The Indian Vegetarian Diet
Majority of Indian people on a vegetarian diet consume food which consists of high amounts of carbohydrates, fats and low amount of protein. The typical Indian veg diet is generally deficient in protein which most people often neglect.
Typical Vegetarian diet routine
Breakfast- generally one of these options
Idli dosa
Upma
Poha
Poori chana/aloo
Aloo paratha
Aloo tikki
Butter cucumber tomato sandwich
Dhokla
Bread pakora
Pao bhaji
Samosa with bread
Are these items healthy?
Most of you must have related these breakfast options and must be consuming these items as a part of your breakfast. So whats wrong?
High Carbohydrate and Fat content
Most of these items contain potatoes and are deep fried or contain a good dose of oil. These simple carbs spike your insulin levels and can lead to problems like obesity and diabetes. The refined oils used for frying them can increase your cholesterol levels which may lead to an increased risk of coronary diseases and high blood pressure.
Low protein content
Take any of the above listed food item and you will notice the protein content will not be even 20% of the total nutrition value. Carbs and fat is loaded and there is minimal protein which is an important nutrient for our body.
Simple ideas to make your breakfast healthier!
Consume besan/moon dal chilla instead of parathas
Besan or moong dal chillas a much healthier alternative instead of aloo parathas. They are low in calories, low in fats and contain complex carbs along with fiber and a decent dose of protein. You can consume them with chutney and add a cup of milk with them.
Consume paneer sandwich in multigrain bread instead of butter cucumber sandwich
Paneer will provide you with good dose of protein and calcium, will make you feel full for longer and multigrain bread will provide you with complex carbs and fiber which will prevent insulin spike like white bread.
Replace idli dosa with ragi idli and ragi dosa
When you replace the batter with ragi, instead of consuming simple carbs, you get the benefits of ragi since it helps you lose weight, fight anemia, makes bones strong, is gluten free and is good for skin.
Replace upma with oats upma
When you switch to oats upma, instead of eating just simple carbs, you get the additional benefits of oats which means you get complex carbs which prevent insulin spike, get fiber which is good for digestion and helps you feel full for long. Add a cup of yogurt for calcium and protein content.
Lunch and Dinner
The food items for lunch and dinner are inter changeable and the same food can be used for lunch as well as dinner. Following are the common food items consumed for lunch and dinner-
White rice with rajma, chane, kadhi, pulses
Paneer bhurji with chapatti
Aloo paratha with butter and pickle
Aloo sabzi like gobhi aloo, aloo paneer, beans aloo, aloo matar with chapatti
White rice pulao
Paneer makhani, dal makhani, dal with ghee or other curries made with refined oils and butter
Vada pav, idli vada, other fried items
Simple ideas to make your lunch/dinner healthier!
Replace white rice with brown rice
Brown rice has a big advantage over white rice when it comes to nutrient content. Brown rice has more fiber and antioxidants, as well as a lot more important vitamins and minerals. White rice is mostly a source of “empty” calories and carbs with very few essential nutrients.
Consume less chapatti and increase the amount of dal or other veggies and curries
We often forget the count of chapattis while eating which leads to the consumption of a high amount of carbohydrates. Limit the intake of chapattis to 2 and you can add salad and increase the portion of dal or other sabzi to compensate which can help you save calories.
Try replacing paneer with tofu
Paneer is fresh cheese made with cow or goat milk and used frequently in numerous Indian dishes. Tofu on the other hand, is obtained from soybean milk. Tofu is majorly used by vegans or someone who is looking to lose weight, considering it has fewer calories to add to your body. Paneer when made with full fat dairy, is very soft due to the high fat content, whereas tofu can vary from being soft, to firm and has a smoother, ‘silken’ texture. Soft tofu may have the lowest fat content, therefore it is easy to digest and more likely to contain more nutrients that are absorbed by the body.
Remove aloo(potato) from dishes
Potato itself is not bad but because we are already consuming so many carbs in our diet, we can save ourselves from eating more carbs by stop adding potatoes to each and every dish. If its utmost important, then you can try replacing potatoes with sweet potato, yam or even raw bananas.
Add salad and sprouts with every meal
By adding salads and sprouts with each and every meal, you get the benefit of adding high amount of fiber and feeling full sooner than you would. It prevents you from eating more and at the same time gives you benefits of high protein, fibre and other vitamins. Squeeze lemons for an added dose of vitamin C.
Indian vegetarian diet is not the evil. It is us who actually have started consuming so much carbs. So try these tweaks in your meals and you will make your dishes healthier.
Health and fitness 