Managing your cravings while on a diet can be difficult as it is. But what happens when youre trying your best to eat well, and someone at work waltzes by with a large box of hot and crispy French fries?
Yes, you might feel like giving up on your fitness goals for the sake of a few fries, but is that really something you want to do? We all know how hard it is to start a diet again after going off-track for a few days. If only there was a way to indulge in fries without also consuming all the extra carbs from potatoes and unhealthy fats from the oil they were fried in...
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Well, theres a very easy way to accomplish this. You can totally make crispy, spicy and healthy fries - that too at home! All you need to know is how to navigate through three basics: the veggie base for the fries, the medium to cook it in, and a dip to go with them. Heres everything you need to know about making the healthiest fries in the world to indulge in.
Okay, so potatoes are simply delicious. But so are many other veggies that are less starchy and more nutritious. According to a study published inAdvances in Nutritionin 2012, vegetables are some of the richest sources of fibre, vitamins, antioxidants and minerals despite being very low in calories. And when it comes to fries, you have enough healthier options to choose from: carrots, beetroot, sweet potato, parsnips, zucchini, lotus stem, eggplant We can go on with the list, but you get the idea, right?
French fries are crispy because they are deep-fried in hot oil: this idea has taken such a hold of popular imagination that people forget that this method of cooking isnt the only way to get veggies to crisp up. In fact, more than potatoes, its this method that makes fries the enemy of the health-conscious. A study published in theIndian Heart Journalin 2016 revealed how exposure to high temperatures during deep frying or even stir-frying destroys antioxidants and also releases toxins.
So instead of deep-frying veggies, how about you drizzle some olive oil on them, sprinkle chilli, pepper and salt and bake them? With air fryers easily available in the market now, you could give them a try as well. Just dont overcrowd the oven tray or air-fryer basket and were sure the fries will come out as crispy and delicious as the French fries at that fast food joint you love.
Theres no way you can enjoy fries without a sauce to dip in, right? You need some ketchup, cheese dip or mayonnaise on the side. Or do you? The fact is that most of these commercially made sauces and dips have excess salt and sugar, which is not good for your health. According to a study published inPreventive Medicine Reportsin 2015, most of these sauces have a very high sodium content, which can lead to high blood pressure as well as cardiovascular diseases.
So, give the sauce a skip and try making a quick-and-easy healthy dip at home. Try simple ones like hummus, tahini, yoghurt dips or just make a nice and spicy salsa if you want that hit of tomato with your healthy fries.
Now that you know how to nail easy and healthy homemade fries, why dont you give them a try? Practice makes perfect after all. Try enough of these and youll never crave those store-bought fries again.
For more information, read our article onHealthy recipes.
Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, Indias first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.
Updated Date: Feb 11, 2020 19:06:55 IST
Tags : Diet Recipes, French Fries, Healthy Diet, Healthy Fries, NewsTracker, Unhealthy Food
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Here's how you can indulge in fries while on a diet - Firstpost
