(By Dr. Ridhima Khamesra)
Maha Shivratri fasting sounds simple on paper. Fruits, milk, sabudana, maybe a bowl of khichdi later. In reality, it’s one of the fastest ways people end up with acidity, bloating, and that heavy chest burn by evening. Not because fasting is wrong, but because the way most people fast goes completely against how digestion works.
When food timing changes suddenly, the gut reacts. And if the food choices are all quick sugars and dairy, the reaction is louder.
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Why Acidity Hits Harder During Fasting
The stomach doesn’t stop producing acid just because food intake pauses. Acid secretion follows a rhythm. When long gaps are created and then broken with fruit, milk, or fried vrat foods, acid has nothing solid to work on. That’s when burning, nausea, and reflux show up.
Bloating comes from a different place. Large fruit bowls, bananas, sweet potatoes, sabudana, and peanuts are all gut-heavy foods. Individually they’re fine. Together, especially on an empty stomach, they ferment.
So the problem isn’t fasting. It’s stacking the wrong foods at the wrong time.
Start The Day Without Shocking The Gut
Beginning the fast with only tea, coffee, or fruit is a mistake. A small protein or fat buffer makes a difference. A bowl of plain curd, a glass of diluted buttermilk, or even soaked almonds can calm acid production instead of triggering it.
Raw fruit works better later in the day when digestion is already active. Early morning fruit on an empty stomach is a common acidity trigger.
Choose Vrat Foods That Digest, Not Just ‘Allowable’
Sabudana khichdi, fried patties, and heavy potato preparations slow gastric emptying. That sluggish feeling after eating isn’t fullness. It’s delayed digestion.
Better options are lightly cooked vegetables, lauki sabzi, steamed sweet potato, or thin vrat khichdi made with minimal ghee. Portion size matters more than variety. Mixing five vrat foods in one meal overloads the gut.
Watch The Milk And Fruit Combination
Milk, bananas, and dates are often consumed together during fasting. This combination sits heavy and produces gas. If milk is included, it’s better consumed alone, warm, and not immediately followed by fruit.
Adding cardamom or dry ginger to milk helps reduce bloating.
Don’t Break The Fast Aggressively
After hours of restriction, overeating feels justified. That’s when acidity peaks. Breaking the fast with a light, warm meal allows acid levels to normalise before heavier foods come in.
Eating slowly matters more on fasting days than on regular days.
Maha Shivratri fasting doesn’t harm digestion. Sudden food gaps, sugar-heavy meals, and poor combinations do. When meals stay simple, warm, and spaced out, the gut stays calm. Fasting should feel light and steady, not like something the stomach has to recover from the next day.
Dr. Ridhima Khamesra is a Clinical Dietician
Disclaimer: The information provided in the article is shared by experts and is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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