The Indian Non Vegetarian Diet
A lot of people in India consume non vegetarian food. Being a non vegetarian, you have a lot of options and protein intake is never a problem which is an essential nutrient for smooth functioning and healing of body. A drawback of non veg food is that there is increased risk of developing high cholesterol levels since meat contains high cholesterol.
Typical Non Vegetarian diet routine
Breakfast- Not many people consume non veg breakfast on a daily basis but these are few of the items consumed
Fried eggs with white bread
Kheema pav
Kheema dosa
Egg pakoda
Are these items healthy?
These food items even though contain decent amount of protein, but they are fried and have a lot of refined oil which can increase cholesterol levels. Kheema pav and kheema dosa are made up of mutton which is known to increase cholesterol levels too. White bread which is often paired up with these food options contains refined flour (maida) which spikes insulin and contains negligible amount of fiber.
Simple ideas to make you breakfast healthier!
Scramble, poach, boil your eggs..do not fry them
Frying eggs can increase their fat content by around 50% – and depending on what you’re frying them in, that can mean dramatically increasing the saturated fat profile. So consume your eggs by boiling them, poaching them, having scrambled eggs, egg bhurji or the tasty omelette. There are tons of ways to enjoy the benefits of eggs in a tasty way so avoid frying and choose the other options.
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-
Chicken/mutton biryani
Butter chicken with white rice/roti
Fried chicken, chicken cutlet, chicken pakora
Mutton curries (usually loaded with oil)
Chicken curries like korma which are loaded with oils
Simple ideas to make your lunch/ dinner healthier!
Roast your chicken instead of frying
Roasting or grilling chicken keeps all its nutrients and it makes the chicken tasty too. Frying in oil overshadows the benefits of chicken and gives you unnecessary saturated fat which is responsible for high cholesterol levels.
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 roasted lamb chops instead of oily mutton curries
Mutton can be very beneficial if consumed roasted or sauteed. Not only is it a rich source of high-quality protein, but it is also an outstanding source of many vitamins and minerals, including iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. Because of this, regular consumption of lamb may promote muscle growth, maintenance, and performance. In addition, it helps prevent anemia. All these benefits get overshadowed if you fry the meat. So next time, go for roasted lamb chops and enjoy the benefits.
Consume grilled fish
Fish is a powerhouse of nutrients and should be consumed in grilled form instead of frying. It is high in protein, low in fat, loaded with omega 3 fatty acids which are beneficial for your heart health.
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.
Ditch refined oil and use extra virgin olive oil
Most of the non veg food items require some oil for brushing, sautee and cooking so instead of using regular refined oils, cook your dishes in extra virgin olive oil. An “extra virgin” label means that the olive oil is not refined, and therefore of high quality. It is rich in unsaturated fats, antioxidants, has anti inflammatory properties and good for heart.
Non veg diet can be a wonder diet
The non veg diet can be a wonderful diet as there is a wide range of food options available. Knowing the right way of consuming them can make you enjoy the numerous benefits as well as satisfy your taste buds.
Health and fitness 