1638
uhc_video
Ask the Expert: Kathleen Zelman
Healthy Indian Food – UHC TV
Parvati writes in: Do you have any recommendations for any healthy Indian cuisine? Well, all cuisines can be healthy. It depends on the ingredients and the style of preparation. So, take a look at your favorite Indian recipes, and see where you can make some simple changes that won’t really impact the flavor or the taste or your enjoyment of the dish. Some examples: look at the yogurt. A yogurt is a main stay in a lot of Indian dishes—in masalas, in curries, in some of the soups. And, if you switch from a whole fat yogurt to a fat free yogurt—even better make it a Greek yogurt—you can increase the protein, the calcium, and the consistency is a little bit thicker because they drain off more of the liquid which is how they concentrate the calcium into protein. It’s better for some of these sauces and dips and it’s fat free. So, look at the fat content of your cheeses. Look at the kind of oil or butter that you are using. Typically, in Indian cuisine ghee is very common. It’s a clarified form of butter, which is fine as long as you use a small amount of it. Make sure you don’t use the imitation or alternatives, which start with vegetable oil. They hydrogenate them, and in the process of hydrogenation, they create trans fats. So, those are not healthy alternatives. Also, you want to take a look at your protein source. Besides the yogurt and the cheese, look at your meat, fish, pork. Make sure you are using the leanest cuts. Pork tenderloin is a great lean cut. Chicken breast without the skin. Almost any kind of seafood. Those are all great options. Anywhere you can, add vegetables. Vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet. The more vegetables you can add into the dish, the better you’re going to create a healthier dish. As long as you have enough protein, you’ll be satisfied. Look to add whole grains. Anywhere you are using a refined grain—like a white rice, switch to a brown rice. That’s a great way to change a grain. Or, from a refined grain use whole wheat flour instead of white flour or whole wheat bread or whole wheat crackers. Any of those types of things are always a great way to increase the amount of grains in your diet. And, the dietary guidelines say half of your grains should be whole grains. So, look at the fat, and use cooking spray where you can get away with using a little bit less oil or ghee. Keep your portion sizes in check. You might need to ramp up the spices to give it a little bit more if you are adding more vegetables and you’re lowering the fat. You might want to compensate a little bit more with flavor. In general, you can take the basics of the Indian cuisine and easily make it healthier, and it won’t affect your enjoyment. It will be just as delicious.
Ask the Expert
Preparing Healthy Indian Dishes
Question: Do you have recommendations for healthy Indian cuisine that might help me lose weight?
Answer from: Kathleen Zelman, R.D., nutrition expert
When you use the right ingredients and preparation style, any cuisine can be healthy. You can make a few changes to your favorite Indian recipes to reduce the fat and calories without affecting the flavor.
The content of these videos is for information only and is not intended to be medical advice. Refer to your health plan benefit guide for coverage details, and consult with your doctor to determine what is best for you.
Please enter a valid email address
