Is South Asian food healthy

Can Something Be Healthy and Tasty?

Most of us wouldn’t argue: South Asian food is delicious. The colors, the flavors, the hint of spice—it’s no wonder our cuisine is loved around the world. Plus, much of it is vegetarian, which should be healthy, right?

Yet, many Indians struggle with weight issues. Belly fat, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease are all on the rise. Could our diet be part of the problem?

Let’s break it down. There are countless ways to analyze our food choices, but today we’re focusing on calories. Why? Because calories lie at the heart of weight gain. Sure, there are tons of nutritional benefits to our diet—perhaps even outweighing (pun intended) the negatives—but that’s a conversation for another day. Let’s start by taking a look at what’s in a typical South Asian meal:

1. Rice (1 cup cooked): ~200 calories

2. Roti (1 medium): ~80–100 calories

3. Dal (1 cup cooked): ~150–200 calories

4. Vegetable Sabzi (1 cup): ~100–150 calories

5. Yogurt (1/2 cup): ~50–100 calories

6. Pickle (1 tablespoon): ~15–25 calories

7. Salad (1/2 cup): ~10–20 calories

8. Papad (1 piece): ~25–40 calories

All together, this comes to around 600–850 calories. Not bad, right? Compare that to a classic fish and chips, which comes in at a hefty 800–1,000 calories.

So, where’s the issue?.

This is a tough question, but when we think about it, the main culprits in our average Indian meal are portion sizes—especially with rice and roti. That’s where the calories stack up. How often do you limit yourself to just one roti? How often do you skip either rice or roti? And when something tastes amazing, it’s hard to resist having just a little more.

This is the real issue. It’s not necessarily what we’re eating but how much. We go for that second roti, double up on rice, and maybe add a fizzy drink to top it off. The problem isn’t the food itself; it’s that we’re eating more than we realise.