Let food be your medicine, and medicine be your food!

Simple sugars or refined sugars, when consumed, convert into fat in our bodies.  Simple sugars are like our checking account. If there is money in our checking account, we do not borrow money from our savings account. Similarly, if we consume simple sugars like rice, bread, pasta, potatoes, juice, sweet tea, soda, ice cream, donuts, etc., our bodies are not going to use fat for energy, and more fat gets stored away in our bodies, making it harder to lose weight.  Fat not only causes weight gain, sleep apnea, fatigue, and arthritis but also releases inflammatory markers, which further lead to all the medical illnesses listed in the medical dictionary, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart attacks, stroke, liver disease, and several cancers like gynecological, colon, and prostate cancers.

What fun it is to stay locked in a body that takes away your freedom to move freely and comfortably without pain or shortness of breath.  Most folks are patched up with a bunch of pills to manage their high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, pain, etc.  Pharmaceuticals become part of your food and heavy on your wallets.  When you gain weight, you not only have a poor quality of life, but also you tend to reduce your life expectancy.

If you are like me and believe in treating the cause of the illness rather than putting a patch on it, then healthy nutrition should become your lifestyle.  

The Basics 

Eat Lean Protein, Complex Carbohydrates, and Good Fats to give your body nutrition.  Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, high-fat dairy (in moderation), fats, healthy oils, and maybe even some tubers and non-gluten grains. 

Don’t Eat Simple Sugars, high fructose corn syrup, wheat, seed oils, trans fats, artificial sweeteners, “diet” and low-fat products, and highly processed foods. 

Foods to Avoid You should avoid these seven foods in order of importance: 

Sugar: Soft drinks, fruit juices, agave, candy, ice cream, and many others. ∙ 

Gluten Grains: Wheat, spelt, barley, and rye. Includes bread and pasta. ∙ 

Trans Fats: “Hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils. ∙ 

High Omega-6 Seed- and Vegetable Oils: Cottonseed-, soybean-, sunflower-corn-, safflower, and canola oils.

Artificial Sweeteners: Aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal), Saccharin (Sweet and Low, Sweet Twin, Sweet'N Low, and Necta Sweet), Sucralose (Splenda), 

Cyclamates (banned in the US; Products containing cyclamate include jellies, baked goods, soft drinks, chocolate, candies, breakfast cereals, salad dressing, and toothpaste.) and Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K). (Use organic Stevia or honey instead.) 

 “Diet” and “Low-Fat” Products: Many dairy products, cereals, crackers, etc. 

Highly Processed Foods: If it looks like it was made in a factory, don’t eat it. 

You MUST read ingredient lists, even on foods labeled as “health foods.” 

WFPB Indian Recipes

7-day diet plan inspired by Indian recipes with WFPB principles and in the ratio of 30% protein, 60% complex carbs, and 10% healthy fats. Be smart about your portions.

Day 1:

Breakfast:

Poha with sprouted moong beans, peas, and peanuts, topped with fresh coriander.

Lunch:

Chana masala (chickpea curry) with brown rice and steamed vegetables.

Snack:

Sprouted moong dal salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, and lemon juice.

Dinner:

Masoor dal tadka (red lentil curry) with quinoa roti and sautéed okra.

Dessert:

Ragi laddu sweetened with jaggery.

Day 2:

Breakfast:

Besan chilla (gram flour pancakes) with tofu and spinach filling.

Lunch:

Vegetable biryani made with brown rice, topped with cashews.

Snack:

Roasted makhana (foxnuts).

Dinner:

Stuffed brinjal curry with whole grain roti.

Dessert:

Baked guava slices with a sprinkle of chili powder and salt.

Day 3:

Breakfast:

Dalia upma with mixed vegetables and sprouted beans.

Lunch:

Palak tofu (spinach and tofu curry) with brown rice.

Snack:

Kala chana chaat (black chickpea salad) with tomatoes, onions, and coriander.

Dinner:

Vegetable jalfrezi with quinoa.

Dessert:

Dates and almond ladoo.

Day 4:

Breakfast:

Methi thepla (fenugreek flatbread) with homemade amla (Indian gooseberry) pickle.

Lunch:

Rajma curry (kidney bean curry) with brown basmati rice.

Snack:

Cucumber and carrot sticks with hummus.

Dinner:

Vegetable pulao with tofu chunks served with mixed vegetable raita made with coconut yogurt.

Dessert:

Baked banana with cardamom and honey.

Day 5:

Breakfast:

Mixed dal dosa with coconut and peanut chutney.

Lunch:

Vegetable korma with quinoa.

Snack:

Sprouted ragi malt drink sweetened with jaggery.

Dinner:

Bhindi masala (okra curry) with whole grain roti.

Dessert:

Chia seed pudding with almond milk and topped with pomegranate seeds.

Day 6:

Breakfast:

Vegetable idli made with fermented lentil and rice batter, served with sambhar.

Lunch:

Mixed vegetable sambar with brown rice.

Snack:

Roasted chana with a sprinkle of turmeric and black salt.

Dinner:

Tofu and capsicum masala with quinoa roti.

Dessert:

Carrot kheer is made with almond milk and sweetened with jaggery.

Day 7:

Breakfast:

Mixed sprouts curry with whole grain roti.

Lunch:

Spinach and moong dal curry with brown rice.

Snack:

Amla candy.

Dinner:

Paneer (from tofu) butter masala with multi-grain roti.

Dessert:

Mango sorbet.

Hope this helps you embark on a flavorful WFPB Indian culinary journey! Remember to always adjust recipes based on personal preferences and availability of ingredients.