How many calories does one Semiya Upma have?

One Semiya Upma gives 107 calories. Out of which carbohydrates comprise 69 calories, proteins account for 9 calories and remaining calories come from fat which is 29 calories. One Semiya Upma provides about 5 percent of the total daily calorie requirement of a standard adult diet of 2,000 calories.

See recipe semiya upma recipe | vermicelli upma | semiya upma Kerala style | seviyan upma | with 17 amazing images.

semiya upma recipe | vermicelli upma | semiya upma Kerala style | seviyan upma is a popular breakfast recipe, which is an everyday fare as well made and served on occasions too. Learn how to make semiya upma Kerala style.

To make semiya upma, combine the vermicelli, ½ tsp of oil, salt and 2 cups of hot water in a bowl and mix well. Cover and keep aside for about 8 to 10 minutes or till the vermicelli turns soft. Drain and keep aside. Heat the remaining 2 tsp of oil in a broad non-stick pan and add the mustard seeds and urad dal. When the seeds crackle, add the onions and green chillies and sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the vermicelli, coriander, lemon juice and a little salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Serve the semiya upma hot with coconut chutney.

Sevaiya is a South Indian term used for vermicelli. semiya upma Kerala style is a variation of the popular and common South Indian upma recipe, using vermicelli instead of semolina. The tempering remains the same, which is using mustard seeds and urad dal.

Kids and adults alike love the silky texture and noodle-like appearance of vermicelli, so the vermicelli upma is sure to be an instant hit with the whole family. If you are making kids, it is better to avoid the use of chopped green chillies and use lesser quantity of green chilli paste.

What is more, this Semiya Upma snack is also easy to prepare and so a good choice when you need to prepare a meal within minutes after a long day of work! While this snack needs no accompaniment, but if you wish you can serve it with coconut chutney for a complete South Indian experience.

Coconut Chutney

Tips for semiya upma. 1. Ensure to use hot water for cooking vermicelli. This reduces the cooking time. 2. If you wish you can use the whole vermicelli or break it into pieces for convenience. 3. Cool it well and pack if you are carrying it to work. We suggest you consume it within 3 to 4 hours.

Is Semiya Upma healthy?

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

Let's understand the Ingredients.

What's good.

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. 

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. 

Coriander (kothmir, dhania) : Coriander is a fresh herb often used as a flavour enhancer in Indian cooking. It is mainly used as a garnish. This is the best way to use it - no cooking. This preserves its vitamin C content which helps to build our immunity and bring that sparkle to the skin. 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. 

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.

Urad Dal : 1 cup of cooked urad dal gives 69.30% of your daily requirement  of folic acid. The folic acid in urad dal helps your body to produce and maintain new cells, especially red blood cells. Being rich in Phosphorus it works with Calcium to build our bones. It is also high in fibre and good for heart, good for lowering cholesterol and good for diabetes. See here for 10 super benefits of urad dal. 

Mustard Seeds: Tiny little mustard seeds, mostly added as a tempering, lend an interesting bite, exotic flavour and tempting aroma to Indian foods. Mustard seeds are from the mustard plant, which is a cruciferous vegetable related to broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage.

What's the problem?

Rice vermicelli: Rice vermicelli is a good energy source but high in carbs too. Moreover with not much fibre to offer, they are not a very good choice for obesity and weight loss. And for the same reason, diabetics too need to avoid it or restrict its consumption. Many varieties of rice noodles also have a high sodium content, which makes them not very suitable for high blood pressure. However they are a substitute to wheat noodles for people with gluten intolerance. 

Vegetable Oils : To some vegetable oil is only soyabean oil, while some promote it as a mix of oils like soyabean, canola, sunflower, corn and other omega-6 rich oils. These are often cheaper options than many oils, but they are highly processed oils. They are undoubtedly not to be reached out for, whether you are looking for salad dressings, sautéing or cooking.  The 5 best oils used in cooking are olive oil (low temperature short time cooking), avocado oil, canola oil, coconut oil and peanut oil. You must read the super article to find the facts of  which oil is the healthiest avoid vegetable oil. 

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 Semiya Upma?

No, this recipe is not good for diabetics, heart and weight loss.  Rice vermicelli is a good energy source but high in carbs too. Moreover with not much fibre to offer, they are not a very good choice for obesity and weight loss. And for the same reason, diabetics too need to avoid it or restrict its consumption.

Can healthy individuals have Semiya Upma?

Yes, but in restricted quantity and try and have more healthy food with this meal.

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, mini jowar pancakes, oats upma or buckwheat pancake as one healthy recipe option. 

Oats Upma

8 Pointers to get healthy on a Indian diet

1. Eat healthy and say yes to good home cooked food. Prefer whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, buckwheat, barley and healthy flours like bajra flour, jowar flour, quinoa flour, wheat flour etc. rather than refined ones like maida. Have healthy Indian fats like ghee, coconut, coconut oil in your diet.

2. Opt out of junk food, packaged food, deep fried foods. Prefer steamed snacks and other non-fried snacks. Check out some Healthy Indian Snacks. Remember to eat small frequent meals through the day as that will keep you always full and prevent your blood sugar from dropping. By starving your body through some diet, will not help you one bit. In fact, dieting will make you binge on 2 to 3 meals which is not good. 

3. Have 4 to 5 servings of vegetables and 2 to 3 servings of fruit is a must. Follow the logic of a vegetable in each main meal of the day and a fruit in-between meals. Check out a few Healthy Indian Soups and Healthy Indian Salads  recipes using this food group.           

4. Cut down on sugar and salt in your diet and pick honey ( very small amounts) or dates to sweeten your food. Slowly cut the sugar habit as this is not going to happen over night. Sugar  is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours. It will spike your blood sugar level and shut down the fat burning process. This also causes high blood sugar levels in your body. The development of prediabetes comes from uncontrolled eating sugar and refined food products for many years and the classic symptom is if you have excess belly fat. This leads to diabetes and further onwards to heart attack, high blood pressure, strokes, impotence and kidney damage. 

Salt and blood pressure. Apart from stress and obesity, one of the main reasons for high blood pressure is excessive sodium and salt intake. Most people find it difficult to limit the amount of salt in their cooking, thinking it will affect the taste of their favourite dishes. 

This is not true. Bajra and jowar are rich in potassium and critical for those with High Blood Pressure as it lessens the impact of sodium. Eating more Potassium Rich Foods will remove more sodium from your body through urine. So include the basic bajra roti and jowar roti in your daily diet to have with Lower Blood Pressure Subzis Recipes. 

5. Befriend a few healthy seeds and nuts like chia seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts and almonds. 

6.  Sprouts are called ‘living food’. They are high is most nutrients and easy to digest as well. Let them feature in your meals at least thrice a week. Also Read : All Benefits about Sprouts. 

7.  Exercise 45 minutes every day. No excuse. You can walk fast, run, do weights, play your favourite sport or go to the gym. No activity reduces muscle tissue which will lead to muscke loss and all kinds of problems with that. 

8.  Sleep early and get up early. Get your body into rhythm and it will function best. Sleep helps your body to recover and makes you look much younger. Also getting good sleep prevent muscle loss. 

One Semiya Upma is high in

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

2. Vitamin C :  Vitamin C is a great defence against coughs and colds.

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 107 calories that come from one Semiya Upma?

Walking (6 kmph) = 32 mins
Running (11 kmph) = 11 mins
Cycling (30 kmph) = 14 mins
Swimming (2 kmph) = 18 mins

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