People in India love chaat very much. Papdi Chaat, Sev Puri, Dahi Bhalla and many more – we have many options to choose from. Crispy papdis or spongy bhallas drizzled on top with sweet and sour chutney, curd and spices, chaat is the definition of indulgence. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that chaat very well defines the food culture of India. But, we see that many people, especially fitness enthusiasts, stay away from this delicious dish. wonder why? This is mainly to avoid calories and excess oil used for frying papdis and vadas. What if we say, licking is actually not as unhealthy as you think?! This is correct. A nutritionist recently took to Instagram to bust the myth that chaat is bad for your health.
Read also: 5 Delicious Fruit Chaat Recipes To Try At Home
Is chaat good or bad for health?
Nutritionist Bhuvan Rastogi in one of his latest posts (on Instagram) explained that people do not need to completely stay out of any food group. He began the post saying, “I have seen so many people who haven’t eaten chaat for years. They cut out the whole bunch thinking it is harmful to their health.”
Bhuvan Rastogi further said that every food you eat from outside contains some amount of calories – be it naan or any gravy with cream and cashew paste. This doesn’t mean you “cut out any food group”. He adds, “This is just to remind you that you can indulge in chaat without compromising on your fitness goals and without any guilt, if you feel like it.”
Read also: 5 Healthy Chaat Recipes Under 15 Minutes; You won’t mind doing them over and over again
Next, nutritionist Bhuvan Rastogi decodes the health effects of some of our favorite chaats from across India. let’s take a look.
How Licking Affects Our Health – Experts Explain:
1. Dahi Bhalla:
A popular North Indian dish, it is a spongy vada topped with chutney and yogurt. Dahi Bhalla is called Doi Bora in Bengal and Dahi Vada in the South. Experts point out that bhalla (or vada) is made from lentils. It is fried and soaked in water to reduce the oil content. “Plus curd is high in protein. It’s healthier than a plate of dal and roti,” she says. Click here For the Dahi Bhalla recipe.
2. Papdi Chaat:
Its crunchy taste is liked by all. Papdi chaat consists of fried maida roti, some soaked chana or bhalla and curd, which are rich in proteins. Bhuvan Rastogi says, “Not the worst, right? Isn’t it just tadka for bread and oil with curd? Here, you get more curd too.” Click here For papdi chaat recipe.
3. Besan / Moong Chilla:
By now, we all know that cheela is considered to be one of the healthiest snacks in India. Made with protein-packed gram flour or green moong, this dish fills you with essential nutrients and keeps you full for longer. Click here For the Besan Chilla recipe. Click here For the Moong Dal Chilla recipe.
4. Peas Kulcha:
The combination of spicy peas with kulcha makes for a wholesome meal at any time of the day. But many people eliminate it from their diet due to the use of maida (for making kulcha). The nutritionist explains, “Kulcha is flour-based, but peas are a legume.” All you need to do is to have the right amount of matar in the dish and reduce the amount of kulcha. “It’s literally zero-oil food,” he adds. Click here for recipe.
5. Gol Gappa / Phuchka / Pani Puri:
The ultimate street food of India, it is all about yummy goodness. But people often avoid it for more calories. “People are most scared of this. It is nothing but high antioxidant water (diluted pudina chutney) with some fried flour (1 puri).” Know how to make it with these awesome recipes,
6. Rubbed Bandage:
It is one of the most popular street food of Maharashtra. It is spicy, nutritious and adds to your taste buds. According to Bhuvan Rastogi, “It’s just potatoes with chickpeas and curd. Less roti and more like daal and curd, all nice and balanced.” Click here for recipe.
Now that you know all about Indian chaat, we say, indulge in them whenever you feel like it, without any guilt. But always remember that moderation is the key!
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