1,200 calories per day is the most aggressive diet that is still nutritionally safe for most women. It is NOT recommended for men, active people, or anyone under medical supervision. But for sedentary women looking to lose 0.5 to 1 kg per week, a well-planned 1,200-calorie Indian diet works. Here is exactly what a full … Read more
A ‘handful of dry fruits’ is the most commonly prescribed Indian health snack. It is also 150 to 250 calories depending on your hand size and what’s in the mix. Most people eat dry fruits thinking they are being healthy without knowing that 100g of mixed dry fruits is 520 calories. More than a full … Read more
Chia seeds have the highest fibre content of any common food: 34g per 100g. A tablespoon (10g) gives you 3.4g fibre for 49 calories. But the real magic: chia seeds absorb 10-12x their weight in water, turning into a gel that fills your stomach. A tablespoon of chia in water becomes a glass of filling, … Read more
Flax seeds have 534 calories per 100g. Sounds heavy. But nobody eats 100g of flax seeds. A tablespoon (10g) is 53 calories with 2.7g fibre and 1.8g omega-3. That tablespoon, sprinkled on your curd or dal, is one of the most nutrient-dense additions you can make to any Indian meal. The key word is ‘tablespoon,’ … Read more
Every cooking oil is 120 calories per tablespoon. Mustard oil, olive oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, groundnut oil. ALL of them. 120 calories. Zero protein. Zero carbs. Pure fat. The type of oil affects your health profile. The quantity of oil determines your weight. Most Indian kitchens use 3 to 5 tablespoons of oil per … Read more
Fresh coconut is 354 calories per 100g. Dried coconut (copra/desiccated) is 650 calories per 100g. Coconut oil is 900 calories per 100g (pure fat). Coconut is one of the most calorie-dense plant foods in existence, and it appears everywhere in South Indian and Kerala cooking. One coconut chutney bowl, a few spoons of coconut in … Read more
Pistachios have a built-in diet hack that no other nut has: the shell. Eating unshelled pistachios slows you down. You crack each one, eat the nut, and the pile of shells on your plate gives you a visual cue of how much you have eaten. Studies show people eat 41% fewer calories from unshelled pistachios … Read more
One Medjool date is 66 calories. One regular date (chhuhara) is 20 calories. Dates are marketed as a ‘healthy sugar alternative’ and they do have fibre, potassium, and iron. But at 282 calories per 100g, they are still concentrated sugar. Eating 5 Medjool dates (330 cal) as a ‘healthy snack’ costs more calories than a … Read more
Raisins are dried grapes. The drying process removes water and concentrates everything: sugar, calories, and the illusion that you are eating something light. 100g raisins: 299 calories. 100g fresh grapes: 69 calories. Same fruit, 4x the calorie density. A small handful of raisins (30g) is 90 calories. That handful looks like nothing on your palm … Read more
Walnuts are the most calorie-dense common nut at 654 calories per 100g. Two walnut halves is 26 calories. That sounds light until you eat 10 halves (130 cal) while reading something, then another 10 because they taste good. 20 walnut halves = 260 calories. The omega-3 benefit is real. The calorie density is also very … Read more