Paranthas are more than just a meal option in North Indian homes - they're a tradition and almost impossible to avoid. Whether it’s a plain crispy paratha with a layer of ghee or butter spread over it or the heavy and filling aloo paranthas, with curd and pickles, there is something about the sight of this delectable Indian bread that makes the best of diet plans go down the drain.
But what if we told you that you can make paranthas a part of your weight loss plan? All you have to do it swap some ingredients.
Here are the three changes you should consider to reform your paranthas for your weight loss diet:Choose a healthy stuffing
Stuffing is the soul of a paratha. It is what makes the paranthas so indulgent and delectable. To make your stuffing healthier, keep the following things in mind:
- Opt for seasonal vegetables for stuffing your paranthas. Seasonal veggies are fresher and not stored/transported or processed to keep them stable for long. And we know that unprocessed foods are healthier.
- Do not fry the stuffing before you put it in the paratha. While this may improve taste, it would definitely make your paranthas unhealthy. However, if you absolutely have to precook the stuffing, opt for healthier methods like baking.
And finally, add variety to the stuffing with things like paneer (cottage cheese), cabbage, beets, methi (fenugreek), spinach, mushrooms and lentils. Paneer, mushrooms and lentils are rich in proteins. Paneer has a good amount of vitamin B12, calcium and phosphorus. Lentils and spinach are packed with iron and health-promoting antioxidants, while mushrooms have a lot of vitamin B complex. Most fresh veggies are fibre-rich and would hence improve satiety (feeling full).Opt for whole-grain flour
Wherever possible switch to whole grain flour. This kind of flour contains more fibre and nutrients than your typical refined flour and is hence a healthier option for your weight loss diet.
The best part is that you get a variety to choose from. You can buy buckwheat flour (kuttu ka atta), quinoa, barley or millets flour. Alternatively, just get a whole grain flour that has a mix of all these grains. If you don’t find a premade packet in the market, buy your own grains and get them ground by a local mill.Switch your cooking oil
No parantha is complete without that layer of oil above it. But it is that very layer that can make it unhealthy, especially if you tend to use a lot of oil on paranthas. First, buy a silicon brush. The brush will help you put an even and thin layer of oil on the parantha so it retains the crispiness. Second, learn more about the contents of cooking oils. Try to ditch oils that contain more saturated fats, trans fats and hydrogenated fats. Instead, opt for those that are rich in poly or monounsaturated fatty acids.
Alternatively, you can cook your parantha without oil and just put some ghee on it. Unlike popular belief, ghee can aid weight loss. Just make sure you don’t go overboard with it.For more information, read our article on Weight loss. Health articles on News18 are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.Follow @News18Lifestyle for more
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