Deep Dive into the OCEAN OF OILS !!

All the oils have a certain smoke point. Smoke point is the point at which, when an oil is exposed to higher temperatures, the fats in the oil tend to break down and get degraded, i.e., they lose their quality. The higher is the smoking point, the safer are the oils even, when exposed to high temperatures. So, what we have to do is,  whenever a deep fried food is there in the menu, choose the oil with a higher smoking point.

Most of the oils used for deep frying are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils which are rich in trans fat and this trans fat  in long run may cause  an increase in your cholesterol levels. Trans fat is usually an adulterated form of fat which helps in increasing the longevity of the processed foods but decreases the longevity of our lives.

But due to the recent advances in chemistry and medicine many are aware of the dangerous effects of long term use of hydrogenated vegetable oils and have shifted towards Olive oil, Rice bran oil, Safflower oil, Sunflower oil and Corn oil. These oils may be healthy, but, when exposed to higher temperatures constantly, they USUALLY turn out be UNHEALTHY.

The oils which are loaded with Saturated and Monounsaturated fats, like, Olive oil, Coconut oil, Ghee, Avocado oil, Peanut oil, Sunflower oil and Rice bran oil are known to have a higher smoking point and tend to be safer for deep frying.

The oils with polyunsaturated fats, such as, Safflower oil, Corn oil, Canola oil and Soybean oil are unsafe for deep frying as they break down easily at higher temperatures and form FREE RADICALS. These free radicals, are the main culprits of all the Metabolic diseases occurring nowadays and also the cause of increased Incidence of Cancer.

Over all, research studies have shown that Coconut oil is safer  for deep frying and do not break down that easily. Next is the Olive oil and Avocado oils which are preferable. Peanut oil is also safe and even the Sunflower oil or Rice bran oil  is safe, whereas the Safflower oil is dangerous.

Choice is yours, CHOOSE WISELY TO STAY HEALTY LONGER .

A detailed summary of the GOOD & BAD of each and every OIL available in the market coming up , STAY TUNED :-) 

What the FUSS of Cooking OILS ??

 

Oils are another, most debated food ingredient, when it comes to our Health and Wellness. They do play a major role in either repairing or damaging our health. Thus, it is important, to know the right oils that are healthy, which helps in proper functioning of our hormones, improves metabolism, and strengthens our Nervous System.

Lately, we tend to believe that REFINED OILS, are all harmful, whereas these refined oils came into the market, with the mention that the ancient COLD-PRESSED OILS are all fatty and full of impurities and those are the major cause behind Heart attacks and Stroke !!

Obviously, this makes all of us, get confused on what is HEALTHY and what is harmful for our health. Here is a simple, yet highly useful information, for our daily choices, when it comes to choosing the Right cooking oils. All the refined oils are not bad, they are just devoid of certain vitamins, minerals, compared to cold – pressed oils. This doesn’t mean they should never be used.

Refined oils are an excellent option for deep fried and high flame cooking methods. Make sure you choose, the Double filtered refined oils. As cold-pressed oils or unrefined oils, when exposed to higher temperatures for longer periods of time, tend to break down into unhealthy fats- thus they should only be limited to slow flame or medium flame cooking methods.

Otherwise cold-pressed oils, when used in moderate quantities are highly recommended, in order to avoid any kind of nutritional deficiencies, like Vitamin – D deficiencies, Hormonal Imbalances, weak skeletal & muscular system or weakening of our nervous system.

Another extraordinary option for cooking can be GHEE. It can be used for shallow cooking methods, deep fry cooking methods, high flame, low flame or even as top up on your rotis or curries. It is an excellent cooking medium, but be cautious of the quantity of the ghee consumed in a day. Keep it minimal !!

 

 

FERMENTED CURD RICE - HEALTHY BENEFITS..

KHULJAA SIM SIM !! A BIG HIDDEN TREASURE INSIDE THIS AUTHENTIC EARTHEN POT :-) ANY GUESSES??

