Tag: health benefits

All about Papaya – Nutrition, Uses and Recipes

Papaya is a fruit that’s quite commonly available in all continents of the world during the summer season. Rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C, the fruit has many health benefits. The fruit, it’s seeds as well as the leaves are edible and are widely used in South East Asian cuisines. If you don’t prefer eating raw papaya, you can make a variety of dishes, smoothies and drinks and enjoy it the way you like. You can make it into a flavor you like. You just have to spice it up!

Before moving on to the various recipes let us take a look at the nutritional and health benefits offered by papaya.

Protects Heart : As I have already mentioned, Papayas are rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin A. This makes it a wonderful element in a salad as it helps in preventing heart diseases. Vitamin A and C play a key role in oxidation of cholesterol in our body, that is they are powerful anti-oxidants. Moreover, papayas have high fiber content, which also helps in lowering the cholesterol level!

Supports Digestive System and Immune System : Papayas help in improving the digestive heath and they also help in preventing colon cancer. It is also available now in tablet forms to treat digestion related problems! They also help in improving the immune system and prevent common illness like cold, flu, etc.

Prevent Prostrate Cancer : It is widely known that, papaya when taken with a sip of green tea can reduce the risk of prostrate cancer to a great extent!

Traditional Medicine To Treat Malaria : Leaves of the papaya tree are also edible and in some countries, its medicinal value is put to use. They are boiled and used to make tea, s a medicine to treat malaria.

As we have now covered its health benefits and nutritional value, let’s now see some of its other uses.

Substitute Spinach and Black Pepper : The seeds of papaya can also be used for cooking. They are spicy and are used as a substitute for black pepper in many countries. The seeds also help in destroying intestinal worms. The papaya leaves can also be boiled or steamed and cooked as a spinach!

Skin and Face Mask : Papaya is one of the best face masks that help in rejuvenating the skin, heals acne and other skin infections.

Apart from the above mentioned uses and benefits, Papayas can be used to make some of the best dishes. If you like juices and smoothies, sweets (halwa) or salads and salsa, papayas can blend in and create some of the delicious dishes.

Papaya Salsa

For those who like to eat spicy dishes, the best way to eat a papaya is to make a papaya salsa! It is very easy to make as you don’t have to cook. All you need is the ingredients. Mix them, stir them well and they are ready to serve with chicken or fish!

Ingredients:

1 mango or 1 pineapple

1 ripe papaya

1 large red bell pepper

1 avocado

a small sweet onion

fresh cilantro

balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

How To Make:

Step 1 : Peel the mango or pineapple, avocado and papaya and dice them into small cubes.

Step 2 : Chop the onion, cilantro and the red bell pepper

Step 3 : Now mix the diced fruits, red bell pepper, onion and avocado in a large bowl.

Step 4 : Add two tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons of the chopped fresh cilantro.

Step 5 : Now stir the contents and add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 6 : Let the mix for sometime and after 15 minutes, the Papaya Salsa is ready to serve.

If you are a lover of sweets and desserts, you can make use of the fully ripened sweet papayas to prepare Papaya Halwa.

Here is the recipe for Papaya Halwa, one of the best delicacies to serve during dinner, festivals and parties. It can be served as a dessert!

Papaya Halwa

Papaya Halwa is one of the delicious sweets and is very easy to make. It requires very less ingredients. All you need is a sweet fully ripened papaya and the following ingredients, listed below

Ingredients:

1 fully ripened papaya

2 tablespoons of oil or ghee

1 cup of sugar

2 tablespoons of Almond Powder / Milk Powder / Coconut Powder

1 tablespoon of Cardamom Powder

4-5 Cashew Nuts

How To Make:

Step 1 : Take a fully ripe papaya, peel off the skin and dice it into small cubes. You can also grate the papaya with grater so that it will be easier to mash it.

Step 2 : Pour some oil or ghee in a pan and heat it. Now add the diced / grated papaya in the pan. Keep the stove on low flame for about 15 minutes and stir the papaya often until it is well cooked.

Step 3 : Add the required amount of sugar, and mash the mix with a potato masher. It will slowly lose its opacity and start to release the juices which will it easier to mash it as well.

Step 4 : About 20 minutes later, the color and consistency of the mix will change considerably and it will become thicker.

Step 5 : Now add the cardamom powder and the almond powder/milk powder/coconut powder.

Step 6 : Now let it cook for 5 more minuted on low flame, stir it well and add cashew nuts.

Step 7 : Stir for 2-3 more minutes and the Papaya Halwa is all ready to serve!

If you are looking for a refreshing drink that supplies energy after a tiresome day at work, you can make this quick drink, Papaya-Melon Tango.

Papaya-Melon Tango

Papaya-Melon Tango is a rich source of glucose and provides immense energy after an exhausting day.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of peeled and diced papaya

3/4 cup of peeled and diced muskmelon

1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice

1/4 cup of crushed ice

How To Make:

Add the diced papaya and muskmelon in a mixer along with the lemon juice and crushed ice. Turn on the blender until the mix turns into a smooth liquid and the Papaya-Melon Tango is ready to serve!

