Team CalorieSense
Calories in Mukhwas, Saunf & Mouth Freshener
One teaspoon of mukhwas after a meal is 15-20 calories. Harmless. But the restaurant mukhwas bowl is designed for grabbing handfuls. 2-3 handfuls (30g): 100 calories. The sugar-coated varieties (tutti-frutti mukhwas, sugar saunf) push to 120 cal per 30g. It is the ‘free’ thing at the restaurant exit that nobody counts, consumed right after a … Read more
Calories in Tamarind Chutney / Imli — Sweet, Sour & Chaat Style
Tamarind chutney is the soul of Indian chaat. Two tablespoons: 42 calories. Sounds small until you realise that every plate of pani puri, bhel puri, chaat, and samosa is drowned in it. A typical chaat plate uses 4-6 tablespoons: 84-126 calories from the chutney alone. The sev is blamed. The chutney escapes notice. Tamarind Chutney … Read more
Calories in Soup — Tomato, Sweet Corn, Hot & Sour & Manchow
A bowl of clear tomato soup is 50 calories. Sweet corn soup: 100. Hot and sour: 80. Manchow soup: 120. Cream of mushroom: 180. Soup ranges from genuinely light to surprisingly heavy depending on the base. Clear broths are diet-friendly. Cream-based and Chinese-restaurant soups are calorie traps disguised as starters. Soup is genuinely one of … Read more
Calories in Sambhar — With Rice, Idli, Dosa & Vada
Sambhar is the unsung hero of Indian nutrition. At 90 calories per bowl with 5g protein and 3.5g fibre from toor dal and mixed vegetables, it is one of the most nutrient-dense accompaniments in any Indian cuisine. Lighter than dal (150 cal), lighter than rasam rice, and infinitely lighter than the gravies North Indians eat … Read more
Calories in Indian Salad — Kachumber, Onion, Green & Raita Salad
A bowl of Indian kachumber salad (onion, cucumber, tomato, lemon) is 25-35 calories. It is the closest thing to a free food in Indian meals. For comparison: 1 papad is 50-90 cal. 1 tbsp pickle is 28 cal. A whole bowl of salad costs less than a single papad or a spoonful of pickle. Yet … Read more
Calories in Papad — Roasted, Fried, Masala & Restaurant
One roasted papad is 50 calories. One fried papad: 90 calories. Most Indians eat 1-2 papads per meal without counting them. Two fried papads per meal, twice a day: 360 extra calories daily. That is 10,800 calories per month. 1.4 kg of potential fat. From papad. The side dish that nobody believes has calories. Papad … Read more
Calories in Green Chutney / Mint Chutney — Pudina, Coriander & Dhaniya
Green chutney is the lightest condiment in Indian cooking. Two tablespoons: 12-15 calories. Made from mint, coriander, green chilli, and lemon, it is essentially blended herbs with zero oil in the basic version. Compare that to 2 tbsp coconut chutney (35 cal) or pickle (28 cal). If you need flavour without calories, green chutney is … Read more
Calories in Coconut Chutney — With Dosa, Idli & Vada
Two tablespoons of coconut chutney is 35 calories. Most South Indians eat 3-4 tablespoons with each dosa or idli, plus refills. A typical South Indian breakfast with unlimited chutney can include 60-100g of coconut chutney: 70-115 calories from the accompaniment alone. The idli is 40 calories. The chutney can cost more than the main dish. … Read more