Author: Dhriti Mehta

The Salt Myth… Is it good or bad?

Salt is something that contains sodium and sodium is something that is considered bad for health.. kind of like saturated fat. Much like cell phones and eggs, studies say salt is bad for you one day, but okay the next day. The reason being the sodium content as it is believed to increase blood pressure and the risk of heart stroke which is most common sources of deaths in middle and high- income countries. Salt is a chemical compound having 40 per cent sodium and 60 percent chloride. Yes, the body do need salt for the proper functioning. Salt is something we can say; Can’t do without it and definitely can’t do with too much of it. Also, studies have recommended that the upper limit of salt for adults is between 3.75 – 5 gm which actually measures upto just 1 teaspoon of salt every day. This is regarded as an ideal amount of salt by renowned health organisations for all healthy adults without diabetes or blood pressure or cardio-vascular diseases. But today consumption is more than that, and the reason being, most of it is coming from processed foods. If we have to strictly follow this intake, then serious and drastic changes are needed in lifestyle.

However, the insight of all this stuff is if sodium is that bad? And more importantly, if there are benefits to sodium restriction, are they important enough to be worth the obvious reduction in pleasure, we derive from our (to be saltless, tasteless) foods? Let’s have a look on why we need it and what it serves to our bodies.

Salt, contains sodium, which is a vital electrolyte in our body. It controls the fluid balance in our body and the working of our muscles and nerves. The sodium content is automatically regulated by our body, in a way like you have experienced you feel more thirsty after a Chinese meal because the sauces contain high salt content. So, if levels are too high, you will feel thirsty more often and drink more water as consumption of more water helps in eliminating the salt through our kidneys. Sodium is bad because if blood pressure is elevated, the heart has to work harder to push the blood throughout the body and this leads to increased strain on other arteries and other organs. And it is well known that high blood pressure is major risk factor for many serious diseases, like heart disease, stroke and kidney failure. Yes, this do gives us reason to cut back our salt intake, but it is a small to avoid overconsumption as already 75 percent of the salt we eat is present in everyday food item, like bread, breakfast, ketchups, pickles or canned foods. To balance your salt consumption, its good to avoid cheese, pickles, papads, salted nuts, tomato ketchup, mayonnaise and other sauces, breads, ready-to-made pastas, noodles, soups, wafers, chips and anything you feel like high salt content food in your daily life. The salt intake can also be balanced by these ways;

Increase your water intake: the best way to flush out all the unnecessary toxins and excess sodium and maintain correct pH balance is to drink as much water. Avoid these aerated drinks, sodas, energy drinks as they can easily sabotage your efforts to maintain normal blood pressure. Also, if you are exercising and doing rigorous workout in very hot weather, you may lose fluids and electrolytes through sweat, in such a case, drink plenty of water during your workout regimen and increase your salt, sodium intake to compensate for heavy perspiration. As this will help in preventing the drop in your blood pressure.

Rinse canned foods: The canned foods which needs to be stored for long time are generally packed in salt solution. Like, vegetables and meats that are packed in brine always increase the salt content in body. It better to rinse them in good manner to wash off the salt.

Focus on potassium: Potassium is given importance because increase in the level of potassium lower the sodium levels, thus balancing blood pressure positively. One should eat potassium-rich fruits which are plum, peach, watermelon, muskmelon, avocados, orange, prunes, spinach, raisins and apricots to name a few.

Replace salt with herbs: Its better that instead of reaching out to salt shaker to add that extra flavor, prefer to season your food with citrus juices, herbs and spices or organic stuff, available naturally. This will not only compensate your salt worries but also add value to your food stuff.

Now, if you want to know why too much salt is bad for you, it is here as if binge on foods that are too salty, you will feel bloated and puffy after some hours, which is because eating too much salt causes your body to retain water and as a result blood volume is increased. This becomes the root of all the health problems that you know too much salt can cause as it leads to further excess pressure on blood vessels, thus demanding lot of hard work from heart in order to ensure smooth blood flow. It becomes main cause of high blood pressure and heart diseases. Other metabolic disorders associated with excess sodium and salt include osteoporosis, kidney stone, asthma. So, they key is to balance the salt intake as per your body requirements and take some precautions and necessary avoidances to maintain the proper balance of sodium in your body.

Healthy Eating. Happy Life.

November 9, 2014
Win over the Festive Cravings!

Festive season is here and so are all the food delicacies. The mouth-watering sweets, lovely chocolate packs, attractive sweet shops, decorated foodie stuff is all around and resisting all this is a big challenge. Heart says have it all, have what you want and Head says No! Not a good idea to have it all. This constant fight between head and heart is ruining all the joy of festivities. Sweets being so attractive are hard to resist. We are just some days away from the grand finale of the festive season; Diwali, which I already burning bright with all the lighty lights in Indian homes and fireworks will add all the more to it. What is synonymous with this festival is sugar high mithai boxes, all laden up in homes, piled up before and after exchanges. Diwali marks the high point of mithai season and with the beginning of this festive season, bingeing on ghee-laden foods like laddoos, jalebis, pedas, samosas and bhajias is natural and is going to be regular affair. I know its no fun in always saying ‘no’. Then, the problem lies in how to avoid these delicacies. When even the determined, most health conscious, strong-willed people can’t resist these temptation, how will you particularly, when you just love munching on all this. Well, Don’t you worry, these small ways will let you manage your diet schedule and will make you resist the festive cravings, when all you can see is sweets around you.

