South Indian Food: Dishes That Make A Perfect Breakfast

It is for a particular reason that breakfast is considered as one of the most important meal of the day. Skipping breakfast on a regular basis can impact your health in more ways than one. People who skip breakfast tend to eat more food during the day and nibble on high calorie snacks, thereby putting their health at a great risk. That is why it is important that you have breakfast on a regular basis even when you are trying to lose weight or just trying to stay healthy. Several studies have proved that it is always better to consume smaller and more frequent meals than indulge in fewer and larger meals. Here are some reasons why breakfast is very important for your health and well-being.

Breakfast helps you begin your day on a healthy note: Breakfast provides the human body and brain with fuel after a night of complete rest and fast. Without breakfast, your body will not have the required fuel to function effectively throughout the day. According to nutritionists, breakfast should be eaten within two hours of waking and must provide calories in the range of 20-35% of your daily allowance. Further, breakfast foods must provide you with considerable amounts of calcium, iron and vitamins so make sure to have plenty of vegetables and fruits in the morning meals. Also, having breakfast is important if you want to lose weight as research has shown that people who skip breakfast tend to be over-weight as compared to those who eat their breakfast on a daily basis. 

Breakfast improves your cognitive function: Breakfast also helps to restore the glucose levels in the body, which is needed for effective brain function. Many prominent studies have shown that regular breakfast can improve memory and concentration skills, enhance your mood and lower stress levels. In children, a good breakfast can improve memory and behaviour thereby helping them to study well. 

Breakfast provide for your energy needs: Different categories of people require different levels of energy depending on their gender and lifestyle. Growing children require a lot of energy, as an example boys aged 7-10 years should consume approx. 1970 kcals per day, and girls aged 7-10 years consume approx. 1740 kcals. Adult men on the other hand, require approx. 2500 kcals and women approx. 2000 kcals per day. When people skip breakfast, they do not receive their required quota of energy needs, making them weak and unable to function effectively. 

Over all, it has been proved that breakfast is required for a healthy and nutritious life. South Indian food with its wide array of healthy, nutritious and tasty food offers you a wide array of breakfast choices. From dosa to idli to upmas, South Indian food is perfect to begin your day on a healthy note. Some South Indian breakfast dishes that you can include in your menu includes the following:

Idli: One of the most popular south Indian breakfast dishes, idli is made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented black lentils (de-husked) and rice. Popular throughout the four states of south India, idli is very nutritious and tasty as it has a very low calorie content. In addition, idlis are good sources of fibers, proteins and carbohydrates. As idlis are fermented, they not just easy to digest but are also good source of vitamins. 

Dosa and its numerous varieties: Another South Indian breakfast dish that is good for your health is dosa, which is extremely popular in a number of South Indian Restaurants around the world. Dosa has a good amount of healthy carbohydrates, making it the ideal choice for breakfast. They also provide protein and are low in calories. Served with sambar and chutney, they are extremely nourishing and delicious. 

Appam: A popular South Indian dish, this is made from boiled rice. It reduces the chances of obesity and lowers cholesterol efficiency. This dish can be served with a number of vegetable based accompaniments, making the dish extremely tasty without adding the calories. 

In short, most South Indian food recipes are made keeping in mind the health of an individual and therefore make for a very healthy yet nutritious breakfast option. In addition as the recipes of most of these dishes are very simple, a South Indian breakfast is sure to give you the energy to kick start your day in an effective manner. 

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Source: http://goarticles.com/article/South-Indian-Food-Dishes-That-Make-A-Perfect-Breakfast/9326290/

Spices and South Indian Cuisines: An Unmatched Combination

                    

One word that perfectly describes India is diversity which is ideally reflected in its culture, traditions, festivals and cuisines. For a country that has the maximum population, second only to China, the food habits here vary from region to region. In fact, food from one part of the country may not be cooked in another part. That being said, food is one of the most important factor that binds the people of this country together as almost everyone here likes to taste food from other parts of the country. In addition, one common thread that runs through Indian food is the use of numerous spices that add a distinctive flavor and aroma to all the dishes. Though almost all the regions of India use spices, South Indian food is popular for its high spice content which provides a brilliant blend of flavors, colors, seasoning, nutritional balance, taste , fragrance and visual appeal to all its dishes.

