Indian cuisine, celebrated for its diverse and flavorful dishes, presents a holistic approach to nutrition that combines various food groups to provide a well-rounded meal. The traditional Indian diet emphasizes a high intake of plant foods like vegetables, lentils, and fruits, as well as a low consumption of meat. It's important to keep in mind that not all Indian dishes are equally healthy, and some may be high in fat and calories. However, a balanced and mindful approach to Indian food can offer numerous health benefits.
Understanding the Great Indian Diet
The Great Indian Diet isn't just about weight loss; it's a lifestyle that incorporates cultural wisdom, addresses common misconceptions, and offers a diverse nutrient profile. This diet is deeply rooted in Ayurvedic principles, classifying foods according to their qualities - Sattvic (pure), Rajasic (stimulating), and Tamasic (heavy).
Cultural Wisdom and Misconceptions
Traditional Indian cuisine has evolved over thousands of years, incorporating various influences while retaining its core nutritional principles. It takes into account the body's needs and the changing seasons, providing a sustainable and adaptable approach to eating.
Many people believe that Indian food is fattening and unhealthy. However, this is often due to the restaurant versions of Indian dishes, which are typically high in oil and cream. When prepared at home with mindful cooking practices, Indian food can be incredibly nutritious.
Diverse Nutrient Profile and Ayurvedic Principles
Traditional Indian foods offer a wide range of nutrients essential for good health. Indian food has six tastes-sweet, salty, bitter, sour, astringent, and spicy.
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The Indian diet is deeply rooted in Ayurvedic principles, which classify foods according to their qualities - Sattvic (pure), Rajasic (stimulating), and Tamasic (heavy). These principles emphasize balance and moderation, aligning food choices with individual needs and the changing seasons.
Embracing the Principles of the Great Indian Diet
To harness the health benefits of the Great Indian Diet, it's essential to understand its core principles and how to incorporate them into your daily life.
Choosing the Right Carbohydrates
Opt for complex carbohydrates like whole grains, millets, and legumes, which provide sustained energy and essential nutrients. These options offer a slower release of glucose into the bloodstream, preventing energy crashes and promoting stable blood sugar levels.
Establishing Healthy Eating Habits
Establish a consistent eating schedule to regulate metabolism and prevent overeating. Regular meal times help your body anticipate food intake, optimizing digestion and nutrient absorption.
Practice portion control by using smaller plates and practicing moderation to avoid overeating. Mindful eating habits can help you recognize satiety cues, preventing unnecessary calorie consumption.
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The Dangers of Processed Foods
Processed foods often contain harmful additives, preservatives, and artificial ingredients that can negatively impact health. These substances can disrupt the body's natural processes and contribute to various health problems.
Relying heavily on processed foods can lead to nutritional deficiencies, as these products are often stripped of their natural nutrients during processing. A diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods is essential for optimal health.
The Power of Spices
Spices can be incorporated into various dishes, from curries and dals to beverages and desserts, adding flavor and health benefits.
Many Indian dishes combine multiple spices, creating synergistic effects that enhance their overall health benefits. These combinations can boost antioxidant activity, reduce inflammation, and improve overall well-being.
What to Eat on the Great Indian Diet
The Indian diet is rich in nutritious foods like grains, lentils, healthy fats, vegetables, dairy and fruits. The diets of most Indian people are heavily influenced by religion, particularly Hinduism. The Hindu religion teaches nonviolence and that all living things should be valued equally.
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That’s why a lacto-vegetarian diet is encouraged, and eating meat, poultry, fish and eggs is discouraged. Lacto-vegetarians do, however, eat dairy products. A healthy lacto-vegetarian diet should focus on grains, lentils, dairy, vegetables, fruits and healthy fats like coconut oil.
Spices such as turmeric, fenugreek, coriander, ginger and cumin are at the forefront of traditional dishes, adding rich flavor and powerful nutritional benefits. Turmeric, one of the most popular spices used in India, is celebrated for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anticancer properties.
Try incorporating the following ingredients into your daily meal plan:
- Vegetables: Tomatoes, spinach, eggplant, mustard greens, okra, onions, bitter melon, cauliflower, mushrooms, cabbage and more
- Fruits: Including mango, papaya, pomegranate, guava, oranges, tamarind, lychee, apples, melon, pears, plums, bananas
- Nuts and seeds: Cashews, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, watermelon seeds and more
- Legumes: Mung beans, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, lentils, pulses and chickpeas
- Roots and tubers: Potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips, yams
- Whole grains: Brown rice, basmati rice, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, barley, corn, whole-grain bread, amaranth, sorghum
- Dairy: Cheese, yogurt, milk, kefir, ghee
- Herbs and spices: Garlic, ginger, cardamom, cumin, coriander, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, black pepper, fenugreek, basil and more
- Healthy fats: Coconut milk, full-fat dairy, avocado, coconut oil, mustard oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, ghee
- Protein sources: Tofu, legumes, dairy, nuts and seeds
Meals and snacks should focus on fresh, whole foods flavored with herbs and spices.
