Paneer or cottage cheese enjoys an enviable fan-base across the country. Visit any Indian restaurant in the country and you are most likely to find five to six paneer delicacies on the menu. Honestly, we are not even surprised; after all, paneer is so versatile. You can throw paneer pieces in luscious gravies, stews or stuff them in kulchas. In addition to being a fantastic ingredient for your curries, paneer could be a valuable addition to your weight loss diet.
Protein-Rich Diet- Paneer For Weight Loss:
Paneer is an incredible source of protein. Protein helps induce satiety. Once you feel full, you are much less likely to get inclined towards heavy and greasy food, which could further prevent excessive weight gain. Consuming good quality protein also helps check cravings and regulate hunger hormone ghrelin. Paneer is also very low in carbohydrates; there are many studies that have found a link between a low-carb diet and weight loss. Additionally, cottage cheese is also very low in calories.
The way you prepare paneer also plays a determining role in your diet. For example, deep-fried paneer pakodasmay topple your recommended calorie intake for the day, but a paneer salad packed with fresh greens may be a nice and nutritious idea to fill you up.
Here are some healthy ways in which you can include more paneer in your diet to maximise your protein intake:
1. Tuck into it raw. Raw cube of cottage cheese is one of the best ways to yield good quality protein. If the plain taste bores you, mix it up with chaat masala and you are good to go.
2. Stuff your parathas with paneer. Homemade paneer parathas made with bare minimum oil could serve to be an ideal Sunday morning breakfast. Ditch pickles and pair it with soothing raita for a wholesome and healthy meal.
(Also Read: 7 Healthy Paratha Fillings That You'd Love To Devour!)
3. You can also use crumbled paneer as a filling for sandwiches or toasts. Mash some paneer with masalas of your choice. Take a bread slice, place some paneer on top of it, throw in some lettuce or tomatoes and seasonings, cover with another bread slice and grill.
4. Another great way to have paneer is by tossing them in salads or chaats. Savour some fresh paneer cubes with sprouts, chopped tomatoes and a bit of chaat masala. If you are not a fan of sprouts, you can also throw in some boiled corns in there.
(Also Read: How To Make Guava And Cottage Cheese Salad)
5. Pizza with paneer topping? Yes, please. Homemade pizza made with whole wheat base, topped with a host of herbs, veggies and cubes of raw paneer is sure to be a hit with fussy-eaters too.
6. Paneer tikkas are not that unhealthy, provided they are prepared at home with discretion. Tikkas are not fried; hence, they save you plenty of unhealthy calories that you'd otherwise find in fried snacks. Make sure you use premium quality ingredients to make paneer tikkas at home. Try to avoid as much grease as possible.
(Also Read: How To Make Spicy Paneer Tikka)
7. Moong dal chilla with paneer topping is also a delish breakfast dish that you can treat your family with. This recipe of moong dal chilla is super easy and fuss-free.
Try these tips and do let us know how you like to have paneer. We'd love to know more ideas.
(This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.)