why south asian food is unhealthy?

[Shammi]

South asian cuisines are among the unhealthiest in the world, with so much oil, salts, sugars etc...
no wonder there are so many people with diabetes, heart attacks etc....

In comparison, Iranian/Afghan/Middle eastern/Greek are so much more healthy. Why isn't there any effort to eat healthy in south asia?

 

[Coltsfan]

1. There is no "South Asian" cuisine. Cuisine from north India resembles that of Pakistan much closer than from South India or NE.

2. What is the basis of your assessment that Iranians/middle eastern/Greeks are healthier than South Asians? Observation?

To your bigger question, food situation in much of South Asia is still of mal-nourishment rather than over nourishment.

 

[RescueRanger]

South asian cuisines are among the unhealthiest in the world, with so much oil, salts, sugars etc...
no wonder there are so many people with diabetes, heart attacks etc....

In comparison, Iranian/Afghan/Middle eastern/Greek are so much more healthy. Why isn't there any effort to eat healthy in south asia?

Lol what? Generalization much! Pound for Pound, i don't think a Pakistani Pullow has any more calories than a Greek Musaka.

BTW look at the map Afghanistan is part of South Asia!

If you are looking plainly at lavish foods salan dishes and halwa they have high calories, saturated fats and salt content, but so do dishes in the rest of the world, a calzone is more deadly bite for bite than a Chicken Karahi.

There are soo many healthy dishes to choose from:

Daal
Stuffed Karala
Stuffed Shimla Mirch "Stuffed Peppers"
Dam Allo
Dam Kebab
Matar Pallow
Began ka Bartha
Gooshtaba
****** Fry
Bohri Cutlets
Chana Dal Ghost
Raita
Tamatar ka Raita
Kala Channa Handi
Allo Kebab
Tawa Bariani
Chaat (Fruit, Channay, Gol Guppay)
Murgh Ginger
Baloch Tikka Boti
Virtually any BBQ dish
Fish Curry
Namkeen Crabs
Tahrai
Mughli Chutney Chicken
Sajji
Sajji Pallow
Saag
Saag Allo
Saag Paneer
Saag Ghost
Chicken Tikka
Boorani-ye badenjan or Bengan Dahi as some people call it.


I am sure there are hundreds of other healthy foods in Pakistan/India, but there are the ones i know off. It's up to people to make the choice to live healthy or not. Some people eat heavy salan dishes because the fill you up and are cheap, its not a life style it's driven by necessity.

 

[RazPaK]

You only live once.


Pakistani food is the best.

And about the health factor. Again, your only thinking towards cuisine in the cities.


In rural areas, food is very much healthy.



NEXT.

 

[Aka123]

My favorite are both Indian and Pakistani food. Here we regularly go to Indian and Pakistani restuarants.
Bangladeshi as well but Bd restuarants are much lesser than Ind or Pak restuarants.

I like Mediteranean as well but definitely it'll come next.

 

[third eye]

South asian cuisines are among the unhealthiest in the world, with so much oil, salts, sugars etc...
no wonder there are so many people with diabetes, heart attacks etc....

In comparison, Iranian/Afghan/Middle eastern/Greek are so much more healthy. Why isn't there any effort to eat healthy in south asia?

@RescueRanger

In all fairness there is some merit in what is written.

We do use abnormally high amounts of oil. Ghee etc in our cooking. Our life styles do not match , our previous generations worked a great deal more and burnt the calories off. We dont.

Whenever we eat any of the foods listed by you we actually eat / taste the masala / Ghee not the Vegetable / Meat per se.

A lot depends on the gravy / masala , which does make our food unhealthy.

Last but not the least is the ' tadka' we love ( I do) on everything.

It tastes great but one needs to have a regimen to match.

 

[David James]

What a crap who says the south asian food is unhealthy??

The European and Americans are unhealthy lot even their sperm count is low their race is going to vanish 300 years from now due to their habits.

While in south asia people are living for thousand of years with same food and diet.

