Written By: Upneet Pansare | Updated : March 21, 2018 3:57 PM IST
Image credits by: Add the tempering to the dal and stir well. Serve hot with rice.
In our bid to lose weight, many of us tend to opt for extreme or bizarre weight loss fads and diets. One of the most popular ways people follow to lose weight includes eliminating fats from the diet. Fats are beneficial for health and when you skip fats from your diet, you may be inviting a host of health ailments. Celeb nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar tells you the 3 fats you need to include in your daily diet.
1. Tadka in kacchi ghaani oils
Use oils native to your region mustard for north and northeast India, groundnut or til for central and western and coconut for Kerala. Our native recipes are fine-tuned to the fatty acid and nutrient composition of our oils and to make the best out of what we eat, we have to follow it in totality. No jumping on the bandwagon of heart healthy or other such promises made by refined vegetable, rice bran, safflower or similar oils. Avoid oil-free or fat-free products at all costs.
Kacchi ghani (cold pressed) is healthy because this oil is extracted at a lower temperature and therefore fatty acids, vitamins and other nutrients are intact. This is crucial for diabetics who want to have traditional oils.
2. Coconut as garnishing, chutney, etc.
From supporting gut health to helping you calm your nerves to soothing digestion, there isn t one thing that coconuts can t do. Coconuts also have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. If you are the type that gets UTI every summer, don t forget the coconut. So garnish your food with it, turn it into laddoos and barfis, make chutneys out of it, have the coconut malai and even the dry coconut with jaggery.
3. Cashews as a mid-meal snack or with milk before sleeping
Cashews are rich in good fats, minerals, amino acids and vitamins. The amino acids help, among other things, in the production of serotonin, the natural sleeping pill whose only side effect is a stable, happy mood the next day. The magnesium helps the nerves to relax. The tryptophan (an amino acid) and vitamin B combination in it help make kaju a natural anti-depressant. It s the summer nut and you can eat the cashew fruit too. The fruit is super rich in Vitamin C.
Why is fat good?
Essential fat is required for the functioning of the body and the brain. Without adequate fat in our diet -
We won t be able to assimilate vitamins like Vitamin D, minerals and other essential nutrients from our diet.
We won t produce the right hormones and may suffer from poor joints and nerves. This role that fat plays is especially critical for children.
The blood sugars will stay unregulated and there will be cravings for sweets after a meal.
Skin can age prematurely due to lack of nourishment from food.
Read:Rujuta Diwekar explains why homemade deep-fried snacks are GOOD for your health
Image source: Shutterstock
Disclaimer: The content on TheHealthSite.com is only for informational purposes. It is not at all professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a healthcare specialist for any questions regarding your health or a medical condition.
