8 Healthy Vegetables That Indians Eat

Friday, November 16, 2012, 15:58 [IST]

Indians have a very specific cuisine that makes use of particular vegetables. It is not that these vegetables are Indian in origin and people around the world do not eat them. We are calling these healthy vegetables Indian on the basis of the fact that they are an integral part of the pan-Indian diet.

It has been proven by researches that the Indian diet has many health benefits. In fact, if it is customised properly, it can actually help you lose weight. Also, a large number of the Indian population is vegetarian. Thus, they are compelled to have lots of healthy vegetables to replace the meat or fish elements of the meals. That is why it is relevant to discuss the merit of vegetables that are Indian by virtue of their use.

For example, there are few other countries that relish mustard greens which is a very nutritious green leafy vegetable. But in India, Sarso ka Saag is a delicacy. The healthy vegetables from the gourd family too are prepared by Indians in many different ways. Be it bitter gourd, ridge gourd or snake gourd, they all very good for treating urinary disorders and diabetes.

Drum sticks is a vegetable that is very popular in South India. This vital ingredient used in sambhar is very good for people with respiratory disorders. Plantains are also another healthy vegetable, eaten specifically in India. Apart from the fruit of a banana plant, there is also the stem and flower that are cooked as vegetables in India.

Thus we can see that there is something unique about the way Indians eat vegetables. Here are some of the healthy vegetables that you should consider including in your regular diet.

Pointed Gourd or Parwal

This vegetable from the gourd family is rarely cultivated outside India and thus it has no proper English name. It has minimal calories in it and helps lower cholesterol.

Drum Sticks

Drum sticks are good for small children and pregnant women because they strengthen bones. Drum sticks also helps to clear chest congestion and fight other respiratory diseases.

Fenugreek Leaves

Fenugreek leaves are seldom cooked as a vegetable in any other culture. But Methi Saag, as it is called in India is great to cleanse your kidneys. And for diabetics, it is the best natural way to regulate insulin levels.

Bitter Gourd

In Indian cuisine, bitter gourd is cooked in several different ways. It is rich in anti-oxidants that cleanse toxins from your body. And, its bitter taste makes it an elixir of life for diabetics.

Mustard Greens

Mustard leaves have the highest content of vitamin K among all green leafy vegetables; even more than spinach.

Plantain Stem & Flower

If you have kidney stone, you will be forced on a diet of boiled plantain stem and flower. They are fibrous, low in calorie and rich in iron. What more can you ask for?

Jack Fruit

Although we call it a fruit, unripe jack fruit is cooked as a vegetable in some parts of India. Jack fruit has potassium that lowers blood pressure. It also helps in regulating the levels of thyroid hormone in the body.