Sharing… is good: Share your stuff with someone else and don’t indulge in the temptation alone and munch on handful of sweets all by yourself. Its better you should share it and in a way it will split up the calorie load. Many studies have proved that we relish something delicious only till the first two bites of it, after that its gluttony. So, bearing this fact, sharing is good in all ways.

Gauge your fat intake: Keep a check on your overall oil, butter, cheese intake, how you are taking them in, in what amount and watch it and be cautious. Be mindful, like if you want to eat some fried food, better to cut the oily food and added fat intake from the rest of your day. Rather, as an alternative, Saute veggies and bake them or steam them. Also, you can consider eliminating tadka from your dal, though its difficult, but its worth doing. Overall, just try to keep the calories balanced by cutting down on the excess oil by opting for healthy alternatives.

Hit the gym: Exercise and Exercise, workout and nothing else will watch your weight better. Be regular and then just stop worrying about the temptations. In order to maintain same body shape and size, you must go to gym regularly. If you are having those sweet ladoos or pedas or that vada pav, make sure you put that extra effort in gym to cut down the extra calories, you acquired. Though, its not going to completely compensate for your food impulses and stimulus , but still you won’t add a lot weight to your body.

Moderation is always better: Don’t munch on it with an attitude, ‘All or nothing’. Rather, limit yourself to one or two high calorie food items a day and save that taste for your whole day. Watch your eating patterns closely and don’t cheat as you will be cheating on yourself only. Never eat like there’s no tomorrow and be in control even as you enjoy food and don’t let your cravings overcome your mindfulness.

Think like yummy food isn’t going to extinct: Remember this and don’t be disheartened. There will be tomorrow when you can have another piece of sweet laden food items. When its enough for today, its means enough. Don’t give excuses to yourself. Keep in mind that yummy sweets, goodies will always be around, all year round.

Watch your protein intake: Proteins are important. You know, Deficiency of protein increase the cravings for desserts and other delicacies. Better ensure that you have your protein tank full so that you can have better controlled willpower. Pulses, egg whites, peanuts, paneer, tofu, chicken and fish are good sources of proteins and their intake should be proper in order to avoid temptations.

Choose your outfit for the season or go shopping: When you feel that uncontrollable urge for sweets you are seeing on your table, try to avoid it by not recognizing and take your mind off like by trying a new outfit for the festive season or go for some shopping. However, girls will like the idea more but it works for anyone. So, just give it a try.

Apart from all these ways, the best one, you have heard often is to exercise regularly. If you want to enjoy this festive at the fullest and don’t even want to gain those extra kilos around your waistline and hips, you just need to check your intake, eat mindfully in moderation and follow your regular exercise regimen. Moreover, the festivities are never all about food. There are other aspects to. The sole purpose and focal point of any celebration is not just food and bingeing on different varieties. Rather, the main motive is to spread joy and happiness and share it everyone.

October 8, 2014
Maggi… the most Loved !

Meri maggi… Are you also among the ones to munch on maggi whenever you feel hungry and is it the most lovable snack of yours and yes the instant one? Well, I know Maggi is something, actually popular throughout the world to have for at anytime of day and can be made in versatile ways. Let’s know some facts about maggi apart from its taste and the two-minute mechanism. Maggi is an international brand owned by Nestle since 1947, of instant soups, ketchups, sauces, seasonings and instant noodles. Advertised as 2 minute noodles since 1982, maggi instant noodles are very popular in India and Malaysia having 39% market in Malaysia and 60% in India. Initially, maggi was developed only keeping kids and children in mind, but gradually it took a remarkable place in lives of almost all age groups. Nestle has never thought that their product’s popularity will go viral in this way and their breakfast product will be so acceptable. Though it was launched long time back, people in research and development has never slowed down and they still try hard to make maggi tastier and more flavourful and have other variants of maggi also, while also enhancing the health benefits of products. Now, you have got so many options of maggi ranging from cuppa mania, atta noodles, vegetable maggi and many more.

In this era, almost every child has their own version of “Maggi Memories”, that you had maggi at this place, while cycling trip or in your hostel at midnight or some road trip or maggi being a savior. It has been a true childhood buddy, something that mom lets us eat in place of something that we ought to eat from outside otherwise. Even small kids can make it alone. What maggi endorses that it has calcium, protein “Taste Bhi, Health Bhi” makes it all the more attractive.

But there may arise a question, if maggi is really this healthy, Afterall the main ingredient being refined flour (maida). Maggi is easily approachable and convenient and tastier, but nutrition is completely different thing which maggi doesn’t seem to deliever much. The nutritionist Mrs. Shweta Iyenger says,” Children are addicted to maggi due to high salt content in the tastemaker. Excessive salt intake can lead to the water retention in the body.” The other problem with it is obviously; maida. Eating it on daily basis can be a great disadvantage for you and your health in such ways;

It is a Junk food: The name says it all, it’s a junk food so obviously can do no good to health. Many people are prone to it because of their busy lives. This fast and quick maggi noodles have been marked as junk food by health experts. It contains maida, which is a combination of fat, carbohydrate and sugar and is made from left over husk of wheat. The noodles being difficult to digest poses many problems to body and is thus reckoned as junk food.

