No matter what your favourite celebrity tells you about the latest fad diet or weight loss diet trend, if it makes you sick and is not balanced and nutritious, it's bad for you. Quick fix solutions for weight loss normally don't help you keep that weight off in the long run, and only following a healthy diet and staying away from junk food, as well as exercising, can help you lose weight slowly and steadily, and in a healthy manner. A crucial part of a healthy weight-loss-friendly diet is snacking, which many of us tend to ignore and probiotic dahi or curd can be a great weight-loss snack. Apart from the customary three meals per day, an individual wanting to affect quick weight loss must also be snacking healthy to meet their daily calorie budget.
Benefits of Curd | What makes the superfood so good for weight management?
Also Read: Indian Cooking Tips: 7 Ways To Use Leftover Curd In Cooking (Recipes Inside)
There are a lot of misconceptions regarding healthy snacking. If you are looking to lose weight, ideally, your snack must be nutritious and filling and should help boost energy of your body. One of the perfect foods that meet all three criteria is curd - it is low in calories, rich in calcium, protein and gut-friendly bacteria, and by virtue of being rich in protein, it may also promote satiety. Additionally, curd is probiotic and the protein in it also helps maintain muscle mass and may boost muscle recovery for those who work out. But your bowl of curd may not be interesting or filling enough and can be monotonous, especially if you for someone who is used to snacking in between meals. But not anymore! There are some simple ways to spruce up your bowl of curd, without overshooting your calorie budget or adding any empty calories to your diet.
Also Read: Can Curd Help Promote Weight Loss? We Have Got The Answer!
Snacking For Weight Loss: How To Make Your Bowl Of Curd More Nutritious
Here are a few common toppings to add nutrition (and taste) to your daily bowl of curd:
1. Berries: Filled with antioxidants and low in calories, berries are truly nature's miracles. They add essential vitamins and minerals to your bowl of curd, while also boosting skin and heart health. Berries are also rich in fibre and fight inflammation in the body. Add chopped or mashed strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, mulberries to your bowl of curd, to add a boost of nutrition to it.
Also Read: How to Make Sweet and Creamy Dahi (Curd) at Home
2. Granola: Homemade granola is loaded with fibre and antioxidants as it contains toasted rolled oats, nuts and dried berries. Nuts are also rich in protein and healthy fats, as well as omega 3 fatty acids, iron, magnesium and phytonutrients.
Also Read: 8 Ways to Spruce Up Foods Using Hung Curd or Greek Yogurt
3. Vegetables: It might seem weird to add vegetables to your bowl of curd, but it's the easiest way to add more fibre to your diet. You can make a mash of vegetables, add a little salt, pepper and cumin to it and add this mash to your curd. Vegetable raitas are the best additions to your lunch menu, especially when you're on a diet. Here's a beetroot raita recipe you'll like.
4. Fruit Mash: Mash your favourite summer fruits like watermelon, mangoes, kiwis, oranges, pomegranates etc. and add the puree to your bowl of curd. The vitamin C power of these fruits can help boost immunity and skin health. The natural sugars in fruits are great for boosting energy as well. You can also sprinkle some pomegranate seeds on your curd. This can even double up as a healthy dessert for you.
Also Read: 5 Cool Ways To Add Pomegranate To Your Diet
5. Coconut Flakes: One of the easiest ways to add healthy fats to your diet is to add coconut flakes to your smoothies, breakfast cereal and even to your bowl of curd. Toast the flakes a little bit and add them as toppings.
Also Read: Here's How You Can Make Perfect Tadka For Traditional Curd Rice
You can experiment with all kinds of toppings and low-calorie ingredients to spruce up your bowl of curd. Add nuts, seeds, raisins, honey, dark chocolate shavings, and whatever other healthy food you like to your bowl of curd, to make it more filling and nutritious.
Side-Effects of Curd
Curd is a superfood replete with a bevy of nutrients, but too much of it may wreak havoc on your health. Those who are lactose intolerance should avoid curd or consume it only after expert discretion. Curd, if gone bad should be tossed away. Stale curd may lead to upset tummy, indigestion and a variety of gastric problems. If you have a weak immune system, it is not advisable to consume large quantities of curd. Yogurt that contains live bacteria for a prolonged period of time may take a toll on the health of those with a weakened immune system. There are studies that claim excess dairy may topple weight-loss, however, there is not enough substantial evidence to prove the claims. In any case, practicing moderation is crucial.
Also Read: Hung Curd Benefits: 5 Reasons Why You Should Be Loading Up On The Creamy Wonder
Whenever you purchase yogurt from a store, do turn back to read the labels. Make sure there are no added sugars or preservatives. Flavoured yogurt is often filled with sugar. Sugar does no good for weight loss, therefore it must be ruled out of your diet. Even while you are looking for ideas to spruce up your bowl of yogurt make sure you steer clear of refined sugar cookie crumbs, chocolate flakes et al. Make wise choices, eat healthy and most importantly, enjoy what is on your plate. There is absolutely no need to make your weight-loss journey a dreadful one.
(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.)