If you're on a diet and trying to lose weight, you probably feel quite restricted in terms of what you're able to eat. You're almost certainly wary about eating out at restaurants, as you don't always know exactly what goes into your food and it's easy to worry that you'll be eating something unhealthy or fattening.

While you probably shouldn't be going out for a cheeseburger with an extra large side of chips, there's no reason to completely avoid restaurants. For those who are cutting the calories and hoping to drop a few pounds, it might just be that Indian food is a perfect choice. Here are some of the reasons why.

Many spices help weight loss

Even if you've never eaten Indian food before, you probably know that it's typically made with plenty of delicious spices. Many of these spices have health benefits beyond their use as simple flavouring, and in a lot of cases, they can help you lose weight.

Turmeric, cumin and chilli peppers have all been shown to increase the body's ability to burn fat. Others, including cinnamon and ginger, help stabilise your blood sugar after eating, so you're less likely to crave snacks between your meals.

It's easy to keep the calories low

Indian food is frequently one of the best vegetarian cuisines about. Ditching the meat from your meal is a quick way to reduce the calories, so you can fill up on healthy veggies instead, all without feeling like you're missing out on taste.

Chefs are often happy to make small adjustments, too, so don't be afraid to ask for your food without the yoghurt topping, or to have it cooked using vegetable oil instead of butter.

You can stop yourself overeating

If it's self-control you have an issue with, there's a simple way to combat it with Indian food. Order something a bit spicier than you normally would, and you're less likely to gobble your food quickly. This helps you notice when you're full so you can stop eating.

Just make sure you don't order something so hot you don't enjoy it at all, and try to avoid filling up on rice and naan bread instead.

There's no shortage of flavour

A lot of low-fat foods aimed at dieters are not exactly appealing in the taste department. The great thing about Indian restaurant cooking is that it packs flavour into every dish using healthy, natural ingredients, so it feels like a real treat. And all that flavour without the fattening, junk aspect of fast food.