Negligible nutritional value: Though, the maggi wrapper says ‘Taste bhi, Health bhi’ but trust me, if we take the findings seriously, there is no nutritional value in it because the main ingredient being refined flour. They don’t contain and vitamins and minerals and there claim of noodles being rich in calcium or any other minerals. Also, it contains high amount of sodium which is really for people suffering from high blood pressure conditions and can also cause hyper tension and heart problems. All this is not at all good for school going children. So, all this proves maggi to be just food for leisure, to be consumed few times in a week and must be avoided the frequent intakes by everyone as it can serve no good.

High calories: The maggi noodles have high calorie content and thus can lead to obesity. One regular packet of maggi contains 400 calories. Such a high volume of calories is a worrisome issue and is not good for heart patients and even increase cholesterol and even the children who consume it daily just as a snack in their evenings and mornings are at a risk of getting obesity.

Problem of Dehydration: people who have regular intake of maggi has reported problems of dehydration. As these are highly sticky noodles can stick within your organs and cause serious problems like loose motions and loss of excessive water from your body. All this is really scary and just demands to call off maggi for some time from your life if you consume it in excessive manner.

Maggi, the all time favorite food, though it is not recommended to completely abandon it but limit must be maintained in its intake. It should not be consumed daily because the nutrition, a proper food can provide is irreplaceable. There should be mindful eating in case of maggi. Just hav it as a snack and not a food item and it has no food value. As you don’t have French fries due to the fear of getting obese because of that potato thing, try to stay far from maggi due to maida thing. It will be good for you only in the long run.

Healthy Eating. Happy life.

September 14, 2014
CHIA SEEDS. Have you tried it?

I know you have heard of it. Now, it has become very popular because of its super awesome health benefits. Yes, I’m talking about- The Chia Seeds. They have being regarded as the healthiest food on planet, loaded with all the essential nutrients. The fuzzy green novelty item, very tiny items are what chia seeds are. Nowadays, they have become all the more famous and is becoming better known because they are a great source of healthy omega-3 fats and fibre and they are quite an easy food to include in your daily diet. Salvia Hispanica, being scientific name and called as chia, commonly, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family and are native to central and Southern Mexico and Guatemala. History suggests that in 16^th century, it was very important food for Aztecs. Now, chia is grown commercially and are typically small, oval, tiny seeds. According to USDA, a 1 ounce, i.e. 28 grams serving of chia contains, 9 grams of fat, 4 grams of protein, 5 miligrams of sodium, 11 grams of dietary fiber, 27% phosphorus, 30% manganese. The nutrient values in Chia, as mentioned are similar to other edible seeds, as flax or sesame. Chia seeds are recommended to be added in your diet and these can be added to other foods as a topping in your breakfast cereal, smoothie, energy bars, yoghurt, sprinkled whole on top of salads or can be added on icecream or just consume it raw. As these seeds are tasteless, they hardly affect the flavor of your food, when added. Just have some and get ultimate benefits.

Read on and you will know how chia seeds have become elixir for life and give so many benefits to your body and maintains your health. I can bet, you will be amazed.

Low in Calories: Chia seeds, being full of nutrition, has very low calorie content. This is such an added bonus which helps in decreasing belly fat. So, if youe exercise daily and are eating chia also, alongwith, this can prove excellent in getting a perfect shape of body. Chia’s stabilizing effect on blood sugar also fights the insulin resistance which is responsible for belly fat and this type of resistance is harmful for your health. So, if you are concerned abput your belly fat, go start consuming chia seeds.

High in Antioxidants: Chia seeds also shine in the area of Antioxidants and this is well known that consuming antioxidant rich food can have ultimate positive effects on health. Chia seeds, being high in antioxidants help to protect delicate fats in the seeds. Most importantly, antioxidants fight in the production of free radicals, which contribute in aging and diseases like cancer. This is remarkable as chia seeds have an ability to fight such deadly diseases.

More Fiber: They have loads of fiber. This is clear from the nutritional information above, that just one ounce contains 11 grams of fiber, which is about a third of the recommended daily intake of adults. Moreover, almost all the carbohydrates in the chia are fiber. Because of this fiber, it gives them ability to absorb 10-12 times their weight in water, Chia are low carb- friendly food, and are 40% fiber, by weight, which makes them best sources of fiber in the world. This great content of fiber in chia seeds have excellent beneficial effects on health.

Stock of Omega-3: Chia seeds are fully packed with Omega-3 fatty acids, like flax, which is nearly 5 grams in one ounce of serving. Isn’t that a good stock in such tiny items. The Omega-3 fatty acids are very important for brain health. However, humans are not good in converting this into DHA, and there’s better conversion of omega 3s into plasmas than with flax.

Improves Heart Health: Chia seeds have been shown to increase Healthy cholesterol, thereby balancing blood pressure and lowering LDL and triglyceride cholesterol and reduce inflammation. Also, as they are high in fiber, protein, omega 3s and antioxidants, they are very well source of heart healthy nutrients thus maintain overall heart health.

Combats Diabetes: For diabetic patients, it’s a good news that chia seeds can improve blood sugar levels and combats diabetes. The study shows that in type 2 diabetic patients, chia seeds can significantly lower blood pressure and diabetes.

Strong Teeth and bones: Chia seeds have many nutrients which are important for bone health. As one ounce serving of chia contains 18% of the daily recommended intake of calcium and has phosphorus, manganese also in good amounts. All of these are really essential for bone health and strong teeth and are an excellent source of calcium for those who don’t eat diary products.

