Stay healthy with almonds this festive season

Chandigarh, August 28, 2019: As people across northern India begin preparations for the upcoming auspicious festivals of Navratri, Karwa Chauth, Dussehra and Diwali, a session around ‘Staying healthy this festive season’ was concluded in the city today.
For many, the month of September marks the onset of the festive season, and is the most anticipated time of the year. This is partly true because it’s a great opportunity for many to connect with relatives and friends, enjoy some of our favourite festival food and binge eat on yummy mithaai’s. As the festivals approach, it’s easy to get carried away with the revelry, and lose sight of one’s health.
Keeping in mind these nuances, and in an effort to promote a healthier festive season, the session, which was hosted by prominent Punjabi artist, Satinder Satti along with Ritika Samaddar,Regional Head-Dietetics, Max Healthcare – Delhi, centred on minor lifestyle, and diet changes or additions that families can adopt to stay healthy during the festivities. Whether it’s by making tweaks and adjustments to daily habits such as following your morning ritual of consuming almonds, or making more conscious and healthy choices, or even serving healthy and tasty snacks such as almonds while entertaining friends and family, the session addressed and offered solutions to a melange of challenges that many of us face these days especially during festivals. Towards the end, Chef Karthikeyan, JW Marriott, Chandigarh also created a few easy and healthy almond based snackrecipes, which would be perfect to ring in the festivities.
Speaking at the event, prominent Punjabi artist, Satinder Satti said, “While festivals are a great time to connect with the family, get together and share love, it’s also a time when we tend to be less conscious of our eating habits and snacking. For me, almonds have always been my go-to snack and I ensure I keep a handful handy, for any sudden hunger pangs. During festivals, I also make it a point to include delicious variants like roasted, caramelized or flavoured almonds, as a part of the snacks menu during parties or family get-togethers, to ensure weeat healthy while we enjoy the festivities.”
Ritika Samaddar, Regional Head-Dietetics, Max Healthcare – Delhi, said, “A lot of people usually over-indulge in unhealthy foods during the festive season, and this tends to have a bigger impact in the long run. A simple way to avoid going overboard during festivals, and yet enjoy the festivities is by replacing our unhealthy snacks with something that is nutritious and helps you feel full in between meals. Nuts such as almonds are a good alternative. Almonds are a source of 15 nutrients such as vitamin E, dietary fibre, protein, riboflavin, calcium etc., and also have satiating properties that promote feelings of fullness, which can help keep hunger pangs at bay, and keep you from reaching for the tempting empty calories that surround you this time of the year].
Chef Karthikeyan, said “For many of us, festivals are a time, when we pay less heed to what we eat, and tend to feast on sweets, fried snacks, and so much more. However, festivals are also a great opportunity, to experiment with new variants and dishes. So whether it’s while entertaining guests at a taash party, or as an evening snack while breaking one’s fast or even something to satiate a sweet craving - these almond based recipes will be a tasty treat, perfect for any and every occasion.”