The Malad Food Lover's Guide: Smart Eating Tips from a Nutritionist

Living in Malad and trying to eat healthier or stick to a diet? Discover practical nutrition tips, healthier restaurant choices, and sustainable eating habits.

As a professional nutritionist, I have realized that most people have the intent to eat healthy, however somewhere between making that choice and reality, life gets the better of us. Long commute hours, night life, stress eating, social commitments, exhaustion after a long day at work, ease and accessibility of nutritious foods are some of the main concerns that come between our health and daily lifestyle choices. The options to order in food are many in Malad, Mumbai and there are ways to make your food work towards your health or weight loss goal.

Think of calories as money in your hand. The fastest way to exhaust your budget is by choosing sugar or fat which are often hidden contents of beverages, fried snacks, oversized portions, generous sides and sauces. A simple way to start at home or when eating out is to ensure you are well hydrated. Remember that beverages are most likely to have twice the number of calories of a humble snack and choose wisely. If you still wish to get a beverage, request for one without added sugars.

If you are ordering breakfast or mid-day snack, ensure it has a protein source (chicken, egg, pulses/sprouts, paneer). The second thing to keep in mind is the preparation style. Boiled, steamed or grills would have a lesser fat or oil content than anything that reads crunchy, fried, crispy, falafel, tempura, doughnuts on the menu (unless you are confident these are air-fried). Sandwiches are a decent bet here but read the fillers. If I were to be completely honest with you, the type of bread you enjoy is less of a problem than what is inside it. Protein and fibre rich stuffings will curb the sugar spike in any bread option. Dhoklas, chaat (minus the sev and puri), steamed momos, idlis and sambhar are some other safe bets depending on where you are having it.

There is always a way to eat everything you like without harming your body and keeping your goal in mind. Below are some practical tips based on questions I am frequently asked:

1. Weight loss diet but loves fried food: Please enjoy your fried food but try to make it at home. The main concern from fried food outside is the repeated use of same oil that can clog your arteries. If this option does not appeal to you, try to shift to tandoor options for a similar taste and healthier preparation styles.

2. Diabetes but enjoy sweets: As long as your blood sugars are in control, you can enjoy your dessert in between long meal gaps instead of immediately post a meal. Kheer, gazar halwa, chocolates, mava or any milk-based dessert is preferred. All ice creams do not fit the bill here as most ice creams are frozen desserts that only contain a large mix of preservatives. A very few brands use milk in ice creams so please read the labels and ingredients section.

3. PMOS (earlier known as PCOS) but cannot control food intake: Most concerns here stem from emotional and stress eating. A typical pattern is to eat calories dense foods, then not eat for a long duration and the cycle repeats. Mindful eating and clubbing your favorite dishes with high protein and fibre options helps, along with finding a better way to deal with personal relationships.

4. Acidity or constipation but has no choice for meal preps: Sufficient water throughout the day, light walk for 10 mins post meals and choosing easy to digest snacks (nuts, fruits, kurmura, makhana) in meal gaps and chewing your food well may solve half your problems. For the remaining concerns, you can always consult a specialist.

   
   

To our benefit, Malad has many healthy tiffin or homely food options as well, right from ordering on local whatsapp groups to fine dine options. The only skill you require is to identify these places and spend time initially with an expert to decipher the menus. Then it will simply be a learned behavior that will become your second nature.