New Delhi, Oct. 11 -- Over the past few months, I've been trying to eat healthier. But before making any drastic changes to my diet-which, to be honest, once included everything from fries to instant noodles-I wanted to understand what I was actually consuming.

What quickly became clear: the typical North Indian diet I grew up with is overwhelmingly carb-heavy. For vegetarians in particular, finding enough protein on the plate can be a real challenge.

Nandita Venkatesan reports on a new Nature Medicine study, which confirms this. Carbohydrates account for a staggering 62% of Indians' daily calories-mostly low-quality carbs like white rice, milled grains, and added sugar. Refined cereals alone make up nearly 29% of total calories, while ...