By Including In your Meals Shares Dietitian Avni Kaul
Chutney is an Indian condiment consumed in small quantities along with a meal. These are prepared in several flavour, based on the kind of meal you are eating.
Chutneys could be tangy for that added punch of flavour to a basic meal, or creamy to add a heavy texture to a bland meal.
However, not many people know that the good-old chutney is not only for enhancing the flavor of your meals. As per Dietitian Avni, eating chutneys with your meals is a “delicious method of introducing spices, fibre, and phytonutrients that are generally hard to find and difficult to assimilate for the body”.
It is also best to hand-pound your chutney in a stone or wooden vessel, rather than using a mixer-grinder. This will help to retain maximum micro-nutrients, aroma, colour and flavour.
Leading Dietitian Avni Kaul shares a few things about chutney through this blog.
Coconut chutney
Coconut is rich in fibre due to which eating coconut chutney helps in improving your bowel movement. It also prevents digestion-related problems such as indigestion, diarrhea, and constipation. Coconut is rich in copper, manganese, iron, phosphorus, and selenium which makes it nutritious. Here are some health benefits:
Anti-bacterial
Coconut chutney has anti-bacterial components. It eliminates bacteria present in your body and keeps health-related problems at bay.
Good for digestion
Coconut is rich in fiber, which is good for the digestive system. Eating coconut chutney helps in improving bowel movement. It further prevents other digestion issues like indigestion, constipation, etc.
Improves immunity
Another benefit of having this chutney is that it helps to improve immunity.
Procedure
Take one cup of grated coconut, single chopped green chili, ginger paste, salt to taste, and 2 tsp tamarind pulp.
- Grind them together to make a paste.
- Add 1 tsp coconut oil and mix it well.
- Your chutney is now ready to serve.
Things to remember –Coconut chutney is beneficial for health. However, it has certain side effects too.
- Ensure you select fresh coconuts while preparing chutney.
- People who have stomach issues should avoid adding excessive chili with the chutney.
- Pregnant women should consult their doctor or Dietitian before eating it.
- Clean the coconut properly before making a chutney.
Pudina chutney
This cool chutney is one of the most popular chutney recipes in literally every Indian home. The mint or pudina chutney is delicious which helps in several ways:
Digestion
Digestion issues are very common. So when you add lemon, black salt, cumin, green chili, asafoetida, ginger, and garlic while preparing mint chutney, it not only helps in digestion but also provides an enhanced taste to the meal.
Reduces inflammation
Soothing for your stomach: eating green chutney made of pudina regularly will help you get rid of inflammation in your body.
Helps to get rid of nausea
Mint leaves have a refreshing aroma that could help you to get rid of nausea making you feel better immediately.
Procedure
- Take around 100 gm of fresh mint or pudina leaves and tender stalks and chop them roughly.
- Grind these along with one cup of coarsely chopped onions, 1 tsp of roasted cumin seeds, salt to taste, 2 tbsp of chopped green chilies, and 2 tsp sugar.
- Now mix 1/4th cup yogurt (beaten smooth) along with the chutney.
- Serve it chilled.
Things to remember
- Pregnant women should consult with their Dietitian or doctor before eating it.
- Patients suffering from GERD should avoid it.
