Indian meals are known for their variety, colours, and flavours, often served as a thali with multiple dishes on one plate. But not every thali is equally healthy, and balancing taste with nutrition can be tricky.
Dr Naveen Bhamri, Director & HOD (Interventional Cardiology), Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi, with 26 years of experience, told The Lallantop what a truly “perfect Indian thali” looks like, showing how to enjoy traditional flavours while keeping your heart and overall health in check. (Also read: Cardiologist shares how he overcame years of knee pain with yoga, says he ‘can’t even remember which knee used to hurt’ )
What does a heart-healthy Indian thali really look like
According to Dr Bhamri, a healthy thali should be like an orchestra: every component plays its part, but in perfect balance. He explains, “Our plate should be like an orchestra, where all the instruments are playing but in perfect balance. In our thali, we have roti, rice, potatoes playing like drums, and the protein content is only like the flute playing softly on the side.”
He scientifically breaks down the ideal thali, “Fifty percent of our plate should always be vegetables and salads, green-colored or multi-colored. Colourful vegetables provide us with essential minerals, vitamins, and fibre.”
One-fourth of the plate should consist of complex carbohydrates. Dr Bhamri elaborates, “By complex carbohydrates, I mean roti, one or two rotis. These rotis should preferably be made from seasonal grains like jowar, bajra, or other millets. You can also include a small portion of rice, preferably brown rice. We tend to eat a lot of wheat flour rotis, which isn’t ideal for health, so try to mix it up, sometimes wheat, sometimes jowar, sometimes bajra, depending on the season and what suits your body.”
How much protein should your plate really have
Protein should make up another quarter of the plate. “Protein can come from dals, rajma, chana, paneer, or if you are non-vegetarian, from fish or chicken,” Dr Bhamri says. “So your plate should be divided roughly as 50% vegetables, 25% complex carbs, and 25% protein.”
He adds a word of caution about extras, “Things like pickles, papad, or chutney should only be like a guest appearance, they are not the hero of the meal.”
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This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.