til laddoo: Instead of the regular motichoor laddoo, which can be fattening, opt for til or sesame seed laddoo. It is made by fixing sesame seeds with jaggery. Sesame seeds are nutritious and are known to lower cholesterol levels, improve blood pressure and balance your hormones.
* Sheera: Sheera is a staple during the Ganesh festival. To make it healthier, reduce the amount of ghee that you use to prepare it. And instead of sugar, you can use dates or bananas to make it sweet and nutritious.
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