Things to Keep in Mind While Eating Food in Dashain and Tihar

Dashain and Tihar are two of the biggest festivals celebrated by Hindus in Nepal. People entirely focus on traveling, cooking, and eating delicious foods during these festive seasons. However, there is much more to consider while cooking and eating during this time.

Let’s have a look at some key points to keep in mind for all of us.

Eat Healthy

Focus on foods rich in calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals even during the festive seasons. Dashain and Tihar are especially recognized for eating a variety of foods with loved ones. But we should eat food in moderation.

Foods mixed with too many spices should be avoided. Such foods can cause digestive problems. So, foods should be cooked with natural and organic ingredients. 

Replace Processed Food with Cooked Food

Even though some families cook food at home, some still buy processed foods for their convenience. It is important to replace all processed foods with cooked foods, as they may be expired and stored for too long. It also lacks essential nutrition and commodities. 

Avoid Using Food Colors and Flavors

Adding food colors and flavors while cooking foods to make them look colorful, attractive, and tasty should be avoided. Foods with additives such as food color and taste enhancers like ‘Ajinomoto’ cause stomach and intestinal cancer (Artificial Food Coloring, n.d.). 

Avoid Carbonated Beverages

Carbonated beverages and soda consumption should be controlled because these drinks have been proven to have many negative health effects. They have too much-added sugar and preservatives, which can lead to long-term health issues such as diabetes, kidney failure, tooth decay, and many more (Vartanian et al., 2007). 

Limit Alcohol Consumption

During the Dashain holidays, alcoholic beverages are typically drunk in large quantities. It is essential to recognize that excessive alcohol use is directly related to heart disease and stroke.

People who have high cholesterol, heart disease, or liver disorders should strictly avoid it. However, it doesn’t mean that people with no major health issues can drink heavily but rather should limit their quantity. 

Avoid Oily Foods

Most of us prefer deeply fried foods. However, excessively oily foods can cause bloating, diarrhea, stomach pain, and several other digestive problems. 

Conclusion

Celebrating Dashain and Tihar with cooked food boosts the culture’s significance. However, our perspective and attitude toward meals, as well as how we eat them, determines our health.

Food should always be consumed in a balanced manner. Foods that we should avoid should be avoided at all times of the year. During the holiday season, we must practice this behavior whenever possible. 

References
Artificial Food Coloring: Good or Bad? (n.d.). Food Network. Retrieved October 13, 2023, from https://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/healthy-tips/2010/06/artificial-colors-are-they-safe

Vartanian, L. R., Schwartz, M. B., & Brownell, K. D. (2007). Effects of Soft Drink Consumption on Nutrition and Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. American Journal of Public Health, 97(4), 667–675. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2005.083782