14/01/2022
Makar Sankranti, the auspicious festival, celebrated on 14th January marks the end of winter season and the beginning of new harvest season in India. The festival is dedicated to Lord Sun. According to Hindu calendar, the Sun enters the Makar (Capricorn) sign on this day. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm all over India to welcome the transition of longer days. On this day, people worship the sun, fly kites, decorate their homes, light bonfires and prepare various delicacies.
Health Significance:
After Makar Sankranti, the days start getting longer and warmer. Sometimes, our bodies react to the weather change and can cause health and digestion issues. Therefore, consuming a light yet nutritious meal is important during this time. Adding vegetables like carrots, beans, peas, spinach, etc. can lift up the simple dish by making it a balanced meal in itself. Hence, making it easy to digest as well as an immunity booster.
This Makar Sankranti, give your taste buds a treat with the festival special khichdi.
Jaggery: It is made up of sugar cane helps cleanse the liver and acts as detox. Jaggery is loaded with antioxidants and minerals like calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, selenium, which helps prevent free radicals. Jaggery dilates the blood vessels and improves blood flow thus creating warmth in the respiratory tract during winter.
Sesame- It is very beneficial for muscle and bone health. Sesame has hot potency and it contains an antioxidant called sesamin. Apart from this, a lot of nutrients are found in sesame including fiber, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, B complex.
It also has antibacterial properties and is beneficial as it increases the good cholesterol in the body and decreases the bad one, thereby reducing the risk of heart diseases. Besides this, sesame also enhances appetite.
peanuts: They are a good source of fibre, vitamin B, vitamin E, magnesium, iron, zinc and antioxidants like selenium, copper and manganese. The low glycemic index of peanuts is beneficial for diabetes management while the high content of vitamin E helps with preventing the risk of coronary heart disease. Also, folate in peanuts is considered good during pregnancy.
Sankranti
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