 

[TruthSeeker]

That's why I prefer McDonald's Big Macs, fries with lot's of ketchup and chocolate milkshakes.. No unhealthy south asian food for me!!!! Also Kentucky fried chicken, mashed potatoes and biscuits with butter and honey is good.

Oh! yeah! also pepperoni and extra cheese pizza is a good alternative to that south asian stuff...

 

[RazPaK]

Bullshit thread.

Next.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Bullshit thread.

Is that what is in south asian food?? No wonder .....

 

[third eye]

What a crap who says the south asian food is unhealthy??

The European and Americans are unhealthy lot even their sperm count is low their race is going to vanish 300 years from now due to their habits.

While in south asia people are living for thousand of years with same food and diet.

Agreed.

But do we exercise as much as our Parents / grand parents did ? If not , then eating the same rich food and sleeping in an AC room will have its toll.

Recall, our mothers / Grand mothers never sat idle at home- there was always something to do either in the kitchen or knitting etc. Spices were pound or hand ground - not bought off the shelves like now.

Similarly, the males walked. They walked to the post office, bank ,park etc. Not like us who cannot live without a machine that does not have a self starter.

 

[RescueRanger]

@RescueRanger

In all fairness there is some merit in what is written.

We do use abnormally high amounts of oil. Ghee etc in our cooking. Our life styles do not match , our previous generations worked a great deal more and burnt the calories off. We dont.

Whenever we eat any of the foods listed by you we actually eat / taste the masala / Ghee not the Vegetable / Meat per se.

A lot depends on the gravy / masala , which does make our food unhealthy.

Last but not the least is the ' tadka' we love ( I do) on everything.

It tastes great but one needs to have a regimen to match.

Yes but its generalisation, since obeasity is not so much an issue in SA as it is in say the developed world. Do you know how much an egg costs in Pakistan 12 rupees, naan/chapati/roat costs between 2/4 rupees. I plate of dal channa from the dhaba, with 2 roti and a cup of tea costs 45 rupees, so it makes sense the working class will go to such places, and lets face it these places cater to the masses so healthy ingredients, portion control and all that yuppy stuff goes out of the window.

In our part of Pakistan, there is less emphasis on Salan and more emphasis on fat "charbi" which is mixed with the meat during cooking, either as a tikka or in some dishes. However some dishes like Bharta and Boorani-ye badenjan are incredibly healthy.

Similarly if you compare this to the trend of say a sandwich from Kats Deli in NY which contains about 2000 calories, or a full English breakfast which contains between 1200 - 1500 calories then i would say we are still in the safe zone. I am not including Mississippi style food which basically revolves cooking fatty foods in fats served with a healthy dose of fat i.e.: chitterlings and Trotters.

 

[RazPaK]

Is that what is in south asian food?? No wonder .....

Stick to your Makee-Dee's cowboy.

 

[FaujHistorian]

South asian cuisines are among the unhealthiest in the world, with so much oil, salts, sugars etc...
no wonder there are so many people with diabetes, heart attacks etc....

In comparison, Iranian/Afghan/Middle eastern/Greek are so much more healthy. Why isn't there any effort to eat healthy in south asia?

Not clear if you are talking about restaurant food or the food cooked in the home?


Please add more info



In general "Mediterranean cuisine" is considered the healthiest in the world. Olive oil, fresh veggies and fish.

But you add a lot of pasta and pizza, and suddenly the same Mediterranean cuisine is no longer healthy.


So you see, the label of "healthy cuisine" has to be considered within specific set of limits.

peace

 

[RescueRanger]

That's why I prefer McDonald's Big Macs, fries with lot's of ketchup and chocolate milkshakes.. No unhealthy south asian food for me!!!! Also Kentucky fried chicken, mashed potatoes and biscuits with butter and honey is good.

Oh! yeah! also pepperoni and extra cheese pizza is a good alternative to that south asian stuff...

Hahah Good one sir.