Nutritionist Bhakti Kapoor suggested not being overwhelmed by the several types of meals available and avoiding filling our plates with everything. “Making wise decisions is essential for enjoying such events,” she said
Festive and wedding seasons are all about meeting your friends and family members. And every gathering, no matter what the occasion, involves a buffet of varied food items. From Chinese and Italian to traditional Indian dishes — one finds herself/himself indulging in an array of cuisines at such events. “There are several meals and beverages accessible, which might sometimes feel like more than enough to satisfy our taste receptors,” nutritionist Bhakti Kapoor wrote.
While this diversity of foods is appealing to our eyes and taste buds, the expert warned that it may be detrimental to our health. “As a result, it is critical to make informed and healthy decisions at these buffets.”
She suggested not being overwhelmed by the several types of meals available and avoiding filling the plates with everything. “Making wise decisions is essential for enjoying such events,” she added.
Here are some guidelines, suggested by Kapoor, that you must keep in mind to make smart choices at the buffet.
*She suggested not tracking every meal. “It will probably cause you more stress to try to track it,” she said.
*You are allowed to simply enjoy foods for the taste of them, the nutritionist said.
*Don’t just eat all of it because it is in front of you. “If you wouldn’t usually eat croissants and doughnuts at breakfast, you don’t have to just because it’s there.”
*Include protein-rich foods to slow down digestion and support your health.
*She suggested eating your foods slowly and enjoying the flavours. “Pause and check in with hunger signals. Put your knife and fork down between bites,” she said.
“Eat slowly so your brain can recognise when it is full rather than stuffed. Also, be deliberate about your meal selections by avoiding taking a little bit of everything and instead loading up on healthy food options first,” she concluded by saying.
Talking about the same, functional nutritionist Mugdha Pradhan, CEO and Founder, iThrive said, “It is okay to occasionally indulge in foods that aren’t totally healthy if you don’t suffer from any health issues or food sensitivities, especially in social settings which demand so. However, you should actively avoid specific food at a buffet if you suffer from food sensitivities and gut issues that cause you to have a bad reaction to certain foods.”
Common triggers typically include gluten, dairy, refined seed oils, spicy foods, etc. “Don’t hesitate to communicate with the waiters and the chef if in doubt. Tell them you suffer from food allergies and that this information is critical to you,” she shared.
