Thali crisis: Indian home-cooked food is not always healthy, says ICMR; here’s why

Home-cooked food is generally considered to be healthier because you use fresh ingredients, less oil and even take care of hygiene. However, the ICMR says that home-cooked food can also be equally unhealthy – as most people do not follow portion control, are not able to balance nutrients and use excessive sugar and salt. – All these cause fatal diseases like heart attack, type 2 diabetes and obesity. , Read on to learn some ways to make your home-cooked meals the best version of what you want to eat.

ICMR says consuming too much fat, sugar or salt is not good for your overall health and well-being, even if it is made at home.

It is a popular belief that whatever you eat at home is healthy. And why not? You’ll use fresh ingredients, less oil, no preservatives and prepare everything hygienically to make your meals the healthiest for your family. However, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research, home-cooked food can still be unhealthy.

The leading health body says consuming too much fat, sugar or salt is not good for your overall health and well-being, even if it’s made at home.

What’s wrong with home cooked food?

As per ICMR guidelines, food high in fat and sugar has high energy content. And regular consumption of these foods leads to obesity and overweight as well as deficiency of essential nutrients like protein, vitamins and fiber – all of which are important to keep you fit.

According to experts, many of you might be using a little more of oil, butter, sugar or spices to make your food tasty and appetizing. Similarly, love deep fried dishes BhathureCompleteOr Kofta – Causes various types of heart disease, weight-related problems and even type 2 diabetes.

Many people also extensively use processed spices like ginger-garlic paste or tomato puree, which often contain harmful preservatives and food coloring, to prepare food.

Moreover, apart from these issues, overcooking is another problem that makes home-cooked food unhealthy. According to experts, cooking vegetables on higher flame than required can cause them to lose essential nutrients.

Portion size is another issue that makes that meal you prepare with love go against your health goals. Consuming excess calories slows metabolic changes, causes digestive problems and increases the risk of chronic diseases.

How to make your home food healthy?

To make your Indian home preparation healthy and let your family enjoy it without compromising on taste, you should follow these tips:

Use mustard oil and ghee for cooking

Crude oils like mustard oil and ghee are the best oils for cooking, but only when consumed in moderation. The amount of fat used affects the calorie count quite quickly because fat has the highest calorie content – 9 calories per gram, so it can add calories to a meal very quickly.

grill food

Instead of deep frying, use grill, pan fry or air fry to get the same taste of food without the dripping oil, fat and calories.

Make healthy choices

According to experts, if you eat rice, choose boiled rice or brown rice instead of pulao or biryani. If you want to eat delicious rice, Casserole or tehri This is a better option than biryani.

Similarly, proceed Chapati Above Paratha Or naan If you are going to eat a full meal with pulses and vegetables. A naan Or Paratha – Made with mostly Maida Or maida – it contains on average 250-300 calories and can go up to 600 calories if not cooked in a healthy manner.

Include herbs liberally

Instead of adding too many spices – which can cause indigestion and acid reflux. Use herbs, which also serve as salt substitutes.

follow portion control

Even healthy dishes can quickly become unhealthy for the body if not eaten in the right quantity. Make sure you always eat a little less than you want, especially at dinner.

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