The humble dosa, a staple of Indian breakfasts, may be sabotaging your weight loss goals — not because it’s unhealthy, but because it’s ‘incomplete’. Siddhartha Singh, the celebrity fitness trainer who has sculpted the physiques of stars like Tamannaah Bhatia, made this statement on Instagram after posting a video on April 8 titled: “Stop eating dosa in breakfast.” Also read | How to lose weight with South Indian diet, according to fitness coach: ‘Avoid idli and dosa, switch to low calorie…’
Celebrity trainer Siddhartha Singh advises adding crushed paneer to dosa for a weight-loss-friendly meal. (Freepik)The ‘one-hour’ hunger trap
Siddhartha’s central argument isn’t a ban on the south Indian classic, but rather a warning against its lack of satiety. According to him, the rapid digestion of a standard rice-and-lentil dosa leads to a cycle of overeating.
He said, “Stop having dosa for breakfast if you want to lose weight. You are going to have your dosa, and in 1 hour you will feel hungry. Those cravings are going to kick in, and then you’re going to have excess calories, and that will go straight into your body as fat.”
Siddhartha clarified that the ingredients themselves are not the enemy. “Dosa in itself has nothing unhealthy in it,” he said. “It’s just rice and ground black gram fermented and made into a crepe. The complement is a sambar, again a dal, nothing unhealthy with it,” he added.
Use this protein hack if you love dosa
To transform your favourite dosa from a craving trigger into a weight-loss-friendly meal, Siddhartha suggested a specific protein intervention.
“Dosa isn’t unhealthy; it’s just incomplete,” Siddhartha wrote in his Instagram caption. “My only problem with dosa is that it is so light and easy to digest that you’ll feel hungry after an hour. All you need to do to balance a dosa is add some crushed paneer (cottage cheese) with your dosa. Make a masala out of it, just put it in your dosa,” he explained in the accompanying video.
By adding paneer, Siddhartha said, you can adjust the meal’s macronutrient profile: “This will give you that extra protein kick to help you avoid hunger for the next hour.” Siddhartha’s final advice to fans was simple: “So eat your dosas… keep this in mind before you have your dosa next time.”
Siddhartha’s quick dosa checklist:
⦿ The problem: high glycemic response leading to quick hunger.
⦿ The fix: add high-protein fillings like crushed paneer.
⦿ The result: a balanced, filling meal that prevents mid-meal snacking.
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.
