Soooo, as usual I am making my new year's resolution to lose some weight and get a bit healthier (I'm sure it will actually happen this year). What Indian food can I include as part of a weight loss diet?
The first thing that came to mind when you said healthy Indian food to me is lentil dhal. It's super flavorsome and lentils are so great for you - very healthy. I've also had delicious Indian curries that were chickpea and spinach based, and left me feeling satisfied but not heavy like some curries do. I think anything that is less oil/ghee heavy is good...veggie dishes are always going to be helpful too. And depending on how it's prepared, tandoori chicken is another thing to me that can be healthy! Lots of options with plenty of flavor which is good - nothing is worse than trying to eat healthy and feeling like you're eating cardboard because it's bland!
There are tons of healthy Indian food. In my opinion Indian cuisine is the king of vegetarian dishes, as it has a large vegetarian population for ethical and religious reasons. I would say look at any vegetarian dish - there are plenty with chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans, often cited as a superfood), spinach, or eggplant. There are also excellent rice dishes (that can be eaten in moderation if you want to reduce carbs). And as the other poster mentioned, anything with lentils is going to be packed with types of Vitamin B and nutrients. Good luck with your resolution!
Amen to that! That's usually why I fall flat with this kind of resolution - I resort to the quickest easiest 'grab and go' type of food, which isn't always the healthiest (I'm not much of a fruit fan). I need to make the effort to cook from scratch instead of of buying ready meals when I'm eating at home. I guess the key is using spices to keep it all interesting?
I'm determined to incorporate lentils and chickpeas in my diet this year too. I'm actually kinda dismayed that I didn't know about their health benefits earlier. They're delicious, they make me feel full, and they're cheap here in my country. I love to use them in hummus! However, the recipe I've tried for lentil soup was a major fail, so I think I'll be sticking to hummus for now.
I think so! Usually when I cook any sort of cuisine at home I use a lot of herbs and spices. I don't really use much salt or stuff like that since I find if food is well seasoned it really just tastes delicious without the need for a ton of oil, salt or anything like that. I guess to me it's just about finding the healthy foods you enjoy and eating those, rather than healthy foods that are boring or not to your own personal taste!
I'm glad you started this thread! I made weight loss my New Year's Resolution, too, and specifically I have resolved to eat better. I've always been good with regards to exercise but not so much with eating right. I'm glad to know there are a lot of Indian foods out there (like the vegetarian fare) that are naturally healthy.
Rice is good too, and if it's bland there are plenty of spices that will liven it up, like those suggested for main dishes. Even if you are not in India you can make curried flavour rice and add cubed chicken and peas or frozen mixed vegetables.
I think that traditional Indian foods are healthy. The Westernised versions of Indian food are laden with flavourings like butter and cream which makes them caloric and unhealthy than what the original Indian foods are. So when you think about it, Indian food are originally healthy, it has vegetables as ingredients and has a lot of fiber in them. The use of turmeric, garlic, cumin and ginger adds to the unique flavour of Indian dishes which many people love. The bonus? These ingredients are good for digestion and even has antiseptic properties. Chicken Saag is one of those health Indian dishes out there. It has chicken and spinach as its ingredients so you get the protein and fiber you need in just one meal. Try cooking these Indian dishes in your own home to make it even healthier. Good luck!
