Healthy facts about idly

Calorie count: One idli = 65 calories

Why is it a healthy option?

·         A classic South Indian food made with fermented rice and black gram, Idlis are a great source of carbohydrates and proteins.

·         The fermentation process increases the bioavailability of proteins and enhances the vitamin B content of the food.

·         As it is steamed, fat content is low and it is easily digestible.

·         Use of dal and rice in idli is a good combination as the amino acids in them complement each other.

Three big idlis (100 gm) contain around 130 calories. This is an astonishingly low number of calories for a modern dish. The rice and lentils complement each other: one makes up for the amino acids deficient in the other. Idlis are fermented and then steamed, and the soft, fluffy white patties are among the most easily digestible of foods. Therefore, it is an ideal food for infants, the elderly and the convalescent.

Idlis can be too easily digestible for some people. Diabetics, for example, need low glycaemic index foods like chapattis 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. Idlis are much like polished rice when it comes to dumping glucose into the circulation.

If you are on a diet, the idli is one of your best friends. A word of caution: Idlis are low in calories, but they also sit lightly in the stomach. It is just as possible to binge on idlis as it is to binge on oily foods. In fact, people who watch their calories with other foods tend to not think about how many idlis they are eating.