The slightest mention of Karva Chauth instantly reminds most married women of rekindling love with their partner, traditional attire, accessories, the aroma of henna, the festive fervor and the contentment that she is strong enough to do whatever it takes for her husband’s lambi umar.
But the often unspoken side of this ceremony is acidity, heartburn, gas, headache, excessive thirst, severe mood swings, foggy brain, fatigue, etc. Despite this, the modern Indian woman, DOES follow the ancient ritual of Karva Chauth, without skipping her office, ready the kids for school, cooking meals for the whole family, along with fasting, not to forget dressing up for puja and courageously posing for the Insta selfies too.
THE MODERN GIRL’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING KARVA CHAUTH WITH A SMILE AND SWAG
As much as shoving up heavy meals inside the tummy before sunrise (it’s technically midnight, right?) sounds weird, it is a must-do. The right food consumed at this hour helps them sail through the next 18 hours like a pro.
THE GAME CHANGER BEVERAGE
Considering one has to also leave for work — or in the case of homemakers, go on with the daily household chores a couple of hours post the Sargi session, a caffeine drink is more than necessary.
Here comes the game changer tip — For the sargi morning cuppa, skip the usual milk and sugar, and swap it for a spoonfull of ghee in your tea/coffee. Why ghee? Recent studies have proved as well as a good percentage of the Indian population has tried this caffeine with fat combo and swear by its effects of drastically suppressing appetite as well as keeping the mind and body bursting with focus and energy.
Just add a spoonfull of ghee (or unsalted butter) in the morning coffee or tea. Ditch the milk and sugar and have it black and see yourself buzzing with fuel.
What’s more? This drink (butter coffee or butter tea) will solve the common problem of feeling thirsty the whole day of Karva Chauth. It is sure to trick you into feeling hydrated for at least 5-6 hours.
There’s another brownie point. Every girl yearns to spend hours of quality time with her spouse on this day. But fails to be happy even in his company owing to mood swings due to lack of energy. This beverage (also known as the KETO COFEE OR keto tea)will keep the mood elevated like you’ve just had a red velvet cheesecake. So full marks from your partner for your calm demeanour.
Trust me, you will be so super, even Superman will be jealous.
Moving on, just caffeine won’t do it. Most Indians follow the ritual of having panchmev bhog during sargi. Which means, eating five varieties of the meal before sunrise to keep the fast going with all the vidhi-vidhaan. Here’s a quick guide for all the fit girls out there:
Loading up on simple carbs alone (like sweets and chocolates) is not going to help. Rather these foods will make you hungry very sooner than usual, owing to the quick insulin spike they provide, followed by a sudden energy crash.
FIVE ESSENTIAL FOODS FOR SARGI
- CLEAN CARBOHYDRATES: Have one serving of Carbohydrates in the form of parantha, brown bread, etc. Remember that these should not be taken dry. Parantha with a generous addition of ghee and brown bread with dollops of butter or cheese is best since the fat balances the glycemic load of the carbs and will keep you full for a very, very long time.
- DRY FRUITS: Dry fruits are the second best bet. Quick to chomp on, providing sustained healthy fats and vitamins for the whole day. Bring on the soaked almonds and walnuts, with a few cashews and pistachios too.
- HEALTHY DESSERT: Vermicelli (seviyaan) cooked with milk and some sugar add taste and variety of meals taken at this time. While we must steer clear of excessive sugar, most nutritionists now claim that a little amount of sugar (half or full teaspoon) is indeed healthy for the human body. Keeps the body energized and the brain active. No time to cook vermicilli — no problem. Dunk your spoon in a quarter bowl of cornflakes/ muesli/ granola, my dear. Serves the exact same purpose.
- COCONUT LADDOOS: Meethi Mathri is being consumed since times immemorial as it is also a part of the evening puja. But gulping it down is not the best thing since it’s largely made of maida. One piece of coconut laddoo (made at home in advance) will do the job of a balanced healthy addition.
- DATES: Owing to the slight dip in the temperature, a piece or two of dates will keep the body warm and its high mineral and vitamin content will keep you healthy. Do avoid that glass of milk — it will negate the effect of caffeine and is likely to bloat you up.
PRO TIP: Butter coffee/tea, when had for the first time, might give you mild effects like a quick bowel movement or nausea feeling initially. In order to reap complete benefits of it, try having it once or twice before the final day.
Also, munching on fruits during this time is highly not recommended as fruits along with carbohydrates like chapati and bread make you acidic.