India is known for its wide variety of foods which are prepared from a lot of ingredients. This country introduces tasty foods with a mixture of various spices. Indian foods uniqueness and deliciousness have make it widely known and enjoyed. Because of numerous variety of vegetables, legumes, spices, and grains cooked in Indian foods, it has been quite an alternative to meat consumption. Indian foods is also a good choice for people in need of vegetarian dishes. Researches show that people with vegetarian diets often weigh less than those with non-vegetarian one. Its healthy content also makes Indian food enjoyable for those with some medical issues requiring cholesterol level to be always low. Some Indian foods are even believed to have an ability of lowering cholesterol level.
Indian cholesterol lowering foods
Most of Indian foods are made from the mixture of healthy spices, vegetables, and legumes, although some others might contain some not-so-healthy ingredients. Certain foods from India are believed to keep your cholesterol low and thus, beneficial for your entire health. India is very well-known for its vegetarian foods, which are not only low in cholesterol, but even cholesterol-free. If you concern most about your cholesterol level, some of these Indian foods might be your consideration:
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Indian tomato curry
In India, this tomato curry is called rasam. Tomatoes, which is the main ingredient to the curry is enriched with antioxidants which is good for your heart and skin health. This is a healthy, spicy soup with tomato juice as the base. The other ingredients include mustard seeds—one hundred percent cholesterol-free, cumin, turmeric, tamarind, chopped garlic, chili pepper, and black pepper. All these ingredients are low in cholesterol and fat and hence, is very good in maintain your LDL level.
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Indian pancake
Quite different from those pancakes we used to know which are made from white flour and eggs—which have significant amount of cholesterol, Indian pancakes are made from ground black lentils and rice. Yes, rice does contain substances to be processed into glucose. Yet, the lentils balance it into a healthy, low-cholesterol dish. This pancakes are often mixed with fresh vegetables, such as chopped carrots, cauliflowers, broccoli, and chili peppers. This makes Indian pancakes—or idli a very good breakfast choice for lowering cholesterol level.
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Indian valak paneer
Valak paneer in India commonly has two version, the vegetarian and non-vegetarian ones. Vegetarian paneer is made from tofu and low-fat yogurt which is mixed with cooked spinach, while non-vegetarian paneer is made from whole-milk cheese which is loaded with cholesterol. The other ingredients such as turmeric and olive oil is also good for lowering your cholesterol. Hence, the vegetarian version of Indian paneer is a nice breakfast or snack choice for those who need to maintain their cholesterol level.
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Indian breads
India has a quite large variety of breads, such as naan, paratha, puri, and chapatti. These breads are made from milk, butter, and yogurt, which mostly are high in cholesterol. However, it is very easy to substitute these ingredients into the low-fat version to lower its cholesterol content.
Indian dishes with high cholesterol
Although has been very well-known for its low-cholesterol vegetarian dishes, India has some dishes with higher cholesterol contents. These dishes are high in cholesterol because those are made from fatty or high cholesterol ingredients, such as butter, milk, cheese, and ghee. Ghee is Indian clarified butter which is high in cholesterol. Some other dishes such as Indian chicken or lamb curry is prepared using coconut milk which is also loaded with cholesterol. Therefore, if you prefer to prepare your own Indian foods, it’s better for you to substitute the ghee with sunflower or olive oil which are lower in cholesterol. Instead of using coconut milk you may use low-fat milk or liquefied flour. Adding fresh vegetables into your dishes also help balancing its nutrient which will make the foods lower in cholesterol. The way you cook the dishes might also contribute to its cholesterol content. Thus, instead of frying with a lot of oil—any kinds of oil, putting them into microwave of sautéing them might be a better choice for much healthier Indian dishes to maintain your cholesterol level.
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