Makes you feel Full. Faster: Chia seeds are incredibly easy to incorporate it in your diet and adding chia seeds in your daily recipes will dramatically improve the nutritional value. Also, tryptophane, an amino acid, found in chai seeds help regulate appetite, sleep and improves mood. So, eating it with your regular foods incur you so many benefits.

So, as now, you know so much about chia, go get some from your grocery store and continue reading and eating them. Don’t be fooled by their size, these tiny items are a powerful nutrition punch. Chia seeds are one of those you shouldn’t to miss to have.

Healthy Eating. Happy Life.

September 14, 2014
Donuts: Not a healthy Choice…

In any shape or size, whether they are round, square or twisted, these deep fried snack is always appealing and keep us reaching for more. The beauty of donut make us fall prey for them and we just can’t resist it. So, you love Dunkin’ Donuts? Is it your favorite place to hang out? Well, think again, because Donuts aren’t considered as very healthy choice. For a breakfast, it’s a complete no! No. Obviously because it is sweet, piece of fried dough with all the creaminess and chocolaty content makes it a pack of calories. Nothing else. Yes, it is tasty, hell a lot, but still can’t be rated as healthy food. The fact that doughnuts aren’t good shouldn’t be a surprise, as of a fact, they are worse than many other snacks in the market. You can see a bag of chips have 260 calories and a small packet of cookies have 50 to 60 calories but a doughnut has not less than 300 calories making it such a unhealthy choice. With all the sugar, fats and other unhealthy ingredients, donuts can wreck a havoc on your health. Don’t believe me, just go through the list below and you will get an idea what kind of potential harm they can give;

Risk of Weight gain: this round fried confectionery or dessert food, called doughnut has full lot of calories. What’s the point in ignoring other food and your cravings but just can’t resist donut and eat one or two and then more. Even a single donut a day can put you at risk of gaining weight over time. A crispy cream filed raspberry donut or any donut with different fillings has near about 300 calories. Doctors say if you consume even only one donut everyday and do not even exercise regularly to cut down the calories, you are likely to gain 1 pound every 10 donuts. So, now, its upto you how wisely you eat those sweet rounds.

No Nutritional value: Doughnuts are unlikely to have any kind of food value because of so high sugar and calorie content. Also, the fried aspect of donuts makes it so unhealthy choice. Also, the main ingredient being white flour, a simple carbohydrate is what makes them a highly refined and highly processed food. Refined flour id close to no fiber and also there’s no whole wheat grain or any other natural healthy foods. Fiber is essential for anything to get a tag of healthy and to make you regular and also, it prevents colon cancer or maintains blood sugar, but donuts possessing nothing like this makes them all the more unhealthy.

Heart Conditions: Ughh, such a bad choice for your heart. Just not ideal for your heart and specifically for heart patients. Being fried, it contains lots of saturated and trans fats which by all means are known to have very bad effect on the heart. A research shows that doughnuts have more trans fat than peanut butter, chocolate bars or even chips. Just a single donut can lend you trans fat for whole day but the truth people rarely eat one donut. If you start eating it once, you find it irresistible and that’s where the problem starts with. So, if I have to be concise I should quote, Say no to donut for a healthy heart.

High blood sugar levels: Doughnuts are all about sugar and sweetness. Then, how come they won’t increase your blood sugar levels. For diabetic patients, they are like deadly food, that’s obvious. But even for normal beings, they aren’t prove to be good as of sugar is concerned. If you know, a single donut contains 5 tsp. of sugar and doctors recommend maximum of 6 tsp. of sugar a day and with one donut you had your requirement of day. This can give you idea how sugary and creamy donut can lead you to a problems with your blood sugar levels and erractic glucose levels in the blood. Only, solution be mindful and so some pre-thinking before you lend out your hand for a donut.

Not a breakfast choice: Doughnut are among the most fattening breakfast choice ever. With all the unhealthy stuff, a donut poses you risk of weight gain and a bulge in your belly, which I know no one likes. Eating something so early in the morning with such a calorie content and no food value is not something that you would ideally want to commit yourself to. Breakfast, being the most important meal of the day doesn’t deserve to be started by such a thing called, doughnut. Next time, you pick up that plate of doughnut, try to be resistant and put it back.

The whole idea to convey here is that though Doughnuts are awesomely tasteful your tongue loves it, but be mindful while eating them and eat them little and occasionally, just as a snack and not as a proper food as there is no nutritional and food value attached to them. Control your cravings for donuts and try to replace them with some other healthy food altenative like creamy flavorful cup of youghurt or anything else of your liking. But if you like to munch on doughnuts all the time or most of the time, think again.

Healthy Eating. Happy Life.

September 14, 2014
The Coolest Cucumbers!

The dark green, firm, cool cuke… cucumber which you just picked and put in your shopping basket is just miraculous for your health. This fruit is loaded with health benefits. Yes, I said fruit, because cucumber is not a vegetable but a fruit. I do know, that everyone knows well that cucumber is excellent for your body and is a must in salad. Heard this phrase, “Cool as Cucumber”. Probably Yes. So you can easily interpret the amount of freshness, cucumbers can deliever. Some may like it hot by baking or heating up in oil, but if not, then cool cucumber is for you, which can do wonders for you.

