Every year on the day of Asho Vadni Chaturthi, the festival of Karva Choth is celebrated across the country. On this day, married women fast for the good health and long life of their husbands. This year the date October 20, 2024 is Karva Choth festival.
Karva Choth is a very different and difficult fast from fasting on other days. On this day, women observe Nirja Vrat from sunrise to moon sighting. That is, they abstain from food and water on this day.
All medical disciplines, from naturopathy, Ayurveda to allopathy, consider fasting to be beneficial for health. Skipping food gives the digestive system a chance to rest, but skipping water can also lead to serious conditions like dehydration.
However, the good thing is that the solution is also found in the tradition of Karwa Choth Vrat. On this day, the mother-in-law gives a plate of sargi to her daughter-in-law as a blessing. This thali contains all the food and drinks, which are to be consumed before sunrise.
We can prepare Sargi Thali in such a way that it provides the required calories and nutrition for the day. Apart from this, the requirement of water and electrolytes required for our body should also be fulfilled.
So, today'health water' In we will talk about Sargi Thali prepared for Karva Choth. You will also learn that-
- What is traditionally included in a Sargi Thali?
- How can we make Sargi Thali better?
- What items should not be included in this plate?
This is how the traditional Sargi thali plate is prepared
Sargi thali is divided into four parts. It includes some fruits, dry fruits, cooked food and sweets. All the things in the plate are necessary for our body.
Now understand all the points given in the graphic in detail.
Fruits keep the body hydrated Dehydration can occur due to lack of water during the day during the Karva Choth Anjara Vrat. Hence, fresh fruits are included in the sargi thali. It is rich in water, which keeps our body hydrated throughout the day. In this we can include pomegranate and other citrus fruits for minerals and vitamin C.
Dried fruits for nutrients and energy Dry fruits are rich in many nutrients, carbohydrates and dietary fiber. So dry fruits are included in sargi thali. Dry fruits are mostly a part of traditional vrat thali. Include almonds, cashews, dates and raisins in it for all the nutrients.
Cooked food will keep your stomach full A sargi thali also has some cooked food. It includes mathari, feni, shaak, rotli and halwa. Mathari and feni are traditionally included in the thali. Apart from this, other items can also be changed as per choice. One feels complete by their presence.
Sweets for flavor and instant energy Sweets have a special place in Indian festivals. It is also considered as God's favorite prasad. So some sweets are also kept in the sargi thali. Waking up early in the morning to eat seems strange. So the taste of eating sweet is more. It is made from milk and sugar, so it also provides instant energy.
Sargi thali can be made more healthy Delhi Senior Nutritionist and Founder of 'OneDietToday' Dr. Anu Aggarwal says that as per tradition, Sargi Thali includes most of the essential food items. The good thing is that all the ingredients in it come from natural sources. However, we can add some other things to your plate as well. See graphic below about this.
If the sargi thali is decorated in a healthy manner as shown in the graphic, the daily requirements of calcium, potassium, protein, water and carbohydrates can be met.
Prepare a healthy thali of 1500 calories in this way Dr. Anu Aggarwal says that a healthy woman needs 1600 to 2200 calories a day. Since you have to fast during the day, it is not advisable to eat so many calories at once. So we can prepare a balanced plate of around 1500 calories. See the graphic below.
Dr. Anu Aggarwal says that we should pay special attention to some things while making thali. Like don't put too much sugary food in it. Avoid drinking tea with food in the morning.
Do not include sugary foods in Sargi Thali Dr. Anu Aggarwal advises to keep sweets to a minimum in the Sargi thali. Eating foods high in sugar gives the body a quick burst of energy, but eating them makes you feel hungrier throughout the day. This happens because eating sweets causes the body to release more insulin and insulin increases hunger.
However, he says that if this sweetness comes from fruits and nuts, it is by far the best because they contain complex carbohydrates and are also rich in fiber. Apart from this, fruits also contain water, which helps in keeping the body hydrated.
Avoid drinking tea in the morning
- Dr. Anu Aggarwal refuses to include tea in Sargi Thali because tea contains caffeine.
- According to the ICMR, caffeine inhibits the absorption of iron and other nutrients. We should avoid drinking tea or coffee in any meal.
- Apart from this, the caffeine and lactic sugar present in tea can cause lactic acid and gas in the stomach. It can cause stomach upset and vomiting. This can lead to dehydration, which can make it difficult to fast without water.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
