Click here to view. Moong Dal and Spinach Soup recipe. Good health in a bowlful, that is what this soup is! Moong Dal and Spinach Soup is a zero-oil recipe, brimful of protein, vitamin A and iron – all of which will make your eyes sharp and keen.

Moreover, the use of low-fat milk reduces the calorie content of this recipe, while retaining a good quota of calcium too.

Is Moong Dal and Spinach Soup healthy?

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

Let's understand the Ingredients.

What's good.

1. Yellow Moong Dal : The fibre (4.1 g in ¼ cup) present in yellow moong dal prevents the deposition of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the arteries which promotes a healthy heart in turn. Packed with nutrients like zinc (1.4 mg), protein (12.2 mg) and iron (1.95 mg), yellow moong dal helps to maintain the elasticity of your skin and help to keep it moist.  Fiber, potassium and magnesium from yellow moong dal will work together to regulate blood pressure and soothe the nerves and is diabetic friendly. See here for details of 7 amazing benefits of yellow moong dal. 

2. Milk and Low Fat Milk : 1 cup of milk provides 70% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of Calcium. Milk promotes strong bones. The Calcium in Milk helps to protect your teeth against gum disease and keeps your jaw bone strong and healthy. Milk is low in carbs and therefore does not raise blood glucose levels. However diabetics must consider including low fat milk as advised by their dietitian only so as to avoid any fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Protein is another key nutrient which milk is rich in - 8.6 g from a cup. So all those looking to build protein stores can add milk and its products like curd and paneer to their diet. One cup of Milk gives 10 grams of carbs.  Low fat milk has lower fat and the same benefits of milk. 

3. Spinach (Palak) : Spinach is one of the richest plant sources of Iron and it should be part of a healthy diet for everyone.  Raw spinach is very rich in insoluble fibre, 25% having soluble fiber and 75% insoluble fiber.  Spinach is good for the heart, diabetics and eyes. Read this on the 17 benefits of spinach and why you should eat it. 

What's the problem?

Cornflour ( Cornstarch) : Pros. Cornflour is easy to digest because of the presence of insoluble fiber, thus benefits the gut. It’s gluten-free and can be consumed by those who cannot afford to have wheat. Cons. Cornflour is full of calories and carbs like refined sugar, thus a barrier to weight reduction. Those on weight loss diet must definitely not reach out for it. The high carbs makes it a No-No for a diabetic meal and restricted for heart patients. Read for more details is cornflour healthy? 

Can diabetics, heart patients and over weight individuals have Moong Dal and Spinach Soup  ?

Yes, this works for diabetics as we have used low fat milk.  Fiber, potassium and magnesium from yellow moong dal will work together to regulate blood pressure which is good for heart and weight loss. 

Can healthy individuals have Moong Dal and Spinach Soup  ?

Yes. 

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. No activity reduces muscle tissue which will lead to muscke loss and all kinds of problems with that. 

8.  Sleep early and get up early. Get your body into rhythm and it will function best. Sleep helps your body to recover and makes you look much younger. Also getting good sleep prevent muscle loss. 

Moong Dal and Spinach Soup is high in

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

2. Vitamin B1 : Vitamin B1 protects nerves, helps in carbohydrate metabolism, prevents heart diseases and helps produce red blood cells. 

3. Vitamin A : Vitamin A is crucial for healthy vision, cell growth and healthy skin. 

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 120 calories that come from Moong Dal and Spinach Soup?

Walking (6 kmph) = 36 mins

Running (11 kmph) = 12 mins

Cycling (30 kmph) = 16 mins       

Swimming (2 kmph) = 21 mins

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