Do you know, the inside of cucumber, growing in the hot sun on a vine is about 20 degree Celsius cooler than air. Scientifically known as Cucumis sativus, it belongs to the same botanical family as melons, zucchini or squash. Being the fourth most widely cultivated fruit, with its mild, refreshing flavor, cucumbers are 90% water but still manage to give so many health benefits. Cucumbers are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, even bone building- managanese, potassium, magnesium, also possess infection fighting, vitamin C, anti-inflammatory Vitamin K. The fresh extracts of cucumber have been shown to have both antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties. Also, the presence of unique polyphenols in plants with lignans, this health benefiting substance is research upon extensively in cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and allium vegetables like onion and garlic. Cucumbers have three lignans which are known to have positive cardiovascular effects and reduces cancer risks, including prostate, breast, uterus cancers. They also contain an enzyme that breaks protein and helps clean the intestines and also are good for detoxification of body.

To choose from the whole lot of cucumbers, they are eaten green or under ripe. Choose the shorter, dark green cucumbers, which are firm and feel heavy, so always go for shorter, medium sized cucumbers. As, long cucumbers can be bitter and show that they are ripe. For getting the optimal nutrition and nourishment from your cucumbers while minimizing your health risk, you can choose organic grown cucumbers over conventionally grown varieties. Cucumber are mostly used in salads and eaten raw and very few people cook it like other vegetables. The cucumber is refreshing and gives crunch to the salad and is perfect diet snack and cucumber salads are prepared just before serving to retain the crispness. Eating raw cucumbers is what is known best by most of the people. However, they can be cooked, stuffed and mixed with herbs. Stuff cucumbers with feta cheese or cream by slicing it lengthwise. Though, most people prefer eating diced cucumber with some sprinkled salt and pepper. You can even grate the cucumber and add it in yoghurt with other veggies like onions, tomatoes, and sprinkle some salt and pepper and it will become a delicious raita with all the crunchiness. Have it with parantha or eat it as it is, as you like. For cooked cucumbers, you can google it and you’ll be surprised by so many recipes and suggestions. Now, let’s have a look on how cucumbers add value to our daily diet;

Keeps you hydrated: Drink enough water and munch on cucumbers, you daily dose of hydration is fulfilled. Moreover, detoxification is done automatically. They are the best substitute for water and are fully compensate if you are too busy to cater your drinking requirements. Just have some and you are healthy.

Awesome for skin and eyes: Cucumbers are just awesome for maintaining skin health. Obviously, when they are known to flush out toxins from body and have such a high water content, they will do all the good for skin. Also, having vitamins and minerals, they are good for eyes too. Moreover, not to mention, they are just too popular to remove under eye dark circles when used regularly and treats many skin and eye problems.

Helps in weight loss: For diet conscious and weight loosing people, cucumber and eating its sticks is favorite as a snack. Crunchy cucumber sticks dipped in creamy non-fat yoghurt is just too tasty and interesting. Enjoy cucumber in your salads and soups daily and enjoy the results.

Stabilizes blood pressure: Patients of high or low blood pressure, often feel that eating cucumber brings relief and helps in stabilizing the blood pressure to much extent. Also, it refreshes the mind and body and smoothen the blood flow, thus making the BP patients feel good.

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits: Cucumber, loaded with so many nutrients and water content is very powerful antioxidant product and also possess anti-inflammatory properties. It includes Vitamin C, beta carotene, manganese and numerous flavonoid antioxidants.

Anti-Cancer Benefits: A group of cucumber phyto-nutrients known to provide anti-cancer benefits are its lignans, which is because the role of these plant lignans in cancer protection involves the role of bacteria in our digestive tract and therefore, there is reduced risk of estrogen-related cancers, including prostate, breast, ovary cancers, that has been associated with intake of dietary lignans from plant foods like cucumbers.

Love cucumber? It will love you back in all the ways. Just be regular with consumption or application of cucumber and see the difference in your life.

Healthy Eating. Happy Life.

September 14, 2014
How your Fridge can Save you Money!

I know fridge is something you love to look at whenever bored or hungry. Fridge is exciting, full of food and all the variety. They help in food preservation and keep it fresh. Our fridge has everything from drinks to fruits and veggies to icecreams to frozen food to cheese to left out foods to what not. We love food, so we love our Refrigerators.

If we love them so much and keep our dearest food items in it, why not to make better use of domestic freezers and fridges so that food last longer resulting in less waste. In fact, if you learn to use it efficiently, you can save loads of money if we all used fridges to store certain foods and lowered the temperature. Even the food remains fresh for longer period of time and is healthy for consumption. Cleaning your refrigerator regularly with simple and easy techniques is also important so that preservation is upto the mark. Do you know what temperature your refrigerator is set to right now? If not, you could be wasting so much of cash and wasting electricity. See, such a awareness can save your money to such a great extent. The new research report by WRAP claims that lowering your refrigerator’s temperature to 39 degrees Fahrenheit or between 0 to 5 degrees Celsius can keep food from spoiling quickly and help preserve food for longer and in turn saves up your money. The report claims that maintaining the right temperature helps food to stay fresh for three days after its expected expiration date. By lowering down the temperature, the bacteria growth is slowed down and foods stays fresh for longer. Also, don’t overload your fridge, keep it no more than 3 quarters full with space in between to allow good amount of air circulation. This way all the food inside it is cooled evenly. Just simply Adjusting the temperature of fridge wont ensure the prolonged shelf life, but still its good way to start if you want to cut out the grocery bills and is also beneficial. Alongwith, cleaning the shelves of refrigerator and bins every 2 to 3 months will disinfect the surfaces and food will be healthy and delicious as you want it to be. Let’s jot down some points to make it an interesting task;

Store leftovers Smartly: After dinner, if you are left with too many food, instead of dumping it in a large container, rather store it efficiently in small clear containers or transparent bags. It will be good if you ration them in individualized portions. These leftover food can be consumed from two to three days whenever you like. At least you will be having something to eat in case of emergency or for a change of taste.

