The Keto diet (which encourages those wishing to lose weight to cut down on carbohydrates to promote fat burning) continues to go from strength to strength, with the word ‘keto’ being the most Googled food-related topic in 2020. When shopping, you may have noticed a host of keto-friendly foods — everything from special bread to pasta and even soft drinks made with Stevia. One of the reasons Keto is so popular is that it is easy to follow, doesn’t involve calorie counting, and enables you to dine out and order a wide array of dishes. If the delectable flavors and spices of Indian cuisine rock your world, the good news is, you can achieve your weight loss goals in Keto while still tucking into a hearty meal. The following tips will help you stay on track next time you visit Little India Restaurant & Bar.
Ordering Dishes Made with Keto Friendly Protein Sources
Keto is usually described as a protein-packed diet but choosing the right Keto friendly proteins is important if you wish to achieve your goals. Meat, chicken, and fish are perfect choices, while foods like nuts and seeds tend to have a higher carbohydrate count. Eggs are another excellent protein-rich food and they also make an ideal breakfast. Just a few Indian dishes containing Keto-friendly proteins include tandoori chicken/fish/shrimp, chicken ginger kabob, seekh kabab, and lamb chops. In general, meats that are not accompanied by sauce are a safe bet.
Foods to Order Less Of
Everybody loves vindaloo, naan bread, and rice, but these foods can easily skew your carb goals so if you need to order a side, aim for vegetables or low-carb alternatives instead. Indian sides made with aubergine/eggplant, paneer (which has just 3.4 grams of carbohydrates per 100 gr), mustard greens, and vegetable stews and sides can all be perfect complements to a meat dish like tandoori chicken or a seekh kabab. Fried foods are okay on Keto but ideally, you should avoid battered foods, since batter can contain pastry or bread, mashed potatoes, peas, and other high-glycemic-index foods.
Freshening Up Your Palate
Side salads also make a wonderful substitution for bread. The Little India Salad, containing diced cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, and homemade yogurt dressing is refreshing and makes a wonderful complement to spicy, flavorful dishes. Ask for your yogurt on the side, since you may wish to control the amount you eat. If you are calculating your total carbs, know that one-half cup of plain white yogurt can contain around 4 gr of carbs and 9 gr of protein.
Keto is still a popular diet choice. It allows you to dine out and order a plethora of items, so long as they are low-carb. In general, aim to order meat dishes with no sauce. For sides, try vegetables or paneer and for something even lighter, salad with a little plain yogurt dressing is the way to go.