An easy-to-follow Low carbohydrate diet for Indians

The reasons for choosing low carbs (carbohydrate) diet are broadly two – either one wants to lose weight or one wants to ensure one doesn’t gain it. The human body has a sort of battery in it that needs a fixed amount of energy depending on how much work it is going to do. Give it more energy than it needs and it will expand; give it too little and it will not be good enough to do the job. This energy, like all forms of energy, is measured in units called calories. And carbohydrates are the chief source of these proteins.

For most of us, the amount of physical work we do has reduced as we spend hours sitting on our sofa, office chair, or in our bedrooms. As such the number of calories, our body requires for its day-to-day functioning has reduced dynamically. Unfortunately, the number of calories we consume has continued to increase especially due to the popularity of fast food. Thus people are Gaining weight.

Low Carbohydrate Diets for Indians

It is easy to change that by adopting a diet low in carbohydrates- and yes Indians too can try such a diet. Here is a low carbs diet one can try when losing weight:

1. Breakfast

The best breakfast would be omelets. They are rich in proteins (which the human body needs) and low in carbs. For Vegan and vegetarian people, a good alternative is nuts, Oates, or some fruits.

2. Lunch

For lunch, it is best to have pulses. A Dal made from pulses is mostly water and proteins. You can take it with Indian rotis or rice. Add salad or food salad for added taste.

3. Dinner

For dinner, something made of green leafy vegetables is highly recommended along with rotis or rice. It is especially desirable to have green vegetables for their iron content particularly in women as it helps in hemoglobin formation (women lose a lot of it during mensuration).

4. Snacks

If following this diet is making one feel hungry, then that is okay. One can have snacks but one should be careful about the type of snacks. Fruits or fruit salads are recommended. Homemade fruit juices and smoothies are also good. A cup of tea or coffee is also okay. Some preferable Snacks are apples, bananas, oranges, lemons, etc.

5. Stay hydrated

It is crucial to stay hydrated. Drink some water every hour or two and especially some minutes before a meal. That shall help one stay hydrated. One can also add the juice of a lemon to water for having added benefit of Vitamin C as one drinks it.

6. Variations

The good thing about the diet mentioned here is variations. Just consider the variety of fruits and green leafy vegetables you can eat – you can have a different one for each meal of the day. One can easily try some different options for a change of taste. For example, bread with peanut butter can be a good meal. One can also curd or Tofu (unlike curd, tofu is something even vegan people can try).

7. Completely prohibited

Alcohol should almost always be avoided. It has too many carbs. Avoid sugary treats, energy drinks, readymade juices, and fast food. All these food items have too many calories and too few other nutrients.

8. Avoid

Carbonated drinks and chocolates should be avoided too as far as possible though one can allow occasional treats of these in reasonable quantities.

9. Other Indian food items

One can occasionally have things like paranthas and even fast food but only occasionally. Apart from that, some vitamin supplements are highly recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.s)

There are several questions regarding low-carb diets. The following are some of the most Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.s) :

Question: What are some of the things that must be kept in mind while going for the diet mentioned above?

Answer: The following are some of the things that can help make this diet successful:

• It is not only about what and how much one eats but the way one eats. Chew the food and don’t eat in hurry. That often helps people avoid eating more than they should.
• This diet is not a temporary thing but something one should follow all one’s life with changes as desired.
• No diet works unless one is exercising regularly. The exercises one should do with low carbs diet are different from those with high calories. If trying to lose weight one should exercise that increases one’s heartbeat for an extended period.
• The information given here is for general purposes only and won’t work for every person. People with a medical condition should prepare their diet in consultation with a physician.

Question: What if I avoid calories altogether?

Answer: That can lead to weakness and severe health conditions.

If the reader has any other questions, they should feel free to ask them here.

The Bottom Line

One can easily wrap up the above discussion by concluding that this diet can be adopted by all Indias.