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Low Carb Indian Food

Feb 9, 2011 | By Jason Boehm
Low Carb Indian Food
Photo Credit indian meat dish image by isatori from Fotolia.com

Despite staples like nan breads, mango-infused sauces, and basmati rice, Indian food does not automatically entail a carb-fest. Whether you frequent an all-you-can-eat buffet, hole-in-the-wall dive, or upscale nouveau establishment, you can easily indulge in Indian food on a low-carb diet. Just focus on lean meats and vegetables, avoid sugary sauces and starchy foods, and bypass the mango cheesecake for a pot of Indian tea.

Appetizers

You might begin a low-carb Indian meal with spicy marinated shrimp or scallops. You can also try Amritsari Seekh, a blend of cheese and vegetables atop tomato sauce. Lighter fare might entail a mixed-green salad, though easy with the fresh mango as one-half a cup contains 12 g of sugar. Besides being a delicious appetizer, a salad can help curb your appetite. A study published in the October 2004 issue of the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association" reports that women who had a 100-calorie salad ate 12 percent less during their subsequent meal. Soup also makes a satisfying beginning to a low-carb Indian meal. Choose a coconut or ginger base, and avoid anything with potatoes or rice.

Fish, Poultry, and Lamb

While you won't find beef on the menu, Indian food excels with delicious variations of lamb, fish and poultry. For something more festive than lamb shank or chops, try Saag Gosht, a flavorful combination of lamb in spiced spinach. Milagu Curry, or lamb in an onion, tomato, and coconut sauce, also makes a hearty low-carb meal. Indian cuisine transforms chicken into rich, flavorful dishes. For instance, Murg Lazeez is a hearty stew with ground chicken and spinach in yogurt mint sauce. Or try the seasoned Tandoori Chicken with a mint chutney. Most any Indian meat, in fact, makes a smart low-carb entree if you avoid sugary sauces and fried, breaded foods.

Vegetables

Indian cooking's rich, flavorful variety of vegetable dishes might convert any carnivore. You can make a satisfying low-carb Indian meal without ever touching a meat dish. Trade rice for coconut curried vegetables. The good fat in coconut will help you better absorb the vegetables' nutrients. Saag Paneer, likewise, is a delicious blend of homemade cheese and spiced spinach that makes a low-carb appetizer or meal. You can also venture out with a new vegetable. Blindi Ki Subji, for instance, is a stir-fried okra with fresh tomatoes. Bhagarey Baigan, on the other hand, is Japanese eggplant in a peanut coconut sauce. Indian foods also frequently incorporate Shiitake and other mushrooms. The only off-limits low-carb vegetable options include potatoes, corn, or anything breaded and fried.

Beneficial Indian Spices

Herbs and spices give Indian food its rich, varied flavor. Most work with low-carb diets and provide innumerable health benefits. Coconut, for instance, contains lauric acid and capric acid, which boost immunity. Many Indian dishes also incorporate the brightly colored tumeric, a much-studied spice that may have several health benefits including use as an anti-inflammatory and in fighting infections. Likewise, ginger may also help reduce anxiety, cholesterol, inflammation, and most famously, nausea. You'll also find garlic infused into many Indian dishes. Among this herb's many benefits, it may strengthen the immune system to fight off disease and may also decrease the progression of heart disease, and hypertension. A study published in 2005 in the "Indian Journal of Medical Sciences" also concluded that garlic helps reduce glucose levels, which can help you become more insulin sensitive and lose weight.

References

Article reviewed by Mia Paul Last updated on: Feb 9, 2011

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