Chaitra Navratri 2023: Spices to eat and avoid while fasting

Chaitra Navratri 2023: Not all spices are allowed while you are fasting during Navratri. Here are spices that you should avoid and the ones you can eat during the nine days of fasting.

Chaitra Navratri is round the corner and Maa Durga devotees across the country are looking forward to celebrate the nine days of the festivities with much enthusiasm and fervour. Navratri is usually celebrated four times in a year in different months of the year as Shardiya Navratri, Chaitra Navratri, Magha Gupt Navratri and Ashadha Gupt Navratri. However Shardiya Navratri and Chaitra Navratri are more commonly celebrated. Chaitra Navratri is usually celebrated during Chaitra's Shukla Paksha and falls in the month of March or April. This year Chaitra Navratri is starting on March 22 and the last day of the nine-day festivities will conclude with Ram Navami on March 30. (See pics: Chaitra Navratri 2023 rituals: All you want to know about nine days of fasting)

The Indian kitchen is blessed with some of the best herbs and spices which have multiple medical and health benefits(Pixabay)

Navratri fasts are observed by Maa Durga devotees across the country and during the fasts satvik foods are eaten while tamsik ones are avoided. Onion, garlic, wheat flour, rice, brinjal, mushroom are avoided during vrat while samvat ke chawal (banyard millet), kuttu ka aata (buckwheat flour), rajgira, sabudana, singhare ka aata (water chestnut flour), potatoes, sweet potato, bottle gourd (lauki), arbi, spinach, pumpkin, bottle gourd, carrots and cucumber are some of the foods that are allowed during fasting.

Not all foods are allowed during Navratri fast and one's favourite food may not find place in the vrat ki thaali. However vrat-friendly foods can be made delicious with the use of certain spices.

Here is a list of spices that you can eat or avoid during fast.

Spices to avoid during Navratri

Garam masala

Coriander powder (dhania)

Turmeric (haldi)

Asafoetida (hing)

Mustard (sarso)

Fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)

Spices you can eat during Navratri

Cumin powder

Black pepper powder

Green cardamom

Cloves

Cinnamon

Ajwain

Black peppercorns

Kokum

Nutmeg

Irrespective of what you are making, one must add sendha namak to their satvik meals instead of regular salt during Navratri fasting.

Instead of deep-fried and high-sugar stuff, one should try to add healthy fruits and vegetables to keep their energy levels high during the fast.

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