Indian cuisine is all about intense bursts of flavor and mouth-watering delights that you just can’t say no to. But it’s also got an unhealthy side that can completely throw off your carefully constructed diet plan. Read on to see how you can continue to enjoy your favorite Indian dishes without compromising on your fitness goals.
Mad about Indian Food? There’s a Dark Side to the Deliciousness
Us Indians? We’re just nuts about food. And why wouldn’t we be! After all, our food is packed to the brim with so many amazing flavors – from the piercing tartness of road-side chaat to the saccharine sweetness of the choicest mithais. Just think of your favorite Indian treat. Whether it be pav bhaaji or butter chicken, one thing is for sure – every bite will pack a wallop of flavor! But blessed as we are with cuisine so spectacular, there’s a downside as well.
The Deep-Frying Dilemma: Why Your Indian Diet is Upsetting Your Diet Plans
Most of the food we end up consuming on a day-to-day basis, whether at home or outside, taste that damn good mostly because of the way it is prepared. And unfortunately, food preparation in our country quite often means over-cooking, frying, deep-frying, or even re-frying. We start out with perfectly innocent ingredients like vegetables, whole grains, pulses, and lentils, but by the time we’re done cooking them, the nutrients go out the window and the calories get piled on.
As a result, everything from home-cooked food like curries and pulaos to the usual suspects – samosas, jalebis, and halwa – all end up contributing to those regrettable inches on our waistlines, hips, arms, and chins! And it’s not just the weight gain. The heavier food preparations end up making us feel sluggish, sleepy, and unenergetic. But when done right, Indian food can be both delicious and healthy at the same time.
The Secret to Healthy Indian Food is Preparing it Right!
So what’s the solution? Must we let go of all the yummy things we’ve grown up eating? And does getting fit have to mean denying your cravings and eating only boring bland food?
The answer is NO! We don’t have to switch to crazy, alien-sounding diets, and eat only boring bland food. And we certainly don’t have to deprive ourselves for the sake of healthy eating.
The key lies in embracing all the amazing foods that are available to us in India and enjoying them as much as possible in their natural form.
Fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains, lentils, pulses, lean meat, fish, eggs, ghee, dry fruits, seeds, etc. are all available aplenty and are all very good for you. Choose these over the processed, packaged, and fried foods that you are accustomed to eating. And opt for the many delicious but healthy ways to cook these food items.
Replace your tea-time namkeen with nuts and seeds, and choose fruit over a sinful dessert when you’ve got a sweet craving. When you’re fixing yourself lunch or dinner, try roasting/steaming your meat/veggies and adding a dash of dry seasoning, rather than over-cooking those beautiful ingredients into a curry or frying them. Trust me, it’s not hard to do if you attempt it one meal at a time.
All you need to do is be a little mindful each time you eat. And if you’re able to make clean eating a habit, the results will come, and they will be palpable. Before you know it, you’ll feel lighter, fitter, and more energetic. Give it a go, and see the change for yourself! And if you are still confused about it, get your a personalized MSF Diet plan, and I’ll show you how.