The above mentioned ingredients makes 2 glasses of Papaya-Melon Tango.

Place it in a fridge to keep it cool.

February 6, 2015
While Dieting,You Eat!!

With the spurt in the number of Mcdonalds and Dominoz all around the country, seldom it is that we find kids and adults alike whom we can term as perfect specimens of the human anatomy. Cheaper and cheaper burgers and fries combos and the easy accessibility of everything unhealthy is taking this Aryan civilization faster to its unhealthy end than we can possibly imagine.And some who are aware of this gradually surmounting epidemic of obesity turn themselves to starving, or dieting as they more fashionably call it.

And this is where most of them go wrong. If you out the word dieting on google and search for its meaning, the first result it shows is: Restrict oneself to small amounts in order to lose weight” But this is wrong in its most fundamental sense. Living beings need energy to work, breathe and live. And unlike Jaadu(from Koi Mil Gaya) our energy does not directly come from sunlight.We humans, have to have food in order to survive. So, starving, fasting and skipping meals is out of bounds. What we will do today is, get a new regime started for those who are willing to exchange flab with muscle and diseases with health.

First of all, forget everything that you ever ate anything and that you had a diet schedule planned. Here, we all start afresh. Just like infants do.

Secondly, many might have said or suggested to you; plan your meals ahead of time. Forget it. Because, food can’t be quantified beforehand. Suppose you worked out a little extra today, won’t you need an extra glass of milk to balance the energy that you’ve lost? So, never plan your eating. Eat, whatever your heart wants, but from the list that we decide here for ourselves only. Now we begin by clearing off all the things that are clichéd and everyone tells you about them. You should eat loads of fruit they provide vitamins, drink lots of water: gives you roughage, gorge on soups: healthy for your body and all that. But doesn’t everybody know this list by heart by now? So, we come down to those Indian dishes that you can prepare in your kitchen while hunger strikes. Let’s start with dinner.

Idli Sambhar:

A blast for the tongue from the South of India and easy on your belly too. This dish makes it to the top of our list of the Indian foods for dieters. Each idli contains just 39 calories, which is a minimal amount in comparison to a healthy 2,000-calorie daily diet. . Idlis contain no fat, no saturated fat and no cholesterol. Consuming less than 16 grams of saturated fat and 300 milligrams of cholesterol lessens your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

DHOKLA:

Going in the reverse order from dinner to breakfast, its time for your evening snack. And what better than dhokla to freshen you up and lighten you at the same time. Yes, it is chiefly made up of Dal and Rice, but don’t cringe as otherwise you would have been gormandizing on chips or samosas for sure. But remember, Dhokla is low in saturated fat, very low in cholesterol, low in sodium, high in dietary fiber and high in vitamin A and C. And for us dieters, low fat is all that matters, right people?

SPROUTS AND RAITA:

To your lunch, let’s start by having some Raita, what say? Now, raita as you all know is made by adding fruits, vegetables or any other thing to beaten yoghurt. And the best part is that one serving includes just 60 calories. To the beaten curd one can add grated bottle gourd or some fruits. But if you are in the mood for some crunch, you can very well add Boondi to it. Boondi, is fried, yes. But a handful of pea sized boondis will do your diet no harm.

With Raita, you can have sprouts as the main course and feel a bit Pseudo-European. Keep the pulses in water overnight and in the morning add a bit of lemon, some spices, some cucumber and your lunch is ready in a jiffy.

OATS AND DALIYA:

Now, one thing with which we should agree with the hackneyers is that, breakfast should be heavy. And the dieticians have logic and Science backing them too. According to some studies if we consume more calories at breakfast and very less at dinner, this will help you lose weight quicker because if you eat a larger breakfast it will give a kick start to your metabolism and plus you won’t feel all drained and sleepy in that history class of yours. Plus more calories in the breakfast gives you more time in the day to burn them off. For breakfast why don’t we have something milk based, like oats? Well oats take two minutes to cook and trust me, you won’t be able to eat more than one and half cups of it. And hey, no adding sugar at your mom’s back, OK?

Other than oats, you can also have Daliya in the morning. Daliya or Bulgur wheat in Angrezi, is a very light and healthy option for breakfast. Daliya is an excellent source of fiber that keeps you feeling full and also helps to maintain a healthy digestive system. And just like oats, daliya can be either milk based or oil and vegetable based. Now, a little oil isn’t harmful for your body and don’t cringe if once in a blue moon you are fed up of having only milk based diet for your mornings. So, here we are with a very basic diet plan for you to follow and with just one mantra at the end. Never starve yourself, Never. You need food to live. So, just give it a healthy twist and keep eating ( or dieting, whatever you like to call it! ).

January 8, 2015
Chutneys are Yummy! Part 2
Chutney (also translated as Chatney or Chatni) is a family of condiments mainly associated with South Asian cuisine that usually contain some mixture of spice(s), vegetable(s), and/or fruit(s). Chutneys may be either wet or dry, and can have a coarse or fine texture. There are various types of chutneys.

