11 Tips to Stay Healthy during Diwali (Bonus Healthy Diwali Recipes)

We give you some healthy tips for a healthy Deepavali. Read on to know more

The festival of lights is around the corner and so is the associated cheer. However, with an envious spread of Diwali sweets, Diwali snacks, and other indulgent Diwali recipes; it is perfectly normal for an average person to pack in an extra few in the unwanted places.

But do not fret!

There is relief at hand because we are rolling out valuable nuggets of Diwali information! All of you can celebrate the Diwali festival without the unwanted weight gain. With a little bit of planning, we can ensure healthy eating during Deepavali festival for our families and for yourself.

11 Tips for a Healthy Deepavali

Here are a few important tips to enjoy the Deepavali celebrations without compromising on health:

1.Exercise early on

Ways to stay healthy during diwali: Exercise early on. Source: interhealthUSA

Begin the day with a walk in the park or by doing few asana. Suryanamskar is the best way to fight exhaustion. Yoga is definitely one of the ways to stay healthy during Diwali.

2.Healthy breakfast is important

Have a high fiber/healthy breakfast to ensure high energy throughout the day. This means you do not start indulging in the Diwali sweets and snacks early on in the morning.

3.Phase it up

Since we eat and drink the Diwali special recipes mostly in the evenings, it is best to balance it by eating less throughout the day.

4.Water is your best friend

Drink a minimum of 3 liters of water per day. It keeps you hydrated and avoids unnecessary snacking and food cravings.

5.Healthy alternatives are the order of the festive day

Healthy eating during the Deepavali festival: Prepare healthy sweets

Diwali festival is all about the sweets which are hard to resist. With the variety of colorful Diwali sweets around, it becomes even harder.  Preparing these indulgences at home and that too with healthier options is the way to go. We give you some simple tips for healthy eating during Deepavali festival below:

Go nuts on nuts: Add more of almonds, walnuts, dry apricots, raisins, sunflower and sesame seeds while making the sweets. We give you some more reasons to go nuts on almonds in our blog.
Spice is the variety of festivals: Spices like cinnamon, cardamom, saffron, black peppercorn can liven up both savory and sweet foods. Spices have shown to jack up a slow metabolism too, so indulge in them.
That sweet source: Buy organic jaggery or honey as a refined sugar substitute. You could also opt for unrefined sugar as well.
Salads and fruits during Diwali: Fresh fruit salads can be one of the Diwali special dishes. Whip up some low-fat milk unsweetened radbi to add protein and taste to it.
Latoo over laddoos: You can have Truweight’s healthy superfoods like flaxseed and sesame laddoos, protein-rich granola laddoo, granola bar almond and coconut, and apple and cinnamon bars as substitutes for the Diwali sweets.You can also whip up innovative Diwali special recipes with these superfoods and serve them to your guests as well. Read more to know of some healthy laddoo recipe.
High on nutrition and taste kind sweets: Diwali and weight loss becomes easy when you swap refined maida for wholesome flours like multigrain atta or Truweight’s own gluten free atta. Use them for making Diwali special halwas.
Healthy Diwali festival drinks:  Who says you have to serve up colas or sweetened fruit juice. You can make Diwali special food by using Truweight’s Shake-A-Day. Add this high-protein shake with a fruit and make a milkshake or an ice-cream etc. Delight your guests with this healthy decadence.
Diwali snacks no worry: You can make healthy snacks using Truweight’s protein crispies/chana zor / khakra etc.

6.Diwali party code

Celebrating Diwali with lavish parties will be a norm. It is advisable to never turn up for a Diwali party on an empty stomach. You could have a light snack or have Trufiber with buttermilk or Shake-A-Day before going. This will prevent over indulgence of the food served at the party. You could try to have most of the meal at home and just go with light snacks in the party.

7.Festivities and alcohol

Diwali and alcohol may not go hand in hand. Keep drinks to a minimum

This Diwali festival, avoid drinking more than 2 medium drinks of wine or other alcoholic beverages. Alcohol stimulates the appetite and is primarily a source of empty calories as these calories are stored preferentially as fats. Women should limit their intake to 1 medium drink. Prefer dry wine instead of sweetened wines. If you have to go through a long evening over drinks, dilute your drinks or else take water or soda intermittently. People with diabetes should watch their alcohol intake as it can lead to hypoglycemia.

