How many calories does one Kalmi Vada have?

One Kalmi Vada gives 84 calories. Out of which carbohydrates comprise 26 calories, proteins account for 8 calories and remaining calories come from fat which is 50 calories.  One  Kalmi Vada provides about 4 percent of the total daily calorie requirement of a standard adult diet of 2,000 calories.

Click here to view Kalmi Vada recipe. 

A perfect accompaniment for tea on a cold winter’s day, this Rajasthani delicacy is also surprisingly very easy to prepare.

Made with a coarsely blended batter of chana dal, perked up with green chillies, onions, dhania seeds, etc., Kalmi Vada has a wonderfully crunchy texture and stimulating flavour, which make it a challenge to stop with one serving!

In order to achieve that ideal texture, you need to make sure the chana dal is ground coarsely and not too finely.

Khamiri Green Peas Puris , Pyaaz ki Kachori and Kanji Vadas are a few other Rajasthani snacks you are sure to relish.

Kanji Vadas

Is Kalmi Vada healthy?

No, this is not healthy. Let's see why.

Let's understand the Ingredients.

What's good.

Chana Dal (split bengal gram) : One cup of cooked Chana Dal provides 33% of your protein for the day. Chana dal is  heart and diabetic friendly, also rich in fiber. Chana dal has high amount of potassium and low amount of sodium which makes it very effective in regulating your blood pressure. Read this article on complete benefits of chana dal. 

Ginger (Adrak) : Ginger is an effective cure for congestion, sore throat, cold and cough. It aids digestion and relieves constipation. Ginger was found as effective as drugs in relieving menstrual pain. Ginger is effective in decreasing the cholesterol levels in patients with high cholesterol. Ginger significantly reduces symptoms of nausea in pregnant ladies. See here for 16 Super Health Benefits of Adrak, Ginger.

Green Chillies : Antioxidant vitamin C in green chillies protects the body from effects of harmful free radicals and prevents stress. It is probably the high fiber which helps in controlling blood sugar levels. This it is a welcome addition to a diabetic diet. Suffering from anaemia? Add green chillies to your list of iron rich foods too. For complete details see benefits of green chilli. 

Onions (pyaz, kanda) :  Raw onions are a very valuable source of vitamin C – the immune building vitamin. Along with other phytonutrients from onions, it helps to build WBC (white blood cells) which serves as a line of defence against illness. Yes, it’s a source of many antioxidants, the most important one amongst them being Quercetin. The quercetin in Onions promotes production of HDL (good cholesterol) and lowers total cholesterol in the body. The sulphur in onions act as a blood thinner and prevents blood clotting too. This in turn would lower blood pressure and good for heart,  diabetics. Read the benefits of onions. 

Red chilli powder : Red chilli powder can set the taste buds on fire, and sometimes the tummy too! It is basically a spice blend consisting of one or two types of dried red chillies that are ground and pulverized into a fine powder. It is generally used to add spice to otherwise bland foods.

Coriander powder: Apart from being an aromatic spice, coriander powder has many curative and cooling properties. Coriander powder taken in combination with a pinch of asafoetida and rock salt is considered an aid to the digestive system. It is an appetite stimulant and aids in the secretion of gastric juices. It has also been known to stimulate insulin production and help in manging blood sugar levels in diabetics. It also exhibits anti-microbial property. The presence of antioxidants in it promotes skin health and maintain hair health. Its anti-inflammatory properties promote heart health. 

Benefits of Fennel Seeds, Saunf : Aids in Digestion: The fiber content of fennel seeds is enough to prove its digestive benefits. 1 tbsp of saunf provides 2.3 g of fiber. Relieves Constipation:  The fiber in saunf adds bulk and helps in easy bowel movements too. The high fiber from saunf helps to reduce the bad cholesterol (LDL) in the body thus preventing the formation of plaque and in turn, heart attack. See detailed benefits of fennel seeds, saunf.

What's the problem?

Deep fried foods : This Kalmi Vada is deep fried. Any food that is deep fried is not suitable for healthy living. You're fat levels increase as deep frying increases oil absorption. Also when you use the same oil again for deep frying then smoking point decreases which leads to the development of blue smoke which is not good for health. It also increases inflammation in the body and shuts down the fat burning process.

Note : 1 cup = 200 ml (standard cup available in the market). The weight in grams varies for each ingredient.

Can diabetics, heart patients and overweight individuals have Kalmi Vada?

Since the vada is deep fried, it will lead to spike in blood sugar levels. So it is not healthy for diabetics.

What is the alternative to dal vada for diabetics, heart and overweight individuals?

Instead of deep fried Kalmi Vada, we have the super healthy snack which is similar to chana dal vada. It's the tava chana dal vada,  Dal Pandoli with all the goodness of dal vada minus the deep frying. So diabetics and others, we have the perfect option for you. These vadas are cooked on a tava. Yes, use a tava for cooking.

Tava Chana Dal Vadas

Healthy Chutney to have

Have this with nutritious green chutney recipe which has ZERO sugar used in it made with mint leaves, onions and coriander, lehsun ka chutney, green garlic chutney or green chutney recipe.  Coconut based options are healthy coconut chutney made from coconut and coriander and coconut coriander green chutney for idlis dosa uttapam vada.

Nutritious Green Chutney

Is chana dal vada suitable for a healthy life style?

You may argue that the Kalmi Vada is only 84 calories. What we must be careful is the quality of calories we have. This is depp fried food. So the decision is yours. As you understand what goes into the food and the reason its not good, you will slowly change your food habits to a much healthier option. So perhaps ask for a healthy snack option.

One Kalmi Vada is high in

Vitamin B1 : Vitamin B1 protects nerves, helps in carbohydrate metabolism, prevents heart diseases and helps produce red blood cells. 

Note : a recipe is deemed high in a Vitamin or mineral if it meets 20% and above the recommended daily allowance based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

How to burn 84 calories that come from one Kalmi Vada?

Walking (6 kmph) = 25 mins
Running (11 kmph) = 8 mins
Cycling (30 kmph)  = 11 mins
Swimming (2 kmph) = 14 mins

Note: These values are approximate and calorie burning differs in each individual.