Introduction
Indian food is known for its diversity. Due to the variety of indigenous foods, spices, and dishes that are available in India, Traditional Indian food is among the healthiest in the world. Indian food, however, has recently come under fire for being associated with dishes high in sugar and carbohydrates that can elevate cholesterol. Traditional Indian food, however, is not only mouth watering but also loaded with health benefits. Indian food supports a multitude of physiological functions, including immunity, inflammation control, and brain health. Health coach Luke Coutinho recently went live on Facebook to talk about the benefits of the Indian diet for your health. And if you want more information related to Traditional Indian food, you can reach out to Shiva Shakti.
The human body requires variety in food
A variety of meals and nutrients are necessary for the billions of cells that comprise the human body. Indian cuisine uses a wide variety of spices, each of which offers a number of health benefits. A healthy diet must include a variety of vegetables and spices. For optimum health and a strong immune system, eat locally grown, seasonal food and fruits when they are in season.
Indian food has a lot of grains
In India, numerous rice varieties are grown, as well as bajra, nachni, and jowar. It is regrettable that rice eating is discouraged for weight loss in the era of low-carb diets. Luke emphasizes that people with diabetes can consume hand-pounded rice. Indian cuisine uses a variety of pulses as well. Since ancient times, dal rice and rajma rice have been common combinations in India. These mixtures make delicious protein meals that contain all the necessary amino acids.
In India, numerous rice varieties are grown, as well as bajra, nachni, and jowar. It is regrettable that rice eating is discouraged for weight loss in the era of low-carb diets. Luke emphasizes that people with diabetes can consume hand-pounded rice. Indian cuisine uses a variety of pulses as well. Since ancient times, dal rice and rajma rice have been common combinations in India. These mixtures make delicious protein meals that contain all the necessary amino acids.
Indian thalis
The classic Indian thali has little bowls that are all the same size. It includes various dals, sabzis, portions of rice and roti, or both. There is also a small amount of sweet food in the thali. This thali offers a complete meal by including all essential nutrients in the right quantities. The portions of contemporary thalis served in restaurants, however, are significantly bigger. This increase in portion size in Traditional Indian food – thalis is probably due to the supersizing mentality prevalent in the west.
Oils
In India, there are numerous cooking oils to choose from. Many healthy cooking oil variations are available in India, ranging from coconut oil and groundnut oil to mustard oil and peanut oil. However, the processing methods used in former periods were far healthier than those used now. India was the original home of rock salt, pink salt, and black salt. But over time, we switched to a salt that was more refined, which is presumably why Indian food also started to become less healthy. Therefore, the ingredients are probably what changed Indian cuisine.
The magic of Indian curry
If prepared with the suitable ingredients and levels of oil, Indian curry is beneficial for immunity. The core cause of illnesses including diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disorders is inflammation, which can assist to reduce. The Indian curry, which is made with curry leaves, tomato, onion, black pepper, garlic, turmeric, and numerous other spices, offers many health advantages. You can try the magical Indian curry from one of the best Indian restaurants “Shiva Shakti”.
Wheat
We believe that eating wheat causes inflammation. Everything, though, depends on how we keep the wheat. Hand-ground, unprocessed wheat does not result in stomach discomfort or bloating. You should not consume bread because it contains hazardous substances that could harm your digestive system.
Pickles and chutneys
Pickles are one of the best probiotic foods available when cooked with the correct oil and salt (rock salt). The classic Indian chutney consists of seeds and crushed leafy greens, making it incredibly nourishing. The purpose of this is to demonstrate how wholesome, nourishing, and healthy Indian food has always been. There is probably no dish as healthful as Indian food when prepared with natural and traditional ingredients.
The Traditional Indian food Is Inherently Balanced
Anyone who wants to maintain excellent health should strive for the aspirational ideal of “a healthy, balanced diet.” While everyone of us has a different idea of what constitutes a healthy diet, research has turned up a few clear-cut rules and suggestions that can help us define it more precisely. Given that many of these recommendations are already an integral part of our lives in India, the familiarity is difficult to deny as this growing body of knowledge enters the mainstream and our lives.
Here are some recommendations from Shiva Shakti for a healthy diet, many of which are more common than you might think:
Consume quality protein
Although we may be aware of the significance of getting enough protein, the quality of protein is sometimes disregarded. A majority of the amino acids that make up proteins are essential, indicating that our bodies must obtain them from diet. Almost usually, plant-based protein is “incomplete” because it lacks at least one of these crucial amino acids.
Combining foods that lack a specific amino acid with foods that contain it is the answer to this problem. Methionine, an amino acid that is abundant in cereals like wheat and rice but is sometimes lacking in legumes (such as daals, rajma, and other beans), is a problem. While legumes are rich in lysine, cereals are deficient in it. We probably had one of these combinations today, wherever in India we were.
Load up on vegetables
The Blue Zone study sought to find similarities among the world’s populations with the greatest life spans. These populations, whose individuals live remarkably long and healthy lives, are available in a variety of geographical locations, from Sardinian mountains to the Okinawan coast in Japan. Although the study was unable to identify common foods in these countries, they did discover a common eating pattern in which non-starchy vegetables made up 50% of a meal, grains 25%, and protein 25%. (most often plant-based). While the specific grains, vegetables, and proteins varied from one region to the next, the ratio of these ingredients remained constant. Surprisingly, the national staples of daal, roti, and vegetables—or any of their numerous variations—fit this template.
Keep your gut healthy
With a rise in interest in probiotics, the significance of gut health, the microbiome, and their impact on our general wellbeing is finally reaching the general public.
Beneficial bacteria are abundant in our digestive tract and have a variety of advantages, including boosting our immunity and creating nutrients that keep us healthy. These helpful bacteria, or probiotics, you can eat as supplements or, more frequently in the Indian setting, through our regular meal, and they boost the general health of our digestive tract! Yogurt (dahi) is a fantastic source of Lactobacillus-family friendly bacteria, which have a positive effect on health. Probiotic bacteria can also be found in large quantities in traditional fermented pickles that are brined in salt and water rather than vinegar. These kinds of fermented foods have been a staple of our diets for many years and are a great method to maintain gut health.
Focus on healthy fats
To keep healthy, our body requires the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids found in food. People think that consuming too many omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3 fatty acids contributes to inflammation and a variety of illnesses. Omega-6 fats are more prevalent in refined vegetable oils, which may result in an intake imbalance. Cooking oils have historically changed with the seasons, and Indian food frequently uses a range of oils. Each of these oils has a different ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats, which may aid in maintaining the proper balance. Two common cooking oils, ghee and coconut oil, do not alter this ratio and each has advantages on their own.
Avoid ‘anti-nutrients’
Components in plant meals known as “anti-nutrients” have the ability to bind to minerals like iron and zinc and make absorption more challenging. Legumes have unusually high levels of these antinutrients. Soaking, sprouting, and fermenting beans are all typical practices in Indian cuisine and are effective techniques to minimize or eliminate these antinutrients.
Load up on antioxidants
Plant-based compounds called antioxidants have numerous positive effects on one’s health. While potent antioxidants are frequently available in fruits and vegetables, some spices are the sources of these compounds. The antioxidant curcumin, which is present in turmeric (haldi). It is one of the most thoroughly studied due to the numerous studies demonstrating its health advantages. The foundation of Traditional Indian food, flavors and a crucial component of our food are spices like turmeric.