Do you need a cheat meal? Here's how to make food cravings fit into a healthy lifestyle

Recently, I heard some health experts sharing what they ate on cheat days. Personally, I’ve never been one to think about cheat meals, because I believe that healthy food should be made so beautifully that it feels like eating a cheat meal every single time.

I’ve often had people telling me that the meals I share on Instagram look wonderful, but they don’t have the time to make them. My cooking never takes time. It is food that is quick to make and is healthy and tasty.

But if I were to have a concept of cheat meals, it would be foods that might not work great for me all the time, which I can bring in occasionally and tolerate without severe impact.

Here are some cheat meals which are healthy and will not take you off the track. Try some of these foods when you feel that occasional need for excitement in your food!

Eat food that’s healthy and make it a lot more sexy - this is my food mantra!

Do you need a cheat meal?

When it comes to eating meals that feel like you are being naughty, do you seek out fried foods, salty foods or sweets? That can tell you a lot about your physiology. If you crave fried foods, you might actually be having challenges with your liver.

If you seek out salty snacks, then your adrenals need some sodium support. If you seek out sweets, then your body is facing some blood sugar imbalance. Whatever it is, you can change your meals to make them better for you, while still giving into those cravings and cheating a little.

Fried foods, anyone?

If you crave fried foods, remember that the first thing to think about is to use very fresh oil. If you eat some fried food that is made in fresh oil, ideally at home, this can be good for you.

Old fats cause oxidative stress and liver congestion. It will leave you feeling dull and you may suffer from indigestion. Try using fresh coconut oil which has a high smoking point, and fry some vadas or plantain chips at home. Freshly soaked urad dal made into vadas and fried in fresh oil are rich in protein. Plantain chips help your gut and are much better for you than potato chips bought in a store or in a bag! 

Craving salt? Try some fox nuts

If you crave salt, fry some makhana (fox nuts) in ghee and add some chaat powder. The trick is to fry it very slowly in low heat, for a longer time. Makhana can burn easily, and most times you will find people roasting it in high heat, causing it to burn outside and stay chewy inside.

I’ve seen some packaged makhana as well, but these are loaded with preservatives and ingredients that can only cause you harm. Try getting yourself a big bag of makhana and doing this for yourself. It’s not only tasty, it’s also healthier and cheaper!

Sweet alternatives

If you crave something sweet, it can be because you have blood sugar issues or candida overgrowth. Either way, refined sugar is going to cause you more harm. Try something which uses more natural sugars and has ample proteins and fats which help stabilise blood sugar. The best approach is to go back to ancestral cuisine and local sweets.

Try making ladoos with roast gram. Powder it with jaggery. Heat some ghee and fry some raisins and nuts. Add the ground powder and make little balls, when it is still hot. If you do not have time or just cannot bother with this, try looking for besan ladoos made with jaggery and ghee.

Avoid fizzy colas

Another thing I must add, is the importance of adding sparkling water to your diet and this can be done in multiple ways.

If you seek out colas and drinks, ditch them. They are full of ingredients that wreak havoc on your body. Instead, make yourself a fizzy drink by stewing your favorite tea like tulsi or peppermint.

Do this with very little warm water. Add sparkling water and a few drops of stevia to sweeten, and you’ve got yourself a great drink to enjoy!

Cheat meals can be healthy

If you include foods like I suggested, they are hardly cheat meals. They are indulgent but most of them are really healthy as well. You could easily cheat every few days, and with some of these, you can cheat every single day!

It’s time to reframe the concept of cheat days into meals that are fantastic and healthy as well! Take time to notice if you feel great or dull after you have eaten these meals. This will tell you, if you need to look deeper within yourself and understand what’s going on in there!