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South Indian food keeps Anil Kapoor young: Know the health benefits of this cuisine

South Indian food keeps Anil Kapoor young: Know the health benefits of this cuisine
Fibre takes the longest to digest, making sambar filling and reducing your binge meals. @instagram.com/anilskapoor

Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor says that South Indian food is the secret behind his vigour and youthfulness. Read on to know the health benefits of this cuisine.

Written by Paras Hemrajani |Published : September 17, 2019 8:37 PM IST

In a recent interview with a reputable media organisation, the 'ageless' Anil Kapoor was asked about the secret behind his vigour and youthfulness. He stated that his love for South Indian food could be a factor. He said that South Indian food is healthy and filling and doesn't allow him to gain extra kilos. He likes to eat idli, dosa, sambar with rice, rasam and curd. With healthy habits and practices, he has proved that age is just a number.

What started as a staple diet in South India, have today become household names throughout the country. Everyone loves South Indian cuisine. Here are some of the health benefits of the various South Indian dishes.

Sambar

Did you know the sambar that often complements your puffy idlis and hot dosas have many health benefits? Made from split red gram along with tamarind, sambar is the most common dish consumed in the southern region of India. Made from pulses, this is an excellent source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. Protein is required for muscle growth and weight loss. Vegetables like okra, tomatoes, drumsticks, pumpkin and brinjal are often added to the sambar. They provide us with fibre and antioxidants. This brings down your risk of developing heart diseases and high cholesterol levels. Fibre takes the longest to digest, making sambar filling and reducing your binge meals. When you look at sambar, it looks like water. The texture makes it super easy to digest. Finally, even the spices (turmeric and tamarind) that are added to it are detoxing.

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Rasam

Made from curry leaves, tomatoes, cumin and turmeric, rasam helps in stimulating the production of digestive juices. It also aids in the absorption of food by the body. Combined with dosa and idli, the black pepper and cooked tomatoes in rasam help improve the digestive system. It contains zinc, folic acid, calcium, vitamin A, B3, C, copper, selenium, magnesium and iron. All these together improve the immunity of the body and prevent gas formation and bloating.

Coconut chutney

This chutney is packed with vitamin B6, iron and minerals like magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. Along with these, they also contain saturated fats. This can raise your level of HDL or good cholesterol in the body, providing protection from different heart ailments.

Uttapam

Made from pulses and oats, uttampam provides an excellent option as a low-fat breakfast. Stuffed with millets, sorghum, rice, lentils, sprouts, semolina, uttapam is low in calories. It induces a sense of satiety and is perfect for your weight loss programme. But you have to make sure that the oil you use is healthy. If it is not, it will negate all the benefits of this dish. It is best to use olive oil to make a utopia.

Rice

The base of many South-Indian dishes is rice. Traditional rice contains folic acid, which is required to make DNA sequences and other genetic material. It supports cell building and bone strengthening.