We have all been there. You have eating clean all week, then come Friday and you are invited by a couple of friends to an Indian restaurant. Panic! Instead of sabotaging your weight loss efforts, you can still enjoy these delicious Indian food without felling guilty. This is what you should order at an Indian restaurant when you’re on a diet.
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What Indian dishes Can Help Weight Loss?
Indian cuisine uses a variety of spices that are healthy for you. Spices are an important part of Indian food because they provide the flavor and texture to the dish. When you eat Indian dishes, you want to avoid dishes with too many heavy sauces, fried foods and cream-based dishes.
Indian diet includes a lot of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes. You can find all these ingredients in most Indian dishes. Some Indian foods such as samosas are deep-fried but they are not a regular part of the diet in India.
Indian dishes are generally flavorful and aromatic but they can sometimes have too much oil or a lot of heavy cream sauces. Avoid ordering dishes that look like they are swimming in oil; this will balance out your weight loss results.
What Indian food has the least calories?
Here is what you should order at an Indian restaurant when you’re on a diet – such as the Keto diet
1. Seafood-based curry dishes
Seafood is low in calories and it tastes good with the spices used in Indian cuisine. You can find fish, shrimp or scallops as ingredient in many Indian curries that can be included in your low calorie diet without sabotaging your weight loss goals. These seafood curry dishes will do wonders for your health while helping you lose weight!
2. Tandoori (clay-oven) dishes
Tandoori (clay oven) is used for cooking many Indian dishes. The way these dishes are prepared makes them low in unhealthy ingredients. Tandooris cook the meat/fish over high temperature which burns all the extra fat off of the food, leaving you with lean protein that doesn’t add pounds to your frame!
3. Saag (leafy greens)-based curry dishes
Saag is Indian term for a variety of leafy green vegetables such as mustard leaves and spinach. You can combine saags with other veggies like carrots and potatoes to create mouth-watering curries that won’t sabotage your weight loss goals. These sauces also contain good carbs and fibers which will make you feel full and your body will burn the calories.
4. Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) dishes
Paneer is a soft version of cheese that is popular in most parts of India. You can find paneer as an ingredient in various dishes like salads, curries or soups which you can order when eating out at Indian restaurants for weight loss without sabotaging it.
5. Aloo Gobi (potato and cauliflower curry)
Aloo gobi is a delicious mashed potato dish with spices such as cloves and cumin seeds, often served with chapatis/flatbreads along with other vegetarian curries that are good for you diet-wise but tasty too!
6. Traditional Indian bread/rice dishes
India is known for its delicious rice and Indian breads like chapatis, naan or rotis that are very healthy for you because they are whole grains. They taste great when served with curries to complete a satisfying meal without sabotage your weight loss goals. To eat in moderation of course.
7. Plain rice topped with veggies
When eating out at an Indian restaurant sometimes you cannot escape ordering the rice part of the dish even if you order something else along with it; this can be bad news if you’re on a diet as most rices have traces of oil that add more calories to your plate! Instead, try asking them not to put any oil in the dish when serving it to you or if you have to, ask for a little oil on the side so that you can control how much you want to add.
8. Salads with tandoori chicken or paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
You can find salads in most Indian restaurants which is always good for your health but some of the dishes may contain too many unhealthy ingredients like cream sauces and fried stuff. Ordering something simple like a plain salad with grilled meat/fish is always good idea when eating out at an Indian restaurant because it helps to balance out your low calorie diet without sabotaging it!
9. Plain raita or yogurt-based sauce dish
This is something that I make myself at home whenever I order takeout from an Indian restaurant; it’s basically a dish with plain yogurt that you can mix with any vegetables of your choice like onions, carrots or capsicum. Choose plain yogurt with no fat or low fat so it doesn’t add too many extra calories to your plate. It also makes for an excellent source of calcium!
10. Vegetable soups
You can find vegetable soups in most Indian restaurants which are always good for you while helping you lose weight because they contain low-calorie ingredients but high in healthy nutrients; they make great side orders when eating out at an Indian restaurant!
11. Masala dosa (crepe made from rice batter)
Dosas are thin pancakes made from special fermented rice batter called idli dosa rice which is then served with delicious spicy chutneys and other tangy sauces but they are mostly carb-heavy foods. To get the same taste with lower calories, ask for a masala dosa instead which is prepared in a similar way using unleavened rice flour dough that can be rolled out flat on your table like crepes! They are delicious and very low calorie; you can dip them into various chutneys of your choice to control how much spicy stuff you want.
12. Dal (lentils) dishes
Indian lentil-based dishes like dal makhani , dal tadka or semiya sambar are all good choice when eating out at an Indian restaurant because they are very low in calories despite being high in protein content; just remember to avoid adding too much butter to your portions so that it doesn’t increase your fat intake enormously!
13. Red rice pilaf instead of regular white rice
White rice is not a complex carb which helps us lose weight quickly, it’s basically the opposite because its calorie count is quite high so our tummies get filled faster than what we’d like. On the other side, red rice is a complex carb which has less calories so you can feel full for longer without consuming as many calories; it also makes for a great alternative to plain white rice!
What is the lowest calorie Indian takeaway?
An Indian takeaway is a meal ordered from an Indian restaurant. The following are simply suggestions to help you lose weight if you want to order take away from an Indian restaurant:
- Order plain rice (no oil) or plain roti instead of paratha.
- Choose vegetable dishes over meat dishes if possible.
- Avoid ordering sweet things like gulab jamun, cake, etc.
- Order a side of plain raita or yogurt sauce with your meal.
- Skip the onion salads and mint chutneys; they add too many calories and don’t have as much nutritional value.
- Try ordering a low fat yogurt dish like dal makhni or semiya sambhar.
What are the healthy foods to order in an Indian restaurant?
- Rice
- Dal or lentils
- Veggies and yogurt dip
- Tandoori chicken skewers or lamb kabobs
- Sigri (mainly bread with potato filling)
- Mooli paratha (stuffed with radish)
- Masala dosa (crepe made from rice batter)
- Plain yogurt with vegetables/meat dish on the side
- Chana masala (chick peas and tomatoes)
- Chapattis (flat griddle breads) stuffed with potatoes, onions, ginger and garlic.
Conclusion – What Indian Dishes are Best for Weight Loss?
Indian food and drinks are rich in nutrients, laced with spices that are great for digestion, and relatively low in calories. There are many delicious dishes that can help you lose weight while feeling satisfied.
If you’re eating out at an Indian restaurant, make sure to check the dish description to avoid ordering dishes that may be too high in calories.
If you’re looking to lose weight, be sure to avoid ordering dishes that may have too much oil or fat. You can also substitute meat dishes for dal makhni or semiya sambar (lentils) if possible.
However, do not shy away from ordering plain rice as it is very low calorie but high in complex carbohydrates which help you keep feeling full longer without consuming many calories.
Also remember to check the portion size of side dishes like onion salads and mint chutneys because they can add a lot of extra calories; choose small portions for best results!
Enjoy your Indian meal while keeping a tab on your calorie consumption
