Healthy Foods to Eat

Here are many delicious foods and beverages to choose from when following a lacto-vegetarian diet for weight loss.

What to Eat

Try incorporating the following ingredients into your daily meal plan:

• Vegetables: Tomatoes, spinach, eggplant, mustard greens, okra, onions, bitter melon, cauliflower, mushrooms, cabbage and more
• Fruits: Including mango, papaya, pomegranate, guava, oranges, tamarind, lychee, apples, melon, pears, plums, bananas
• Nuts and seeds: Cashews, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, watermelon seeds and more
• Legumes: Mung beans, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, lentils, pulses and chickpeas
• Roots and tubers: Potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips, yams
• Whole grains: Brown rice, basmati rice, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, barley, corn, whole-grain bread, amaranth, sorghum
• Dairy: Cheese, yogurt, milk, kefir, ghee
• Herbs and spices: Garlic, ginger, cardamom, cumin, coriander, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, black pepper, fenugreek, basil and more
• Healthy fats: Coconut milk, full-fat dairy, avocado, coconut oil, mustard oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, ghee
• Protein sources: Tofu, legumes, dairy, nuts and seeds

Meals and snacks should focus on fresh, whole foods flavored with herbs and spices.

Additionally, adding non-starchy vegetables like greens, eggplants or tomatoes to your meals will provide a boost of fiber that can help you feel satisfied for a longer period of time after eating.

What to Drink

An easy way to cut back on excess calories and sugar is to avoid sugar-sweetened beverages and juices. These drinks can be high in both calories and sugar, which can negatively affect weight loss.

Healthy beverage options include:

• Water
• Sparkling water
• Unsweetened tea including Darjeeling, Assam and Nilgiri teas

SUMMARYA healthy Indian diet should focus on fresh ingredients such as vegetables, fruits, tubers, legumes, whole grains, healthy fats and unsweetened beverages.