Fermented curd rice also called as PAZHAYA SAADAM, in southern parts of India, is a neglected "VITAMIN STORE" . In olden days the farmers and hard working people used to have this easy to prepare food as their breakfast. And believe me it did great magic with their bodies, by giving them intense energy throughout the day and a feel of coolness from inside their body while they worked hard in the extreme hot sun in their fields.
So, whats so special about this fermented curd rice??
Rice, as we all know is a CARB, and we tend to believe it increases our blood sugar levels, and more intelligent people thinks it shoots up ur insulin levels.. Soaking rice overnight makes the starch resistant and thus escapes the digestion process and thus no piling up calories into ur body. Thus we can say soaked rice has 60% lesser calories compared to freshly cooked rice. People suffering from excess weight, just try this as your regular breakfast and check your weight drop over a period of time :-)
Another fantastic property of the fermented rice is that the soaking process breaks down  the PHYTIC ACID IN RICE and relieves a lot of minerals which are bound phytic acid making them unavailable to our body. Once the phytic acid is destroyed, minerals like IRON, CALCIUM, PHOSPHORUS, ZINC, MAGNESIUM are available for absorption into our body and the rest is history :-)
The fermented rice is also a good source of LACTIC ACID and helps in lactation in lactating mothers.
The so called probiotics (good bacteria) nowadays are also plenty in this superfood, there are trillions of bacteria in this food and these in turn  helps in formation of B-COMPLEX VITAMINS, MAINLY B6 & B12. ( SO THIS COOL OVERNIGHT SOAKED CURD RICE CAN BE UR VITAMIN  B12 PILL) VEG SOURCE OF B12)
Other benefits are, it helps in reliving CONSTIPATION, REDUCES BP, REDUCES CHOLESTEROL with its fibre content, improves STOMACH AILMENTS, ULCERS, INFECTIONS etc..It is also known to improve the skin texture as it strengthens the collagen in our skin and helps in a youthful and radiant look :-)

OVERALL, EASY FOR WORKING WOMEN TO PREPARE BREAKFAST ;-)

HOT CHOCOLATE - TASTY BHI, HEALTHY BHI :-)

Hi Friends,  A very good afternoon !! Guess the Royal drink lying on my table ;-) :-)

HOT CHOCOLATE MILK !! 

Quite simple, add a spoonful of cocoa powder in steaming hot milk and mix well and just stride back in your chair and enjoy each and every sip of this tasty as well as healthy simple drink.

We all know that chocolate milk is tasty, but let's just go a little deeper into the nutritive benefits of chocolate milk.

Milk as we all know is great source of Calcium, Vitamin D, Protein, and Carb and Cocoa being rich in

Antioxidants, Fibre, Iron, Magnesium, Copper, Manganese, Potassium, Phosphorus, Zinc, Selenium makes a great pair both together ;-) in terms of healthy facts of the combo :-)

 Chocolate milk, (cold or hot) is one of the best natural drink after a strenuous workout, the Protein and Carb in the milk helps in replenishing your muscles and also restore muscles :-) That would be a fantastic property, for all the gymmies, to get addicted to chocolate milk after every work out :-)

Not only after a work out in gym, even the active athletes can also avail the tremendous health benefits of the chocolate milk. As you guys sweat a lot after those vigorous activities, there is a chance of loss of electrolytes from the body through the sweat. So to regain your precious electrolytes and protect you from dehydration, a glass of chocolate milk can do wonders. The vast amount of minerals like Sodium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium in chocolate milk work just the similar way of the electrolyte rich artificial drinks. 

The chocolate also is no less in displaying its healthy benefits, and the super food with a fancy amount of Antioxidants in it acts wonderfully in your body by preventing inflammatory reactions and Cancers. The good amount of Fibre helps in reducing the cholesterol to some extent and also keep your digestive system healthy :-)

Let me tell, all the pure vegetarians over there worrying about your daily protein intake, an exciting news is that milk has a very good quality protein compared to  what you all get in Egg. So veggies out there have your daily dose of milk, or if you are a little more fancy, romantic, flavour friendly person have a glass of hot chocolate milk, and that will make your day !! 

