Indian fare packs hefty caloric punch

Restaurant renditions of our favourite Indian delicacies are always delicious — and decadent. The lab results on these two popular dishes may have you diverting from the spice route

by by Charlotte Herrold for Post City Posted: November 2, 2011 Photo: Restaurant renditions of our favourite Indian delicacies are always delicious — and decadent. The lab results on these two popular dishes may have you diverting from the spice route

The Host

SAMOSAS

These flaky pastries stuffed with seasoned potatoes are a popular starter at many Indian restaurants. But with almost half of your daily allowance of fat in this small serving size, you’ll want to watch what you order for the main course.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 158 g

	% Daily Value*
Calories 460
Total Fat 27.5 g	42.3%
Sodium 689 mg	28.7%
Carbohydrates 46.8 g	15.6%
Protein 6.2 g

Amaya

Channa Masala

Amaya is well-known in the GTA for its tasty take on Indian classics. But there’s a reason why its delicious stew of curried chickpeas is so flavourful: it contains two thirds of your daily recommended sodium intake in one serving!

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 570 g

	% Daily Value*
Calories 890
Total Fat 35.9 g	55.2%
Sodium 1590 mg	66.3%
Carbohydrates 94 g	31.4%
Protein 26.8 g

TEST PARAMETERS: Results relate only to the items tested. *DAILY VALUE PERCENTAGES: Health Canada uses a 2,000-calorie diet as the benchmark for nutritional labelling, and so did we. Subsequent values for total fat and carbohydrates are derived as a percentage of that diet.