Post Single Template – Dr. Veenu Sharma

Why Are Indian Plates Unhealthy?

How Can We Transform Them?
Indian cuisine is renowned worldwide for its rich flavors, diverse ingredients, and aromatic spices. Yet because of the rising graph of chronic diseases in India, it becomes imperative to take a close look at the typical composition of our plates to see where are we going wrong and what can be done to make them healthy.

The traditional Indian plates have an excess of refined carbohydrates in the form of roti and rice. They are rich in saturated fats that comes from various oils like coconut oil and ghee. They do not have pulses and legumes in adequate amount. Same is true for vegetables and fruits which are consumed in very small amounts.
This makes them fibre, nutrient and protein deficient while making them rich in refined carbohydrates and unhealthy fats.

These dietary patterns are a big contributor to the rising prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disorders.
Once one understands the pitfalls, it is possible to make informed adjustments that can help transform Indian meals into healthier, more balanced options without compromising the taste and flavour.

The Problem: Nutritional Imbalances
1.
Excessive Carbohydrates Many traditional Indian meals revolve around refined carbohydrate-heavy staples such as rice, roti and parathas that are made from refined flour and polished rice. While carbohydrates are an essential energy source, consuming them in excess and refined form can lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Also, excess quantity is converted to fat that promotes obesity which itself is a driving force of many diseases.
2.
High Saturated Fats Indian cooking often incorporates significant amounts of saturated fats through the use of ghee, butter, and full-fat dairy products. Additionally, deep-fried snacks and sweets are commonplace in Indian diets. Consuming saturated fats in excess can raise LDL cholesterol levels, heightening the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
3.
Lack of Fiber and Protein Despite the abundance of vegetarian options, many Indian meals lack adequate fibre and protein. The over-reliance on polished grains and the underutilization of wh ole grains, legumes, and vegetables results in meals that do not provide sufficient satiety or support optimal digestive health. Protein, essential for muscle repair and metabolic function, is often limited to small portions of lentils
or
legumes, which may not meet daily requirements. In the case of non-vegetarians, lack of vegetables and fruits in the diet leads to a fibre deficient and high fat plates which are detrimental for gut microbiome, promote obesity and that itself is the starting point of many chronic health issues.

The Solution: Creating Balanced Indian Plates
1.
Increase Fiber Content Replace refined grains with whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and millets such as ragi, jowar, or bajra. Incorporate more fibre-rich vegetables in your meals, aiming for a variety of colours to ensure a broad spectrum of nutrients. Adding a side of salads can significantly boost fibre intake.
Make sure that 50% of your plate is filled with vegetables and salad. Adding fibre like this will ensure more satiety, less calories and more nutrition.
2.
Focus on Plant Based Proteins. ICMR recommends 0.6 to 0.8 g/kg/day of protein. Multiple surveys show that nearly 80% of the Indians are protein deficient. This can be rectified by including plant-based protein sources such as lentils, chickpeas, tofu, and beans in every meal. Make nuts and seeds a daily part of your diet.
Make sure that at least 25% of the plate is full of a plant-based protein
3.
Moderate grain Intake Control portion sizes of grains and pair them with protein and fibre to slow down digestion and prevent blood sugar spikes. For example, replace half of the rice on your plate with a serving of vegetables or legumes. Make sure that carbohydrates are whole like brown rice, quinoa, millets like jowar, ragi, bajra.
Grains should not be more than 25% of the plate.
4.
Choose Healthy Fats Choose healthy fats like nuts, seeds, olives, avocados over oils. It is possible to cook food using minimum or no oil including the initial tempering. Let the flavour in the food come from spices (which are abundant in India) and not oils because oils are empty calories and inflammatory.
Limit deep-fried items and instead explore healthier cooking methods like steaming or air frying.
5.
Incorporate Nuts and Seeds Nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, chia, and flaxseeds are excellent sources of healthy fats, fibre, and micronutrients. Sprinkle them over salads or have them separately for added nutrition.
6.
Mindful Eating Practice mindful eating by controlling portion sizes, chewing slowly, and focusing on hunger cues. Avoid overeating by balancing your plate with a mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
By making these adjustments, Indian meals can retain their traditional flavors while aligning with principles of lifestyle medicine. These changes not only promote better health but also reduce the risk of chronic diseases, allowing individuals to enjoy their meals guilt-free and with enhanced well-being.
Taste is an acquired thing. Food can be made healthy and tasty too by choosing the fresh ingredients in the right proportion, cooking them using the right quality and quantity of spices using minimum or preferably no oil and eating mindfully.
An ideal plate is the one that nourishes the body and satisfies the taste buds in a health promoting manner.

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