Additionally, adding non-starchy vegetables like greens, eggplants or tomatoes to your meals will provide a boost of fiber that can help you feel satisfied for a longer period of time after eating.
What to Drink
An easy way to cut back on excess calories and sugar is to avoid sugar-sweetened beverages and juices. These drinks can be high in both calories and sugar, which can negatively affect weight loss.
Healthy beverage options include:
- Water
- Sparkling water
- Unsweetened tea including Darjeeling, Assam and Nilgiri teas
Foods to Avoid
Choosing foods and beverages that are highly processed, loaded with sugar or high in calories can sabotage your weight loss efforts. Not only are items like candy, fried foods and soda not good for weight loss - they aren’t good for overall health.
Eating too much processed food and products laden with sweeteners can increase the risk of chronic diseases. For example, drinking sugar-sweetened beverages like soda, fruit punch and juices every day has been associated with increased risks of diabetes, obesity and heart disease (11).
Plus, consuming unhealthy foods can make it harder for you to lose fat and maintain a healthy weight.
For optimal health, minimize the following foods or avoid them altogether:
- Sweetened beverages: Soda, fruit juice, sweetened tea, sweet lassi, sports drinks
- High-sugar foods: Candy, ice cream, cookies, rice pudding, pastries, cakes, sweetened yogurt, high-sugar cereals, digestive biscuits
- Sweeteners: Jaggery, sugar, honey, condensed milk
- Sweetened sauces: Salad dressings with added sugar, ketchup, barbecue sauce, sweetened curries
- High-fat foods: Fast food like McDonald’s, french fries, chips, fried foods, bhujia
- Refined grains: Products including white bread, white pasta, biscuits
- Trans fats: Margarine, vanaspati, fast food, highly processed foods
- Refined oils: Canola oil, soybean oil, corn oil, grapeseed oil
Although it’s perfectly fine to enjoy an occasional treat, limiting the foods and beverages listed above is best for overall health.
Sample Meal Plan
Below is a healthy one-week Indian sample menu that focuses on fresh, nutritious food. You can adjust it according to your calorie needs, dietary restrictions and food preferences.
Monday
- Breakfast: Sambar with brown rice idli
- Lunch: Whole-grain roti with mixed-vegetable curry
- Dinner: Tofu curry with mixed vegetables and a fresh spinach salad
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Chana dal pancakes with mixed vegetables and a glass of milk
- Lunch: Chickpea curry with brown rice
- Dinner: Khichdi with sprout salad
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Apple cinnamon porridge made with milk and topped with sliced almonds
- Lunch: Whole-grain roti with tofu and mixed vegetables
- Dinner: Palak paneer with brown rice and vegetables
Thursday
- Breakfast: Yogurt with sliced fruits and sunflower seeds
- Lunch: Whole-grain roti with vegetable subji
- Dinner: Chana masala with basmati rice and green salad
Friday
- Breakfast: Vegetable dalia and a glass of milk
- Lunch: Vegetable sambar with brown rice
- Dinner: Tofu curry with potato and mixed vegetables
Saturday
- Breakfast: Multigrain parathas with avocado and sliced papaya
- Lunch: Large salad with rajma curry and quinoa
- Dinner: Lentil pancakes with tofu tikka masala
Sunday
- Breakfast: Buckwheat porridge with sliced mango
- Lunch: Vegetable soup with whole-grain roti
- Dinner: Masala-baked tofu with vegetable curry
Drinking water, seltzer or unsweetened tea with and between meals will keep you hydrated without adding extra calories. Make sure to consume plenty of non-starchy vegetables at every meal, as well as sources of healthy fat and protein. This will keep you feeling full throughout the day and reduce the chances of overeating.
Healthy Snack Ideas
Replacing high-calorie, sugary snacks with healthier options can promote weight loss and help keep you on track towards your weight loss goals. Like meals, nutritious snacks should revolve around fresh, whole ingredients.
Here are some weight loss friendly snack ideas:
- Small handful of nuts
- Sliced fruit with unsweetened yogurt
- Vegetable chaat
- Sprout salad
- Roasted pumpkin seeds
- Sliced fruit with nuts or nut butter
- Roasted chickpeas (channa)
- Hummus with vegetables
- Bean salad
- Salted popcorn
- Unsweetened kefir
- Homemade trail mix
- Fennel seeds
- Fresh fruit with cheese
- Broth-based vegetable soup
If you are craving a sweet snack to have with evening tea, swapping out your usual dessert for fresh, sliced fruit might do the trick. For another healthy dessert option, top unsweetened yogurt with cooked fruit and crunchy nuts for a satisfying combination.
