With delicious flavors and fragrant spices, Indian cuisine is certainly popular around the world. In addition to its wide variety of rich flavors, a traditional Indian diet also boasts of a wide variety of nutrients in a balanced quantity.
Indian food is diverse, enriched with different varieties of dals, curries, rotis, nans, rice and an infinite category of fruits, Indian cuisine is colorful in every aspect.
According to ancient Indian science, Ayurveda, Indian food is complete and enough for our bodies. The dependence on foreign foods is not required as legumes, beans, grains, fruits and vegetables provide us with ample amounts of fiber, fat, carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins and minerals.
Despite the fact that India predominantly a vegetarian nation, foods are sufficient enough to make them nutritionally efficient. Even though Indians may be obsessed with rice and roti, their traditional Indian diet composed of healthy ingredients.
However, obesity and diabetes still continue to be a significant public health concern for India. The country is considered to be the Diabetes capital of the world and we are seeing people report problems such as heart diseases, weight gain, high cholesterol levels over the years A detailed study done by the medical journal, The Lancet mentioned that Indians tend to consume more of carbohydrates, sugar, less of protein and plant protein than what is recommended for a sample adult population base, despite having access to diversified dietary sources.
The burden of diseases and the health risks mentioned makes one certainly question: Is Indian diet really that healthy compared to the Western ones?
The staple Indian diet consists of roti, rice, dal, chutney, pickle, beans and legumes along with meat or chicken or fish. These can vary from region to region with addition of several other components but listing them here will be an impossible task.
Let’s look at the nutrient quotient of some of these everyday food items they consume:
- Roti: 85 calories per roti with a 15cm diameter. Fat content - 0.5gms.
- Dal (urad) with tadka: 154 calories per 150gms. Fat content - 6gms
- Rajma/chana : 153 calories per 150gms. Fat content - 5gms
- Average mixed vegetable: 142 calories per 150gms. Fat content - 15gms (based on oil usage)
- Average chicken curry: 300 calories per 100gms. Fat content - 15 to 35gms (based on oil and types of cut - skinless, lean etc)
- Plain dosa: 125 calories per medium dosa. Fat content - 3gms
- Curd rice: 190 calories per 100gms. Fat content: 7gms
- Coconut rice: 368 calories per 100gms. Fat content: 15gms
By now, it is clear enough that an average day’s diet is mostly balanced with a healthy amount of carbs, fats, fiber and proteins. Curd, beans, lentils, chicken, fish or meat not only provide essential amino acids, but are also good sources of healthy fats and are low in calories.
Therefore, it is safe to say that a typical Indian meal comprised of good carbs, healthy natural protein and resistant starch which is beneficial in weight loss.
While we know how healthy Indian food is, where they often go wrong with over-indulgence in fried Indian snacks. These are usually consumed after 6 pm and result in bulging tummies and high fat percentages. This is the first step towards all kinds of lifestyle issues like diabetes, thyroid, obesity, pcod etc.§
Some basic tweaks in everyday diet can help keep problems at bay:
1. Controlling portion size: Every extra roti on your plate adds an extra 80-90 calories. Similarly, an additional serving of rice adds 100 calories.
2. Refrain from fried food: Since Indians often hog on fried snacks, opting for boiled, steamed, pressure-cooked, sautéed or broiled food. The method of cooking really helps preserve the nutrient quotient of food.
3. Reducing salt intake: As Indians, tend to eat dinner after 8 pm. Sodium retains water in the body and hence leads to you feeling groggy in the morning. Since salt consumption is high throughout the day, start reducing intake by half a teaspoon.
4. Cutting back on artificial sugar: Sticking to natural sugars like honey, cinnamon, fruit sugar is a better idea if want to keep your body measures in check.
5. Spices: Indian cuisine is rich in whole spices. Food should be cooked with whole spices like, cardamom and cinnamon. Rather than using more fat to flavor food, use spices.
6. Relying on grains: Don’t only limit yourself to wheat rotis, you can try different varieties like dry dals to make delicious rotis.
7. Make use of desi superfoods: Do not let the staples fool you. Some of the best traditional spices- such as turmeric and black pepper are now gaining popularity in the world for their multiple health benefits and rightfully so. Make sure you include these superfoods in abundance. Turmeric and black pepper, consumed together are said to boost your immunity, increase absorption, keep the mind and body healthy.
