A popular Indian snack in a distinctive triangular shape, samosa is famous all over India. The pastry, essentially, has a filling of spicy potatoes, onions and peas which is then fried and eaten hot and crispy with chutney or ketchup. No one thinks of the calories in samosa, as it is relished by one and all. However, for the sake of good health, giving this delicious snack a nutritional thought, is worth the time.

Calories in Samosa Explained

Snacks have their purpose served as saviours when hunger pangs are felt between meals. Nonetheless, not all snacks are healthy. The samosa as we know and love it today has its origin somewhere in the Middle East. Two main types of samosa exist and have distinctive shapes. One is the Punjabi Samosa, usually with a potato filling. The other, more flat and triangular, is the Patti Samosa. This is filled with almost anything that you fancy, including potatoes with dry fruit, chicken, mutton, or mixed vegetables. Have you ever spared a thought, though, for samosa calories? Here’s a thought: the main ingredients that go into making a samosa are flour, oil, potatoes and peas. This is for a 100 gm samosa. On average, this contains around 262 calories. If you eat 1 samosa, calories amount to approximately 12% of the complete daily calorie requirement of an adult.

Facts About Samosa Calories

If you were to look at a samosa, you would naturally think of it as unhealthy. Made with flour, typically filled with potatoes and deep fried, the nutritional value and calories in 1 samosa are mentioned below:

As you can tell, the calories in one samosa amount to a lot. Furthermore, the percentages of vitamins and minerals are expressed as the percent of these against the daily requirement. What increases the calorie value of samosas is the composition of flour. About 68 calories account for one samosa’s flour content.

How Many Calories do Samosas Contain?

The fillings of samosas may vary according to tastes and recipes. You can have any filling you want, and this will influence the calories in a samosa. For instance, in a potato-filled samosa, popularly called an aloo samosa, calories go high because of the amount of potatoes in it. Typically, you will find that potatoes have 27 calories. Moreover, you can make any size of samosas that you wish. The calories in a small samosa will be less, as sizes are then reduced.

Calories Found in Samosa’s Varieties

Samosas are distinct items of food in the category of snacks, which are included in dishes with other food items, such as samosas and chole (samosas with Indian lentils). You can distinguish the calories they possess by the type of filling they may contain. For instance, more calories are present in the aloo samosa than the chicken samosa, as the latter has more protein. Sizes differ too, and people make small/cocktail samosas. When you consume samosas, they may have higher calories than healthier snacks, but if eaten in moderation, they may be a good snack option.You can enjoy eating samosas if you consume this high-calorie food within limits. Eating one samosa is better than eating two in which you will consume 2 samosa calories.

Are Samosas Good for You?

Considering the calories in samosa, and the ingredients used to make it, the straight answer would be, “No, samosas are not good for you.” Nonetheless, there are many options that can make samosas a ‘healthy’ snack. Here are some pointers:

• Bake or air-fry samosas instead of conventionally deep frying them.

• Use olive oil to fry them, if you must. This is healthier than any vegetable oil you may want to use.

• Instead of making a dough of refined flour, you can use a healthier option. Use a little whole flour and mix in some semolina or whole-wheat flour. As a result of this, samosas will be more fibrous than fatty, reducing calories.

• The calories in samosa may be reduced if you add a blend of vegetables in place of potatoes. You can have a filling of peas, mushrooms and onions, and just a bit of potato filling.

How Many Samosas Should You Consume Everyday?

Ideally, samosas should not be consumed on a daily basis, as they are not considered healthy, nor a superfood. However, when made using healthier ingredients as substitutes for traditional calorie-inducing ones, you can afford to eat a few on special occasions.

The Last Word on Samosas

The tastiest food is not necessarily good for health. The ingredients in samosas, if consumed frequently, can lead to poor health. However, to maintain good health, you may enjoy this snack in limits or consider substitutes as ingredients while cooking. A calorie calculator such as the one available on Finserv MARKETS can help you to understand how many calories your body needs on a daily basis so you can structure your diet accordingly. If you make sure your diet is healthy overall, you will be guaranteed to possess an adequate BMI and BMR, ensuring that your weight is within the right prescribed limit. Nonetheless, if you get too tempted, eating fatty foods too much can result in ill-health and this is where health insurance comes in. You can depend on a health insurance plan from Finserv MARKETS to tackle any potential health issues.