Keep fruits and Veggies Separate: Most fridge come with two separate drawers, so it is better if you keep the fruits in drawer and vegetables in other to ensure the maximum longevity. Because, like peaches and apples which have high amounts of ethylene can prematurely ripen and can spoil vegetables. So, it is recommended to place them seperately in fridge. Also, don’t wash vegetables until you’re ready to use. Better to place them in fridge straightway after fetching it from grocery store and wash them nicely when you want to use them. This is because prewashing of veggies can reduce the shelf life of veggies.

Maximize the Shelf Space of Fridge: The nicely organized fridge is always lovely to see and easy to handle. The shelf space should be consumed for eatables which actually need to be put in and requires cooling. If something doesn’t need to be kept cold, it can be kept out of fridge. It is a very good tip to not to overstuff your fridge, as proper keeping with some spaces will allow air circulation and keep things fresh in the fridge.

Keep appropriate things in the door shelf: The doors are warmest part of fridge so keep store-bought products like ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, water bottles or some tonics with long shelf life in the doors. Generally, the foods that don’t require cooking to be kept at top shelves like leftovers or yoghurt. Since, the bottom of the fridge is coldest, use this part to store sea foods, meat that need to be kept coldest and is cooked at high temperatures. Keeping the important and readymade things at door will also make more space for other things. The key is placing the things in fridge mindfully.

After being going through all the above listings, you will be well aware about how fridge is not important for food perspective but can also help in savings. You can see how an Organized fridge can cut down on your so many worries. Just little organization and mindful keeping of fridge can change all this. Start with top and work your way down. Though, it may seem like daunting task at first, but when you put your mind in it, and have put a fixed time and planning into organizing it, you will be fascinated by the results, as it not saved money for you but also lots of time where dinner is concerned.

September 14, 2014
Nutella, Nutella… Everywhere!

Have you heard about Nutella Chocolate? Freaky Question. I Know! Nutella, the hazelnut chocolate spread, is deliciously, awesomely, supertasty, lovely, chocolaty, creamy, fancy, uber, yum, nutty thing. You just need a spoon and there you go. Eat it and keep eating it and spreading it on breads, cookies or cakes or on anything you want. And the fascinating thing, you know 5 February,2014 is celebrated as Nutella Day. Nutella lovers must have beautiful memories with nutella from their childhood to even now, from oozing crepes to breakfast on vacations to free spooning sessions on the couch, nutells has prominent place in almost everyone’s lives. And now, the nutty chocolaty spread is turning 50. So let’s just celebrate its half century and know more about this awesome spread.

Nutella is the brand name of a hazelnut chocolate spread, which is manufactured by the Italian company Ferrero and was introduced in the market in 1964. Made by young confectioner , who had a vision of an affordable luxury made of a small amount of cocoa and lots of hazelnuts, His name was Pietro Ferrero. What’s in Nutella? If count on the ingredients and the nutrition, here’s what goes in Nutella? Well, in numbers if I say, 97 hazelnuts goes in each 750 grams jar. The other ingredients being, sugar, skimmed milk powder, palm oil(non-hydrogenated), low-fat cocoa, whey powder, vanillin, emulsifier. The nutritional information per 100 gram of nutella spread is 544 kcal, sugar 56.7g, fat 31.6g, protein 6g. It is produced on huge scale in 11 factories located in Italy, france, Poland, Russia, Germany, Mexico, Canada, Turkey, Brazil, Australia. Well, the ingredient hazelnut, is good for health of your heart, making it fairly nutritious food to occasionally include into your healthy eating plan. Nutella is beneficial for you, though you do get very small amount of key nutrients from nutella like saturated fat and sugar. Occasional intake of saturated fat is good for heart in maintaining cholesterol levels and do not harm your health. But you should limit your consumption and have in moderation as excess is always bad.

Gone are the days , you were caught with a a spoon in the nutella jar, now we have some super awesome tips and tricks to put this spread into versatile uses and as an ingredient in various sweet pick ons. Just go through and give variety to your breakfast.

NUTELLA CAKE RECIPE:

Serving: 6-8 Preparation Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients: 100 gram nutella

4 eggs

100 gram butter

200 gram castor sugar

200 gram self-raising flour

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp cocoa powder

Method: Preheat the oven at 220 degrees Celsius and grease the baking dish with oil or lina 9 inch cake tin with greaseproof paper.

Well, First In a large mixing bowl, whisk all the ingredients together with a hand blender or electric blender. Once mixed and blended well, pour the batter into the cake tin making sure that you have got the even amount in it.

Bake it for 20-25 minutes until spongy soft to touch.

You can bake two cakes if you want a two layer cake. Now, take it out of the oven and let it cool down on a rack. When the two cakes are warm, not hot enough, decide which layer of cake is going to be a base and spread it with thick layering of nutella.

Now, Pop the other cake onto the nutella layer and press it firmly, sandiwiching them together. Spread more nutella layer on the top of cake and decorate it with strawberries or cherries or Cadbury shots or gems or use any other creativity of your own.

