Free from anti-nutrients
Rule # 1 of nutrition is to do no harm. That is, before we start eating things that help us get better, we need to stop eating things that are making us worse. Traditional south Indian cuisine is one that uses ingredients, most of which are devoid of anti-nutrients.
This cuisine involves eating rice, lentils, vegetables, dairy, cooking oils and, in cases, meat, eggs and seafood. And guess what? There is absolutely nothing harmful in these foods. Anyone from any part of the world can eat them in an effort to attain good health.
Loaded with nutrients
Our avials and poriyals are super-rich in micro-nutrients. Our lentils and millets are loaded with minerals and fibre. And, curd and milk are abundant with calcium, protein and help strengthen our bones and muscles. If you’re eating seasonal vegetables and fruits, organic millets and lentils, farm-fresh dairy and good-quality meat, egg and seafood, you can be assured that you’re nourishing your body with every bite.
Has the safest starch options
Rice, lentils and tubers are our starch sources, and that’s great because they are the safest options when it comes to starch. Other options like wheat and oats come with a side of anti-nutrients like gluten and avenin, which could be problematic for many. But rice and tubers like potatoes are clean in that they are almost pure starch and don’t contain much else.
Lends itself to
a wonderful
mix of macro-nutrients
We have abundant carbohydrates, fat and protein options in south Indian cuisine. It’s upto us to use them wisely. Obviously, three courses of rice with a little bit of vegetable poriyal on the side is not going to help (because it is high in carbohydrates and low in everything else). But a reasonable portion of rice (say one cup of cooked rice per day for every 30 kilos of BW) with an equal portion of vegetables and protein is perfectly balanced for anyone looking to lose fat and gain health.
Versatile and delicious
The variety that south Indian cuisine offers is pretty phenomenal, especially considering the above four points. We have hundreds of traditional dishes and I’d bet most of us would find at least 20 dishes that we enjoy on any given day. That’s a sufficient variety for anyone looking to sustain health and taste in the long term. Any time of the day, any day of the week, there is a dish that will fit the situation. Be it a fun breakfast, refreshing evening beverage, multi-course lunch or a simple supper, the south Indian cuisine has it all.
So remember, your cuisine already has everything you need. Don’t change too much because the Western world is telling you to. Just modify the portions to match your current lifestyle. Eat less of what you get too much of (that is, starch, oil and sugar) and eat more of what you don’t get enough of (that is, protein and vegetables) and you’re done.
