A Dieter's Best Friend: Idli…..

 Low on calories and easy to digest, the Southern Classic,  Idli.

SOUTHERN DELIGHTS Idlis are amongst the few foods today that are healthy and low in calories.

Idlis with sambar and coconut chutney make for the Classic South Indian breakfast or Tiffin . South Indians tend to be particular about their idlis. The steamed rice-lentil preparation must neither be too fluffy nor too rubbery, neither too fermented nor too flat.

Three big Idlis (100 gm) contain around 130 calories. This is an astonishingly low number of calories for any dish. The rice and lentils complement each other: one makes up for the amino acids deficient in the other.

Since Idlis are fermented and then steamed, the soft, fluffy white patties are among the most easily digestible of foods. The Idli's easy digestibility makes it an ideal food for infants, the elderly and the convalescing.

However, Idlis can be too easy to digest for some people. Diabetics, for example, need low glycaemic index foods like chapatis and whole wheat bread rather than Idlis for breakfast. Fibre-rich foods and whole grains are digested slowly and release glucose at a slow and steady rate into the bloodstream.

If you are on a diet, the Idli is one of your best friends.

Credit: http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/09/12/stories/2006091200750400.htm

Image credit: Cafe Idly.