Popular Czech food and travel guide 'Taste Atlas' recently named Indian chutneys among the '50 Best Dips in the World.' The condiments occupied the 42nd position in the list and the guide called them 'fresh homemade relishes.' Interestingly, India's coriander chutney and mango chutney were also ranked separately by them, in 47th and 50th position on the same list. There is no doubt that true-blue Indians love their chutneys that vary in their spices, mixes and more across the country. But how healthy are these homemade fresh dips? Let's take a look:
Are they always healthy?
Just as in any food, how healthy a chutney is depends on how it was prepared. When made with fresh herbs, fruits, veggies and spices, they can give you a decent dose of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, alongside adding to the taste. But, if loaded with sugars, unhealthy oils, fats or salts, they will reduce the nutritional value of the dip. Also, whether freshly homemade or not, it is better to limit its intake. The best tip to remember is that it is a dip, not the main meal, regardless of how healthy or fresh it tastes.
Most popular and nutritious chutneys
Chutneys made of coriander, mint, tomato, coconut, tamarind and peanut, mixed with minimal added sugars, salts, spices and other fats are the most popular and nutritious of the chutney diaspora in India. India is also home to some ethnic, nutritious yet rare chutneys like the ghost pepper and bamboo shoot chutneys of Assam, dry fish chutneys of India's coastal regions, sun-dried tomato chutneys, south India's chutney podi and Chattisgarh's unique chaprah chutney made from red ants and their eggs.