Traditionally, chutneys are ground with a mortar and pestle made of stone or an ammikkal . Spices are added and ground, usually in a particular order; the wet paste thus made is sauteed in vegetable oil, usually gingelly (sesame) or groundnut (peanut) oil. Electric blenders or food processors can be used as labor-saving alternatives to stone grinding.

Let’s explore two new mouth-watering recipes of Chutneys which one can make easily at home!
- Garlic Chutney:
This is a fiery-spicy chutney made from garlic cloves and red chilies. It is a taste-enhancing must-have accompaniment for South Indian dishes like Dosa, Idli, etc. In this customized Indian Garlic Chutney recipe, garlic, soaked red chillies and coconut are first sautéed in oil, and then crushed with tamarind pulp to make delicious Chutney having a complex hot, sour and spicy taste altogether.
- Ingredients:
1) 8 chopped garlic cloves (skin removed).
2) 2 whole dry red chillies, seeded and broken into pieces.
3) ½ cup grated fresh coconut.
4) 1 teaspoon tamarind pulp.
5) ¼ cup water.
6) 2 teaspoons oil.
7) Salt according to taste.
- Directions:
1) Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan. When the oil is hot enough, sauté the chopped garlic over a low flame for a minute and then transfer to a plate.
2) Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the same pan and sauté the dry red chillies over a low flame for 20-30 seconds. Again, transfer them to the same plate.
3) Let the sautéed garlic and dry red chillies cool for about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the garlic and the dry red chillies to the chutney jar of a grinder or food processor. Grind them until a medium coarse paste is formed.
4) Add the grated coconut, the tamarind pulp, ¼ cup water and salt (according to taste) to the jar.
5) Grind them till a medium coarse paste is formed. Tasty South Indian Garlic Chutney to be enjoyed along with Dosa and Idli is ready to be served!
- Tips:
1) You can also use 2 teaspoons of the red chilli powder in place of the usual dried red chillies.
2) Dry Kashmiri red chillies are specially added to get that nice red color and also to make a less spicy Chutney when compared to other varieties of chillies as such.
3) Replace the tamarind pulp with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice for a slight variation in the overall taste of the Garlic Chutney.
- Preparation Time: 5 minutes.
- Cooking Time: 5 minutes.
- Servings: 6 (½ cup).
- Pudina Chutney:
Pudina (Mint) is an herb known for its medicinal benefits for indigestion, acidity, headache, dental and skin diseases. It is an integral part of Indian cuisine as well. This Pudina Chutney recipe makes for an extremely flavorsome and tempting Chutney prepared right from fresh mint and coriander leaves. However, its main taste comes from the tamarind paste which is added to give a nice tang to its spiciness. The whole texture of the Chutney is derived from the fresh coconut.
- Ingredients:
1) ¼ cup fresh Pudina (mint) leaves.
2) 1 cup chopped coriander leaves.
3) ½ cup grated fresh coconut.
4) 2 chopped green chillies.
5) ½ inch piece ginger, chopped.
6) 2 teaspoons tamarind pulp or lemon juice.
7) 1 teaspoon sugar (optional).
8) Salt according to taste.
9) ½ cup water.
- Note:
This recipe requires tamarind pulp as an ingredient. You can easily find ready-made tamarind pulp to be bought in the market. If the tamarind pulp is not available, then you can also prepare it at home by simply following the directions which are given below-

1) Soak the tamarind in hot water for roughly 1 hour.
2) Remove the seeds of the tamarind.
3) Strain the whole mixture to prepare fresh and homemade tamarind pulp.
- Directions:
1) Clean the mint leaves and the coriander leaves well by running them under fresh tap water.
2) Grind the fresh coconut, green chillies, ginger, sugar and salt together in the chutney jar of a mixer or a food processor until a very smooth paste is formed.
3) Add the mint leaves, the coriander leaves, the tamarind pulp (or the lemon juice) and ½ cup water. Grind again until a very smooth consistency of chutney is arrived at.
4) Fresh Pudina Chutney is ready to be served along with your favorite condiments!
- Tips:
1) Replace the tamarind pulp with an alternative of lime juice for an even more delicious tang of the Pudina Chutney.
2) Store it in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can then use as and when it is required.
3) You can always add more water and adjust the spices according to your own tastes so as to make the Pudina Chutney more diluted and thin, or of a concentrated and strong flavor.
- Preparation Time: 10 minutes.
- Servings: 8 (1 cup chutney).
So there you are – two delicious Chutneys which you can easily make at home by following some simple instructions. These are very good from the health point of view. They also acts as excellent taste enhancers.

