For so many of us, Poha is not just a breakfast. It is a ritual and a perfect start to the day. While Idli and Dosa dominate the breakfast scene, Poha is a tough contender for the title of the most loved breakfast. But along with relishing your favourite bowl of Poha also comes guilt and a nagging question. Is Poha good for health and will I put on weight if I eat poha regularly?Â
Those watching their waistline will demand to know if they can eat Poha while following a weight-loss diet and also what’s the right portion size or recipe? The conflicting research on the internet only adds to the confusion. In this definitive guide, we answer the question - is Poha healthy? We will also how exactly is poha good for weight loss and more.
Table of Contents
- How Poha Helps in Weight Loss?
- Best Type of Poha for Weight Loss
- Procedure to Consume Poha for Weight Loss
- Nutritional Value of Poha
- Evident and Significant Poha Benefits
- What is Poha and Its Various Names?
- Conclusion
How Poha Helps in Weight Loss?
Now that we have discussed the popularity of Poha, let's move on to the question of whether it is good for health or not and how it helps in weight loss. From calories to fibre content, numerous factors play an important role in weight loss. Poha rice proves to be beneficial in all of them. Here's what makes Poha good for weight loss.
White Poha is high in fibre. Aval (Poha) is a natural source of dietary fibre that is a helpful tool for managing weight and provides nutrition. The fibre in Poha rice not only helps you stay full and satisfied but also takes in water and expands, satisfying your appetite.
As a result, after eating poha you will not feel the need to eat unhealthy snacks throughout the day. It promotes weight loss and gives you more control over your calorie intake. Dietary fibre, as has been demonstrated in multiple studies, helps control hunger, increases metabolism, and lowers the risk of chronic illnesses.
Besides fibre, Poha also helps you monitor your calorie consumption. Poha contains a few calories. However, how you prepare your food will impact how many calories it contains.
Ensure you include nutritious elements like veggies and dry fruits in your cuisine to lose weight. It boosts the dish's nutrition content while lowering overall calories.Â
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Best Type of Poha for Weight Loss
The calories and nutrition provided change with how you prepare a particular Poha recipe and consume it. Kanda or Onion Poha is just one example of Poha recipes for weight loss. This delicious snack is prepared and consumed differently in every household or on the streets.
Here is how caloric intake changes with every serving and how you can make the right poha weight loss recipe:
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Types of Poha Servings & Portion Size |
Calories |
1 Bowl Poha (139g) |
158 |
1 Plate Onion Poha |
180 |
Poha Calories per 100g |
110 |
1 Bowl Poha Uncooked Calories |
394 |
2 Cups Poha (278g) |
316 |
1 Cup Poha Chivda |
330 |
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Consuming brown rice poha stuffed with veggies, lentils, and sprouts is better if you're attempting to lose weight. You can try adding sprouts and toasted peanuts and make your own unique recipe of poha.
Your breakfast will now include a source of fibre and protein. Poha can also be eaten alongside eggs or curd. Making this a balanced meal will help you feel satisfied for longer and cause a gradual rise in your blood sugar levels rather than a sharp one.
By doing this, you can avoid experiencing hunger and consuming unhealthy food. For a deeper understanding of the nutritional value of poha, we invite you to explore our previous blog post.Â
Procedure to Consume Poha for Weight Loss
Weight loss is a commitment that one makes to themselves. At times, this commitment gets challenging and tiresome. However, you must understand that a successful weight loss plan does not necessarily have to include fasting or drastic diet changes. Eating Poha for weight loss can be more effective and satisfactory.
Diet poha is a healthy low-carb breakfast with fibre, minerals, and vitamins. You can make your own Poha recipe for weight loss that will also satisfy your craving for something healthy and delightful.
However, you must also understand that the ingredients you add to your favourite recipe and how you prepare them affect how it helps in your weight loss. Here are the best methods to prepare Poha for weight loss:
Vegetable Poha:
Adding vegetables to your Poha recipe is the best way to improve its effectiveness for weight loss. You can add numerous vegetables to your Poha to boost your weight loss, satisfy your tastebuds, and inspire a healthy lifestyle.
Dry Fruit Poha:
Dry fruits offer their own sets of health benefits. When paired with Poha, you can expect a healthy snack that supports you in weight loss. You can also roast your favourite dry fruits, nuts, and seeds with the poha for added benefits.
Poha Chat:
Poha Chat is another healthy way to consume Poha for weight loss! You can add corn, coriander leaves, lemon juice, chat masala and your preferred veggies to traditional poha for an extra flavorful boost.
Poha Salad:
Besides the above, Poha Salad is one of Poha recipes for weight loss way to satisfy your appetite and accelerate weight loss. To personalise it, you can add your favourite vegetables like tomato, cucumber, or capsicum to poha to make this midday or evening snack.
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Nutritional Value of Poha
Is Poha healthy? Well, Poha is nutrient-dense and contains carbohydrates, fat, protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. However, it is packed with complex carbs, which is a relatively healthier form of carbohydrates.
The next time you want a quick, delightful, easy, low-calorie breakfast meal packed with nutrients, look no further than Poha.
