Have you ever wondered if the South Indian delight of upma can be your one-stop remedy for weight loss? When made in a uniquely healthy technique involving whole grains and a bundle of veggies, there are ample benefits of upma for weight loss. Upma is a popular breakfast that is enjoyed in Indian households. It is a low-calorie meal compared to other breakfast options. Apart from being low in calories, upma is also rich in several nutrients such as fibre, protein, magnesium, iron, vitamins and others, which makes them a healthy addition to one’s weight loss diet. The most prevalent ingredient used to make upma is suji or semolina. However, people also utilize quinoa, oats, ragi, and sweet potato to make upma. Continue reading to learn about Upma for weight loss and ways to incorporate the recipe into your diet.
Can Upma help to lose Weight?
The cherished breakfast meal of upma is more than just a treat to your taste buds. The light and veggie-heavy dish is enriched with nutritional benefits that promote the overall well-being of our health and assist with weight loss. The content of upma is rich in fibre and protein. The fibre content slows digestion and promotes fullness, keeping overeating at bay. They also contain probiotics that promote healthy gut bacteria growth, improving digestion and preventing stomach-related issues. Fibre is also helpful in slowing down the absorption of carbs into the bloodstream, which prevents blood sugar spikes, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and preventing binge eating. Protein is an essential nutrient that helps grow lean muscle mass, promotes satiety hormones and suppresses hunger hormones, thus preventing you from feeling hungry at frequent hours. There are evident benefits of High protein Foods for Weight Loss as they require more energy than fat and carbs to be digested, accelerating the fat-burning process. The delight of upma is low in calories and fats, an essential factor for weight loss.
Benefits of Upma for weight loss
The delicious food of upma for weight loss comes with several nutrients such as protein, fibre, thiamine, folate, iron, magnesium and riboflavin. All of these contribute to promoting a healthy body fulfilled with all nutrition. However, there’s a persistent doubt that clouds around the item, is upma good for weight loss? The rich protein and fibre content and low calorie and fat presence substantially assist with weight loss. Some of the benefits of Upma for weight loss are mentioned below.
1. High in protein
Protein is one of our body’s most essential nutrients for performing several crucial bodily functions. It is also an excellent supplement for weight loss. Upma for weight loss is packed with protein benefits, which help promote the satiety hormone and suppress the hunger hormone simultaneously. This helps promote fullness and keeps overeating at bay. Protein also helps enhance resting metabolism, which helps burn calories even when the body is at rest.
2. Rich in fibre
Fibre helps slow digestion, promoting fullness for a prolonged period. The nutrient also contains probiotics, which promote the production of healthy gut bacteria that improve digestion and boost gut health. A 170 g serving of upma contains 2.21 g of fibre. The fibre content enhances the benefits of upma for weight loss and lowers cholesterol levels, which promotes heart health.
3. Low-calorie, Low-fat food
While scooping on the bowl of upma, you might wonder, is upma good for weight loss? A weight loss diet is mainly designed to keep the fat and calorie content low as they can pose an acute hindrance to the overall weight control journey. Upma is one of the healthiest breakfast foods, given its density of nutrients and low calorie and fat content. A 155 g of upma contains 132 calories and 4 g of fat. Moreover, 3.1 g of fat content is polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, considered healthy fats and aids weight loss. Upma can make for an excellent part of your Detox Diet Plan.
4. Supports digestive health
Enhanced digestive health is another of the many health benefits of upma for weight loss, owing to the presence of dietary fibre. Fibre helps to accelerate the growth of healthy gut bacteria. A healthy balance of gut bacteria leads to improved digestion, better metabolism, and enhanced immunity. Fibre content also helps regulate bowel movements and keeps gut-related issues like constipation at bay.
5. Improves blood sugar control
Magnesium and fibre play a vital role in regulating blood sugar levels. The magnesium content in upma for weight loss helps reduce insulin sensitivity and improves the cell’s response. This helps regulate blood sugar levels and substantially reduces the risk of diabetes. Another essential nutrient in upma for weight loss includes fibre, which helps slow the absorption of carbs into the bloodstream and helps keep the blood sugar spikes at bay. They are also known to bring down haemoglobin A1c levels, which contributes to reducing the average blood sugar reading in people with diabetes.
How to eat Upma in weight loss?
People often question, is upma good for weight loss? The ravishing meal of upma is rich in fibre, protein and healthy fats, and low in calories. The food is also rich in iron and magnesium. These nutrients help prevent anaemia and regulate blood sugar levels, respectively. Upma is often made with semolina. However, people can also utilize other ingredients like oats, ragi or quinoa to prepare the delight of upma for weight loss. Apart from the traditional method of making upma, one can experiment with several other ingredients and recipes to bring flavour and nutrition to their upma for weight loss. Below are some of the ways to eat upma for weight loss.
1. Pair with Sambar: What happens when you mix two South Indian delights into one bowl? It creates a delicious eruption of several health benefits. The popular Sambar, made with veggies and lentils, can be paired with Upma for weight loss to enhance further the food’s protein, fibre, and other essential nutrient content.
2. Mix the flavour of Chutney: The savoury twist of chutney goes with almost every food item. Utilize coconut, green chillies, or other spices to make a small bowl of tasty chutney and enjoy it with the delicacy of upma for weight loss.
3. Consume with Raita: Raita, a cooling and satisfying ingredient made with yoghurt, is enjoyed as a side dish. Upma for weight loss can be made even more delicious and nutritionally dense by adding the delight of raita, which comes with the benefits of probiotics that promote healthy digestion and better gut health.
