Is fasting regularly a healthy practice?
India, the land of fasters!
India is a land of different religions and each religion is governed by its own beliefs. One thing however, that’s common amongst many religions is the practice of fasting.
Fasting is an integral part of the Hindu culture, where individuals observe different fasts depending on their beliefs and practices. Fasts are commonly observed during Navratras, Maha Shivratri and Karva Chauth. For many, fasting is a more regular ritual. For instance, devotees of Lord Shiva fast on Mondays, while others fast on days of Purnima (full moon) or Ekadashi (11th lunar day, occurring twice a month).
What exactly is fasting?
By definition, a fast includes the act of voluntarily abstaining from some or all kinds of food or drink for a particular span of time. This could range from a single day (24hours) to a few daytime periods, as followed by Muslims during the holy period of Ramzan. People could fast selectively depending on how conveniently food items they are allowed to eat are available.
Popular “fast food”
Many Hindu fasts have certain diktats in common. Some avoid the consumption of salt during the day and mainly consume sweets like sago kheer, makhana kheer, fruits, milk products, nuts through the day. There are others that advocate avoiding the consumption of any cereal product and thriving on fruits, burfis, milk and milk products all day long. During fasts like Navratras, food products commonly consumed are potatoes, kuttu ka atta (buckwheat) and its products, sago (also known as saboo dana or tapioca pearls), samak rice and special salt.
Is fasting good for weight loss?
While following these fasts for religious reasons is fine, those who’re hoping for the added benefit of weight loss need to be aware of some facts.
For one, these special food products – potato chips, kuttu ka atta etc are very high in calorie content and they may negate the very purpose of fasting. Thriving on milk and milk products, sweets, nuts, fruits, is also akin to consuming a high calorie diet. In addition, the body is devoid of some essential vitamins and minerals when such a diet is followed.
It is also commonly seen that people often end up eating much more while fasting when compared to their routine food intake!
Fasting to detoxify
A common trend today is to fast to detoxify the body by consuming only fruits, vegetables, fruits juices and water. Fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins and minerals, but such a diet is healthy for a day or two. If continued for longer duration, it deprives the body of calories, proteins, vitamins like vitamin-B, calcium, iron and other essential minerals.
Pitfalls of fasting
To understand how fasting can be harmful to you, it’s important to understand how the body functions in relation to food.
Glucose is the most important fuel in the body that is responsible for the functioning of each body organ, primarily the brain. Glucose is available in the body primarily through the breakdown of cereals like rice, chapatti and sugars. If the body is denied any supply of glucose for more than 6-8 hours, it converts glycogen, a storage form of glucose found in the liver, to provide glucose to the body. Liver glycogen can sustain the body for upto 12-14 hours. If still no intake of glucose occurs, the body breaks down glycogen found in the muscles and this lasts for a few days.
If the body is still denied food, fat breakdown starts, eventually leading to the breakdown of body protein if fasting continues. Breakdown of body protein leads to a stage of starvation that is associated with complications like electrolyte imbalance, arrhythmia, renal failure etc.
Points to remember
Fasting should not be followed for a long duration of time. Fasting on food items like fruits, vegetables, curd, milk and its products for a day or two, indeed helps to detoxify the body. But food items like potatoes, sago, kuttu ka atta are high in calorie content, and an individual will end gaining weight instead of losing at the end of the fasting period.
- To observe a fast, consume food items that are high in vitamin and mineral content.
- Have plenty of fluids like lemon water, coconut water, buttermilk, and most importantly plain water, as water is the most important liquid for the body.
- Avoiding the consumption of caffeine from coffee and cold drinks.
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables in the form of salads. Sprouts can also be eaten during a detox diet as it provides protein, along with vitamins like vitamin C.
Fasting is healthy if an individual eats a healthy diet and if the fast is followed for small time periods!
Written by Misha Sharma, Nutritionist
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