With the festive season around the corner, people have already started planning on how to celebrate. Plenty of rituals will be followed by fasting and then feasting. Sometimes, we tend to even go overboard and all those hours we’ve spent at the gym go in vain when we binge on those festive delicacies. However, by incorporating certain food grains in your feast, you can enjoy without guilt.
Gain with these grains Amaranth: One of the grains with numerous health benefits, Amaranth has been in use since ancient times and is derived from the fruit of a flowering plant. Rich in fibres, proteins and many other micronutrients, Amaranth is a powerhouse of vitamins and iron. It also contains manganese, so if you incorporate it in your diet once a day, it will help complete your daily nutrient needs. The rich iron and phosphorus content helps the body to produce blood and aids bone health. Dishes such as amaranth tikki, porridge, and amaranth flour paratha are a few tasty foods with health benefits.
Buckwheat: Popularly known as ‘kuttu ka atta’, it is consumed by people during Navratri. In spite of its name, buckwheat doesn’t contain wheat, and is completely gluten-free. It also has various minerals, proteins, and antioxidants. In fact, it is beneficial for diabetic patients too, as the cereal is a good source of fibre which has a low glycaemic index, making it safe for people suffering from type 2 diabetes. Chapatis, dosa, pakoras made of buckwheat are popular during the days of festivities.
Quinoa: It is gluten-free, rich in protein and also has a high amount of fibre, vitamin B and E, iron, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, and many antioxidants. The cereal also contains plant compounds such as quercetin and kaempferol. It helps in maintaining metabolic health because of the highly beneficial nutrient content present in it. As quinoa tastes like brown rice and oatmeal, it also serves as a good replacement for rice. So, this festive season, ditch the typical recipes and savour the flavour of quinoa in pulao, salads, pudding, and kheer.
Millets: They are one of the superfoods that are being used since time immemorial. They have remarkable nutrient-rich composition and contain high starch levels, Magnesium, Vitamin B, Calcium, Iron and Zinc. Millet is a gluten-free grain. As sweet dishes are a must during the festivals, millets are a good option with which to make delicious south Indian desserts such as laddoos and thinais.