4. Make Sweet Potato/Quinoa Upma: Wondering, is upma good for weight loss? The various versions of upma, made out of suji, quinoa, oats, etc, are all extremely beneficial owing to their rich nutritional profile. Cook some upma out of sweet potato as it’s rich in beta carotene, which is a good source of Vitamin A and promotes eye health. The quinoa upma for weight loss improves digestion, reduces inflammation, and has anti-cancer properties. Meanwhile you can also find relevant and informative answers for, Is Poha good for weight loss?
What is the best time to have Upma for Weight Loss?
Upma is loaded with the benefits of fibre, protein, folate, thiamine, magnesium and iron. They are also low in calories and fats and contain Vitamins A & C and phosphorus. While relishing the delight of upma, people may wonder, is upma good for weight loss? The nutrients of protein and fibre help promote fullness and enhance metabolism. This further assists with preventing binge eating along with stimulating the process of fat burning. The benefits of upma for weight loss can be extracted by consuming the ingredients at any time of the day. It can be consumed as an evening snack with salad or as part of a light dinner with some chutney. However, breakfast is the most popular meal to include upma for weight loss. Our digestive system is most active during the morning; thus, stimulating healthy gut bacteria’s growth through probiotics can help enhance digestion and boost metabolism. Therefore, including upma in your morning routine can help with better digestion, keep you full for long and boost your energy levels. For more sustainable weight loss under expert’s guidance, Buy Weight Loss Plans.
How to add Upma into weight loss plan?
People often ponder upon the doubt, is upma good for weight loss? Weight loss diets have long been presumed to be restricted to fancy cuisines and exotic recipes. On the contrary, one can utilize several Indian recipes that sit right with our taste buds and assist with weight loss. Upma for weight loss is one such food that comes loaded with several nutrients and is low in calories and fats, which essentially aids weight loss and boosts our health. Below are the steps to add upma for weight loss into our diet plan. This may also help you resolve the doubt of, How to lose 10 kgs in 7 days?
Step 1: Dry roast the suji, followed by heating oil in a pan
Step 2: Add rai and urad dal and let it crackle. Then add grated ginger, chopped green chilli, kadi patta, chana dal and chopped onion.
Step 3: Saute all the ingredients well, followed by seasoning with salt or as per taste
Step 4: Add roasted suji and water and mix well
Step 5: Cover the pan with a lid to cook until the sooji is cooked through and the water has evaporated
Step 6: Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot
Expert Review on Is Upma Good for Weight Loss
The beloved breakfast of Upma is loaded with fibre, protein, folate, thiamine, magnesium and iron. They are also low in calories and fats and contain Vitamins A & C and phosphorus. The nutrient of protein and fiber help promote fullness and enhance metabolism. This further assists with preventing binge eating and stimulating the process of fat burning. The food is also low in calories and fats, which are essential in promoting weight loss. Apart from weight loss, upma also helps reduce cholesterol levels, prevent blood sugar spikes, promote heart health, and prevent iron deficiency and anaemia. One can enjoy the perks of upma by combining it with several other foods and recipes, such as mixing it with raita or sambhar or pairing it with chutney or a salad bowl. It can be enjoyed at any time of the day; however, including upma in the morning breakfast is the best. This helps promote digestive health, supports fullness for a long time, and keeps you energized throughout the day.
References
“Formulation and Quality Evaluation of Modified Upma Mix from Foxtail Millet and Soy for Nutritional Security.” 2018. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences (IJCMAS). https://www.ijcmas.com/7-2-2018/Ketki%20Dhumketi,%20et%20al.pdf.
“Fortification of durum wheat semolina with detoxified matri (Lathyrus sativus) flour to improve the nutritional properties of pasta.” 2018. NCBI. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5976595/.
V, Asritha. n.d. “A Review on Role of Millets in Weight Loss.” Open Science Publications. Accessed April 9, 2024. https://www.opensciencepublications.com/fulltextarticles/IJN-2395-2326-8-236.html.
FAQs
1. Is upma good for weight loss?
There runs a burgeoning doubt about the popular breakfast: Is Upma good for weight loss? Upma is rich in protein and fibre, both of which help promote fullness and keep you from overeating. They also help improve digestion and boost metabolism, which promotes fat burning and overall aids in weight loss.
2. Is rava good for weight loss?
Rava is loaded with the benefits of several nutrients, especially fibre, which acts as a satiating element and keeps binge eating at bay. It is also low in fat and calories and a rich source of complex carbs, which enhance energy levels and keep you energized throughout the day.
3. Is upma high calorie?
Upma can be an excellent addition to weight loss due to its low calorie content. A 155 g serving contains 132 calories. The calorie deficit component of upma keeps you from consuming excess calories and putting on unnecessary weight.
4. Is upma better than rice?
In comparison to rice, upma can be deemed healthier than rice. Rice has a higher glycemic index, which can lead to blood sugar spikes that will increase the risk of diabetes and also promote binge eating. Upma has complex carbohydrates, and thus, their glycemic index is low, which regulates the blood sugar levels.
5. Is upma healthy or unhealthy?
Upma is packed with the benefits of several nutrients of fiber, protein, magnesium, vitamin A & C, healthy fats, iron and others. These help in lowering the risk of diabetes by regulating blood sugar levels, promoting heart health by reducing cholesterol levels, improving digestion, preventing anemia along with aiding weight loss.
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