Click here to view. Baingan Bhaja recipe. Amongst traditional Bengali recipes, Baingan Bhaja is an evergreen favourite. The original recipe involves shallow-frying the baingan in lots of oil till it is succulent and aromatic. We have tweaked the recipe smartly to get the same awesome results with minimal oil!

This recipe is a perfect example to show that diabetics can have any of their favourite dishes, provided they tweak the cooking style and ingredients appropriately to get the same fabulous taste and texture within acceptable calorie levels. You will enjoy the flavour of this Bengali Begun Bhaja, with its peppy blend of spice and tang!

Is Baingan Bhaja healthy? 

Yes, this is healthy. But restrictions apply to some.

Let's understand the Ingredients.

What's good.

1. Brinjal (baingan, eggplant) : Foods like Brinjal have a low glycemic index and good for weight loss. Brinjals are a very good source of fibre. It also prevents blood glucose from shooting up and is good for diabetics. Brinjals are rich in folate, which is required for producing Red Blood Cells (RBC’s) and also helps to prevent anaemia. See all the 7 amazing benefits of baingan.

2. Lemon, Lemon Juice : Lemon is a very good source of Vitamin C and thus helps in the production of  white blood cells and antibodies in the blood which attacks invading microorganisms, prevents infection and builds immunity. Therefore, Lemon juice is given to prevent common cold. The ascorbic acid in lemon juice helps in absorption of iron from the food. So if you’re iron deficient or have anaemia squeeze a lemon on iron rich recipes. See detailed benefits of lemon, lemon juice.

3. Besan : Besan has more good fat than whole wheat flour and also higher protein content. Rich in complex carbohydrates and with a low glycemic index, besan is good for diabetics too. Besan is high in Folate or folic acid, which is important for rapid growth and multiplication of red blood cells and white blood cells (WBC) in the bone marrow. See 10 detailed benefits of besan and why it's good for you. 

Can diabetics, heart patients and over weight individuals have Baingan Bhaja ?

Yes, this recipe is good for diabetics, heart and weight loss. Foods like Brinjal have a low glycemic index and good for weight loss. Brinjals are a very good source of fibre. It also prevents blood glucose from shooting up and is good for diabetics.

Can healthy individuals have Baingan Bhaja ?

Yes.  Besan used in the recipe has more good fat than whole wheat flour and also higher protein content.

Healthy Begun Bhaja – Healthy Snack for Low Carb, Weight Loss and PCOS

1.      A slice of this healthy eggplant snack yields only 14 calories, so it’s a perfect for a low carb delicacy. Along with this it lends 1 g of fiber per slice too. 

2.      You can opt for 2 slices and not more than 3 when on weight loss or low carb diet. 

3.      The fiber from brinjal will aid in avoiding that quick raise in blood sugar levels and help in weight loss. Perfect for Indian pcos recipe. 

4.      Women with PCOS and lactating mothers on weight loss plan can snack on this healthy Bengali recipe to stay satiated and avoid reaching out for fried snacks. Good for pcos for weight loss and high fibre pcos recipe.

5.      Senior citizens can also indulge into this snacks as it is easy to chew. 

6.      Cancer patients with mouth sores can control the amount of chilli powder added to the batter and go ahead and enjoy it. 

7.      Brinjal has a  glycemic index low on the scale and besan used to make the batter helps manage blood sugar levels. Thus diabetics can take delight in this snack too. 

8.      People with arthritis who are hunting for a non-fried snack, can also try their hand at this snack.

9.      Though it’s a Bengali snack, try and use olive oil used for cooking to gain in some MUFA (mono unsaturated fatty acids) which is needed for a healthy heart.

8 Pointers to get healthy on a Indian diet

1. Eat healthy and say yes to good home cooked food. Prefer whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, buckwheat, barley and healthy flours like bajra flour, jowar flour, quinoa flour, wheat flour etc. rather than refined ones like maida. Have healthy Indian fats like ghee, coconut, coconut oil in your diet.

2. Opt out of junk food, packaged food, deep fried foods. Prefer steamed snacks and other non-fried snacks. Check out some Healthy Indian Snacks. Remember to eat small frequent meals through the day as that will keep you always full and prevent your blood sugar from dropping. By starving your body through some diet, will not help you one bit. In fact, dieting will make you binge on 2 to 3 meals which is not good. 

3. Have 4 to 5 servings of vegetables and 2 to 3 servings of fruit is a must. Follow the logic of a vegetable in each main meal of the day and a fruit in-between meals. Check out a few Healthy Indian Soups and Healthy Indian Salads  recipes using this food group.           

4. Cut down on sugar and salt in your diet and pick honey ( very small amounts) or dates to sweeten your food. Slowly cut the sugar habit as this is not going to happen over night. Sugar  is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours. It will spike your blood sugar level and shut down the fat burning process. This also causes high blood sugar levels in your body. The development of prediabetes comes from uncontrolled eating sugar and refined food products for many years and the classic symptom is if you have excess belly fat. This leads to diabetes and further onwards to heart attack, high blood pressure, strokes, impotence and kidney damage. 

Salt and blood pressure. Apart from stress and obesity, one of the main reasons for high blood pressure is excessive sodium and salt intake. Most people find it difficult to limit the amount of salt in their cooking, thinking it will affect the taste of their favourite dishes. 

This is not true. Bajra and jowar are rich in potassium and critical for those with High Blood Pressure as it lessens the impact of sodium. Eating more Potassium Rich Foods will remove more sodium from your body through urine. So include the basic bajra roti and jowar roti in your daily diet to have with Lower Blood Pressure Subzis Recipes. 

5. Befriend a few healthy seeds and nuts like chia seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts and almonds. 

6.  Sprouts are called ‘living food’. They are high is most nutrients and easy to digest as well. Let them feature in your meals at least thrice a week. Also Read : All Benefits about Sprouts. 

7.  Exercise 45 minutes every day. No excuse. You can walk fast, run, do weights, play your favourite sport or go to the gym.

8.  Sleep early and get up early. Get your body into rhythm and it will function best. Sleep helps your body to recover.

Baingan Bhaja is high in

1. Folic Acid : Folic acid is an essential vitamin required throughout pregnancy.

2. Vitamin C :  Vitamin C is a great defence against coughs and colds.

3. Fiber : Dietary fiber reduce the risk of heart disease, prevent the spike in blood sugar levels and hence super for diabetics. Consume more fruits, vegetables, moong, oats, matki, whole grains.

Note : a recipe is deemed high in a Vitamin or mineral if it meets 20% and above the recommended daily allowance based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

How to burn 104 calories that come from Baingan Bhaja?

Walking (6 kmph) = 31 mins

Running (11 kmph) = 10 mins

Cycling (30 kmph) = 14 mins       

Swimming (2 kmph) = 18 mins

Note: These values are approximate and calorie burning differs in each individual.