If you’re a big nutella lover, you will enjoy this recipe all the more. As, this is a rich chocolate cake with a thick nutella topping, this is perfect treat for nutella and chocolate lover. This delicious, mouth watering delicacy can be served with a dollop of vanilla icecream or thick cream and enjoy it.

Also, some more lovely recipes are here to make with nutella;

Spread it on a toast or bread or waffles with peanut butter and nutella on it . Quite a basic recipe but is loved the most.

You can slice the banana lengthwise and put nutella on it. Also, you can slice up apples thinly in circle pieces and put nutella on slices and sandwich them. Even, you can dip strawberries in nutella and eat them. Putting nutella on fruits make them all the more sweeter and gives an exotic taste, enjoyed by all.

Make a nutella shake with milk and blender. You can drink your nutella if you don’t like licking it from spoon and bored from spreading it.

You can frost banana cupcakes or any other cupcakes by nutella and vanilla swirl buttercream. Just looks and tastes yum.

Make a nutella covered bacons and enjoy them.

Put nutella on your icecream cups or cones and enjoy the deliciousness, richness and the iciness.

Nutella goes with anything to everything and makes things sweeter. Just perfect to satisfy your sweet tooth with the hazelnut delicacy. Enjoyit and keep eating till it gets over. Then, bring it more and eat it more and repeat.

Keep licking it. Keep spreading it. Because; Happy Eating is Happy Life.

July 30, 2014
Fascinating Food Facts!

C’mmon! You all Foodies. You love food, I love food, We love food, All love food. But do you know the superawesome, amazing, unbelievably true random facts about food. Some of you may be say Yes, while others aren’t so aware. But here’s some bizzare facts about the food you swallow, that tickles your tastebuds, satisfy your cravings and love you back. In the world of food, some are healthy, while others are junk food. But Food is food and we eat it with all our consciousness and sometimes sentiments too.

Well, If you’re also excited like me to know about the 3Fs (Fascinating food facts), not so common, surprising and curiosity evoking, here’s some I have rounded up. Go on, read these startling facts and amaze yourself. Or whip out a few at your next party and you might even impress your friends; how much you know about food and nutrition;

A can of coke has more sugar than you’re supposed to have in your whole day. When you drink one can of Coca-Cola, you are consuming 65grams of sugar. Though it is refreshing and delicious to drink, it doesn’t do much good to you and your health.

Green tea is an elixir, No? But do you know, Adding citrus juice (lemon drops) to green tea stabilizes its ‘catechin’ content, boosting the level of antioxidants that survive the digestive system upto 13-fold and become all the more healthy drink.

I’m lovin it! Remember it? The McDonald’s. This multi national food joint has outlets all over the world. But Americans love it most of all and If you don’t know this fact that 1 in every 8 Americans has been employed by McDonald’s.

Now, something really interesting. Note it. Neither Strawberries, Raspberries or Blackberries are actually berries. While Bananas, pumpkins, watermelons, tomatoes and avocadoes are all berries.

People love that diary white milk and most consume for the supplement called Vitamin D. But here’s this fact saying that Oysters provide 4 times more Vitamin D than skim milk.

You love chocolate? And you love Caramel in it? But do you know that Caramel was first invented for Waxing those unwanted bodily hair. It was originally used as that in Arabic countries until some bright spark realized it would also make a delicious dessert.

Saffron? Wow, gives lovely colour. Well, do you know that saffron is ridiculously expensive to buy and use in culinary activities, but yet super easy to grow. This is because it takes 200 crocus flowers to produce 1 gram of saffron. However, you can grow it straight into your garden and cut the middlemen. For that, you just need a few seeds, a sunny corner of your garden and a little patience while they grow.

Do you also feel that gluten free products are more healthier and do you use them often? Then maybe you have experienced it too. As On Average, Gluten-free food products are 242% more expensive than regular food products.

Love Coffee? Here’s a study by NEJM 2012, which found out that drinking upto 6 cups of coffee per day can reduce all cause mortality by 10% in men and 15% in women. Don’t believe me? Google it.

Cinnamon; quite flavorful and nice herb for sweet or salty dishes. And you know, Cinnamon is a potent antioxidant that can help reduce the risk of blood clots, controls blood sugar, improves insulin sensitivity and thus as a result prevent gain of weight and diabetes. Wonderful !

Like this green fruit called Kiwi? Rich in Vitamin C, this fruit was called as Chinese gooseberry but marketers didn’t like the name so they renamed the fruit “Kiwi” after a bird that it resembles.

Oregano, a spicy herb inducing the taste on pizzas an pastas. A very common ingredient in Mexican and Italian cuisine is derived from the leaves of the herb. The fact regarding Oregano is that it has very high antioxidant content, even higher than that of blueberries. Its antioxidant activity is 20 times higher than that of any other herb. Oregano has 4 times the antioxidant activity of blueberries, 12 times that of oranges and 42 times that of apples. So, Keep lovin’ it.

Popcorns are perfect for movietime. But be little cautious. They are healthy because of corn but Microwave Popcorn gives off a toxic, lung-damaging gas when cooked. But 1 cup of air-popped popcorns contains more antioxidants in the form of polyphenols, than the average fruit or vegetables. So, Pop the popcorns but not in microwave.

Peaches are too good. For the skin, as a taste, for body and many more benefits. But do you know even the seed is useful. The seed inside a peach contains an almond-like nut which holds a potent anti-cancer medicine called laetrile and reasearches have suggested that this induces programmed cell death in cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone. Well, peaches are awesome.

