Indian food isn't only filled with exquisite flavors and textures, but it's also nutritious. From potatoes and peas to legumes such as lentils, many ingredients contain a healthy dose of vitamins, minerals and fiber. The high-fiber foods are good for your digestive tract, and they help lower your cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
Legumes
Legumes are packed with fiber, according to the Mayo Clinic. One cup of cooked split peas contains about 16g of fiber; the same amount of cooked lentils has about 15g. Healthy legumes play a big -- and tasty -- part in Indian cooking. Garbanzo beans are the basis for the popular dish channa masala, and lentils are the main ingredient in dal. Food guru Bobby Flay features a double whammy of legumes in his recipe for Lentil and Split Pea Dip, available on the Food Network website.
Grains
Whole grains are another good source of fiber. The Mayo Clinic reports a cup of cooked brown rice contains 3.5g of fiber, and a slice of whole-wheat bread contains nearly 2g. Although Indian cuisine often includes white Basmati rice, you can use higher-fiber brown instead, says Anjum Anand, the Indian food expert at The Times of London. When you make Indian breads such as naan and puri, you can also up the fiber by mixing whole wheat and white flours.
Vegetables
Indian food often features fresh vegetables that offer a fiber boost. A cup of cooked peas contains 8.8g of fiber, according to the Mayo Clinic. The University of Wisconsin reports a large potato with the skin has about 5g. Indian dishes including curries and salads often highlight peas, and you'll find potatoes in many main dishes and appetizers such as samosa (pastry stuffed with mashed potato). Indian cooking maven Madhur Jaffrey puts the two veggies together in her recipe for potato and pea curry, available in The Telegraph.
Fruits
The University of Wisconsin reports many fruits are rich in fiber, including raisins (about 3g in half a cup) and pears (nearly 5g in one pear). On websites such as Epicurious, you'll find recipes for Indian rice with raisins and nuts, which are another good source of fiber. David Anderson of Vindalho restaurant in Portland, Oregon, makes an Indian chutney using high-fiber pears instead of the more traditional mango, and he spices it up with cloves, cardamom and cinnamon sticks.
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