8.Salads and fruits during Diwali

Include healthy salads and fruits during Diwali as a part of the main course. If you find gulping down salads really difficult, here are 11 cheat codes to includes salads in the diet.

9.Diwali special dining tips

Can’t wriggle out of Diwali festival related dining invites? Ensure you eat mostly vegetables with less or no gravies as they are loaded with fats and calories. Try grilled, sautéed or lightly fried vegetables. If you are non-vegetarian, chose light roasted or grilled dishes

10.Yay to healthy desserts 

Skip desserts if possible or go with a light one without much cream. Fresh fruits are a good option. Read on to know some healthy dessert options and Diwali recipes.

11.An important post-Diwali festival tip

Try to balance out the extra calories in the next 3-4 days by doing a detox diet.

Some Healthy Diwali Special Recipes

Desserts and healthy? Sounds like a misnomer. But low-calorie desserts are possible with some creative tweaks. Here are some ideas to help you get started on low-calorie Diwali sweets.

Poha kheer

Gone are the days when you would make kheer with rice. Replace the rice with red rice poha for a much indulgent, tastier, and healthy recipe. The addition of peanut and sesame seeds gives a very pleasant nutty flavor.

Recipe method:

Soak poha in water for about half an hour. Blend roasted groundnut, sesame seeds and jaggery to a coarse powder. Heat ghee in a kadhai. Add soaked poha and cook for 2 minutes. Add milk and bring it to a boil.Add in the prepared nut coarse powder and cook for 2 mins. Then switch off the flame. Add the chopped almonds and mix well. Serve hot or cold.

Whey chocolate balls

Chocolates this Diwali festival would mean extra indulgence and calories. So does that mean avoid chocolates altogether? We have a great recipe in the form of whey chocolate balls. Truweight’s chocolate flavored whey protein chocolate balls are rich in iron & vitamin C.

Recipe method:

Wash & soak poha for 20 mins in enough water till it becomes soft. Drain out if there is any excess water. Mash the banana along with poha, roasted oats powder, and crushed almonds. Make small, round balls and keep aside. Prepare a thick shake a day syrup by adding milk into it. Dip the poha balls into the syrup. Can insert an ice-cream stick to hold the balls like lollipops. Freeze and have it.

Gluten free halwa

Truweight’s gluten free halwa is a sumptuous festive delicacy which is healthy at the same time. Try this halwa out today.

Recipe method:

Heat a thick bottomed tawa, add ghee and roast the gluten free atta on a low flame until it is aromatic but not brown. In a separate pan put 1 small cup of water and mashed banana in it well until good consistency. When atta is well roasted add the banana and stir well so that no lumps are formed.

Add one small cup of milk or water and stir well again until desired consistency. Serve hot with chopped dry fruits and nuts to make it nutrient dense.

Some extra tips to stay healthy during Diwali

Revel in the Diwali pooja and Diwali festivities without worrying about calories

• Ladies, snacking is quite common while making Diwali special recipes in the kitchen. You can make these unaccounted snacking healthier by keeping apple or pear cubes ready on the counter.
• Have a bowl of bran cereal topped with fresh fruit or dry fruit before cooking. If you cook on an empty stomach, then you are sure to indulge in your favorite goodies when it is made.
• Refrain from eating meat during Diwali. It will just add to your calorie count.
• If you plan to play cards all night or party late this Diwali festival, then try to have your dinner earlier. Usually, people binge on snacks till late night and have dinner only at the end. This is an unhealthy practice as digestion of food needs time and there should be a gap of at least two hours before dinner and bedtime.
• Waking up after a bad hangover? Then it is probably because you are dehydrated. Tackle this unpleasant feeling post the Diwali festival by replenishing fluids in your body with a sports drink or some electoral.

It is important to participate in the Diwali pooja and enjoy the Diwali festival to the fullest. With these health tips for celebrating Diwali, you can celebrate the upcoming festive season!