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All foods contain some sort of a nutrient. It may be a
carbohydrate, fat or protein. They also contain some calories, vitamins
and minerals. The role of the vitamins and minerals is to accelerate the
production of enzymes in the body and thus help in the breakdown of the
food that we eat. In order to ensure good health, fight obesity and
reduce the risk of cardiovascular and other diseases, it is
essential that we focus on the number of calories that we
consume. |
At any given time, the no. of
calories that we burn should be greater than the number of calories that
we consume. If this does not happen, then the extra calories just add on
as fat. It is here that negative calorie foods come into the picture.
They are very low calorie foods, which contain the essential vitamins
and minerals needed for enzymatic reactions but the best part about them
is that they require more calories to digest than they actually contain.
Put simply it means, more work needs to be done by the body in order to
get those calories.
Since the foods are low calorie foods, the calories will come from the
fat in the body. Hence by eating more of these foods, you actually lose
weight rather than gain. If you eat a piece of cake, which contains say
300 calories, it requires approximately only 150 calories for it to be
digested. The remaining calories add on as fat. If on the other hand you
bite into a cucumber, which is a negative calorie food (approximately
20-25calories), it will require more than 50 calories for it to be
digested. This means the excess 25 calories will come from the body’s
fat deposits.
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Fortunately enough for us, nature has an abundance of low calorie foods:
some of them are Beet, cabbage, carrot, celery, cucumber, green beans,
onion, radish, spinach, lettuce (vegetables) and apple, lime, papaya,
orange, watermelon, tomato, peach, and pineapple (fruits). Along with
fiber rich foods, breakfast, lunch and dinner cannot only be healthy but
also enjoyable. |
Oats is a dietary fiber rich food capable of increasing the body’s
metabolism. A cup of oatmeal flakes with a little bit of turmeric, salt,
coriander powder, cardamom powder, cinnamon powder is mixed with a cup
of milk and heated for a couple of minutes.(you can make the spices and
use the readymade mix). Let it thicken to the desired consistency. Top
the mixture with fresh fruits, yogurt, nuts anything you like and you
have a high-powered nutritious breakfast with not too many calories in
it.
Vermicelli is an Indian favorite and whether it is just for a quick
snack or for breakfast it is a nutritious low calorie vegetarian recipe.
Roast a cup of vermicelli until it is slightly brown. Cook peas,
shredded carrots, sliced potatoes with a pinch of salt and turmeric.
Sauté mustard seeds, urad dal, green chillies, ginger, and hing. To this
add the cooked vegetables and vermicelli. Add adequate water and cover
for about 5 minutes. A tasty, filling and nutritious dish is ready. Idly
is another south Indian delicacy, which is low calorie because it is
steamed. A mixture of urad dal and rice in the proportion of 1:2
Sprouted salads are very popular in Indian homes. Take A cup of steamed
sprouts (moong is very good for health). Add chopped onions, sliced
tomatoes, chilli powder, salt and coriander leaves and a dash of
limejuice. Your sprouted salad is ready. This is an all time food and
can be taken at any time.
Parathas are the Indian equivalent to sandwiches. With the proper
filling, it can be quite a delicious dish. The ubiquitous Palak Paratha
or Gobi paratha are all time favorites. In fact, you can use any
filling, the healthier, the better. Steam palak and cool. Mix wheat
flour, steamed palak, chilli powder, cumin seeds, and salt. Add a little
oil and adequate water to make dough. Roll out the parathas, place on
the tawa and add a little oil or butter. Serve hot with curd or green
chutney.
To cool yourself off, you can use a cucumber dish. Thinly sliced
cucumber, nonfat yogurt, sliced green onions, green chillies and salt is
all that you need. Add salt to the cucumber; mix well and drain using a
sieve. When fairly dry, add yogurt, green chillies and green onions. You
have just whipped up a low calorie recipe fit for a king.
One thing that must be remembered is that any high caloried dish can be
converted into a low calorie one. When making dal for instance, instead
of frying the onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic, add them to the dal
when you boil it. Then for the seasoning you can use very little oil,
whether it is jeera or rai. Instead of frying, try and roast foods. Use
a microwave whenever possible. Avoid using coconut as far as possible.
Use skimmed milk and fat free yogurt . Avoid malai, cream and too many
nuts. You have it all—low calorie vegetarian recepies leading to a low
calorie diet.~
Author Mini Swami.
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