Healthy South Indian Dinner Recipes For Weight Loss

For a diet rich in taste, have these healthy South Indian dinner recipes for weight loss. Incorporate different dishes like the lentils, legumes and the veggies into your diet in their whole form. The spices and herbs make the dishes more flavourful. Here is a list of healthy South Indian dinner recipes that won’t hinder your weight loss goals.

South Indian Diet Chart For Weight Loss

The South Indian diet for weight loss includes a lavish spread of flavours with loads of vegetables, lentils, atta podi, brown rice, fresh fruits and juices, chutneys and fibre-rich foods to promote weight loss. With just 1200 to 1500 calories intake and some moderate physical activity, you can expect to lose a good amount of weight without compromising on nutrition and taste. However, following a regular workout routine is a must to enjoy the best weight loss results.

Top Lifestyle Tips For Fat Loss

1. Include fruits, vegetables and more soluble fibre in your diet.
2. Quit dairy products having a high glycemic index as they cause bloating.
3. Avoid consuming sweets and sugary beverages.
4. Snack on fresh fruits, salads and nuts.
5. Follow a workout routine or do simple exercises like walking or running.
6. Drink sufficient water before meals as it works as a natural appetite suppressant.
7. Follow a high-protein and low-carb diet. Include more lean protein in your diet to keep you full for long.
8. Avoid consuming processed and unhealthy foods, saturated or trans fats and alcohol.
9. Ditch animal fat and prefer plant-based foods.
10. Follow the Hara Hachi Bu rule – eat until your stomach is 80% full.
11. Maintain a food journal to track your daily calorie intake.
12. Meditate to manage your stress.

Exercise regularly, eat mindfully and continue to follow a calorie-deficit yet healthy diet without cheat meals till the end of the week to accelerate your weight loss journey. Let’s read about the delicious south Indian diet plan for weight loss now.

Sample South Indian Diet Chart For Weight Loss

Here is a South Indian weekly meal plan for weight loss:

1. Monday
   • Breakfast: 3 millet idlis with 1 tbsp of cilantro and mint chutney + 1 cup of fruits + 1 cup of green tea
     Lunch: 1 cup of vegetable curry + 1 cup of Rasam + 2 Ragi balls + 1 cup of vegetable salad + 1 cup of buttermilk
     Snack: 1 cup of sprout salad + 1 cup of black coffee
     Dinner: 2 chapatis with 1 cup of Keerai Masiyal (mashed spinach curry)
2. Tuesday
   • Breakfast: 2 Rava dosas + 1 tbsp of tomato and mint chutney + 1 cup of Sambar + 1 cup of fruits
     Lunch: 1 cup of toor dal with Amaranth leaves (Pappu Thotakura) + 1 cup of vegetable salad + 1 cup of brown rice + 1 cup of buttermilk
     Snack: 1 boiled egg + 1 cup of black coffee
     Dinner: 1 bowl of vegetable or chicken curry + 1 cup of green salad + 1 small cup of low-fat curd + 2 chapatis or 1 cup of brown rice
3. Wednesday
   • Breakfast: 4 almonds + 1 cup of fruits + 1 cup of Pongal with Brahmi Tambuli
     Lunch: 1 cup of Nellikai Sadam with broad beans and Beetroot Poriyal + 1 cup of buttermilk + 1 cup of sprout salad
     Snack: 1 glass of Tender coconut water + 4-5 almonds
     Dinner: 2 multigrain Parotta + 1 cup of stuffed Tindora (Gutti Dondakaya) + 1 cup of vegetable salad
4. Thursday
   • Breakfast: 1 cup of fruits + 3 millet Idlis + 1 cup of Sambar
     Lunch: 1 cup of brown rice or two multigrain Parotta + 1 cup of ridge gourd dal + 1 cup of buttermilk + 1 cup of beetroot and cucumber salad
     Snack: 1 cup of green tea and 2 multigrain biscuits
     Dinner: 1 portion of grilled fish + 1 cup of mixed veg curry + 1 cup of brown rice + 1 cup of salad
5. Friday
   • Breakfast: 1 cup of quinoa upma + 1 cup of watermelon juice
     Lunch: 1 bowl of coconut rice + 1 bowl of cauliflower kootu + 1 cup of rasam + 1 cup of salad
     Snack: 1 cup of boiled chickpeas + 1 cup of green tea
     Dinner: 2 Dosas with 1 tbsp of peanut chutney + 1 cup of vegetable curry + 1 cup of broccoli salad
6. Saturday
   • Breakfast: 2 Moong dal dosas with 1 tbsp of mint chutney + 1 cup of buttermilk + 1 medium apple
     Lunch: 1 cup of palak dal + 1 cup of brown rice + 1 small cup of Sevai Pudding (with jaggery) + 1 cup of green salad
     Snack: 1 cup of kidney bean Sundal + 1 cup of black coffee
     Dinner: 1 cup of mushroom and peas curry + 1 cup of low-fat curd + 1 cup of green salad + 2 multigrain chapatis
7. Sunday
   1. Breakfast: 3 Idiyappams + 1 medium bowl of veg stew or boiled egg + 1 cup of filter coffee
      Lunch: 1 cup of Kothavarangai Puli Kootu + 1 cup of brown rice + 1 cup of carrot and cucumber salad + 1 cup of low-fat curd
      Snack: 1 cup of sprout salad + 1 cup of herbal tea
      Dinner: 1 bowl of Kerala style fish curry + 1 cup of Avial + 1 cup of brown rice + 1 cup of salad + 2 multigrain chapatis + 1 piece of dark chocolate