Spices are defined as 'a strongly flavored or aromatic substance of vegetable origin, obtained from tropical plants and commonly used as a condiment.' During the Middle Ages, spices were considered as one of the most luxurious products available in Europe. The most popular spices that were traded with during this time period included black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Trading of spices between the 8-15th century was very popular, with Venice having monopoly over the trade. This resulted in Venice growing very rich during this period. Most of the spices that were exported to these regions came from Asian plantations. Today, spice trade is just as successful with Indian traders exporting spices to various countries around the world. In other words, spice trade has impacted the lives of many people, especially in the manner that we eat food as meals taste so much better with the addition of a little spice.

                            

                             

Masala is a word that is commonly used in Indian cooking and is simply the Hindi word for spice. So, whenever spices are combined with herbs and other condiments, it is called masala. As there are so many spices in the market today, Indian spices can be categorized into three categories, namely basic spices, complimentary spices and aromatic/secondary spices. Further, while all regions of India use liberal amount of spices, Authentic South Indian cuisine is known for spices like cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

Additionally, spices also have a range of health benefits, which increases their popularity in South Indian cuisines. Spices like cardamom, black pepper, clove, cinnamon and turmeric are said to have benefits from aiding weight loss to improving digestion. Most of the South Indian dishes, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian have rich use of spices which not just aid in improving the taste but also have a lot of health benefits. Today, the popularity of South Indian food is not just restricted to India but has spread to countries all over the world. With many restaurants serving South Indian food on a global level, the popularity of these dishes is only set to rise in the future as well.

Source:http://goarticles.com/article/Spices-and-South-Indian-Cuisines-An-Unmatched-Combination/9315352/

South Indian Food: A Vegetarian's Delight

                        

Many people around the world are adopting vegetarianism as a mode of life. While some people take up a vegetarian diet for spiritual reasons, others do it for an environmental cause. According to the United Nations, livestock is one of the biggest contributors to environmental problems in the world. But one of the main reasons why adopting a vegetarian diet is good is because it boosts and improves your health to a great extent. With various programmes and initiatives, a lot of people are being encouraged to give up meat at least for a few days in a week. Unique initiatives like Meatless Monday are thriving in many countries like Brazil, Croatia, USA and Canada. These are aimed at helping people reduce their meat intake in an effective and organized manner.

According to the American Dietetic Association, a vegetarian diet is extremely safe and healthy for all categories of people from pregnant mothers to children to athletes as long as they are planned in a proper way. A lot of research has proved that eating less meat reduces the risk of heart disease and perhaps even type 2 diabetes and some form of cancer. Vegetarians have lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels and tend to be much less prone to obesity, therefore putting them at a lower risk of chronic diseases. In other words, a vegetarian diet tends to be low in total fat, and vegetarians tend to eat proportionally more polyunsaturated fat to saturated fat compared with non-vegetarians. (Animal products are the major sources of dietary saturated fat).

                    

In this regard, South Indian food has a wide variety of vegetarian dishes that are high on taste, flavor and nutrition. They are immensely popular in many South Indian vegetarian dining houses as they truly depict the cuisine of the region. Some popular vegetarian South Indian dishes include the following:

Idli Sambar: A traditional breakfast dish in South Indian homes, idli sambar is extremely nutritious, healthy, tasty and delicious. Idli is generally made from a batter consisting of fermented black lentils (de-husked) and rice. The fermentation process breaks down the starches, ensuring that it is easily digested by the human body. There are many variations of idlis available in restaurants and they are generally served with sambar or chutney. Sambar and idli today is one of the best possible combination as they completely balance each other in terms of flavor and taste. 

Authentic Coconut Chutney: Another important dish of South India that enjoys immense popularity is authentic coconut chutney. This serves as a perfect accompaniment with many dishes like dosa, vada and idli. Besides every state and restaurant have their own unique recipe of creating authentic coconut chutney, thereby adding a unique twist to this ever popular dish. 

  

                       

Rasam: Prepared using tamarind juice as a base with addition of tomatoes, chilli pepper, cumin and various types of seasoning and spices, rasam is a form of South Indian soup. Nowadays, rasam powder is easily available in the market, so those fond of cooking can easily make this dish at home. Eaten either as spicy soup or with rice, it has a distinct flavor that is different from sambar though they both might look similar. Rasam has many health benefits as it provides the human body with a good dose of vitamin A and C due to the addition of tomatoes and acidic fruits. It is hence a very good vegetarian dish that provides the body with a lot of nutritional benefits. 

In conclusion, south Indian cuisines is extremely versatile in terms of flavor, taste, nutrition and variety. By properly integrating all aspects of culinary science and techniques in cooking, South Indian dishes have today gained immense popularity not just in India but on a global platform as well. 

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