New Year Food Pledges

20/12/2013

In less than two weeks’ time, millions of Britons will vow to change their eating habits and reduce their intake for the New Year in a bid to lose those troublesome extra pounds gained over the holiday period and fit back into that old pair of jeans. Those people may be thinking that they’ll cut out the trips to their favourite Indian restaurant, but here are a few tips to live well without compromising on taste.

Incorporate Whole Grain Rice

Whole Grain rice is considered to be something of a super food and is far more beneficial that its white counterpart. The rice kernel is made up of several parts and only the outermost part is removed in the process to make commercial brown rice. Other components are removed to make white rice and with that, 67% of vitamin B3, 80% of vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half the manganese, half of the iron, 60% of the iron and all the dietary fibre and essential fatty acids are removed. Use this super rice in lieu of traditional white rice and any breads.

Stick to White Meat, Fish and Vegetables

Lamb, like all red meats, should not be consumed regularly. It can contribute to fatty deposits and increase cholesterol levels. Whilst eating lamb once in a while is a nice treat, try to stick to chicken dishes, fish and vegetables as much as possible. These three foods contain many of the vital ingredients for a healthy diet.

Be a Lone Wolf

One of the great joys that many people experience when dining in an Indian restaurant is sharing food with their loved ones – ordering a multitude for the centre of the table and having a bit of everything. Socially, this is a great plan but could be hazardous to your diet. There is a tendency for parties to order a little extra ‘just in case’. This leads to the implied obligation to eat extra and clean all the dishes. Order your own dish to best control your fate.

Order a Healthy Starter

When the diets come in, the starters often go out. However, ordering the right starter might be the wisest thing that you could do when dining at your favourite Indian Restaurant. Skipping the starter may leave you feeling unsatisfied by the time that the main course is finished and a temptation for desert may grow. Ordering a salad for a starter can help fill you up but in a healthy way.