Keep watching this space for more delicious recipes!
September 14, 2014
4 things that make Gol Gappe the best

Gol gappe belong to the Indian family of street food which is found in almost every corner of a city. Gol gappe, which is the plural of gol gappa, are fried, hollow puris that are stuffed with boiled chick peas and potatoes and toppeed with some tamarind chutney and filled with flavoured water that has generous concentration of mint and some spices. Gol gappe are best had at a roadside vendor. Now, if you are going to lecture us on hygiene and health, let me just say, take a chill pill! Life is all about relaxation and enjoyment. We all definitely have eaten weirdest things on the earth which were not even edible, when we were little babies. Did we die? No, I do not think so. And come on, won’t it be a matter of pride to have “died of eating gol gappe” on your tombstone? Jokes apart, there are a great number of reasons that you should be aware of to put off that (facade of) hesitation that has gripped you. In this list, we have tried to point out some of these reasons why you should absolutely go and have a gol gappa, right away!

1. The Taste

Gol gappe have a crunchy texture to them. The hollow, fried balls are crispy and gel completely in fabulous way with the gooey filling inside. The flavoured water, fondly and simply called “pani”, takes the flavour of gol gappe to an entirely different level. The pani has a spicy and refreshing touch to it, which makes it a delight to have in any weather. Talking about the weather, it is monsoon presently and having a mouth full of gol gappa and rain drops on face is just the dream and beats almost everything in the world. It is said that little things do wonders and the humble chutney that goes into the preparation of a gol gappa defines the same, like a boss. The tangy taste of the chutney blends smoothly with the pani, adding an element of sweet to the spicy, making the gol gappa a snack to die for.

2. The Price

In today’s world, when the prices for a meagre cellular phone have crossed over fifty grands, we know that we are in a soup, a financial soup. We are living in an age where living by the budget is more important than living by the holy scripture. Inflation has been on an ever increasing rise since almost forever, so it seems now. It only makes sense to know of a great food item that does not burn a hole in your pocket and is as cheap as meagre Rs. 20! Having something to eat at such low cost is surely a great booster. the brilliant taste that one gets at such brilliant price advocates having gol gappe to a great extent. it is an awesome street food option and one of the very few ones which have stuck to the notion of being street food with respect to cost factor.

3. The Fun

The ideal and traditional way in which a plate of gol gappe is had is one where the gol gappa chef hands over a single piece to the customer, at a time and waits patiently until he/she finishes his/her huge bite. This old school way of having gol gappe cannot be matched by anything else. In addition to this, there are some more fun elements attached to eating a gol gappa and that is the way it is supposed to be had. You have to take it in, in one single go. Do not even think about taking half a gol gappa in one bite and the ither half in another. This is just as absurd as it could get and no to pleasing to watch, too. Gol gappe are of two varieties, one is made up of sooji and the other one is made up of atta. One reaches the zenith of fun while having a gol gappa that is made of atta because of the huge size that it has. Having an atta gol gappa in one go is a feat that everyone wants to accomplish and with a little bit of practice, can be, too.

4. The Perks

When you were a kid, you must have gone all crazy about the tazos that you could get with a packet of Lay’s chips. Now, when you are a grown up, you must be going crazy about the 30% extra discount that you get at your favourite showroom because of the platinum card that you possess. In both of these situations, the fact remains that we all like having something extra. Having perks alonside the main product/service is a privilege that everybody loves. Now, when you are eating a gol gappa, you have the perks of asking for some more pani because you know that it is never enough. Its spicy flavour would make you sweat like a pig but who cares! Why? Because another perk comes to your rescue in that situation. It is the privilege of asking for an extra papdi from the vendor and he happily gives it away. Try doing something like that at your high-end restaurant and you will be given the stare of your life. So, gol gappe come with some sweet, little perks that you must enjoy. After all, little things make you feel special in a way that is really sweet.

So, what are you waiting for? Go, ask that bhaiya to give you a full plate of gol gappe and rejoice!

July 30, 2014
Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin

Right from the ancient times turmeric has been used in our society. A lot of thesis has been written in the Indian mythology about the benefits of Turmeric. Most of the people in our society know turmeric as a spice used in cooking various dishes. Its addition gives the yellow color to the curry. It is not only used as a spice but also as a wonderful medicinal herb. Since turmeric offers lots of health benefits it is considered as one of the best nutritional supplements that we have. Most of the researches made in this regard prove the same. It has several medicinal properties in it which is very much beneficial for the human body. Out of all the compounds present in this herb, the most essential and beneficial is curcuminoids i.e. Curcumin. Curcumin is considered as one of the most active compound which is present in turmeric. Its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant property plays a major role in keeping the body fit and healthy.

Usually turmeric has 3 % of Curcumin by weight. So it is also consumed as a supplement. Since the human body does not absorb the Curcumin properly, it is taken along with black pepper. The black pepper contains piperine which increases the absorption of the Curcumin inside the human body by whopping 2000 %. Moreover you can also take it along with the fatty meals as Curcumin is a wonderful fat soluble agent.