Just imagine the dark fantasy drink in a transparent tall glass with vapours pouring out, seducing you is just not an eye feast but a true feast to your health too ;-) :-)

SOYA - KING OF VEGETABLE PROTEIN

Hello dear Friends!!

This picture is a click of my lunch box:-)  Guess the food??

Ha, It is Soya chunks and beans curry..

Our topic today is Healthy benefits of Soy chunks.

All of us know that soybean is rich in Vitamin-B12 and protein, and all the Doctors advice the pure vegetarians to include soybean in their diet to prevent the deficiency symptoms of Vitamin-B12. But soybean is not only rich in vitamin-B12 and protein but also beneficial to us in many ways.

As todays trend, being wealthy is being healthy. Earning money has become easy but being healthy has become quite a tough task!! What say Friends.. Mention a family, where atleast one of your family member is not affected by any metabolic or lifestyle diseases. Quite tough!! Isn't it!!

So my small aim as a clinical nutritionist is to bring  awareness of the nutrition facts of the daily and easily available food items, and open up the facts about how healthy the naturally available food around you, is.

Let's dive into our topic- SOYBEAN- KING OF VEGETABLE PROTEIN :-)

Being a native of China, Soybean is cultivated actively around the world. Brown in colour, with a rough texture, not so fancy ;-)  but a fit and healthy food.

Low in calories, low in carb, high in protein, high in fibre, high in vitamins and minerals, high in good fat(polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and less amount of saturated fat). WOW!! THIS IS WHAT ATTRACTS A NUTRITIONIST. WHEN PACKED WITH SUCH A WHOLE AMOUNT OF BOTH MACRO AND MICRONUTRIENTS, HOW CAN ANY NUTRITIONIST NOT ADVICE THEIR CLIENTS TO INCLUDE SOYBEAN IN THEIR DIET.

So, go ahead friends!!

Still want more proof, how healthy is the plant protein??

GOOD FOR HEART:  The low amount of saturated and tansfats in soy and the high amount of PUFA and MUFA, works like a parent pampering for your heart..Confused? Just the way your parents take care of you, Soybean also takes care of your heart, increases the blood flow(circulation), and prevents the increased depositions of cholesterol. Soy also contains Lecithin which is a natural Fat emulsifier, which breaks down fat. That sounds amazing, Isn't it friends, when you have a natural fat breakdown magic pill in a natural food.. So all obese people just include soy in a your diet atleast 3 times a week :-) AND WATCH THE MAGIC :-):-)

BRAIN FOOD: Certain foods are so good for your brain, such as, eating them will make your brain function more actively, improves your memory and prevents any brain related disorders like Alzheimers disease . Soy is one such food :-)

PREVENTS BREAST CANCER: As the saying "Prevention is better than cure" Why not we opt for food rich in antioxidants, which play a fantastic role in fighting with the free radicals in our body and thus prevent the damage of our cells and thus keep us Cancer-free :-). The good amount antioxidants in Soybean helps in preventing breast cancer according to certain studies.

STRONG BONES: Long sitting working hours is making all of us prone to Osteoporosis at a younger age compared to olden days. Anyhow though the best option is to walk, move or run around to keep your joints and bones healthy. But food also has a major role along with exercise in improving the strength of your bones. Instead of having all the sugary and fatty, oily, greasy food that makes you lazy, dull, inactive, limping, and finally leaves your pocket empty by big fat hospital bills..Just a few diet and lifestyle changes will avoid all those unhappy things.
               Soy being rich in minerals like Calcium, phosphorus helps in strengthening of bones. The Isoflavones in Soy increase the density of the bones.

COLON(Intestinal) CANCER: The odd food habits and all the artificial stuff we all are eating is making our poor Digestive system into a garbage grinder,(SORRY!! IF IAM WRONG GUYS) and finally what is happening is, the digestive system has to put on an extra effort to digest all those extra fat, sugar etc and on long term it will become rotten..To be FRANK!!     Eating right food at the right time in right amounts keeps your digestive tract clean and healthy :-) Soybean  contains Sphingolipids which helps in prevention of Colon cancer. Being rich in dietary fibre it cleanses the digestive tract.

