Fresh fruits and vegetables are not only good for weight loss, they are also an essential component of any healthy diet. The Centre for Chronic Disease Control food pyramid shows how to create a balanced, healthy traditional Indian diet, with fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy products, and protein (dals, or lean meats). Vegetarian diets, which can be excellent for weight loss, traditionally include many vegetables and derive their protein primarily from dals. Diabetes India website shows an Indian vegetarian food pyramid. Fruits and vegetables are filled with phytochemicals and antioxidants that have many health benefits, as well as being low calorie and fat-free.
Indian Vegetables
Many Indian vegetables can be used in weight loss diets. Leafy vegetables such as spinach, mustard greens and turnip greens are low calorie and contain many important nutrients. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, red and green peppers, tomatoes, squashes, gourds, carrots, onions and green beans are among the many other healthy low-calorie vegetables available in India. These can all be the basis of low- or high-calorie meals, depending on how you cook them. Vegetables cooked in ghee, fried or covered with creamy sauces are high in calories. Vegetables cooked with dry cooking methods, tandoori cooking with low-fat marinades or homemade masalas using only a small quantity of vegetable oil will have fewer calories than dishes saturated with ghee or full-fat dairy products. Eat salads or use low-fat yogurt and raw vegetables in raitas to incorporate more low-calorie raw vegetables into your diet.
Indian Fruits
Fresh fruit is another good nutrient-packed weight loss option. Try citrus fruits, strawberries, cherries, papaya, pomegranates, raspberries, plums, loquat, litchi, passion fruit, guava, gooseberry, kiwi fruit or starfruit. Chop a variety of fruits and mix them together in a bowl for a colorful treat. Dried fruits are calorie dense and so less useful for weight loss than fresh fruit.
Drinks
Drinks can add extra calories to a meal. You can make a lassi at home with fresh fruit, low fat yogurt and little or no sugar, but restaurant versions can be high calorie. Fruit juice can also sabotage a diet. One cup of apple juice has 117 calories, but a far more filling small apple has only 55 calories.
Weight Loss
If you eat fewer calories than you expend, you will lose weight. Any long-term weight loss program should combine modest reductions of caloric intake with regular exercise. Before making any significant changes in your diet or exercise, talk with a health care provider. A registered dietitian can help you plan a safe and effective weight loss program.
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