Clearing Confusion

Are curd and dal fattening?

100 gms. of uncooked dal contains approximately 1.5 gms. of fat. 100 gm of curd made from whole milk contains approximately 4-6gms. of fat. Dal and curd are very good sources of protein, minerals and vitamins and very valuable foods in a healthy diet. I would say neither are fattening. Only the curd has to be made from milk that is skimmed i.e. cream removed. Totally fat-free curd can be prepared from skimmed milk powder and this can be had at all meals or any time in between meals and in the form of buttermilk. I would advise that dal and pulses be included in both lunch and dinner, if tolerated. Half to one cup sambar, dhal or pulses like channa or rajma should be eaten with both lunch and dinner. The cooked dhal or pulses would contain a negligible amount of fat but the oil used for seasoning which would be approximately half to one teaspoon is permissible.

They say that garlic and papaya tablets help in reducing weight. How far is it true and where can I get these?

I can say that no tablet or pill can help you reduce weight. Weight reduction can only be achieved by avoiding fatty foods like cream, butter, ghee, all fried foods, all nuts, all sweets, all fatty bakery products and red meats. You have to eat three carbohydrate plus protein balanced meals which are low in fat and high in fiber, including plenty of vegetables and fruits. Besides this you have to walk for 30 minutes daily and drink two and a half to three liters of water daily.

Is it bad to sleep right after a meal?

The old saying goes “After lunch nap a while, after dinner walk a mile”. I would say taking a short nap after lunch would not harm anybody (15-20 minutes). After dinner, however I would advice that there should be at least a two hour gap before you go to bed. Starches and sugars take between 30 minutes to 2 hours to get digested. It will be useful to ensure that this process is completed before one retires for the day. Taking a light walk after dinner will help one to relax and also to burn up some calories eaten at dinner.

I have a paunch and want to lose only by dieting is this possible?

Weight loss of any kind should only be attempted with a combination of both dieting and exercise. Dieting helps to break down fat that is stored in the body while exercise will help to tone muscles in those areas from which the fat has been removed. If weight loss has been achieved only by dieting there is the possibility that the skin and muscles in those areas may have a lose and sagging appearance.