Steaming hot parathas, drenched in ghee and topped with dollops of butter, feel like a feast! They are delicious, satiating and a staple breakfast for many. However, due to their excess oil (or ghee) and carbs, parathas can often make you feel heavy on the stomach, especially during the summer season. This can lead to indigestion, bloating and bowel problems. As a result, many people avoid their favourite breakfast at this time of the year. But now, you don’t have to! In this article, we will tell you about some brilliant hacks that will help you make parathas summer-friendly and light on the stomach. Feeling like having fun? Check out these tips and make delicious parathas without worrying about the soaring temperatures outside.
Also read: Tori Paratha Recipe: Delicious Way To Shed A Few Kilos!
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Why are parathas considered bad in summers?
A great Punjabi paratha is made with maida, along with spices and stuffing of your choice. It is then cooked in ghee and served with white butter (butter), pickles and curd. Undoubtedly, this platter tastes delicious, but it can also cause imbalance in your body. How, you ask? Maida is high in carbs and excess ghee and butter make it difficult to digest. This can lead to weight gain and gastric problems and make you feel lethargic throughout the day. Also, eating excess butter and ghee can reduce your desire to drink water, which can further affect the water balance in your body, leading to dehydration.
How to make parathas healthy in summer?
Simply put, the easiest way to make parathas summer-friendly is by changing the ingredients and the way you cook and serve them. Here are a few changes you can make to your paratha recipe to make it perfect for the summer season. Read on.
Also read: Diabetes diet: Try these five tasty and healthy parathas
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5 Easy Ways To Make Paranthas Healthier:
1. Use atta instead of maida:
We use atta to make our everyday rotis. Atta is not only economical but also provides many essential nutrients to maintain a healthy diet regime. If you use atta instead of maida in your paratha, the meal not only becomes healthy but also cools your stomach. That’s right! Atta is cooling in nature, so it is a great ingredient to eat in the season.
2. Add seasonal vegetables as stuffing:
Instead of the traditional potatoes and cauliflower, get creative and prepare parathas with summer vegetables. This will not only make the dish seasonal but also add essential nutrients to your diet.
3. Use less ghee while cooking:
We agree that ghee contains many healthy nutrients that nourish us from the inside. Ghee, even during summers, helps keep your body cool and moisturize your skin naturally. But did you know that eating excess amounts of ghee can have an adverse effect on your health? Ghee is high in saturated fats, which, if not digested properly, can increase bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and affect heart health. This is why we suggest cooking your parathas in less ghee and on low flame to make them healthier to eat.
4. Avoid eating too much butter:
Parathas with butter are a match made in heaven. However, this combination can also be harmful if not consumed consciously. Butter is rich in fat and fibre which makes you feel full for a longer period of time. This can make you feel less thirsty and as a result, you drink less water throughout the day. The consequences of this are well known to all of us: dehydration, indigestion, bloating and unhealthy hair and skin. Be mindful of your butter intake.
5. Control portion size:
We love parathas and often end up overeating them, which can lead to bloating and a feeling of discomfort. Hence, it is always better to eat in moderation to enjoy your meal to the fullest without any side effects.
Should we eat curd or raita with paratha?
Many of you add curd, raita or lassi to your paratha plate, thinking that it will help digest the parathas. But you will be surprised that it has exactly the opposite effect on your health. Curd, when combined with oily parathas, slows down the digestion process and makes you feel lethargic and bloated. Hence, we suggest using pickles instead of curd to make your parathas healthy and tasty.
Happy summer everyone!