PUBLISHED ONJanuary 04, 2014 11:00 PM
SINGAPORE-Dessert can be made less damaging to the waistline - and to health - by using ingredients that are low in fat and contain good fat.
For instance, the traditional Indian yogurt dessert, called srikhand, can be made using yogurt that has less fat, especially saturated fat.
When consumed, saturated fat becomes low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or "bad" cholesterol.
This is distributed through the bloodstream to tissues to make hormones.
Any excess is deposited on artery walls, narrowing the arteries and raising the risk of heart disease and stroke.
The addition of pistachios also helps make the dessert more heart-healthy.
The nuts are not only low in saturated fat, but are also high in unsaturated fat.
This turns into high-density lipoprotein cholesterol or "good" cholesterol, which removes "bad" cholesterol.
In these ways, Mr Milind Sovani, chef and director of Indian fine-dining restaurant Song Of India, made a healthier version of mango srikhand, with the help of the Health Promotion Board (HPB).
It is among 150 healthy dishes that the HPB and several chefs came up with, either by adapting from existing recipes or developing them from scratch.
Mr Sovani said: "For more variety, you can also add chopped fruits."
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