In a healthy body inflammation plays one of the most important roles. It helps the body in fighting the germs and bacteria that could cause serious damage and moreover also helps in repairing the damaged parts of the body. If the process of inflammation does not take place, the pathogens can easily attack our body and harm us. The inflammation process needs serious attention. While the acute or the short term inflammation inside the human body is very much necessary, the long term or the chronic inflammation causes damage to the tissues and so it should be controlled otherwise you can get diagnosed with cancer, various heart diseases, Alzheimer’s condition and metabolic syndrome. Here the use of Curcumin which is found inside turmeric comes handy. Curcumin has anti-inflammatory property which is way better than most of the anti-inflammatory drugs which we have in the market these days. It directly targets the inflammatory pathway at the lowest level by blocking the NF-kB molecules. This NF-kB molecule is the one which travels into the cell and turns on the process of inflammation. Without getting into further deep knowledge about the processes inside the body, let’s just remember that Curcumin is important for the fight against the chronic inflammation.

Oxidative damage is one of the major reasons why people get diagnosed with so many chronic diseases. The process of aging also gets affected. All this processes include unpaired highly reactive molecules and free radicals. This free radical causes most of the damage. It reacts with proteins, fatty acids and DNAs inside the body and forms harmful compounds. Here comes the need of the strong antioxidants. The antioxidant helps in neutralizing the structure of the free radicals. Again turmeric here has strong antioxidant properties and so is Curcumin. They simply increase the antioxidant enzymes inside the human body and protect it from the oxidative damages.

It has been reported that turmeric can be highly beneficial in treating the cancer disease in which there is uncontrolled growth of the affected cells. Since Curcumin affects the molecular structure of the human body, it is believed that it can be very much useful in controlling the growth and spread of this disease at the lowest level. It reduces the growth of the new blood vessels inside the tumors and also starts the metastasis process. Both of them play a major role in getting rid of the cancerous cell. While it has been tested on the animals, the test on the human beings is still going on. But one thing which is sure is that the colorectal cancer can be prevented with the help of Curcumin.

Curcumin further boosts the brain-derived neurotropic factor which improves the functioning of the brain. The neurons do develop in the later stages of the life and forms the new connections which are required in proper and smooth functioning of the brain. The presence of the Curcumin inside the human body is very much important to fight against the several degenerative processes which happen inside the brain. If you regularly eat turmeric then you are very much protected against the brain diseases. The Curcumin inside the turmeric makes sure of that. There is a never ending list of the benefits of the Curcumin of the human body. It plays a vital role in reversing the steps which leads you to the chronic heart diseases. Curcumin repairs the lining of the blood vessels which is called as endothelium and helps it in its proper functioning. The risk of the heart attack decreases by 65 % if you regularly eat turmeric in your diet. I guess the above mentioned reasons are enough for anybody to get convinced and start eating this wonderful herb.

July 22, 2014
Why Processed Foods is bad for Your Health?

Currently there are lots of processed foods in the market and its consumption is increasing at an alarming rate. People are eating the processed foods without considering the fact they are actually very much harmful for their health. Processed foods are bad of the human body and it is also one of the major reasons why you are getting fat and often fall sick. Recently various surveys were conducted on the people who adopted the western countries influenced diets. These diets have large amount of processed food items in it. The results are quite shocking. The processed food affects the human health and it decreases the body’s ability to fight with the disease causing germs and bacteria. Isn’t it quite surprising? These food items were rolled out in the market so that in this fast paced life style you may easily get the foods that you love to eat. But people have now started to use it regularly and it is not at all good for the human body.

When the food items are treated chemically so that the essential nutrients and minerals level in it is maintained intact, it is called as the processed food. In order to achieve this goal artificial and refined ingredients are added to these food items which in turn have several side effects. There is a very major difference between the chemical processing and the mechanical processing of the food items. While it is beneficial to process foods mechanically, the chemically processed foods on the other hand are actually harmful for the health.

Usually the processed foods have high amount of the sugar content in it which is quite harmful for the human beings. The level of the sugar content in these food items is increased by adding the fructose corn syrups. The excessive intake of the sugar is very much harmful. There are chances that you may get diagnosed with the diabetes, heart diseases, cancer and obesity. Sugars have empty calories in it which are a rich source of energy but it is also true that it has major devastating effect on the human body. The level of the cholesterol inside the body increases. Moreover the fat accumulation in the abdominal cavity as well as the liver also increases with an alarming rate.

The researchers have termed the processed foods as the “Hyper Rewarding.” Once you start eating such food items you get addicted towards them and very often it lead to the overconsumption. Everybody loves to eat such food items which have excellent taste as it pleases our taste buds. So the processed food manufacturers have started to add several ingredients in it so that the foods can be made desirable and people can be attracted towards it. These processed foods are very much rewarding towards the brain and they eventually affect the normal behavior and thought process.

The major problem with the processed foods is that they are added with lots of artificial preservatives and ingredients. You as a normal human being do not pay much attention towards its ingredients and only pay attention towards the taste. These ingredients are not actual foods and are infact chemicals which have lots of negative impact on the human body. Generally the processed food items have colorants: so that specific color can be provided to them, flavorings agents: so that specific flavor can be provided to them, preservatives: to protect them from rotting and texturants: to provide them with specific texture. Apart from the above mentioned labels there are lot more additional chemicals in the food items and so it is not at all safe to have its consumption.