Lifestyle Changes for Weight Loss
Aside from focusing on fresh, whole foods, there are other lifestyle changes that can help you lose weight. What’s more, adopting the following healthy habits can help you maintain a healthy weight over your lifetime.
Increase Activity
Find an activity that you enjoy, whether it be a sport or working out at the gym. Even if you don’t exercise formally, try increasing the number of steps you take every day. It’s a simple way to burn more calories and get fit.
To lose weight, aim for a goal of 10,000 steps per day and work up to that goal over time.
Practice Mindful Eating
Many people eat on the run or consume meals while they’re distracted. Instead, make a point to focus on your meals and pay attention to feelings of hunger and fullness. It’s a great way to get more in tune with your body.
Eating more slowly can also promote weight loss by increasing feelings of fullness and decreasing hunger (12).
Another useful habit to control your food intake is to avoid eating in front of the television or while surfing the web.
Make Smart Choices
Eating healthy can be a challenge, so set goals ahead of time and stick to them. This can help you maintain your plan, even when you are feeling tempted to make an unhealthy food choice, such as when you’re socializing with friends or family.
Reminding yourself why you want to get healthier in the first place can make you feel empowered and lead you to make smarter food and lifestyle decisions.
Stocking Your Kitchen
Having ingredients on hand to prepare nutritious meals and snacks at home is vital for weight loss. So stock your refrigerator and pantry with healthy foods. It will motivate you to test out your cooking skills and try new recipes.
Research shows that people who cook more meals at home are more likely to have better overall diet quality, a healthier weight and less body fat than those who eat meals at home infrequently (13).
Here are some healthy items to add to your shopping list:
- Vegetables: Greens, cauliflower, herbs, carrots, peppers, garlic, eggplant
- Fruits: Apples, strawberries, mango, papaya, banana, grapes
- Frozen produce: Mixed vegetables and frozen fruits
- Grains: Oats, millet, quinoa, whole-grain breads, brown rice
- Legumes: Lentils, pulses, beans
- Nuts: Almonds, pistachios, cashews
- Seeds: Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, lotus seeds
- Dairy: Milk, unsweetened yogurt, unsweetened kefir, cheeses, curd
- Condiments: Sea salt, pepper, turmeric, ginger, paprika, cinnamon
- Starchy vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnip, pumpkin, corn
- Proteins: Tofu, dairy products, legumes, hummus
- Healthy fats: Olive oil, unsweetened coconut, coconut oil, ghee, sesame oil, avocado, peanut butter
- Beverages: Green tea, coffee, sparkling water, Darjeeling tea
Focus on filling your cart with fresh foods. These are usually stocked around the perimeter of the grocery store. The shelves in the middle of the grocery store typically house packaged and processed foods, which you should keep to a minimum in your diet.
Buy grains, nuts and seeds in bulk to save money and stock up on staple items you use regularly.
Additionally, stay on task and steer clear of tempting foods by making a grocery list and purchasing only the items you jotted down ahead of time.
Ancient Wisdom and Modern Relevance
India is one of the oldest continuous civilizations with diverse religions, cultures, traditions, socioeconomic strata, and agricultural practices living in harmony for millennia. The highly varied geography includes mountains, plains, deserts, tropical and subtropical forests, as well as a long coastline; from this geographical diversity comes an extensive biodiversity in plant species and food traditions.
A recent report of an excavation in a northwestern Indian state revealed multigrain, high-protein, handmade sweet balls (ladoo) prepared from wheat, barley, chickpea, and oilseeds from the 4000-year-old Harappan civilization, showing that this ancient culture had an understanding of balanced nutritional composition.
The Vedic scholars developed the science of Ayurveda between 2500-500 BC for managing a healthy lifestyle. Ayurveda comes from two words: ayus, meaning life and veda, meaning study or knowledge; hence ‘Ayurveda’ means knowledge of life. It not only encompassed detailed medical science, but also emphasized nutrition, exercise, and other aspects to promote physical, as well as mental, wellbeing, strengthen immunity, and enable effective gut function.
Food practices focused on function and flavor. The key principles included individualization to match the elements of existence, body types, professions, and the local and seasonal availability of ingredients, all while minimizing waste. Food would be season-specific (‘warming’ foods in winter and vice versa), based on the Ayurvedic concept that there is ‘nature’s wisdom’ in what is seasonally available.
Ideally, meals were supposed to have all six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, pungent or spicy, bitter, and astringent. The ancient culture realized that multiple constituents like herbs, spices, and other food components may work synergistically to produce a therapeutic effect.