Chaitra Navratri food guide: What to eat, what to avoid
The nine-day festival of Chaitra Navratri begins on April 9 this year. Devotees follow a strict diet while fasting during Navratri. Here’s your guide on what to eat and what to avoid eating during the nine days of Navratri
Avoid: Onions and garlic
Consumption of onion and garlic is forbidden during Navratri.
Eat: Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are allowed during Navratri. All fruits and veggies like cucumber, potato, watermelon, banana, gourds etc can be eaten.
Avoid: Meat and eggs
Non-vegetarian food like chicken and mutton, along with eggs, should not be eaten during Navratri.
Eat: Dairy products
Dairy products like milk, curd, paneer are high in protein and can be eaten during Navratri
Avoid: Grains
Grains like wheat, rice and oats are avoided during Navratri. Instead, their replacements are encouraged.
Eat: Millets and sabudana
Kuttu (buckwheat) and Bajra (pearl millet) are popular. as grain substitutes. Sabudana (tapioca pearls) is also used widely.
Avoid: Table salt
Table salt should not be eaten during the nine days of Navratri. Devotees usually substitute it with sendha namak.