Let’s understand how Indian food is healthy.
India is a land of diverse climate. We can see various cuisines prepare here, depending upon the wide variety of climate, soil, cultural beliefs, choices and traditions.
The staple foods prepared here today encompass a variety of lentils, legumes, pulses, grains such as whole-wheat flour, rice, and pearl millet. Also, people here, mostly consume locally available vegetables, fruits, herbs, different types of spices in their regular diet. If you analyze the ancient diet in India mostly included the same along with dairy and honey.
Traditional Indian healthy food not only tastes delicious, but also provides you many health benefits. It is wholesome, high in fiber, high in a variety of healthy spices and herbs, such as turmeric, ginger and coriander, etc., low in saturated fat.
It also includes a lot of vegetables such as Potato, Onion, Tomato, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Bean, Egg Plants, Cucumber, brinjal, green Peas, bottle gourd, bitter gourd, carrot, turnip, okra etc. Indians also cook green leafy vegetables such as spinach, mustard, fenugreek, colocasia, moringa etc. These vegetables provide you a multitude of vitamins and minerals.
Health benefits of Indian food
For example:
Green leafy vegetable
The native of India widely prepare varied versions of green leafy vegetable spinach. It is very healthy and has many nutrients and antioxidants. Eating spinach may benefit eye health, reduce oxidative stress, help prevent cancer, and reduce blood pressure levels. Spinach is low in carbs, but high in insoluble fiber. This type of fiber may benefit your digestion. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin A, C, K1, folic acid, iron and calcium.
Indian Thali
An Indian thali includes proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, fibers, and healthy fats in an adequate proportion.
Dairy products
The dairy products and the yoghurts used in the preparation of Indian cuisines are very healthy, because the milk product keeps the digestive tract in a healthy state as it has the good bacteria in it. It is also a brilliant source of calcium.
Fruits
Indian diet also tells about including many fruits such as apple, mango, oranges, guavas, figs, berries and pineapple, cantaloupe, grapes and pomegranates etc. Eating these fruits may boost your immunity by helping your digestive functions with providing essential vitamins and minerals.
Garlic
Garlic is low in calories and rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6 and manganese. People here in India use this spice widely in their many cuisines. It can reduce blood pressure and improves Cholesterol Levels, which may lower the risk of Heart Disease. Also, it helps preventing common illnesses like the flu and cold.
Ginger
One more well-used popular Indian spice ginger may benefit you by preventing various types of nausea and it has too been shown to lower blood sugar levels and improve various heart disease risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Spices
Moreover, India produces a variety of spices. These aromatic spices not only enhance the flavours and taste in the cuisines but also are loaded with lot of benefits.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon Lowers blood sugar Levels and has a Powerful Anti-Diabetic Effect.
- Cloves: They are a popular spice that people are used in soups, stews, meats, sauces, and rice dishes. We all know that clove has many health benefits including oral health as it contains anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.
- Cumin: This aromatic spice may provide you many health benefits. Rich in Iron Cumin can prevent indigestion. It also helps in weight loss and diabetes.
- Black Cardamom: This spice Helps with Digestive Problems, including ulcers and also prevents bad breath and cavities.
- Saffron: Saffron is a spice that comes from the flowers of crocus sativus Linné. This spice is a powerful antioxidant.
- Nutmeg: Nutmeg relieves pain, prevents indigestion, reduces insomnia, increases immune system function, and also improves blood circulation.
- Black Pepper: This versatile spice can provide you a load of health benefits.It promotes weight loss , controls blood sugar and lowers cholesterol levels. It is good for digestion and may prevent cancer.
- Turmeric: It is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and helps reducing symptoms of depression and arthritis.It can also boost your immune system,also lowers cholesterol.
Grain products in India:
The Indian healthy food includes grain productions such as Bajra (pearl millet), Amarnath, Jowar or sorghum (Great Millet), Maize, Ragi (Small Millet), rice, wheat and barley.
- Bajra: Bajra flour is naturally gluten free and a good option for gluten intolerants. It is high in fiber and a complete protein for vegetarians, also loaded with iron and calcium. Rich in magnesium prevents diabetes.
- Amarnath: This naturally gluten free grain lowers cholesterol levels LDL and triglycerides. It is a rich source of protein, high in fiber. Amaranth is a very good source of minerals like calcium, magnesium, and copper. It is also a good source of zinc, potassium, and phosphorus.
- Jowar: This grain is also gluten free and rich source of protein, also packed with B vitamins, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and a good level of antioxidants. It improves digestion and boosts immunity.
- Maize: Corn provides fiber, which may improve digestion also this energy enhancer can also provide you a good amount of folic acid and iron which helps in the production of red blood cells in the body.
- Ragi: This nutritious grain is loaded with calcium, good carbs, amino acids and Vitamin D. Ragi is high in insoluble fiber helps digestion and relieves constipation. Besides, it is gluten free and rich in antioxidants. Ragi is a rich source of magnesium good for diabetics and also heart health.
- Rice: Rice is gluten free and provides energy. Rice is considered as a cooling food that prevents digestive disorders such as diarrhea, dysentery, nausea and heartburn. White rice is also low in fiber and is easily digested by our system and clears excessive heat and settles stomach upset problems.
Wheat and its product
- Wheat: Wheat provides energy and it has vitamin b1 which is a great antioxidant. It is also good for diabetics as it provides magnesium. This grain contains phosphorus, which works closely with calcium to build our bone health strong. It also helps brain functioning as it has niacin in it. Wheat is rich in folic acid and prevents anemia.
- Barley: Barley provides fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These offer various health benefits.
Legumes and pulses
Indian healthy food also encompasses varieties of legumes and pulses.
Dal is the very popular term used in India for all different types of lentils, pulses, beans and legumes.
The names of some legumes and pulses available in India are mostly Green Moong, Urad Dal, Masoor Dal,Toor/Arhar Dal, Lobia, white peas, kidney beans, Chickpeas, Horsegram etc.
Legumes are very much enriched with fiber, protein, carbohydrate, B vitamins, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and phosphorus. They are naturally low in fat. Legumes are cholesterol free. Also legumes are free of saturated fat, as they are plant foods.
Pulses are also packed with many essential nutrients. They are low glycemic index food. People who include more low-glycemic foods in their diet have lower rates of diabetes. They are the healthy source of protein and fiber and provide a significant amount of vitamins and minerals, such as iron, zinc, folate, and magnesium, and consuming half a cup of beans or peas per day can enhance diet quality by increasing intakes of these nutrients. Moreover, pulses help in the maintenance of body weight and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Related articles
Role of diet on heart health & stroke prevention
Follow me on https://www.instagram.com/maheshphysiofitness/