South Asian food is by far one of the most delicious, exciting and mouth watering menus.  From curries to breads to sweets, the food is a culinary delight to anyone who has tried it.  But behind all the rice, vegetables and sauces is a diet that is extremely high in fat, oil and sodium.  These three things are literally killing many south Asians prematurely due to heart attacks and strokes.

In an article in the Toronto Star last year, it stated that South Asians, more than any other ethnic group, are at risk of dying from a heart attack at an early age.  The article stated that researchers at McMaster University found people native to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka can die from heart disease five to 10 years earlier than those from other ethnic groups, even when South Asians appear to be at a healthy weight.

The article stated that researchers now believe that just being South Asian may be an independent risk factor for heart disease, and there is increasing evidence that traditional risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels and diabetes, attack the cardiovascular system more aggressively in this population.

With such a large South Asian community in Canada, it is important for people to understand how important healthy eating and being active is in order to avoid the risk factors associated with heart disease.

One great way to eat healthy is to follow the Canadian Food Guide and its recommendations on what to eat.  Here is a sample of the servings that you should be eating.

Recommended number of Food Guide Servings per day

A Food Guide Serving is simply a reference amount. It helps you understand how much food is recommended every day from each of the four food groups. In some cases, a Food Guide Serving may be close to what you eat, such as an apple. In other cases, such as rice or pasta, you may serve yourself more than one Food Guide Serving.

Examples of One Food Guide Serving are:

Vegetables and Fruit

• 125 mL (½ cup) fresh, frozen or canned 
vegetable or fruit or 100% juice
• 250 mL (1 cup) leafy raw vegetables or
salad
• 1 piece of fruit

Grain Products

• 1 slice (35 g) bread or ½ bagel (45 g)
• ½ pita (35 g) or ½ tortilla (35 g)
• 125 mL (½ cup) cooked rice, pasta, or couscous
• 30 g cold cereal or 175 mL (¾ cup) hot cereal

Milk and Alternatives

• 250 mL (1 cup) milk or fortified soy beverage
• 175 g (¾ cup) yogurt
• 50 g (1 ½ oz.) cheese

Meat and Alternatives

• 75 g (2 ½ oz.)/125 mL (½ cup) cooked fish, shellfish, poultry or lean meat
• 175 mL (¾ cup) cooked beans
• 2 eggs

• 30 mL (2 Tbsp) peanut butter

So, try cutting down the extra amount of fat in your desi food, and try replacing it with healthier food groups for a better, healthier life!

Author: Ahsan Bokhari