Health facts about Indian food

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Health facts about Indian food
In India, food is linked to one's culture and
identity so closely that it varies from region to
region. Rich in taste, texture and satisfying,
Indian food, or at least that part of Indian food
that is prepared with minimal oil and healthy
cooking methods, is often considered one of the
healthiest cuisines in the world. But, what
exactly do we mean by 'healthy' within the Indian
food context? Today, Dr. Simran Saini, Weight
Loss Management Consultant at Fortis Hospital,
tells us about the top 7 staple foods in the
Indian diet and how healthy they truly are. Roti
aka Chappati Usually a roti is made from wheat
flour. However, ideally it should contain a
combination of soyabean, black gram, and a small
portion of bran as well. These can be grounded
together in equal ratios to make flour. A source
of energy in the body, roti is basically a source
of carbohydrate and an ideal 25 grams based
medium chapatti would be 60 Calories. White
Rice White Rice is a cereal grain and polished
form of brown rice which has the cover intact.
Ideally, brown rice is better for health as it
contains fiber apart from carbohydrates. A good
source of energy and fiber, 200 grams of white
rice would approx contain 420 calories. Curries
The Indian curry's base is crucial. The oil
isn't. Most curry recipes call for plenty of oil,
which immediately puts off those of us who are
trying to control our daily fats intake. Ideally,
blend or roast whole spices for better flavour
without using unhealthy ingredients. Replace the
cream with yogurt, or natural coconut milk and
use a healthy cooking method for it and you are
good to go. Curd Curd is basically a milk
product made by fermentation of milk with certain
bacteria. Ideally, one should go for curd made
from toned or less fat quality of milk. Yogurt is
good for the digestive system as the bacteria
present in yogurt improve digestion. 250 grams of
curd made from toned milk would approx serve 150
Calories. It is a good source of calcium apart
from the fact that it provides carbohydrates and
proteins to the body. Lentils The lentil is an
edible pulse. It is a bushy annual plant of the
legume family grown for the lens shaped seeds.
Lentils provide about 30 of their calories(240
Calories in 230 grams) from protein. Proteins
include the essential amino acids isoleucine and
lysine. They also contain dietary fiber, folate,
vitamin B1, and minerals such as iron. Thus,
lentils help in many major functions of the body
including regulating our blood cholesterol and
blood sugar levels.
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Red chillies Red chillies are the fruit pod of a
plant from the capscain family. They have amazing
health benefits for the human body. 100 grams of
chilli red peppers have hardly 40 Kcal. But,
chilli peppers contain the chemical compound
capsaicin, which has anti-bacterial,
anti-carcinogenic, analgesic and anti-diabetic
properties. They are also rich in a number of
Vitamins A, B, C and many phytonutrients
too. Paneer Cottage cheese is a milk product
and it is prepared by the curdling of milk. The
percentage of fat in the paneer depends on
whether it is made from toned milk or full cream
milk. It is rich in proteins and usually helps
our body as it is easy to digest. Paneer is high
on calcium. This helps in building strong teeth
and bones. Paneer has the health benefit of
preventing osteoporosis and has been found to
promote weight loss. -----------------------------
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