The Best Diet Plan for Weight Loss
Indian cuisine is known for its vibrant spices, fresh herbs and wide variety of rich flavors.
Though diets and preferences vary throughout India, most people follow a primarily plant-based diet. Around 80% of the Indian population practices Hinduism, a religion that promotes a vegetarian or lacto-vegetarian diet.
The traditional Indian diet emphasizes a high intake of plant foods like vegetables, lentils and fruits, as well as a low consumption of meat.
However, obesity is a rising issue in the Indian population. With the growing availability of processed foods, India has seen a surge in obesity and obesity-related chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
This article explains how to follow a healthy Indian diet that can promote weight loss. It includes suggestions about which foods to eat and avoid and a sample menu for one week.
Healthy Foods to Eat
There are many delicious foods and beverages to choose from when following a lacto-vegetarian diet for weight loss.
What to Eat
Try incorporating the following ingredients into your daily meal plan:
- Vegetables: Tomatoes, spinach, eggplant, mustard greens, okra, onions, bitter melon, cauliflower, mushrooms, cabbage and more.
- Fruits: Including mango, papaya, pomegranate, guava, oranges, tamarind, lychee, apples, melon, pears, plums, bananas
- Nuts and seeds: Cashews, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, watermelon seeds and more
- Legumes: Mung beans, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, lentils, pulses and chickpeas.
- Roots and tubers: Potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips, yams
- Whole grains: Brown rice, basmati rice, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, barley, corn, whole-grain bread, amaranth, sorghum
- Dairy: Cheese, yogurt, milk, kefir, ghee
- Herbs and spices: Garlic, ginger, cardamom, cumin, coriander, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, black pepper, fenugreek, basil and more.
- Healthy fats: Coconut milk, full-fat dairy, avocado, coconut oil, mustard oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, ghee
- Protein sources: Tofu, legumes, dairy, nuts and seeds.
- Sweetened beverages: Soda, fruit juice, sweetened tea, sweet lassi, sports drinks
- High-sugar foods: Candy, ice cream, cookies, rice pudding, pastries, cakes, sweetened yogurt, high-sugar cereals, digestive biscuits
- Sweeteners: Jaggery, sugar, honey, condensed milk
- Sweetened sauces: Salad dressings with added sugar, ketchup, barbecue sauce, sweetened curries
- High-fat foods: Fast food like McDonald’s, french fries, chips, fried foods, bhujia
- Refined grains: Products including white bread, white pasta, biscuits
- Trans fats: Margarine, vanaspati, fast, highly processed foods
- Refined oils: Canola oil, soybean oil, corn oil, grapeseed oil
Monday
- Breakfast: Sambar with brown rice idli
- Lunch: Whole-grain roti with mixed-vegetable curry
- Dinner: Tofu curry with mixed vegetables and a fresh spinach salad
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Chana dal pancakes with mixed vegetables and a glass of milk
- Lunch: Chickpea curry with brown rice
- Dinner: Khichdi with sprout salad
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Apple cinnamon porridge made with milk and topped with sliced almonds
- Lunch: Whole-grain roti with tofu and mixed vegetables
- Dinner: Palak paneer with brown rice and vegetables
Thursday
- Breakfast: Yogurt with sliced fruits and sunflower seeds
- Lunch: Whole-grain roti with vegetable subji
- Dinner: Chana masala with basmati rice and green salad
Friday
- Breakfast: Vegetable dalia and a glass of milk
- Lunch: Vegetable sambar with brown rice
- Dinner: Tofu curry with potato and mixed vegetables
Saturday
- Breakfast: Multigrain parathas with avocado and sliced papaya
- Lunch: Large salad with rajma curry and quinoa
- Dinner: Lentil pancakes with tofu tikka masala
Sunday
- Breakfast: Buckwheat porridge with sliced mango
- Lunch: Vegetable soup with whole-grain roti
- Dinner: Masala-baked tofu with vegetable curry
1. Brown Rice
Rice is a staple in many countries because it is so cheap. Brown rice, although it’s a carbohydrate, is healthy and can actually help you lose weight! A serving of brown rice contains 21% of the daily recommended amount of magnesium, 15% of vitamin B6, 4% of the daily recommended amount of iron and 3.5 grams of fiber. Brown rice is higher in nutrition and absorbed more slowly by the bloodstream than white rice. It is a great food to eat for those wanting to reduce inflammation too.
2. Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt has been called a “superfood,” or a food packed with nutritional value, and it does have many health benefits that shouldn’t be overlooked!
A study on the healthiest foods found that each extra daily serving of yogurt prevented .82 pounds of weight gain. At 23 grams of protein per serving, it rivals meat-based sources of protein to help you feel fuller longer. As long as you choose the low-fat, low-sugar versions, you’ll definitely be on the side of healthy.
3. Beans
Garbanzo beans, kidney beans, black beans: Beans not only have protein, but they have fiber too! Beans are cheap, low in calories, and you can add almost any kind of herb or spice to create different flavor combinations.
4. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes have many great health benefits. They contain about 377% of our daily recommended intake of vitamin A, 15% of vitamin B6 and are high in potassium and fiber. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin C, manganese, copper, pantothenic acid, niacin, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and phosphorus.
How can sweet potatoes help you lose weight? Because sweet potatoes are nutrient-dense, they can help you feel fuller longer. As long as you don’t load them down with butter and sugar and instead opt for some olive oil and/or cinnamon, sweet potatoes are a great part of a trim diet. Plus, the price of a small sweet potato is only about $0.50!
5. Apples And Other Low-Cost Fruits
It’s a good idea to eat fruit for health, but it’s also important for weight loss too. Fruit is full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and it can help aid in weight loss by helping you feel fuller with less calories. It can also increase your water intake! Though some fruits are more expensive than others, apples are a budget-friendly option at about $0.50 per apple, when purchased in a three-pound bag.
6.Green Tea
Though green tea isn’t a food, it’s a great low-cost beverage to consume loaded with nutritional benefits, according to researchers. “It’s the healthiest thing I can think of to drink,” Christopher Ochner.
Green tea has polyphenols like flavonoids and catechins, which function as powerful antioxidants. Not only that, it contains the amino acid L-theanine, which can reduce anxiety and improve brain function. But besides all its health benefits, in some studies, green tea has been shown to boost metabolism and help people burn fat.
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