The Incredible Health Benefits Of Indian Cooking

When you think of Indian food you probably think of a greasy and unhealthy takeout meal that isn’t good for you. But that’s just our version of fast food Indian cuisine. Proper authentic Indian cooking is the complete opposite; it’s packed full of exotic and exciting flavors, and ingredients that are amazing for your health. Don’t believe me? Here are just five of the reasons that Indian should be a central part of your diet.

Vegetables

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Everybody knows that you should be getting five fruits and vegetables every day, but a lot of us struggle with it. If you cook Indian food, you’ll do it without even realising. Indian food contains a bigger range of fresh vegetables than any other cuisine out there. The way that they’re cooked is also important; a lot of cooking processes suck out all of the nutrients from the vegetables so even though you’re eating enough, you might not be seeing the benefit. A lot of the vegetables in Indian dishes aren’t cooked for as long which makes them fresher and healthier for you.

Spices

You don’t get Indian cooking without spices and, as well as incredible flavor, they bring a lot of health benefits with them. Chilli is an integral part of most curries, even if they aren’t that spicy. It’s brilliant to eat if you’ve got a cold because it clears out your sinuses and it has been shown to improve your metabolism which helps with maintaining a healthy weight.

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Turmeric is another spice that is often used to give curries their vibrant colour. It has so many health benefits that people are even taking turmeric supplements so they can reap the rewards when they aren’t cooking as well. The active ingredient in turmeric is called curcumin and has anti-inflammatory properties. However, the level of curcumin to the weight of turmeric is quite low so it’s better to take the supplements that give you more than you can get from just eating it.

Nutmeg is probably one of the most beneficial spices in Indian cooking and is often called a superfood. It has antibacterial properties so it can help to fight tooth decay. It’s also been shown to improve memory and even fight the risk of Alzheimer’s.

To top it all off, the black pepper in the curry will help you to digest it better. It encourages your body to produce hydrochloric acid in your stomach which breaks down the food in your stomach.

Everything From Scratch

One of the core principles of Indian cooking is that everything should be made from scratch using fresh ingredients. Processed foods are one of the major hurdles that people face when they’re trying to stay healthy but with Indian cooking, you don’t get any of that. Everything you eat will be made properly using fresh, unprocessed ingredients. That means the nutrient content is higher and you don’t have any unwanted extras that might have been added during any process that the food has been through.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that Indian cuisine is just the unhealthy takeout food that you’re used to. Freshly made Indian food should be a part of any healthy diet.