How many calories does one plate of Geela Bhel have?

One plate of Geela Bhel gives 359 calories. Out of which carbohydrates comprise 244 calories, proteins account for 40 calories and remaining calories come from fat which is 75 calories.  One plate of Geela Bhel provides about 18 percent of the total daily calorie requirement of a standard adult diet of 2,000 calories.

Click here to see  Geela Bhel recipe. Want to experience the power of a tornado swirling inside your mouth? Well, no better way than to taste this Geela Bhel.

An awesomely crunchy and spicy snack, the Geela Bhel features puffed rice mixed with an array of spices to get a really chatpata flavour.

Onions, lemon juice, nylon sev and other elements bring in a variety of textures and tastes to this sumptuous snack, which can even double up as a meal.

The phudina chutney used here is quite spicy, with a range of ingredients from ginger, garlic and green chillies to fennel seeds.

It is difficult to make the chutneys and dry masala powder in very small quantities, so you can make a little more as shown here and store the remaining quantities in dry airtight containers in the fridge to use later.

Keep the ingredients ready beforehand, but assemble this quick and easy snack just before serving to enjoy the tempestuous blast of fresh flavours and textures.

Try other recipes like Chole Tikki Chaat or Mexican Bhel. 

Chole Tikki Chaat

Is Geela Bhel healthy?

No, this is not healthy snacks. The Geela Bhel is made primarily of bhel which consists of puffed rice, boiled potaoes and nylon sev, papdis which are deep fried. It is stir with date & sweet jaggery chutney, which is not good for diabetic person.

Let's understand the Ingredients of Geela Bhel.

What's good in Geela Bhel.

Puffed rice (Kurmura, murmura, mamra): Puffed rice isn’t a very wholesome cereal, as it is devoid of most nutrients including protein and fiber. So it is best avoided by weight watchers and diabetes. However if you wish to consume it occasionally, the best idea would be to add in ingredients like sprouts, fruits and /or veggies to puffed rice and create a dish which is flavourful and more healthy. But for an ingredient (puffed rice) to qualify for weight loss, low calorie isn’t the only green signal. Protein and fiber are equally important. The ingredients should be a good source of these 2 key nutrients as well. Protein is required to build muscle and aid in weight loss, while fiber is needed to keep you full for long hours and avoid binge eating. See is puffed rice healthy?

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 which 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. 

Dates (Khajur) : Dates are used in khajur imli chutney in the recipe. 1 cup of dates (90 gm) gives around 8.05 gm of fiber and will lower down the cholesterol level and will also aid in weight loss. A cup of dates contain 703 mg of potassium (14.95% of RDA) which helps in the regulation of blood pressure and also prevents formation of kidney stones. Dates have a low glycemic index from 43 to 55 depending on the variety, so they are a boon to diabetics to satisfy their sweet tooth. See details for 8 super benefits of dates. 

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.

Jaggery (Gur) : When compared to sugar, which provides only empty calories, jaggery is considered to be a superior natural sweetener. Sugar is definitely one of the causes of many chronic diseases, but jaggery too needs to be consumed in moderate amounts. What you would consume is just about a tbsp (18 g) or a tsp (6 g). While those with heart diseases and weight loss can have a dessert made with this quantity of jaggery occasionally as an option to refined sugar, but diabetics need to avoid this sweetener too as it can spike blood sugar levels instantly. Read is jaggery healthy for complete details.

Mint Leaves (Pudina) : Mint (pudina) being an anti-inflammatory reduces the inflammation in the stomach and shows a cleansing effect. Sipping on a healthy drink like fresh mint and lemon tea is the best option to overcome nausea for mums-to-be. Moreover it's vitamin A (10% of RDA) and vitamin C (20.25%) serve as an additional boost to bring relief from cough, sore throat and also cold. Mint (pudina) is a leafy vegetable which is sure to create nourishing dishes without piling on calories, carbs or fat for that instance. What is has to offer instead is FIBER. See here for detailed benefits of mint leaves. 

Garlic : Garlic has been proven to lower cholesterol. The active ingredient allicin present in garlic aids in lowering blood pressure. Garlic is also alleged to help regulate blood glucose levels for diabetics. Garlic is great for the heart and circulatory system. Garlic has an antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal function and can help in relieving common cold and other viral infections. To boost your immune system have a garlic clove a day. Garlic is a top anti viral food. The thiosulphate compound, Allicin found in garlic acts as a strong antioxidant and protects our body from damage of free radicals.  Read here for complete benefits of garlic. 

Lemon, Lemon Juice : Lemon is a very good source of Vitamin C and thus helps in the production of  white blood cells and antibodies in the blood which attacks invading microorganisms, prevents infection and builds immunity. Therefore, Lemon juice is given to prevent common cold. The ascorbic acid in lemon juice helps in absorption of iron from the food. So if you’re iron deficient or have anaemia squeeze a lemon on iron rich recipes. See detailed benefits of lemon, lemon juice.

What's the problem in Geela Bhel?

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.  

Nylon Sev : The presence of gram flour makes sev a high protein snack but since it is deep fried, it tends to be higher in calories and fat content. It is best to use this as per recipe requirement and only in moderation.

Papdis : Papdis are crispy small flat puris made of plain flour spiced up with salt and other spices and then deep-freid. They add crunch to most chaat recipes. The dough used to prepare Papdis is usually very stiff. These are easily available in the market under different brand names and can be made at home too. Sometimes these Papdis may also be baked, to cut down on calories and fat percentage. These Papdis are used in a variety of chaats like bhelpuri, sevpuri, papdi chat etc.,all of which are famous Indian street foods.

Fried masala chana Dal : Fried Chana Dal is a popular snack in India, which is readily available in market. These are made using chana dal/ split Bengal gram, which are first soaked well, drained and then deep fried till crunchy and crisp. They are then seasoned with spices like salt and chilli powder. 

Deep fried foods : This recipe has papadi + nylon sev which 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. It 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 Geela Bhel  ?

No, this recipe is not good for diabetics, heart and weight loss. This recipe has papdi and nylon sev which is deep fried. Any food that is deep fried is not suitable for healthy living. Potatoes being high in simple carbohydrates will lead to weight gain and are not good for people with diabetes,