Tips to make your breakfast parathas healthier

If you are fond of having tasty parathas but are doubtful about its effect on your health, we have some good news for you. If made in just the right way, parathas can actually be a healthy dish. Parathas are considered unhealthy because most people stuff them with a lot of unhealthy stuffing and cook them in an ungodly amount of ghee, oil or butter. If you take care of a few aspects and fortify the health quotient of your parathas, you can actually make much healthier versions that are suitable for daily consumption. Here are some golden tips that you can follow to make healthier parathas for breakfast!

The flour that is used to make the paratha dough makes a big difference in determining its health value. If you make parathas using whole wheat flour or multigrain flour instead of all-purpose flour, it will be a healthier option. If you prefer khasta paratha, add semolina or sooji to the dough and you are all set. You can knead the paratha dough with curd or whey water to amp up the degree of probiotics, protein and other nutrients in your parathas. You can also add half milk to your paratha dough to increase the calcium content of your finished dish. It will also ensure that your parathas come out soft.

Stuffing plays a central role in deciding how healthy the paratha will be. Instead of the usual aloo or paneer, it is important to choose healthier fillings such as soya, sattu (ground black chickpeas), broccoli, mixed veg, tofu, dal, eggs, mixed sprouts etc. In this way, you will not only have healthier parathas for breakfast but you will also have a tasty variety to choose from every day. While using veggie filling for your parathas, make sure that the ratio of veggies is more than that of the dough. It is time to exercise your culinary creativity and use healthy veggies for your paratha stuffing!

Parathas have got a bad reputation because most people love to cook them in a humongous amount of butter or ghee and serve with cream or oily pickles. Always ensure that you choose a neutral and healthy fat to fry your parathas. You can also make a low-calorie paratha by roasting them in very less fat. First, cook them from both the sides until brown dots appear. Then apply a little amount of ghee or oil on both sides. The parathas will remain crisp, taste nice and will be much lower on calories!

You can experiment with your parathas and make them healthier by adding veggie puree to the dough itself instead of stuffing them with anything. For example, use spinach puree, rajma puree, chana puree etc. to knead the dough. Then divide it into small balls, roll into parathas and roast like usual. This will be a perfect balance of health and taste that you can also have on a regular basis.

Increase the crunch of your parathas by adding a handful of healthy seeds to them. For example, you can add pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds or even mixed seeds to your paratha dough. Or you can enrich your stuffing with the seeds of your choice. Seeds are loaded with a bunch of healthy nutrients, and adding them to your parathas will instantly up their health value!

Who said that healthy cannot be tasty? Instead of adding too much salt and spices to your paratha filling, you can garnish your parathas will fresh or dried herbs such as oregano, basil, coriander, mint or even mixed herbs. This will not only enhance the taste of your dish but also increase the health value of your parathas. Always be mindful of what goes into your parathas and follow these tips.

Even when made perfectly healthy, it is essential to exercise portion control as even healthy food consumed in excess can have unforeseen effects on the body. It is recommended to have 1 paratha (250-300 calories) in one meal. Instead of having your parathas with a lot of ghee, butter or cream, you can enjoy them with Dahi, yoghurt or dal to have a complete healthy meal!