South Indian meals and their benefits

South India meals are very light and fill you which gives your body enough energy to go for the day. Some of the very common dishes in South Indian food are:

• Idli and Dosa – The ingredients in Idli are rice and black gram batter. It is a fluffy cake made of these ingredients. It is one of the very famous national food and is liked by everyone. Moreover, it is liked by people internationally also. Idli is very easy to digest and has no cholesterol, fat, and no saturated fat. It is very easy to digest and has a good amount of iron in it. You can eat Idli with sambhar or coconut chutney.
• Appam – Appam is a very famous dish which is also liked by people in the USA, Japan, Africa, and many more countries. It is extremely delicious and nutritious at the same time. It has around 120 calories and is a very healthy breakfast. You can take Appam with leftover chicken, fish curry, or tamarind curry. They are extremely tasty and are full of iron and protein.
• Medhu Vada – Medhu Vada is taken along with Sambar and Chutney. It contains all the nutrition and is the best breakfast for children. Medhu Vada has nutrients that help in improving bone health. This dish has all the important nutrients such as iron, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Also, it is a perfect meal for pregnant women.
• Appe – Appe is made from leftover idli batter. The taste of Appe can be both spicy and sweet. It depends on the kind of batter you want. To make it sweet coconut and jaggery are added to it. Appe is made of two main ingredients wither with moong dal or rice.
• Vegetable upma – Rava upma is made of grinded wheat. It is amazing in taste. A bowl full of upma is loaded with fiber, vitamins, and healthy fats. It has the least level of cholesterol in it. You can even mix veggies in it. Also, the dish is not just a nutritious one but also keeps you full for the whole day.

How can you prepare a diet plan for yourself?

Well, here are some of the diet tips you can include in your south Indian diet plan. Add these food items to your diet and see the difference for yourself.

1. MondayBreakfast: 3 idlis with 1 tbsp of cilantro and mint chutney , fruits + 1 cup of green tea
   Lunch: 1 cup of vegetable curry + 1 cup of Rasam + 2 Ragi balls + 1 cup of vegetable salad + 1 cup of buttermilk
   Dinner: 2 chapatis with 1 cup of mashed spinach curry
2. TuesdayBreakfast: 2 Rava dosas + 1 tbsp of tomato and mint chutney + 1 cup of Sambar + 1 cup of fruits
   Lunch: 1 cup of toor dal with Amaranth leaves (Pappu Thotakura) + 1 cup of vegetable salad + 1 cup of brown rice + 1 cup of buttermilk
   Dinner: 1 bowl of vegetable or chicken curry + 1 cup of green salad + 1 small cup of low-fat curd + 2 chapatis
3. WednesdayBreakfast: 4 almonds + 1 cup of fruits + 1 cup of Pongal with Brahmi Tambuli
   Lunch: 1 cup of Nellikai Sadam with broad beans and Beetroot Poriyal + 1 cup of buttermilk + 1 cup of sprout salad
   Dinner: 2 multigrain Parotta + 1 cup of stuffed Tindora (Gutti Dondakaya) + 1 cup of vegetable salad
4. ThursdayBreakfast: 1 cup of fruits + 3 millet Idlis + 1 cup of Sambar
   Lunch: 1 cup of brown rice or two multigrain Parotta + 1 cup of ridge gourd dal + 1 cup of buttermilk + 1 cup of beetroot and cucumber salad
   Dinner: 1 portion of grilled fish + 1 cup of mixed veg curry + 1 cup of brown rice + 1 cup of saladNow, you can repeat these meals the other days left.

Which south Indian food is good for weight loss?

A typical south Indian menu that best serves weight loss includes the tasty and filling steamed millet idlis with sambhar, plain ragi dosas with saagu, and the low-calorie appams.

You can also have uttapams from the same idli batter, but increase the fiber content by adding chopped veggies like tomato, capsicum, onions. It will not only enhance the flavor and the fiber content but also led to weight loss. You can have the nutrient-dense upma, the pepper rasam, and the fire-rich thorans and poriyal’s.

