Poha is a healthy Indian breakfast that makes you feel fuller and lighter on the stomach. It is a much-loved snack that comes with so many health benefits. The health benefits of including poha in your diet menu include:
- Calories in poha control blood sugar levels – poha is rich in fibre, which promotes a steady release of sugar into the bloodstream.
- Being an excellent probiotic, a plate of poha helps in the digestion of carbohydrates and proteins, which is good for the digestive system.
- Carb-rich –poha is highly rich in carbohydrates that provide energy to the body to carry out its day to day functions.
- Lighter for the stomach – having a tummy-filled food that doesn’t make you heavy or exhausted is what sets poha apart from other foods. Poha is lighter on the stomach and can be easily digested. It will never cause gas or bloating problems.
- Low in calories – with a small number of calories in poha, it is an ideal dish to serve for people who are looking to lose weight. A bowl of poha (including curry leaves and other ingredients) carries around 250 calories.
Calories in Poha:
When talking about the calories in poha, one plate of poha gives 180 calories which include:
- 100 calories of carbohydrates
- 9 calories of protein
- 71 calories of fat
For those who don’t know how to make a Maharashtrian style kanda poha, here’s the recipe. Kanda poha is easy to make a dish that can be prepared in your ways.
- To prepare kanda poha, you first need to put the beaten rice flakes in a strainer and wash them thoroughly. This helps to soften the poha. Drain the water and keep aside.
- Now take oil in a deep non-stick pan. Add peanuts and roast them. This is to give the poha a unique and nutty flavour. For people who like to have some crunchy breakfast, adding cashews and peanuts would be best recommended.
- Add cumin and mustard seeds. When they splutter, add curry leaves and green chillies. The number of chillies can be added as per your requirement. If you like the dish to be spicy, you can add more chillies. Usually, this Maharashtrian kanda poha is a spicy one.
- Once the raw smell goes off, add onions, turmeric, and salt (as required) to mix well.
- Further, add the drained poha and mix well. If your poha has dried out, you can sprinkle some water, which helps in getting the moisture back.
- Give the right mix, and you are ready to serve the dish in a bowl. You can garnish the dish by sprinkling some grated coconut and coriander leaves.
That said, calories in poha for one plate serving provide about 9 percent of the total daily calorie requirement from a standard adult diet of 2000 calories. To make it healthier and nutritious, you can cook the recipe in olive oil or coconut oil, by adding vegetables to it.