Healthy tweaks for sadya: Age-appropriate tweaks for a guilt-free Onam

"No more indulgence, children. I’ve had my share of good times, so let’s cut back on the endless feasting." As we grow older, it's natural to become more mindful of our eating habits, even during festive times like Onam. But what’s the point of celebrating if we can’t enjoy ourselves? The key is moderation. With a few thoughtful changes to your cooking and eating schedule, you can still savour a delicious Onam sadya while staying healthy.

Limit the feast to a satisfying noon meal, and say goodbye to evening indulgence – enjoy the festival with balance and joy!

• To begin with, keep sugar out of your kitchen. For making payasam, use coconut jaggery or palm rock sugar candy (panam kalkandam) instead.
• Skip having your payasam along with the banana and pappadam. You may try making apple payasam for a refreshing change.
• For your avial, use more bitter gourd, cucumber, and carrots, and reduce the amount of yam and potatoes. Add just a few drops of coconut oil and mix it with crushed curry leaves for a delightful flavour.
• In preparing parippu, use less grated coconut and increase the amount of shallots to enhance the taste.
• Prepare the curd for making pachadi the night before at your home itself to ensure it’s safe and ready for your meal.
• Opt for banana stems or flowers in your thoran, as these are now widely available in the market.
• Instead of frying pappadam, roast it on a phulka frame over the gas stove. Take care to limit yourself to just one small pappadam while having the feast.
• Make sure to include pumpkin in your erissery and pachadi. Pumpkin is rich in vitamin B, which strengthens veins, and its yellow seeds are high in calcium, benefiting bones and teeth. The pumpkin skin also helps clear the stomach and can be used to make Payasam.
• Don’t overlook aubergine or brinjal. It helps reduce bone depreciation, enriches muscles and joints, and serves as a remedy for urinary diseases. It’s a key ingredient in sambar and can also be used in thoran.
• Though not used traditionally for Onam feasts, green peas can substitute green grams. They are beneficial for those with diabetes, being rich in protein and helping to reduce carbohydrate absorption when paired with cooked rice.
• For pickles, use gooseberries. The absence of oil won’t significantly impact the taste of pickles.

Sadya calorie count
A traditional Onam feast typically has around 1900 kilocalories. By incorporating these tips, you can reduce this to 1500-1600 kilocalories. So, let's begin now.

Apple payasam: A treat for everyone! (Calorie value – 150)
It’s incredibly easy to prepare. Start by taking 750 grams of apple, sliced thinly. Add 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of palm sugar candy (panam kalkandam) and ¾ cup of water, then cook until the apples soften. Set it aside to cool.

Next, boil two cups of toned milk. Mix in half a cup of toned milk combined with two teaspoons of corn flour, stirring well. Add ¼ cup of sliced dates to the mixture. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes before adding the cooled apple mixture. Once combined, remove from heat.

Calorie values of dishes in a traditional Onam sadya

• Banana chips (4 pieces) – 50 kilocalories
• Sharkkaravaratti (4pieces) – 100 kilocalories
• Banana (Njalipoovan orPalayamkodan, 1) – 50 kilocalories
• Thoran (3 tablespoons,made with vegetables like cabbage) – 70 kilocalories
• Pickle (1 teaspoon, lemonor mango) – 20 kilocalories
• Kichadi (2 tablespoons) – 50 kilocalories
• Koottukari (2 tablespoons) – 100 kilocalories
• Avial (1 cup) – 150 kilocalories
• Olan (2 tablespoons) – 80 kilocalories
• Boiled rice (Kuthari, 1½cups) – 260 kilocalories
• Ghee (1 teaspoon) – 45 kilocalories
• Pappadam (2 pieces) – 120 kilocalories
• Sambar (1 cup) – 60 kilocalories
• Kalan (½ cup) – 40 kilocalories
• Rasam (1 cup) – 30 kilocalories
• Payasam (Milk Payasam, 1cup) – 220 kilocalories
• Buttermilk (1 cup) – 35 kilocalories

Total: 1870 kilocalories