Is rice good for weight loss?

Yes, rice is excellent for weight loss because it can easily be digested, is low-fat, and has many vitamins. However, opt for the unpolished brown rice over the polished white rice low in fiber and less satiating. Rice is a great source of resistance starch too, feeding the good bacteria in your gut.

How to make a personalised south Indian diet plan for weight loss?

Working with a nutritionist and making lifestyle changes is the easiest and long- term solution to weight loss.

Another approach is to calculate your BMR to know your calorie requirement. Then, based on your taste buds and the calories you have to consume, curate a diet chart. Note here though, calorie counting doesn’t always work and is not a very scientific approach.

Is ragi good for weight loss?

Yes. Ragi is a great source of dietary fiber, complex carbs, and proteins that keep you satiated and aid in weight loss. Ragi dosa has been included in this weight loss diet plan as a healthy breakfast option.

Is semolina upma good for weight loss?

Yes. If prepared with less oil, semolina (sooji) upma can be a good protein source. Semolina is naturally low in fat and is a good weight loss option. It can be made healthier by adding vegetables to increase the fiber content, thus enhancing the weight loss process. Read our blog on the health benefits of upma for more details.

Is muesli good for weight loss?

Yes, muesli is good for weight loss. It is low in saturated fat, and high in fiber. It provides satiety thereby aiding your weight loss journey.

Is idli good for weight loss?

Yes. Idli is a low-calorie recipe that contains a good amount of dietary fiber and protein. Hence eating idli is good for weight loss. Eating idli along with healthy fats makes it a balanced meal. You can eat idli for breakfast or as part of lunch or dinner.

Homemade soft idlis are easy to chew and you may tend to overeat them if you are not counting your calories. And such overeating results in excess calorie intake and weight gain.

It can be made healthier by giving a variety of spins from vegetables stuffed idlis, to oats, to ragi to millet. Read our blog on the health benefits of idli for more details.

Is dalia good for weight loss?

Yes. Dalia upma is a good source of dietary fiber, protein, alpha-carotene, lutein, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, biotin, and an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin D, beta carotene, manganese, vitamin E. It helps lower blood sugar levels and aids in weight loss.

Is dosa good for weight loss?

If consumed moderately and as a replacement for main meals, dosa could help in weight loss. However, you do not feel full after eating dosa and this could lead to overeating. And such overeating results in excess calorie intake and weight gain. Read our blog health benefits of dosa for more details.

Which is the best tea for weight loss?

Green tea is one of the most well-known, most effective teas for weight loss, and is linked with many health benefits. Many such teas have been included in this diet plan.

Is puffed rice good for weight loss?

Yes. Puffed rice is a good source of complex carbohydrates. It is low in calories and fat. It aids digestion, improves metabolism, and is excellent for weight loss.

Is poha good for weight loss?

Yes. Poha is low in calories. It can be made healthier by adding vegetables to increase the fiber content, thus enhancing the weight loss process

Are cornflakes good for weight loss?

No. Commercial or processed foods are loaded with a high amount of sugar, thus making them unhealthy.

Is ghee good for weight loss?

Yes. Ghee is a good source of omega fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins which aid in weight loss. Do not eat more than one to two teaspoons of ghee per day.

Is Maggi good for weight loss?

Maggi is not the best food to eat for weight loss as it is loaded with carbs and fats without providing any protein or other nutrients.

Is dark chocolate good for weight loss?

No. Commercially available dark chocolate is loaded with saturated fat and sugar. Even though it reduces cravings, we do not recommend dark chocolate for weight loss.

Is cumin water good for weight loss?

Cumin or jeera water is an effective weight loss remedy. It helps in losing belly fat.

Which type of oats is best for weight loss?

Steel-cut or rolled oats are better as they contain a high amount of fiber.

Is paneer good for weight loss?

Yes. Although paneer contains high amounts of fat it is a good source of protein. Eating foods rich in protein increases satiety and aids in weight loss. For more details read our blog on the health benefits of paneer.

Is cheese good for weight loss?

No. Though cheese is also an excellent source of protein, calcium, and several other nutrients it is also high in fat, sodium, and calories. We do not recommend cheese or recipes with cheese for weight loss.

Which dry fruits are good for weight loss?

Dry fruits can boost metabolism, which helps lose weight. One can include almonds, walnuts, pista, brazil nuts, and hazelnuts. Do not eat more than 10 grams of dry fruits as eating more can lead to weight gain.

Is buttermilk good for weight loss?

Yes. Buttermilk is low in calories and fat making it an ideal drink for people who want to lose weight. As mentioned in the plan, drink buttermilk daily along with a mid-morning snack.