Recommend Article:Â Nutritional Value of PohaÂ
Before adding Poha to your healthy weight-loss diet, you must understand that the nutrient value of Poha changes with your preparation method and the ingredient you add to it. One bowl of 100g cooked poha contains the following primary nutrients:Â
Essential Nutrients:
- Energy: 180kCal
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fibre: 2.5mg
- Proteins: 2.34mg
- Fat: 7.9g
Minerals
- Iron: 2.6mg
- Potassium: 5mg
- Magnesium: 32.9g
- Calcium: 13.7mg
- Phosphorus: 79.7mg
Vitamins
- Vitamin A: 67.6mcgÂ
- Vitamin B: 1.4mg
- Vitamin C: 1.9mg
Evident and Significant Poha Benefits
A low-calorie and nutrient-rich Poha diet helps you control your health and weight efficiently. The Poha breakfast helps you routinely monitor your BMI and BMR.
Poha also ensures you don't compromise on taste while seeking healthy diet benefits. These are the most prominent but not the only benefits Poha for weight loss offers. Other benefits of Poha recipes for weight loss are:
Low in Calories
Calories, without a doubt, have a key role in weight loss. Monitoring it, however, is challenging. You must monitor your calorie in it. At the same time, this flattened rice can be a filling and satisfactory food option. Eating Poha ensures you consume less unhealthy and high-calorie food that eventually increases your weight.
A recent study has shown that a low-calorie diet is less likely to cause inflammatory, chronic, and age-related illnesses. Also, eating meals with fewer calories can assist in lowering calorie consumption overall, which can be advantageous for weight reduction.
Poha can be a constant in all diet meal plans because it has fewer calories than other food items.
Healthy Carbohydrates
Weight loss is a tiresome and exhausting process. It is because of low-calorie and carbohydrate intake. Consuming meals that will offer you the energy you need for everyday tasks is important to combat this.
Poha offers a supply of nutritious carbs, a strong energy source. Poha can help you stay energised and lessen your urge to overeat.
Rich in Fibre
Eating fibre-rich food has been proven to reduce weight and guard against obesity. Poha proves to be an ideal addition to one's diet. The high fibre content facilitates digestion and lowers the chances of constipation. Poha takes longer to digest, so you feel fuller for longer.
Fibre absorbs water in the stomach and grows in volume, helping to reduce hunger. As a result, it can help regulate calorie intake and discourage overeating.
Presence of Probiotic-loaded Gut Microbial Bacteria
Poha is a probiotic meal that can preserve your general health and well-being. It is because rice is parboiled before being sun-dried for a few hours. The dried substance is then flattened to make poha.
Consuming probiotics-rich Poha boosts and strengthens the good bacteria in the stomach. These bacteria aid in removing toxins from the stomach and burning bad cholesterol and fat.
Easy to Digest
Even being fibre-rich, Poha dishes are easy to digest. The best thing about Poha is that it does not cause bloating and can be eaten at breakfast or lunch.
Good For Blood Sugar
Poha is an excellent source of fibre and vitamin B1, which helps decrease sugar absorption into circulation and prevents any unexpected increases. Additionally, it is a sensible choice for people with diabetes to have.
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Different Names of Poha
Before exploring the benefits of Poha for weight loss, let's understand and know more about this unique food item first. Poha is a popular Indian breakfast that is found almost everywhere in the country. This yellow cuisine is flattened rice that is dried, parboiled, beaten, and rolled to produce flakes.
In its nature, this flattened rice has a gentle taste and no aroma. However, it is capable of soaking up the taste and flavours of the ingredients that you add to the dish which means a lot depends on the recipe.
It is why Poha rice enthusiasts often develop their own recipe or preparation methods. Some people like to eat it with lots of vegetables, while others prefer it plain. Nonetheless, it is famous on the street because of its taste and health benefits.
Poha rice is known by different names in different states. It is a famous food item and also known as Sira, Chira, Pauwa, Aval, or Avalakki. Kanda Poha and Batata Poha are a few of the most found Poha dishes on the streets and in homes. It is delicious, provides nutrition and offers various health benefits, making it a great and effective food option to incorporate into your diet and lose weight.
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Conclusion
Diet is one of the most necessary and essential elements of weight loss and management. As important as it is, it doesn't have to be a struggle. Poha for weight loss can ensure you keep track of your weight without compromising on taste.
The nutrient-rich Poha diet provides the energy you need to go through the day. It is also simple to cook and ideal for making delightful and healthy dishes.
You must understand, though, that a lot depends on how you prepare the dish and what ingredients you add to it.
Both decide its effectiveness in weight loss. Add Poha to your diet, and determine the ideal daily intake to start your weight loss journey. If you have trouble understanding how you should approach weight loss, Asmita is here to help you make yourself healthier and fitter with a team of expert and experienced individuals.
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FAQs on Poha for Weight Loss
Is Poha Good for Weight Loss?
Yes, Poha is a healthy option if you're attempting to reduce weight, control sugar levels, and maintain a healthy gut. Besides weight loss, Poha is also a delightful addition to your everyday diet.
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What is the Nutrition Provided by 100g of Poha?
Poha has 110 calories, 18.8 grams of carbohydrates, 0.9 grams of fibre, 2.87 grams of fat, and 2.34 grams of protein per 100-gram serving. However, you must also understand the numbers can change based on your preparation method and the ingredients you use.
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Is Poha Healthy and How Much Poha Should I Eat?
The delicious and filling Poha is ideal for any occasion. A daily intake of up to 150g can have many positive health effects. However, each person has distinct needs.
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