South Asian Foods and Weight Loss: Can They Coexist?

South Asian Foods and Weight Loss: Can They Coexist?

South Asian cuisine, known for its rich flavors and spices, can pose significant challenges for weight loss. Foods common in the region are often composed mainly of oils, fats, and refined carbohydrates, while being low in protein content. Additionally, with a significant portion of the population adhering to vegetarian, vegan, or selective meat-eating diets, the protein content in regional dishes is often reduced. Essential nutrients typically found in meat, like Vitamin B12, are often lacking.

Reflecting on my adolescence, I can think of several calorically dense foods that contributed to my weight gain. Samosas, deep-fried pastry puffs, were snacks passed around before dinner that added significant calories without providing substantial protein. Buttery naan at dinner, made from refined flour, added empty carbohydrates with minimal micronutrients. Main dishes, such as Yellow Daal Tadka, consisted of incomplete plant proteins and excessive amounts of vegetable oil. While I enjoyed these foods growing up and was always encouraged to eat them since they were staples in my culture, they significantly contributed to my weight gain.

So now, the real question: Was I actually able to lose body fat while mainly consuming an orthodox South Asian diet?

The short answer is no, I could not. The South Asian diet is too high in carbohydrates and fats, while being too low in protein, to effectively promote muscle gain and fat loss, and maintain a calorie deficit.

A study by the Indian Journal of Medical Research found that typical South Asian diets are indeed high in carbohydrates, with rice and bread being staple foods, while protein intake often falls below recommended levels. This imbalance can make it challenging to lose weight or build muscle effectively.

Here are some pictures of foods that I had eaten in the past pre-weight loss journey. On the right is a mixed masoor and yellow daal bowl with fried onions and dahi (full-fat yogurt sauce), with a bed of rice below. On the right is a bowl of Dahi Papdi Chaat, which consists of crispy papdi (deep-fried flour crisps), dahi, potatoes, chickpeas, and chutneys. Both of these dishes are high in saturated and unsaturated fats and carbohydrates, while having minimal complete protein sources or fiber.

However, the long answer to the question is potentially—if we alter certain aspects of the South Asian diet and allot a set number of calories to consuming South Asian foods, fat loss is achievable, in theory. Throughout the months of maintaining a calorie deficit, a few times a month I would still bond with my family by eating some Indian dishes and snacks with some adjustments and moderation to fit into my daily caloric intake. Here are some strategies on how to make it happen:

Adjust Your Plate:

Cut carbohydrates to ½ or ¼ of the current portion size:

If I am eating an Indian dish, such as Chicken Tikka Masala, typically I would have two sources of carbohydrates: rice and naan. When trying to lose weight, I aim to choose one carbohydrate source only. Additionally, it is difficult to determine the exact number of calories in Indian food, especially with things like butter on the naan or without knowing the exact weight of the food item. To compensate for this, I try to consume half of whatever one carbohydrate source I am using. For example, instead of one whole garlic naan, I will eat half.

Reduce the amount of vegetables or saabzis that are high in oils:

Double, if not triple, the amount of raw or steamed vegetables that have minimal fats. A big misconception I have noticed with my parents and the Indian community overall is that they believe vegetable dishes like chana masala or bhindi are healthy since the main ingredients are vegetables. However, the cooking processes add hundreds of calories of oils to these dishes, which can easily cause weight gain.

For example, in my house, I used to use "Shan Mixed Pickles" as a side dish for flavor. I always thought this was healthy, but upon reading the nutrition label, I found that only 20 grams consist of 60 calories. I would often unknowingly use 60 to 80 grams, which would secretly add hundreds of extra calories to my meal!

Here is an image of the brand of mixed pickle I used to often eat with meals and its nutritional information.

To avoid these sneaky calories, I opt to reduce the amount of saabzis I consume, hoping to leverage those saved calories for a protein source. Moreover, I fill my plate with lower-calorie, high-volume vegetable sources, such as steamed bhindi (okra) or vinegar-pickled onions.

Here is an image of homemade pickled onions I make. The brine consists of one part vinegar, one part water, a dash of salt, and a handful of black peppercorns. Compared to the mixed pickle I used to eat, this is a much lower-calorie alternative! A medium-sized onion (110g) has only 44 calories, and the vinegar adds virtually no calories to the onion.

Double up on the lean(er) protein sources:

Given the variable amount of complete protein sources found in Indian food, this is arguably the most difficult part of adjusting the Indian diet for weight loss. In some instances, there are no true ways to avoid the calories associated with calorie-dense incomplete proteins. For example, "Kaali Daal," a lentil dish, consists mainly of incomplete proteins.

Here is a picture of how I modified a typical Indian dish I consume, "Yellow Daal Tadka," to stay on track with my weight loss. I added extra grilled vegetables and a supplementary protein source of grilled salmon, and I removed the carbohydrate source of basmati rice from the meal.

However, if there are leaner sources of protein, such as chicken tandoori or even paneer, try to wipe off any excess oils and fill roughly half your plate with this. These types of proteins, meat, or dairy-based, are often complete protein sources, hence they provide all essential amino acids while still not being excessively high in calories. This will help boost the overall protein in your meal, helping you reach your daily protein goals and maintain satiety.

These are just some rough guidelines I have used to help me still enjoy my cultural foods while staying relatively on track with weight loss. Remember, this whole journey is about adjustment. If you have to eat an Indian meal and you know in advance, try to alter your daily calories and macronutrients to help you keep your daily calories low enough to stay in a calorie deficit.

Sometimes, unfortunately, you cannot plan in advance and have to merely bite the bullet and not be in a calorie deficit for the day. However, if you are eating Indian food occasionally (such as a couple of times a month), I would not recommend completely avoiding it. As I matured on this weight-loss journey, I realized I had to say “no” to certain foods more than I’d like to. I have learned that it is important to say no more often to meaningless food that serves just to curb cravings: random ice cream from the gas station at midnight or mindlessly snacking on cookies while watching YouTube in my room. However, I have learned to say yes to more meaningful “cheat meals,” ones that hold social or cultural significance. For example, I often plan my calories for the week around a Saturday dinner consisting of lamb biryani, as I get to bond over sharing a meal with my relatives. Basically, I have learned that if I am going to “cheat” or sway from my diet, I am going to make sure doing so has actual importance in my life and relationships with my culture and social network.

Adjusting your consumption to fit a South Asian diet is an imperfect science at the core, as you have minimal control over what ingredients are being used to create the food, hence you have minimal understanding of the calories and macronutrient distribution of your foods. In one of my future posts, I aspire to share recipes I create where I incorporate more protein and fewer fats in Indian dishes to help you enjoy Indian food while staying on track with your diet. Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment with any thoughts!