Click here to view. Spinach and Mixed Sprouts Raita recipes. Instead of being made as a gravy or soup, spinach is used along with boiled mixed sprouts to make a vibrantly-coloured and multi-textured raita.

This scrumptious and refreshing Spinach and Mixed Sprouts Raita makes an exciting accompaniment to any meal. It also gives you the power of sprouts, including folic acid and B-complex vitamins like B1 and B2, which help in the overall development of your baby.

Is Spinach and Mixed Sprouts Raita healthy?

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

Let's understand the Ingredients.

What's good.

1. 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. 

2. Sprouts ( mixed sprouts) : Sprouts contain enzymes that aid digestion and are alkaline in nature. Sprouting increases the availability of proteins. For example, on sprouting, the protein content of moong increases by 30%.  On sprouting, the seed becomes a veritable nutrient factory with a greater concentration of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K and B-complex. Sprouts are a good source of fibre , good for diabetic and heart friendly. See detailed health benefits of sprouts. 

3. Curd + Low fat Curds :  Curds help in digestion as it has very good bacteria. Probiotics in curds acts as a mild laxative but, in case of diarrhoea and dysentery, it is a boon, if curd is used with rice.They help in weight reduction, good for your heart and build immunity. The only difference between curds and low fat curds is the fat level. Read the benefits of curds to include in your daily diet. 

Can diabetics, heart patients and over weight individuals have Spinach and Mixed Sprouts Raita?

Yes, this recipe is good for diabetics, heart and weight loss BUT use low fat curds when making this raita. Sprouts contain enzymes that aid digestion and are alkaline in nature. Sprouting increases the availability of proteins. For example, on sprouting, the protein content of moong increases by 30%.

Can healthy individuals have Spinach and Mixed Sprouts Raita?

Yes. Spinach is one of the richest plant sources of Iron and it should be part of a healthy diet for everyone.

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. 

Spinach and Mixed Sprouts Raita is high in

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

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

3. Calcium : Calcium  is a mineral that makes bones stay strong. Required from kids to adults.

4. Phosphorous : Phosphorous works closely with calcium to build bones. 

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 222 calories that come from Spinach and Mixed Sprouts Raita?

Walking (6 kmph) = 1 hr 7 mins

Running (11 kmph) = 22 mins

Cycling (30 kmph) = 30 mins          

Swimming (2 kmph) = 38 mins

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