October 24, 2000 WASHINGTON (AICR) — I love going to Indian restaurants. But is the food as healthy as it seems?
A: Indian cuisine is traditionally considered a prime example of the plant-based diet recommended by the American Institute for Cancer Research to help prevent cancer. It includes lots of vegetables, many vegetarian dishes based on beans or lentils, and only small amounts of meat, fish or poultry.
Commonly used vegetables include kale, cauliflower and garlic, which are full of natural phytochemicals that help to detoxify carcinogens before they can even begin the cancer process.
Unfortunately, some restaurants ``Americanize'' Indian dishes by increasing meat and reducing vegetable portions. In this situation, eat just a portion of what is served and take the extra home.
Watch out for dishes that have large amounts of ghee (clarified butter) poured on top for flavor. Tandoori (oven roasted) dishes are usually low in fat, as are chicken or beef tikka (grilled) and chicken saag (with spinach). Choose baked breads such as chapati and naan instead of deep-fried poori.
Copyright 2000 The American Institute for Cancer Research. All rights reserved.
