Here is what average calories in an Indian veg thali look like

Health

Times Now Digital

Updated Nov 03, 2020 | 12:16 IST

The subject of the calculated consumption of calories often arises when people are working on a weight management plan.

Here is what calorie count in an average Indian vegetarian thali looks like | Photo Credit: iStock Images

Key Highlights

Generally, the average number of calories required by a woman aged between 26–50 years is 2000 calories per day

Similarly, the average healthy number of calories required by a man aged between 26–45 years is 2600 calories

And here is what you need to know about the calorie count of an average Indian vegeratian thali

New Delhi: Calorie in simple terms is a unit of measurement that is used to measure the unit of energy one will obtain by the consumption of a particular amount of any particular food item. Indian thalis are a combination of different food items and dishes arranged together according to the dietary preference. The contents may vary, which will affect the aggregate number of calories present in the thali. The variety of contents present in the thali makes it nutritionally rich. If you look into the calorie count in an average Indian vegetarian thali and analyse it, this is what it would look like.

Estimated calories in an Indian vegetarian thali

For the purpose of calculation, we included the following food items in the thali:

Chapatti/paratha: 1 chapatti, medium-sized, made of whole wheat flour will add up to about 80 calories. However, 1 paratha, medium-sized, made of whole wheat flour will add up to about 130 calories.
Rice: 1 cup of cooked rice can contain about 206 calories.
Dry vegetable dish: 1 cup of dry vegetable dish (potato, cabbage, or ladyfinger) contains about 150 calories.
Dal: 1 cup of dal, moong or arhar contains about 105 calories.
Curd: About 100 grams of curd contains at least 95 calories.
Sweet dish: A sweet dish such as gulab jamun or jalebi can contain up to 150 calories.

Therefore, an approximate measure of the number of calories present in an average Indian vegetarian thali may come to around 900 calories.

Why are we counting calories?

The subject of the calculated consumption of calories often arises when people are working on a weight control plan.

Advantages of a calculated calorie consumption:

Carefully calculated calorie consumption helps in keeping health conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular issues and overeating at bay. This results in a healthy body.
It helps in the development of a disciplined eating habit that can help make weight control diet plans more effective.
People who count calories are often mindful about the food they consume. This gives way to an enhanced knowledge about their food, thereby, aiding the formulation of a nutritionally balanced diet that is low in calories.

Disadvantages of a calculated calorie consumption

If not executed properly, counting calories can result in an unhealthy diet consumption as people may lose sight of the need for consumption of balanced nutrients while being focused on consuming calculated calories.
The process of counting calories can be frustrating as it can be difficult to keep up with if the person has a busy schedule.
The process of consuming calculated calorie may give way to the notion of compensation of calories which may or may not be healthy in terms of choices. For instance, 1 slice of whole wheat bread along with some cup of guacamole contains the same amount of calories as that of a slice of pizza, which is 300 calories. For obvious reasons, the former is a healthy food choice.

Bottom line

There is a fine line between the consumption of a healthy and unhealthy number of calories, and that is the number of nutrients that comes along with the diet. Be it for reasons such as weight loss, weight gain or weight management, it is extremely essential to be mindful about whether or not the food being consumed contains all the essential nutrients. A balanced diet is necessary for the body to stay fit and healthy.