Are you nuts about nuts? Well, that’s good. Because Pecans and walnuts have more antioxidants than strawberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, cranberries. So, keep munching them.

Woahh! These were some Amazingly awesome facts about food we all eat in our everyday life. Still don’t know them. The stuff you swallow has some facts attached and now, you know them.

Enjoy Food. Enjoy facts.

July 30, 2014
Why AVOCADOS are Healthiest of all foods.

Avocados. Are. Really. Healthy. Do you know that? If you have eaten it, you have definitely experienced its benefits, but if you don’t consume it, maybe you doubt its perks. The Avocado, not so common in India is very renowned and beneficial fruit, healthiest of all. It has proven benefits and is loved all over the world and is consumed with all the consciousness. Avocado, also known as Alligator pear are commercially valuable and cultivated in tropical and Mediterranean climates throughout the world. Although it is techmically a fruit, this mild-flavored avocado is also used as a vegetable. It is also sometimes known as butter pear beacause of its saccharine flesh and its textured skin. Native to Mexico and Central America, there are 4 main varieties of avocado; Hass (considered to be best and used often), which has dark, greenish skin, Ettinger which is pear shaped, smooth skinned, Fuerte and Nabal which is spherical. This fruit is highly nutritious, containing Vitamin E, potassium, iron and niacin and gives nutrition to the body in a great way. It has excess of 25 essential nutrients including Vitamin A, B, C,K and also contain fiber, protein and other beneficial phytochemicals such as glutathione, lutein, betasitosterol, which protects our body against many diseases. It is available all year round in grocery stores and veggie and fruits area of your locality and Its best to keep it in fridge once ripe to maintain its freshness. If you have to decide about choosing the best avocados, go for an unblemished skin, not too soft but gives flesh when squeezed gently and if you buy hard ones , it can be ripen quickly by putting them in brown paper with a banana, out of the fridge.

The preparation of avocado and eating it easy. Just run the small, sharp knife all the way around avocado from top to bottom. To remove the stone out of avocado, ease it out with the spoon, firmly and lever out. The flesh of avocado discolours rapidly when exposed to air, so brush it with lemon juice, if you are not going to eat it straightway. Though Avocados are best used Raw, not cooked, yet there are many recipes with avocado and is even used as vegetables sometimes. You can mash it with tomatoes, garlic, chillies to make the classic Mexican dip, guacamole or you can even slice it thinly with tomato and mozzarella cheese drizzled with olive oil to make an Italian Salad. Or enjoy it as you like.

The Mayan Indians have a popular saying,”Where avocados grow, hunger or malnutrition have no friends.”

Now, you may be having curiosity to know the health benefits of Avocado and why it is one of the healthiest foods in an entire world and why it is recommended to have one Avocado a day and how it can make a difference to your life;

Good for Heart: Avocados are best for heart health, Having Vitamin B6 and folic acid, which helps in maintaining homocysteine levels. It is something which is associated with increased risk of heart diseases if have high levels of homocysteine. Also, other nutrients like Vitamin E, glutathione, monounsaturated fat helps in maintaining heart health. In addition Oleic acid in avocados improves the cardiovascular condition.

High Fiber Content: If you’re tired and bored of eating and trying other things for fiber, come try the avocados. They have quite fiber content. There is like 10 grams of fiber in a medium-sized avocado, with 75 percent of fiber is insoluble; the one that speeds up the digesting process and other 25 percent is soluble; which is responsible for making you feel full.

Awesome for Skincare: Yes, you heard it right. Avocados prove to be great moisturizer, treat sunburns and even reduce wrinkles. There’s this simple face mask; Mix honey, yoghurt, avocado together and put it on your face on keep it there for some time. And just see the magic after how your face glows out. Also, there’s this thing called Avocado oil, simply awesome and is said to do wonders for your body. Even cooking with avocado oil, can fight many diseases like heart disease, cancer and signs of ageing. So, use Avocado and its oil to the rescue.

Antioxidant Properties: Avocado is wonderful antioxidant as it contains master antioxidant “glutathione” which is an antioxidant booster and helps in fighting free radicals in the body. It boosts the body’s immune system and keeps the nervous system healthy. So, this fruit an be a wonder for you.

Eye-Protection: Avocados are best for eyes and can prevent eye weakness and even age related eye health decline. Use avocados and eat then daily for perfect eyesight. As having carotenoid lutein, it protects the eyes from age-related eye degeneration and cataracts. For healthy eyes, go for avocados.

Avocados are fattening but in a good way: Don’t be surprised. I’m talking about avocados which contain incredibly healthy monounsaturated fats which is amazing for your heart . Yes, they do hav more fats than any other fruits, but ina healthy way. So, don’t deter from eating them for weight concern.

Some Quick Serving Ideas:

Use chopped avocados for garnishing on black bean soup.

You can combine sliced avocado with fennel, fresh mint and oranges and it can be a lovely salad.

Want something new? Spread ripe avocados on bread in place of mayonnaise when making a sandwich. It can be a very helthy replacement.

Add avocado to your creamy tofu-based dressing recipe to give it richness and beautiful green colour.

Well, with so much of info and so many recipes, you should run to your nearest fruit shop and start having it. Keep loving Avocado and it will love you back all the more.

Healthy Eating. Happy Life.

July 27, 2014