There is a misconception that Indian food is not healthy. There are most common misconceptions about Indian food are it’s oily, it’s hot and spicy, it’s fatty, it’s sugary and so on.
But wait. Is it really the fact? Not at all. Actually, Indian foods are healthier as we Indians usually consume freshly cooked foods and we use varieties of spices in our cooking which also sometimes fight against obesity. All you need to adopt a healthy cooking habit with less oil, and fewer spices and avoid refined ingredients in your cooking, opines Payal Rangar, a Public Healthcare Expert, Nutritionist and Weight-loss Consultant.
She explains that there are varieties of wholesome Indian dishes which one can consume to go into a calorie deficit to fight obesity. So, you have to focus on three main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) of the day to go into a calorie deficit diet.
There are plenty of healthy Indian breakfast options which obese individuals can opt to go into a calorie deficit diet. Having the right foods can curb cravings and keep you fuller for longer, which will ease weight loss.
I am listing5 healthy breakfast options that can help you lose weight.
1. Vegetable Dalia
Dalia is an Indian superfood rich in fibre. Dalia can be cooked in a sweet and salty way. But when you are trying to lose weight, it’s better to cook Dalia with lots of vegetables to increase the nutritional value and make it more filling.
2. Moong Dal Chila
Moong dal is a protein-packed vegetarian superfood that comes with amazing nutritional benefits. It helps in reducing the appetite by reducing the levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin, making you crave less and thus aiding weight loss.
3. Tangy Black Chana Chaat
Black Chana is high in protein as well as fibre which are known to keep you fuller for longer as they take time to digest. Usually, black chana chaat is prepared using veggies, black gram, and some Indian spices which makes it healthy as well as tasty.
4. Ragi Idli
Ragi is a protein-packed wonder grain which is rich in fibre too. The high content of protein and fibre slows the rate of digestion, hence, consuming ragi idli can ensure fullness and give a feeling of satiety which is important for maintaining a healthy weight. Besides this, ragi contains a special type of amino acid called Tryptophan, which helps in curbing the appetite and managing body weight.
5. Dhokla
Dhokla is a Gujarati snack made of besan (gram flour). Besan contains proteins, carbohydrates and good fats which help to boost energy and lose weight.
Now, let’s discuss the major meal of the day. Lunch is the most important meal of the day which provides energy and nutrients to keep the body and brain working efficiently throughout the afternoon.
So, one can opt for rice or roti as the staple. Whole grains, like brown rice, whole wheat or multi-grain roti are better choice for obese people for calorie deficit diet. Keep the quantity of the staple in limitation, like one cup rice or 2 roti per meal. Accompany your rice or roti with dal/sambar/rasam/vegetables curry/healthy paneer recipe/chicken curry and leafy vegetables. Add as many greens as you can to your diet. Don’t forget to add vegetables (raw) salad to your meal.
For dinner, one can opt for a similar diet as dinner. It’s better to have your dinner before 8 pm for a healthy diet.
Apart from your major meals, you can have raw vegetables salad, sprouts salads, seasonal fruits, dry fruits, buttermilk, and curd for healthy snacking in between.
Points to be noted: –
1. Avoid too much oil in your cooking. Avoid butter. Rather you can use ghee in your cooking.
2. Use fresh spices in your cooking.
3. Avoid fried and frozen foods.
4. Avoid too much salt as well as sugar in your food.
Also Read: Switching to a vegan diet? Turn to these 25 vegan protein sources