Carbohydrate is very much useful for maintaining good health. You are often recommended to eat those food items which offer high carbohydrates. The carbohydrates obtained from the whole foods are very much beneficial. But the processed food items have refined carbohydrates in them and this infact makes your health deteriorate. The refined carbohydrate gets broken up quickly which results into the sudden rise of the insulin level in blood. The blood sugar also increases. Later on when the level of the blood sugar goes down, people experience the carb craving. This roller coaster ride of the insulin and blood sugar level has several negative impacts and it leads to various chronic diseases.

When you make a comparison between the unprocessed food and the processed foods, the former one is more equipped with essential nutrients which are beneficial for the human body. During the processing the essential nutrients present in the food gets lost and to compensate for the loss synthetic minerals and vitamins are added. This replacement is not at all wise and it affects your health. The only way you can guarantee the adequate supply of essential vitamins and minerals is by eating the unprocessed foods as they do not have any added chemicals and are completely natural. These processed foods are not good for the human body and you should eliminate it completely from your life.

July 15, 2014
FIVE ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS FOR HEALTHY SKIN AND WHERE TO FIND THEM!!

Skin-care is probably the most overrated issue in our life. With the flooding of creams, face-washes and other products in the market, beauty is arguably the most profit-generating venture. There are day creams, night creams, anti-aging, wrinkle-lift, fairness creams, cold-creams and what not!! I am sincerely waiting for noon creams, evening creams, summer creams, spring creams and most importantly, anti-dumbness creams. When all these creams don’t suffice, people flock to the parlors and salons for various treatments like bleaching and de-tanning.A little application of moisturizers and sunscreens is necessary for protecting our skin. Agreed!! Also,messages are very helpful in improving blood-circulation to the skin and relaxation. Agreed again!! But at the same time,there is a hoard of unnecessary products in the market that are simply aimed at duping huge sums of money from people.. The photo shopped images of celebs and models further push people towards parlours and beauty-treatments. The drive for that radiant flawless skin has never been stronger. Ironically, when the drive for looking younger and prettier is stronger than ever before, people have forgotten the essentials of ever-lasting beauty. In fact, the secrets of beauty are highly mis-understood.The old adage- You become what you eat, is long forgotten!! This leads to many problems like premature-aging,chemical burns etc. The safest and the longer-lasting ways to a healthy, glowing skin is probably the easiest too- eating right, exercising and protecting from sun!! So, let me take you to a tour into the beautiful kingdom of delicacies that will make your skin glow like never before!!

1. VITAMIN E

When our body comes in contact with external influences like Sun exposure, chemicals etc., some molecules constituting our body get oxidized and produce free-radicals. Free-radicals are extremely unstable molecules and they take electrons from neighboring molecules to gain stability. This induces a chain reaction that produces more such radicals, thereby causing severe damage to skin cells and collagen, the main structural protein of our body. This results in aging, fine-lines and wrinkles. Our body thus needs antioxidants that neutralize free radicals. Vitamin E is an extremely powerful antioxidant and thus, the route to longer youth. It is found in avocado, almonds. Hazelnuts, corn oils etc.

2. VITAMIN C

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an elixir for your skin. Vitamin C is known to aid the production of Collagen, the main structural protein that makes up for about 25-35% of the whole body protein content. Collagen strengthens the capillaries supplying the skin and also helps in cell growth. Thus, Vitamin C is essential for skin repair and maintenance. Moreover, Being an anti-oxidant, it is also known to neutralize the free-radicals. It also reduces the effects of long-term effects of sun exposure like skin cancers. The main sources of Ascorbic acid are – Guava, Oranges, Lemons, Strawberries, Blueberries and other citrus fruits.

3. ZINC

Zinc is the goldmine of skin benefits. It is primarily responsible for carrying out repair work. Sebum is an oily secretion by sebaceous glands to keep our hair and skin moisturized. When secreted in excess, it can cause a variety of problems like Acne. Zinc helps counteract the damage to skin caused due to acne by reducing the amount of sebum secreted and repairing the scarred skin around acne. Zinc is one of the main constituents of almost all Sunscreen products because it provides protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays. It’s anti-cancerous properties further reduces chances of skin cancer due to repeated exposure of sun. It is also important for a healthy scalp and provides protection against skin ailments such as burns, boils, eczema etc. Zinc is found in abundance in fish, meat, whole grains, nuts, sea-food, seeds etc.

4. OMEGA-3 AND OMEGA-6 FATS

Omega-3 fatty acids particularly, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) regulate oil production in the body and keeps your hair and skin hydrated. Without these essential fats, your scalp and skin will become dry and flaky. Apart from this, these fatty acids are very powerful anti-oxidants as well and thus, protect our skin from free-radical damage. They are also associated with skin maintenance and repairs and have anti-inflammatory action. For this reason, they are used for providing relief in skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis etc. They, however, cannot be produced by body and has to be obtained from outside. Chief sources include- flax-seed oil, linseed, walnut and rapeseed oil.

