Last month, the American Heart Association released a scientific statement listing the four best diets, which include the Dash (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), the pescatarian, the Mediterranean, and vegetarian. While there are many similarities among all these — they all emphasise whole grains, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seeds — there are some subtle differences. Here, we look at the two most applicable to Indians — the pescatarian and vegetarian.
The vegetarian diet
“Today, for almost all health goals, a vegetarian diet seems to be having a positive impact,” believes Khushboo Jain Tibrewala, a Mumbai-based nutritionist. She says most plantbased foods are extremely nutrient-dense, adding that “In addition to fibre, every vegetable gives minerals, vitamins, and micronutrients that together create a healthy body.” One challenge with the vegetarian diet is protein (the target for most people is 0.81 gram of protein per kilogram of ideal body weight). “In order to meet the protein requirement, just try to get about 20-25 grams (i.e. 1 cup of dal, curd or Greek yoghurt or a palmsized piece of tofu) at every meal and focus on diversity.” Soak dals and beans for 12-18 hours before cooking.
