How many calories does one Sabudana Vada have?

One  Sabudana Vada gives 126 calories. Out of which carbohydrates comprise 51 calories, proteins account for 7 calories and remaining calories come from fat which is 70 calories.  One Sabudana Vada provides about 6 percent of the total daily calorie requirement of a standard adult diet of 2,000 calories.

See Sabudana Vada recipe. Sabudana vada, traditionally an ingredient used during fasts, sabudana is a favourite amongst Maharashtrian It lends itself to such lovely recipes, such as these vadas! The crunchy peanuts that punctuate every bite are something I look forward to in the vada! You can serve these vadas on fasting days like Janmashtami , Maha Shivratri or as Starters / Snacks for entertaining.

sabudna is a favourite deep fried snack amongst Maharashtrians. 

Is Sabudana Vada healthy?

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

Let's understand the Ingredients.

What's good.

1. Peanuts : Peanuts contain Vitamin B1, Thiamine which helps form ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) which body uses for energy. A handful of peanuts gives you 7.3 grams of Protein. Peanuts, Almonds, Walnuts and Cashews are rich in Protein and healthy monounsaturated fats which won’t spike your blood sugar levels and good for a diabetic snack and healthy heart snack. Eating a handful of Peanuts a day is said to increase the good cholesterol (HDL) in your body which is good for heart health. Read 11 amazing benefits of peanuts. 

2. Coriander (kothmir, dhania) : The antioxidants vitamin A, vitamin C and the quercetin present in coriander works towards strengthening our immune system. Coriander is a fairly good source of iron and folate – the 2 nutrient which help in the production and maintenance of red blood cells in our blood. Good for reducing cholesterol and good for diabetics. Read 9 benefits of coriander to understand details. 

What's the problem?

1. Sabudana, Sago :  Sago is a super energy and carb loaded grain. Eating such high carbs at any meal, be it snack or lunch or dinner, is not considered to be healthy. Excess calories and carbs might lead to weight gain easily. Sago isn’t a very healthy choice for diabetics, as it might raise the blood sugar levels instantly. For details read is sago healthy. 

2. Potatoes (Aloo) : Potatoes being high in simple carbohydrates will lead to weight gain and are not good for people with diabetes, heart problem and obesity. Potatoes are recommended for malnourished children and people with low weight. See full details on why potatoes are bad for you.  

3. Deep fried foods : This recipe is deep fried. Any food that is deep fried is not suitable for healthy living. Your 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. Processed food, Deep Fried Foods also increases inflammation in the body and shuts down the fat burning process. Most diseases from heart, to cardio vascular, diabetes, parkinsons, alzheimer, cancer and obesity result when the cells get inflamed and don't then function correctly. Inflammation in the arteries can cause heart attacks. So your diet should contain foods that fight inflammation in the body. That's how your body gets healthier by eating the right stuff. So you have given the cells in your body the right food to stay healthy and that is so important in staying disease free for the rest of your life.

Can diabetics, heart patients and over weight individuals have Sabudana Vada?

No, this recipe is not good for diabetics, heart and weight loss. This recipe is deep fried. Any food that is deep fried is not suitable for healthy living. Your fat levels increase as deep frying increases oil absorption. Processed food, Deep Fried Foods also increases inflammation in the body and shuts down the fat burning process. Most diseases from heart, to cardio vascular, diabetes, parkinsons, alzheimer, cancer and obesity result when the cells get inflamed and don't then function correctly. Inflammation in the arteries can cause heart attacks. So your diet should contain foods that fight inflammation in the body. That's how your body gets healthier by eating the right stuff.

Here are some Healthy Indian snack options.

You can have Baked Samosa with mixed sprouts, Matarsutir Kachori,  Oats Moong Dal Tikki, Baked methi muthia recipe,  Zunka recipe, moong dal dhokla recipe,  bajra carrot onion uttapam recipe , baked palak jowar murukku, Buckwheat Khichdi, mini jowar pancakes or buckwheat pancake as one healthy recipe option. 

Buckwheat Khichdi, Farali Kutto Khichdi Recipe, Vrat Recipe, Fasting Recipe

Can healthy individuals have Sabudana Vada?

No, Sabudana Vada is not healthy. To live a healthy lifestyle, one should stay away from deep fried foods. While Sabudana Vada is really tasty, sadly its not that healthy. Fried foods add empty calories and bad fat to your diet.

We must understand the differnce between good fat and bad fat to then cut out unhealthy food. Good fat examples are almonds, avocado, full fat paneer which will keep you fuller for a longer time and burn slowly in your body keeping you healthier. Bad fat is fried food like french fries, samosas, vadas etc. Eating bad fat will also cause inflammation in the body. So avoid it.

Try and eat a healthy snack as a better option.

How to burn 126 calories that come from one Sabudana Vada?

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