5.LOW GI-CARBS

Clear skin-tone, freedom from acne and a slim waistline, you name it and you have it!! Low GI carbs are your one-stop solution to all beauty-related problems. As opposed to high GI carbohydrates like sweets, potatoes etc. , low GI carbs release sugar in the blood-stream slowly. This makes you feel full for longer duration and also, helps avoid a situation known as hyperinsulinemia (excess of insulin in blood)which is often associated with acne. The main sources of low GI carbs include beans, pulses, porridge etc.

Once you start regulating your diet to include these products, you would feel a new re-flux of energy in your life. But don’t be too impatient. It takes about 6 weeks for a new layer of epidermal cells to form on your body. So, the diet changes would also take as much to provide visible results!! A little care and control today can guard your beauty forever!!

June 28, 2014
Almond-a complete food in itself

Want to know the reasons for which almonds should be consumed? There are many! It provides many essential nutrients which the adulterated foods today cannot provide. It’s good for brain, body and skin and great for hair. Here are some uses and benefits of almond that may make you interested in eating your share of almonds.

1.Hair

There is not a single hair problem that almonds cannot treat. This is the reason why almonds are used in hair oils everywhere. Almonds are rich in magnesium due to which it facilitates treatment of hair fall, dandruff, split ends and also leaves your healthy silky and shiny. Want awesome hair? Go for almond oils and consumption of raw almonds.

2.Eye-sight

This is another great benefit that you can reap off almonds. It has been believed and tested that almonds help maintaining a good eye-sight and also improves it if consumed in regulated amount.

3.Culinary uses

Almonds form a part of many dishes even if almond is preferred raw or roasted. It is a common garnishing element for tasty desserts. Salted almonds are eaten as snacks and almond is also used to prepare baby foods. Pastry-fillings, halwa, mithai, curries are all incomplete without almonds. Also, almond oil is of great use for cooking some dishes.

4.Complexion and skin

Skin care is an essential part of every lady’s life. You don’t want to start looking dull and old. What can help you? Well, almonds definitely can! They are rich in vitamin E, A and B. Almonds make your tan go away, improve complexion, moisturize your skin, make it soft and healthy. It takes inflammation and skin irritation away. And the best part, almonds are great on anti-ageing, dark circles and wrinkles which is why they find a prominent place in skincare cosmetics. Removal of impurities and dead cells from skin is also a pro for you.

5.Heart

Almonds work wonder for heart. You cannot imagine how much benefit almonds can bring to your heart, besides, it also an anti-carcinogenic! To start with, it reduces bad cholesterol and risk of heart attacks. The flavonoids in almonds prevent heart diseases and damage to arterial walls. If this wasn’t enough, it helps maintain normal blood pressure and insulin levels in body. Isn’t it marvelous?

6.Memory and nervous system

Almonds have been considered royal food and great memory boosters since times unknown. It surely makes your mind sharp and efficient if consumed on a regular basis. Almonds are believed to boost the memory. It is not only good for brain but also for the entire nervous system.

7.Bone and teeth health

Of course, how can one forget its effects on bone and teeth? Almond has great reserves of calcium and phosphorous. It is mostly given to babies so that their teeth and bones come out to be strong. A daily massage of almond oil for little ones is a good practice.

8.Substitute for cosmetics

As discussed earlier, almonds are good for skin because of which they can be a great substitute to many creams that you apply for benefit of your body. Almond oil works as a good make-up remover and is also light on skin as compared to oily and sticky cosmetics. The aroma and softness are add-ons.

9.Lips

Are you fed-up of lip balms that are ineffective on your stubborn chapped-lips? The solution is again, as expected, almonds! Make a fine paste out of honey and almonds or simply use almond oil to massage your lips gently. You will soon have pink and luscious lips.

10. Digestion

Another advantage of consuming whole almonds is its aid in digestion of food. The rich fibers help avoid constipation and make almond a good laxative.

11. Blood and immunity

Improved blood circulation and stronger immunity may become your reason to love almonds. Its high dose of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients impart these great qualities albeit it’s small size. Almonds help fighting common infections and make your body energetic.

12. Muscle pain

Warm almond oil massages can make you get rid of your muscle sprains and pains. The stressed muscles relax beneath due to analgesic characteristics of almonds.

13. Nails

As we know, calcium, zinc and potassium are wonderful components of almonds which are great for healthy and strong nails. Massaging nails with almond oil leaves your nails strong, lustrous and infection-free.

14. Managing weight

Coming to weight, it’s always a problem, isn’t it? Some say overweight and others say underweight. Perhaps, almonds come to your help here as well. Almonds are a source of healthy fat which can help increase overall weight instead of gaining a sprouting paunch. Oh, are you the one who falls in the overweight category? Almonds have a solution for you too. They are responsible for decreasing body mass indices effectively. Consuming unsweetened almond milk, or whole almonds (they contain dietary fibers and almost all nutrients) do not deprive your body of essential elements but also make you feel full, thus making you avoid over-eating.

