Learning About Restaurants

Posted on: 23 July 2017

Your decision to eat healthier could be put to the test the minute you step into your favorite Indian restaurant. Fortunately, there are smart choices you can make while dining out that can help you avoid a total avoidance of the food. Here are some tips for choosing healthier dishes at an Indian restaurant.

Be Careful with Foods Containing Malai and Masala

Malai and masala are commonly used in Indian cooking. Although both add flavor to the dishes, they can add fat and sodium to your diets. For instance, masala is often used with oil to help intensify flavors. The addition of malai to a dish means more cream, which can mean more fat and sodium.

Eating healthier does not mean that you must eliminate malai and masala from your diet. Both are considered necessities in Indian cooking. However, you can ask that the amount that is used be cut back on your food. Lighter usage of the two still gives you the flavors you need, but cuts down on the unhealthy aspect of the foods.

Select Tandoori Foods

Indian cooking relies on oils to cook everything from bread to meats. Unfortunately, the oil can mean food that would otherwise be considered healthy is not saturated in fats. You can cut down on the fat in the foods by opting for food that is cooked in a tandoor.

Tandoori foods are essentially baked. Baking the foods helps to reduce the fat content, which means you can still include your favorite meat dishes in your selections. If possible, stick to chicken or shrimp when making your meat choices.

Choose Vegetables Over Rice

Your dining experience might not seem as if it will be complete without rice, but saying no to it could be beneficial to you. Rice can be a nice addition to your meal, but it also comes with starch and lots of calories. A better alternative is to load up on vegetables.

Exchanging vegetables for rice is not only a healthier option, but it can be more filling. If you opt for the healthier preparation of the vegetables, you can add more to your plate than usual. If you are unable to live without the rice though, try to stick to one serving.

By making smarter choices, you can still enjoy your favorite Indian restaurant. It can take time to get used to eating healthier, but over time, you will not miss the heavier, unhealthier foods.