Indian vs. American Food: The Healthier Choice
By Najla Zaidi | 21 Jul, 2025

Indian meals are often designed to include a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats while ingredients in American food have been stripped of nutrients through profit-based agricultural methods.

When it comes to comparing Indian cuisine with American cuisine, the answer is not black and white, as both types of dishes have good and bad options.  However, if you ask any Indian, he will say Indian food is the best food in the world and he may be right.  Indian cuisine tends to have more health benefits, flavor and satiety, along with many other benefits over normal American options.

Indian food prepared with traditional methods and consumed in balanced portions can be one of the world's healthiest diets.  Its strong foundation of whole grains, lean proteins, spices with medicinal properties, and probiotic-rich fermented foods offers a variety of health benefits.

Firstly, Indian food is high in fiber from whole grains and lentils.  Traditional Indian food incorporates fiber-rich whole grains and lentils such as whole wheat roti, which has a low glycemic index and is rich in fiber.  It incorporates millets which are excellent for heart health and diabetes management. 

Lentils or dal is a protein powerhouse for vegetarians because it’s packed with fiber and essential amino acids.  In fact, one cup of cooked lentils contains about 18g of protein and 15g of fiber, making it an outstanding plant-based protein source, according to the USDA. 

Indian cuisine is also famous for its use of spices, many of which have significant health benefits.  Turmeric contains curcumin, which has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.  Cumin aids digestion and improves gut health.  Fenugreek helps regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels.  Ginger and garlic boost immunity and have antibacterial properties.

A 2020 study published in Frontiers in Pharmacology found that turmeric and ginger significantly reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which are linked to chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.  The spices not only have medicinal properties, but they can also aid in sleep. 

Sleep and Relaxation

If you’ve ever felt sleepy after consuming Indian food, it may be a result of the fragrant spices and their combined effects.  Turmeric, for example, contains curcumin, which has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, potentially leading to relaxation and sleepiness, according to The Times of India.  It also helps regulate melatonin, the sleep hormone.  Cumin is a common ingredient in Indian dishes and is known for its mild sedative properties and ability to promote relaxation.  Cardamom acts as a natural stress reliever and can contribute to a sense of tranquility.  Like cardamom, cinnamon can have relaxing and warming effects as well.  Nutmeg contains myristicin, which can have sedative effects and fennel may also promote relaxation and sleep. 

While some spices commonly found in Indian cuisine can promote relaxation and potentially aid sleep, it's often a combination of factors, including the type and quantity of food consumed, that leads to sleepiness after eating Indian food.  Aside from promoting a good night’s sleep, Indian food is healthier due to its incorporation of fermented choices. 

Probiotics

Fermented Indian foods contribute to gut health by promoting beneficial gut bacteria.  For example, Idli and dosa are made from fermented rice and urad dal, which support digestion and healthy gut bacteria.  Yogurt contains probiotics that enhance gut health.  Traditionally made pickles provide natural fermentation benefits as well.  Regular probiotic intake can improve digestion and immune function, reducing the risk of gastrointestinal disorders, per a study by the American Journal of clinical Nutrition.  Now let’s turn to our American counterpart.

Americans eat more processed food with less fiber, fewer micronutrients, and fewer phytochemicals to protect against heart disease and diabetes. Americans eat only about 100 calories more per day than French or Italians, yet their obesity rate is 2-3 times more.  The American diet has become energy-rich but nutrient-poor, partly because agricultural methods have stripped nutrients from the soil.

American Agriculture and Loss of Nutrients

A study comparing the nutritional content of 43 different fruits and vegetables between 1950 and 1999 was published in 2004 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.  The results showed that the amount of protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin (vitamin B2), and vitamin C have declined substantially over the past half-century.  The study authors attributed this decline in nutritional content to agricultural practices designed to improve food qualities such as size, growth rate, and pest resistance rather than nutrition.

According to the World Watch Institute, farmers today can grow two to three times as much grain, fruit, and vegetables on a plot of land as they could 50 years ago, but that food contains 10 to 25 percent less iron, zinc, protein, calcium, vitamin C, and other nutrients.  For example, you would have to eat eight oranges today to derive the same amount of Vitamin A as our grandparents would have gotten from one.

Another new study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which joins other recent research finding that restaurant food is as unhealthy as the fast kind.  “The places that don’t report calories are just as bad, you really don’t know what you’re eating,” says the paper’s senior author Susan Roberts, director of the Energy Metabolism Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.  In fact, 92% of meals from large-chain and local restaurants have more calories than is recommended for the average person, the authors conclude.

“We found what we were expecting, which is that portion sizes are obscene,” says Roberts.  Some meals exceeded the calories recommended for a whole day.  On average, these restaurant meals contained 1,205 calories, which is about half of a person’s typical daily recommendations. 

In all, 92% of the meals gave a typical eater more energy than they need at a single meal.  The researchers used 570 calories as a benchmark for typical energy requirements.  They found that there was little difference between the calorie counts of food at chain and non-chain restaurants.  So, unless you’re making wise choices and cooking at home, American food can potentially do more harm than good.

Overall, Indian cuisine seems to be the winner when it comes to health and wellness.  Although there are some unhealthy options in Indian food, just as there are in all types of cuisines, Indian food with its numerous health benefits seems to be the better choice.