Singhara Flour – A Favorite Navratra Diet

Singhara Flour – A Favorite Navratra Diet

Wheat flour should not be used during Navratra fasts, it should instead be replaced by either water chestnut (Singhara flour) or buckwheat flour (kuttu flour) said Padma Shri and Dr B C Roy National Awardee Dr K K Aggarwal President Heart care Foundation of India and MTNL Perfect Health Mela.

Singhara is not a cereal but a fruit and hence is a good substitute for Navratra fasts where cereals are not to be eaten.

• Singhara flour is made from Singhara or Water Chestnuts.
• Water Chestnuts are floating annual aquatic plants, growing in slow-moving water up to 5 meters deep. The plant bear ornately shaped fruits containing a single very large starchy seed.
• The seeds or nuts are boiled and sold as street side snack or eaten raw.
• The flour is made from dried, ground water chestnuts. The nuts are boiled, peeled, dried then ground into flour. The flour is a bright white fine powder; it is actually a starch rather than flour.
• The flour is primarily used as a thickener.
• The flour is used as a food during Navratras and consumed as a phalahar (fruit) diet.
• It is an excellent source of energy and provides 115 kcals per 100g.
• The glycemic index for chestnut is 60. Low GI foods have a GI value less than 55; medium GI foods have a GI value between 55 and 69 and high GI foods have GI value greater than 70.
• Chestnuts are relatively low in net carbs (total carbohydrate minus dietary fiber). They are included in many low carb diets.
• A gluten-free product, chestnut flour is a cooking option for people with celiac disease or other gluten intolerances or allergies.
• Chestnuts do not contain the fat that regular nuts have.
• Chestnut flour contains less carbohydrate than white flour.
• People with tree nut allergies should take care to avoid chestnut flour. It may cause an allergic reaction
• Flour made from chestnuts is typically more difficult to locate in many areas; also it is more expensive than white flour
• Avoid eating deep fried pooris or paranthas made from the chestnut flour.
• Do not use transfats vegetables oils to cook bread made of chestnut flour.
• Buy only branded flour as left over flour (from last year) can lead to food poisoning.
• As per Ayurveda, chestnut flour has cooling and buckwheat flour has hot properties
• Both chestnut flour and buckwheat flours can be combined.
• One should eat phalahar once a week and for at least 80 days in a year.