Fragrant curry, simmering dal, colorful tandoori, spicy korma—the aromatic, delicious foods of India, with their incredible range of spices, flavors, foods, colors, textures and ingredients, speak for themselves. More and more Indian restaurants are opening, and many Indian convenience foods are on our supermarket shelves. If you’re a regular at your neighborhood Indian restaurant, it’s easy to understand why this cuisine is soaring—who can resist the fabulous flavors?
Looking beyond taste, however, how does Indian food rate in healthiness? There are many healthy attributes, according to Madhu Gadia, M.S., R.D., dietitian, author and Indian cuisine expert. “The Indian diet is rich in beans, vegetables, whole grains and spices. Studies show that people avoid vegetables when they don’t taste good. But because Indian foods are full of flavor, it’s a delicious way to eat vegetables,” says Gadia.
Good nutrition habits. There is scientific consensus that a disease-protective diet looks something like this: High in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other plant-based foods; and low in animal fats, salt, refined grains and sugars. A traditional Indian diet can fit pretty neatly into this description. In fact, the National Cancer Institute reports that cancer rates are lower in India than Western countries, and that diet characteristics such as high intake of fruits, vegetables, spices and tea might be responsible for protecting Indians against certain forms of cancer. Here are a few healthy components of the Indian diet.
*Vegetables. Indian cuisine includes many vegetables combined flavorfully in dishes, such as beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, corn, eggplant, green beans, greens, okra, onions, peas, peppers, potatoes, radishes, spinach, squash and tomatoes.
*Grains. Whole wheat flatbreads and basmati rice are popular in Indian home-cooked meals.
*Legumes. This cuisine relies upon the regular and flavorful use of legumes like black-eyed peas, chickpeas, lentils and beans.
*Fruits. Apples, apricots, bananas, figs, grapes, guava, lychee, loquat, mangoes, oranges, papayas, passion fruit, and sweet limes are common fruits in India.
*Dairy. From milk and buttermilk to yogurt and paneer (fresh cheese), dairy products are regular features of the Indian diet.
*Herbs and Spices. At the heart of Indian food is a long list of culinary herbs and spices that have been used for centuries, many of which are proven to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer effects (see EN August 2010, “Bold and Beautiful Spices for Health”). Indian spices include amchur (made from mangoes), aniseed, asafetida (a pungent, onion-like flavor), bay leaf, black pepper, cardamom, chilies, cinnamon, clove, coconut, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, fenugreek, garam masala (a spice blend), garlic, ginger, mango powder, mint, mustard, nutmeg, onion seeds, parsley, pomegranate seeds, poppy seeds, saffron, sesame seeds, tamarind and turmeric.
*Small Amounts of Meat. Since vegetarianism is common in India, a delicious cuisine has developed to include many vegetarian dishes. Even non-vegetarians tend to eat smaller amounts of meat and frequent vegetarian meals.
The heavy side of Indian food. Sure, there are lots of reasons to love Indian food, but it comes with a few caveats. Gadia reports that traditional, home-cooked Indian food is typically low in fat and rich in vegetables and whole grains. But the opposite is often true of food prepared in restaurants. “At home, you would hardly ever use cream in a curry or sauce, but at an Indian restaurant they often use cream as a base,” warns Gadia. In addition, many restaurant dishes—especially those prepared with a sauce—are swimming in vegetable oils and added salt. Top it off with a deep-fried appetizer like samosa, and plate-sized servings of naan (flatbread) made with white flour, and it’s easy to see how a healthful cuisine can turn into an indulgent food fest.
Most Indian restaurants have fallen into the same restaurant food trap that other ethnic establishmentshave fallen into—instead of sticking with authentic cooking traditions, they often westernize recipes and add extra fat and salt. Gadia urges Indian food lovers to complain to restaurant owners to create a movement for healthier food. It’s starting to work for Mexican restaurants, with famous eateries such as Frontera Grill in Chicago focusing on lighter foods, so why not support a change in Indian restaurants?
The idea that Indian food can morph into something less healthy has even worried public health experts. India’s rapid urbanization has resulted in dietary changes in recent years that are linked with increasing obesity and higher disease rates, especially diabetes. In rural India, diabetes prevalence is only two to six percent, while in urban areas it is 12 percent. And Indians living in Western nations experience a four-time greater overall rate of diabetes compared with those living in India.
Bringing it to the kitchen. So how do you enjoy Indian food without guilt? By eating authentic, home-cooked meals where you control the ingredients, says Gadia. While many people are intimidated by Indian cooking, it’s not as hard as it looks. Follow Gadia’s tips for easy Indian cooking and try out her recipe for Quick Chickpea Curry (note: a “curry” is a thick spicy, gravy-based dish, not something spiced with curry powder) And get started enjoying all of the tasty benefits of Indian food.
Start Cooking Indian Food with EN’s Expert Guide
EN’s Indian food expert Madhu Gadia offers these tips for getting started:
1. For real authentic flavor, use Indian spices. Don’t just rely on curry powder for every dish; stock your kitchen with the basics: cumin seeds, cayenne pepper, ground coriander, turmeric, brown mustard seeds and the spice blend garam masala.
2. Don’t be afraid of Indian cooking! Many recipes take only minutes to prepare.
3. Don’t feel you have to prepare a full Indian meal with a variety of dishes you might see at a restaurant. Keep it simple with one dish that can be served with rice or salad.
4. Start out by trying three or four easy, familiar recipes from a reliable Indian cookbook (check out Gadia’s website www.cuisineofindia.com or cookbooks “New Indian Home Cooking” or “The Indian Vegan Kitchen” for recipes.)
Quick Chickpea Curry
2 – 16 oz cans chickpeas, rinsed
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/8 tsp asafetida powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cup onion, finely chopped
2 tsp ginger, peeled and grated
1 ½ cups tomatoes, chopped (or canned, without their juice)
½ tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp salt
3 c water
½ tsp garam masala* (see below for recipe)2 tsp lemon or lime juice
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1. Heat oil in medium skillet on medium-high and add asafetida and cumin seeds, cooking until seeds turn golden. Add onion and fry 2-3 minutes. Add ginger and tomatoes and cover and cook for 2 minutes. Mash the tomatoes with spoon until well blended.
2. Add turmeric, coriander and cayenne, stirring for a few seconds. Add chickpeas, salt and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Mash a few chickpeas with spoon.
3. Add garam masala and lemon juice, transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with cilantro. Makes 8 servings
*To make garam masala: Heat a small fry pan on medium heat and cook ½ cup cumin seeds until golden brown. Cool and add 1/3 cup whole black peppercorns, ½ cup large cardmom pods, 1 Tbsp cloves, 3 cinnamon sticks, 10-12 bay leaves, and 1 Tbsp dried ground ginger. Combine and store in airtight container. Makes 1 ½ cups.
Nutrition Information per Serving (3/4 cup): 156 calories, 22 grams (g) carbohydrate, 5 g fat, 6 g dietary fiber, 6 g protein, 297 milligrams sodium.
Adapted courtesy of The Indian Vegan Kitchen by Madhu Gadia, M.S., R.D.
This feature was written by Sharon Palmer for Environmental Nutrition, www.environmentalnutrition.com
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