Now don’t you think almond is the perfect solution to all your problems? Go on and try it yourself. Almond paste is also an effective scrub for your face, by the way.

June 26, 2014
Weight loss 101

With the comforts offered by the modern technological innovations and the decline of labor-intensive jobs, staying fit and active has become a major challenge. Rise in cases of obesity and diabetes has created immense pressure on us to constantly adopt life-style changes to stay lean. The flood of slender models and bulked-up dudes on electronic and print media doesn’t help either. In wake of this, the health conscious and even the not-so-conscious try almost everything, they hear or learn from friends and internet about weight-loss, in bits and pieces- dieting, gym, running and what not. And most of the time, even after days and weeks of struggle with their cravings and laziness, they are left disillusioned. So what goes wrong?? Why is losing those few extra pounds so difficult?? The answer is – the lack of understanding of the mechanism of loss. The absence of the complete picture is a major reason why people often make wrong choices while deciding their plan of action. But you need not worry. Coming up in the paragraphs to follow is everything you need to know about body weight, fat and how our body responds when we lose weight.

The energy generated in our body, from the food that we eat, is utilized for various internal and external activities like walking, running, maintaining metabolism etc. The excess energy that remains unutilized even after successfully carrying all these activities is stored as fat in specialized cells called fat cells or Adipocytes. The fat cells develop in our body during childhood and for the rest of our life, their number remains almost constant. Thus, weigh gain is associated not with the number of fat cells present (since their numerical count remains constant even when we lose/gain weight) but rather with their size. When the body consumes more food than is required and consequently produces more energy than it dissipates (via various physical activities or body functions), more of it gets stored as fats. This causes the fat cells to swell up and appear as bulk.

Apart from the stored fat, the body has another source of energy stored in the cells called glycogen which is nothing but excess blood sugar acted upon by the enzyme insulin (responsible for regulating blood sugar levels). Whenever, energy shortage occurs in our body, the body first uses this glycogen followed by the utilization of stored fat. The released fat is acted upon by various processes and finally converted into heat, water, carbon dioxide and ATP i.e. adenosine triphosphate (energy). ATP is used by the body to meet its energy requirements, water leaves the body as sweat and urine and carbon dioxide is exhaled. This explains where the lost fat “goes” when we lose weight. So, in order to devour fat, we need to create an energy deficit in our body which can be accomplished in two ways- by consuming less food or by dissipating more energy. This brings us to the universally known mantras of weight loss i.e. dieting and exercising. So far so good.

Then why these obvious methods don’t seem to work that smoothly?? Why is losing weight so frustrating, so say the least?? Well the answer is that there are related mechanisms that interfere and affect the whole process and if not understood clearly, can greatly reduce the benefits of dieting and exercising.

1. Firstly, after the commencement of dieting, your body first loses water weight before glycogen and fat is burnt. This is why it is fairly easy to lose weight in the first few weeks and after that, it gets increasingly frustrating each passing day. The key to success here is to stay resilient and not stray in the times of difficulty. Patience always pays off.

2. When the body senses that it is getting fewer calories, it responds by storing more fat to prepare itself for famine-like situations. So, cutting too many calories or eating too less can prove to be suicidal in these situations. Don’t starve yourself, instead eat healthy food.

3. Eating too less or not indulging in weight training can make you lose muscles along with fat. This is not good news. Always remember- excess of anything, dieting included, is bad!!

4. Recent studies also suggest that high calorie and high fat food evoke responses from the brain that are similar to cocaine addiction. Consuming them in greater quantities causes compulsive eating habits. So, abstaining from such food causes very strong cravings for them. Therefore, one must not lose control during the tough times and stick with the diet plan. An alternate way is to never really turn away from such food items completely, rather cut their quantity and restrict their consumption to just once a day.

5. Weight loss has many other related implications. It might make you feel sleepy or cause you to lose sleep. Like mentioned above, weight training stresses our body. So, one need not fight sleep too much. Lying lazily for long hours should definitely be avoided but a minimum of 7 to 8 hours of sleep must be ensured so that the body gets the rest it needs. On the contrary, if you are not consuming enough calories, you will find it harder to sleep. A good solution to this problem is to have a hearty (and healthy) dinner or a glass of almond milk before you doze off.

6. Dieting can cause physical and mental stress. All this can trigger the secretion of the stress hormone cortisol.Thus, it is essential that one indulges in some sort of stress management activity like yoga or meditation.

With a little bit of self-control and discipline, you can easily get that flat belly you always wanted. So the next time you decide to put on a saree at a wedding or a bikini on beach, you don’t have to feel conscious. And remember, nutritious and tasty food choices are not mutually exclusive. They can and do go hand-in-hand. Nature has rewarded us with a host food of products that are delicious and healthy at the same time. The choice is ours to make.

June 20, 2014