Gulab jamun is a luxurious and delicious treat we cannot say no to and it’s difficult to stop at just one, but having gulab jamun on weight loss diet is a complete no-no. But during festivals, especially Dusshera and Diwali, having gulab jamun is part of the celebrations.
According to an article on Nutritionix, on Indian Express, 1 piece of gulab jamun may have up to 149 calories, and if you have two, it would easily add up to 300 calories. Not to forget, along with the sugar syrup, the calories would shoot up easily. But for someone with diabetes, consuming sugar in any form is not good for health, and it’s better to avoid sugary foods altogether.
Why Gulab Jamun is Not Considered Weight Loss Friendly?
At the outset, gulab jamun has really no nutritional value. The dough to make gulab jamun is made of refined carbs and deep frying in oil makes it calorie dense. Most importantly, gulab jamuns are soaked in a thick, sugary syrup that takes a considerable amount of sugar to make. The high amount of sugar in gulab jamun would quickly raise blood sugar and spike the release of insulin. This hormone not only regulates blood sugar but it also supports fat storage in the body. Insulin plays a key role in how your body stores fat and frequent insulin spikes and uncontrolled sugar intake can lead to weight gain.
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3 Tips For Eating Gulab Jamun on Weight Loss Diet:
As mentioned earlier, it’s really difficult to say “no” to gulab jamun, particularly during festivities and celebrations. So, keeping that in mind, we bring to you 3 tips for eating gulab jamun on weight loss diet:
1. Avoid the Sugary Syrup:
The sugary syrup that the gulab jamuns are soaked is neither weight loss friendly nor healthy. So, the #1 tip to eat gulab jamun on weight loss diet is to pick the jamun and avoid the syrup. Also, while making the syrup, make sure it is sticky and not watery because if watery, the jamuns will absorb more syrup. Gulab jamuns absorb a lot of sweetness when soaked in the syrup, hence it would be a good idea to avoid the syrup while eating.
2. Bake The Gulab Jamun Instead of Deep Frying:
To avoid the extra calories from deep frying the gulab jamuns, switch to alternative cooking methods such as baking where there is no oil required. Here’s a simple recipe – Mix 1 cup of milk powder, ⅓ cup of wheat flour, and ¼ cup of curd to form a dough. Now, shape the dough into small balls and arrange them on a baking tray. Bake at 150 degrees Celsius for 10-12 minutes.
Once baked, allow the balls to cool. In a separate pan, take 1 cup of honey, 1 cup of water, and ½ cup of rose water and boil on medium flame until the syrup thickens. Now soak the baked jamuns in the syrup for 10 minutes. You can also use an air fryer at 350 degrees for 10 minutes to cook the gulab jamuns. Switching to healthier cooking methods is one smart way to eat gulab jamun on weight loss diet.
3. Practice Portion Control:
As with any other food, practicing portion control is a major key to weight loss. Whether it’s brown rice, oats, broccoli or gulab jamun – controlling portion sizes by keeping in mind the number of calories associated with the food is essential to shed extra weight. Since a single gulab jamun may have up to 150 calories, remember to have not more than two, and reserve indulging in these sweet treats for festive and special occasions, otherwise, it may be really difficult to lose weight.
Summing up, gulab jamun is the kind of dessert that can tempt even the most strong-willed dieter. But if weight loss is on your mind, you would have to learn to resist the temptation in indulging in this delightful treat on a regular basis. Most importantly, to lose weight in 6 weeks and for complete diet plan, email me at [email protected]
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