Biryani is a culinary gem with a calorie conundrum. And like most amazing things, the world is accepting of this characteristic. Biryani is a delectable dish made of layers – it has rice, marinated meat, caramelised onions, spices and a lot of flavour. However, while it’s a lovely dish to drown in, it can also be a significant contributor to one’s calorie intake. Understanding the calorie content of the different kinds of biryani and making informed choices can help transform this into a pleasurable and stress-free experience.
The Biryani calorie spectrum
The calorie content of biryani essentially depends on the type of biryani and how it’s prepared. The portion size also comes into play. If one were to list the calorie count of each biryani variety, this is broadly what it would look like based on the meat used –
Vegetable biryani: around 250-350 calories
Fish biryani: 300-400 calories per serving
Chicken biryani: around 350-500 calories
Mutton biryani: around 450-600 calories
These are per-serving calorie counts.
The high-calorie content can be due to a lot of reasons. Fat content, like the use of ghee or oil, may add a lot of fat to the dish. Meat used, like red meats, adds to calorie and fat content. Rice, which makes for a large part of the dish, is also a starchy carb, which adds to the calories.
Embracing a healthy biryani experience
Don’t let the calorie count scare you away from enjoying a good biryani. There are ways to ensure you can have a good biryani without it giving you a calorie overload. Let’s explore!
- Portion control is the easiest way to ensure that you’re having tasty meals without too many aftereffects. It helps manage calorie intake without you having to give up on high-calorie foods.
- A variety of biryanis exist not only for taste but so you can lean back and enjoy the goodness of biryani without the calorie repercussions. Balance a biryani by having lighter meals throughout the week and incorporating a fibre-rich diet so your body is able to regulate its internal temperature.
- Balancing nutrients with biryani would require you to pair biryani with nutrient-dense side dishes. Include salads, vegetables, and curries and have them before biting into the biryani. This gives your system enough greeny goodness to absorb the effect of the biryani easily.
- Healthier cooking methods could be adopted to reduce the fat content. Baking or grilling would help in such a matter.
- Mindful indulgence is key. Enjoying a biriyani doesn’t have to be a negative experience. You can enjoy the occasional biryani so long as you’re taking care of your body’s nutrient requirements for the remaining days.
Conclusion
Biryani is addictive and packed with so much flavour that it would be simply too upsetting to give up on it entirely. All good things come at a cost. Therefore, as a biryani lover, it’s your duty to ensure that you dance with biryani with a cautious foot. So long as you incorporate enough greens and control the portion sizes, you can devour a biryani without a calorie nightmare.
Also read – Satisfying Your Cravings with a Biryani Order
A food enthusiast and a blogger – someone who likes to eat and write about it. I’m passionate about exploring different cuisines and challenging my palette. I give into my food craving regularly and am often on the hunt to find my new favorite food place in town.
