The traditional Indian diet

Indian cuisine does not get its due. Rarely does it get listed in the healthy-cuisines-of-the-world lists. That’s sad, because it has a lot going for it – not just taste-wise, but health-wise too. I thought listing the positives of an Indian thali would be the best way to pay an ode to ourselves on this Independence Day.

So here are my top five reasons for continuing to stick to the Indian thali, to stay healthy.

What we have been eating for last many decades, it seems has been right as it has helped keep a tight lid on mind debilitating disorders like Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s. India, in fact, has the lowest rate of these diseases in the world, and the now the mystery has been solved.

Turmeric, our golden much-used spice contains an antioxidant called curcumin, which has been linked to a lower risk of these and a few cancers as well. In fact it’s not just about turmeric, spices in Indian cooking are there for more than just flavour.

They are there for a purpose – to cool or to heat the body, to avoid flatulence, to boost metabolism and that’s a good thing.

Now we also know that adding black pepper – which most Indian cooks do intuitively in curries and other spicy dishes – helps boost curcumin absorption

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