7 Day Low Carb Indian Diet Chart for Weight Loss: North & South Indian Dishes

Introduction:

‍Carbohydrates are naturally occurring micronutrients in plant-based foods such as whole grains, seeds, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, pulses, etc. They are an important source of energy for your daily activities. 

Are carbs bad for you?

Carbohydrates are not actually bad for you. Nevertheless, overeating carbohydrate-rich foods, coupled with insufficient physical activity, can be harmful, over time. It is often linked to overweight, obesity, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high total cholesterol, and high sodium intake. Research indicates that Indian diets are carbohydrate-rich with insufficient protein, fruit, and vegetable content.

Can a low-carb diet help in weight loss?

A Low-carb diet is a nutritional approach that has made losing weight simple and easy. A low-carb diet restricts or limits carbohydrates to 20 – 57 g/day and focuses on foods high in protein and fat. Cutting carbs not only helps in weight loss but also promotes a feeling of fullness (owing to the high protein and fat content in meals) which curbs overeating. 

Dos and Don’ts

Here are essential dos and don'ts to keep in mind while planning a low-carb diet to ensure a healthy and effective transition.

	Practice intuitive eating. Identify hunger signals and eat only when you're hungry.		Avoid bakery items such as bread, buns, cakes, pastries, etc., as they are high in carbohydrates, sugar, and calories.
	Stay hydrated. Make sure to take at least 3-4 liters of water daily.		Avoid refined flours. These are stripped of some nutrients and fiber, making them calorie-dense.
	Opt for healthy snacks such as roasted and seasoned nuts and seeds, salad, sugarless black coffee or tea, chicken soup, or vegetable soup when you crave snacks.		Limit added sugars. Consuming foods and drinks with added sugars can lead to excess calorie intake and weight gain.
	Consume fiber-rich foods such as whole fruits, vegetables, beans, and lentils. These are low in calories and rich in nutrients like proteins, fiber, and essential minerals like folate, iron, magnesium, and potassium, which help you feel fuller.		Avoid staying up late at night. Staying up late might lead to midnight snacking causing excess calorie intake.
	Exercise regularly. Stay active through activities like walking, jogging, or skipping.		Avoid stress eating. Stress can lead to unhealthy eating habits and eventually weight gain and a host of other health issues.

List of Low-Carb Indian Foods

Opting for a low-carb diet option over high-carb will help improve your energy levels and support better weight management. 

	Vegetables Broccoli Cabbage (Patta Gobhi) Capsicum Carrots Cauliflower Drumsticks Mushrooms Onions
	Green leafy vegetables Fenugreek leaves (Methi) Kale (Hari Gobhi) Lettuce (Salad Patta) Moringa leaves (Sahjan) Mustard Greens (Sarso) Sorrel leaves (Gongura) Spinach (Palak)
	Fruits: Apples Avocado Blueberries Guava Sweet lime Papaya Pears Strawberries
	Meat (non-vegetarian) Chicken Eggs Mutton (lamb) Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) Tofu condensed soy milk Fish: Rohu (Carpo fish), Katla (south Asian carp), Paplet (Indian butter fish)
	Nuts and Seeds: Almonds Chia seeds Flax seeds Pistachios Pumpkin seeds Sesame seeds Sunflower seeds Walnuts Watermelon seeds
	Dairy: Butter Cheese Curd Dairy Heavy cream Yogurt
	Fats and Oils: Coconut oil Flax seed oil Ghee Mustard oil Olive oil

7-Day Low-Carb Indian Diet Chart for Weight Loss

Achieving fitness and maintaining health is more attainable than ever. A low-carb diet can be gradually incorporated into your lifestyle by following this simple 7-day low-carb diet plan. 

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Conclusion 

Low carb indian food promotes weight loss and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In today’s world where one size doesn't fit all, for a more curated and customized diet, that suits your needs, the best approach is to consult your nutritionist or a doctor, especially if you have any health conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes.

FAQs‍

1. How do Indians avoid carbs in their diet?‍

Carbohydrates can be avoided by focusing on foods rich in proteins and healthy fats. Replace your regular chapatis, dosa, or idly with those made from flax seed, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, coconut, or almond flour. Include curries, fries, and salads made with chicken, fish, and eggs, as well as vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage (Patta Gobhi), capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, and green leafy vegetables.

2. How to eat Indian food without carbs? 

Indian cuisine mainly consists of rice, idly, dosa, or flatbreads like chapati, roti, naan, paratha, and poori made from wheat flour, or maida (refined flour). Replace these with low-carb nuts, seeds, and coconut flour which can make an excellent base for your dosa, idly, or rotis. These combined with spiced curries and fries made from non-starchy vegetables, chicken, fish, eggs, etc., make it a filling entreé.

3. What is a famous diet with no carbs?

There isn't a diet entirely free of carbs since most foods contain some carbohydrates. For instance, low-carb non-starchy vegetables have about 5g of carbs. However, several popular diets promote weight loss by limiting or restricting carbohydrates. The ketogenic diet is a well-known example. Other lesser-known diets include the paleo diet, Dukan diet, Atkins diet, and Zone diet.

4. What happens if I follow a no-carb diet for 2 weeks?

Limiting or restricting carbohydrates for 2 weeks with a no carbs Indian diet can lead to significant weight loss due to water loss, reduced bloating, and decreased water retention. Additionally, your body begins to burn stored fat for energy, which helps maintain normal blood sugar levels.

5. What are some high protein low carb Indian foods?

The list of high-protein low-carb Indian foods is extensive. Some examples include grilled chicken, fish curry or fry, keema fry, mutton curry, palak panner, scrambled egg, hard-boiled egg, bhindi ki sabzi (lady finger or okra fry), stuffed brinjal, chicken tikka masala, panner tikka masala, saag paneer (leafy green vegetables with Indian cottage cheese), navratan korma (consists of 9 types of vegetables), chicken Korma, so on and so forth.

6. How to reduce carbs in an Indian diet?

You can reduce carbs by incorporating larger portions of non-starchy vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, bottle gourd, snake gourd, ash gourd, brinjal, etc. Limiting carbohydrate-based foods such as rice, roti, and chapati to once a day is another effective way to lower your carbohydrate intake. 

References:

1. Carbohydrates: How carbs fit into a healthy diet
2. Sharma, M., Kishore, A., Roy, D. et al. A comparison of the Indian diet with the EAT-Lancet reference diet. BMC Public Health 20, 812 (2020).
3. Low-carb diet: Can it help you lose weight?

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About the Authors
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Dr. Satish Madiraju, a renowned cardiologist is passionate about consumer heart health and is on a mission to prevent a million heart attacks. He shares his expertise not only on heart health but also on leadership, digital health, and improving patient experience.

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Dr. Florence Suma is passionate about writing creative, clear and well-researched articles. With a Ph. D in Food Science & Nutrition, she provides reader-friendly articles that are reference-backed and adhere to the ethics of writing.