Keep a tab on your taste buds Festivities mean gorging on junk food and delicacies; here's how to have a healthy, sugar-free Diwali

Though known as the 'festival of lights', Diwali is more synonymous with scrumptious sweets and delicacies like ladoos, halwas, mithai, cashews, almonds and so on, that seemingly turn into not-so-sinful indulgences. Yes, we agree festive binging is justified, but here's how to curb the calorie overdose...
Use skimmed milk to prepare dishes like shrikhand, rice puddings like kheer phirni, Bengali sweets, fruit custards, etc. For instance, gajar ka halwa can be made at home using condensed milk instead of khoya or mava.
Plan your meals. "Before eating snacks, drink water to bring in the feeling of fullness. Keep drinking water, as it helps alleviate false hunger," suggests nutritionist Vaishali Marathe of Kohinoor hospital.
Instead of loading your plate to the brim with sweets, just take a few, may be one or two, and eat them slowly and gradually. Before eating snacks, remember to drink water to bring in the feeling of fullness. Keep drinking water as it helps alleviate false hunger.
"Opt for Anjeer barfi as anjeer is not only a good source of fiber, but is also is very rich in calcium. Adding roasted almonds to this sweet would not only enrich its taste but also the nutrition value," says Suresh Thampy, Executive Chef, Courtyard By Marriott, Mumbai International Airport. Kaju katli and gulab jamuns, on the other hand, are high in fat and sugar. Sweets and desserts must ideally be consumed post meal.
Find sugar alternatives. "Rose petals add fiber content to a dish and are more appealing as opposed to high sugar options," says Suresh. Substitute low fat paneer or cottage cheese for regular paneer. Paneer is the protein provider and also rich in calcium.
Most of us may not give a product labeled 'sugar-free' a second glance without realising that the manufacturer is only using other sweetners such as honey or jaggery and not refined sugar per se. "Calorie- wise however, this makes no difference to the product at all and is still going to add the inches to your waistline," says nutritionist Pooja Makhija.