Festival season in India is all about indulgence, from plates piled high with festive delicacies to boxes of mithai shared with family and friends. What starts as an occasional treat can gradually turn into a week of overeating, with sweets, fried snacks and heavy meals becoming part of the daily routine. While this may seem harmless, it can affect blood sugar levels, particularly for people living with diabetes. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Suman Banerjee, a consultant intensivist, consultant physician and diabetologist in Delhi NCR (MBBS, EDIC, FCCCM), explained what happens to your body after a week of festive feasting.
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What’s happening inside?
According to Dr Suman, many festive favourites have a recipe in common-sugar or potato, usually fried. From syrup-soaked jalebi and gulab jamun (which can be 40-80% sugar by weight) to samosas, kachoris and aloo tikki, they all use up refined carbohydrates along with oil. A glucose spike and a subsequent dash of insulin to deal with it leaves us tired and craving more after a couple of hours. For those who fast and then feast, glucose levels can swing even more wildly.
No one wants to give up the pandal. However, here’s how to tweak the routine for a healthier festival:
Don’t go hungry
Dr Suman advises that having nuts, paneer or even a bowl of curd before sitting down for the feast helps blunt the binge.
Split your meals
Four bites of phuchka is just as good as twelve, so too is one mithai you love over six you barely remember.
Go for the roasted
Go for options like corn, roasted chana, dhokla, tikkas or an egg roll are way better than the fried variety.
Strategies for your meals
Dr Suman recommends starting with veg and protein and saving the carbs for last. The order you eat in will help control spikes.
Go lighter on sweets
Dry sandesh makes for a better dessert than syrupy rasgulla or a laddoo made with dates and nuts. Fruit or a square of dark chocolate also works.
Drink smart
Unsweetened lemon water, chaas, or coconut water are better than cola or packaged juices.
Consider walking
Pandal hopping is a good way to do that. According to Dr Suman, walk 10-15 minutes after your meal.
What to do the morning after that
“If your sugars already run high, you have prediabetes, or you’re on diabetes medication, check your glucose more often this week and talk to your doctor before you fast,” said Dr Suman.
For everyone else, the cure for a festival hangover is pretty boring: regular meals, enough water and a walk. Don’t starve yourself to make up for it, because that just sets you up for the next binge. Celebrate fully. Just leave some room for your metabolism.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