NATURAL ANTIAGEING AGENT: Soy has a superb effect in increasing the oestrogen hormone upto some extent and this oestrogen hormone helps in reducing the wrinkles, fine lines, dark spots and post menopausal symptoms like depression, mood swings etc..


ANAEMIA: The Iron and Zinc in Soy bean helps in improving the red blood cells, and thus improve the anaemia symptoms. So, here again another food added to the Iron rich foods, like spinach, dates, etc.. whenever someone asks to mention the foods that increase the blood, we generally list spinach, dates, pomegranate etc.. Soya also has entered that list nowadays :-)

RICE, GOOD OR FATTY??

Good morning Friends,

Let's continue, our discussion regarding the benefits of white rice..

What exactly is white rice is??

     It is the name given to milled rice in which husk, bran and germ are removed. And the reason of this milling process is to increase the storage life and to prevent spoilage of the beautiful, tiny, pure, white grains :-)

But during the milling and polishing procedures, a few nutrients present in the white Rice are washed away, making it deficient in a few vitamins and minerals and fibre. But mostly white rice is again enriched with the lost nutrients upto some extent.

I have seen many statements mentioning that white is "empty calories" which is absolutely rubbish!!

Though it might  add on a few calories compared to brown rice, it is for sure not empty calories.

We all need approximately 60% of carbohydrates for our daily living. And White rice being a staple diet of nearly half of the world's population, it will happily provide you the required amount of carbohydrates for your body, so that you may never feel energy deprived. And being so versatile and widely and economically available White is Rice is the best.

As few nutrients are lost during the polishing process, you can add vegetables, legumes, along with the rice and make it a perfect meal with all the required nutrients. And this is no new rocket science, instead it is what we all have been taught by our ancestors that  have to eat Rice along with Dal, vegetable curry, a Roti, a Pickle, few freshly cut veggies, a cup of curd- A COMPLETE PLATE NUTRIENTS :-)

And let me tell you friends that Rice has no fat, no sodium, no cholesterol which is again a fantastic truth that we all can happily eat rice without any guilt. If any of you can remember that rice water has been used to treat few infections and even tummy problems in ancient times, proves that Rice is something special and really important for us.

Recent research studies have shown that rice has resistant starch and it takes sometime to digest and will slowly breakdown and gives energy.

But just look at the  portion of rice you guys eat and let it not exceed more than a small bowl each time you eat, that makes it a small bowl of rice in lunch and a small bowl of rice for dinner too..

Being a clinical nutritionist, I've heard most of my clients say they that they stop rice for few days and suddenly they crave for rice and start binge eating rice. Instead eat rice daily in small portions and you will have double dhamaka:-) BOTH ENERGY AND A MENTAL SATISFACTION OF EATING A FULL MEAL :-)

Good day, Friends!!

MIXED VEGETABLE RICE

Hi Friends!!  A big Hello after a long time. I was actually very busy with our new venture, and could not update my blog posts regularly. And here I'm back with the same energy and enthusiasm to spread the healthy information in all the foods we eat normally everyday.

So, Dear Friends, today's post is all about the staple food of Asians 'WHITE RICE'. Also the main food source of nearly half of the world's population. 

I was just wondering that, when rice is the major food source of many people around the world, since ancient times, and where the Asians usually had a low incidence of Diabetes mellitus comparitvely,  why is Rice becoming unpopular slowly, especially WHITE RICE. 

If anyone have noticed that the commercially prepared baby food is Rice and guess, why !! It is the most easily digested, less-allergenic and obviously gives energy to your little bundle of Joy:-)

So being such an important food, how can everyone start neglecting or blaming the staple food which is the main reason for all our energy and livelihood!! 

A point to think, Right!!

You guys might be wondering that I'm saying all about "WHITE RICE" but the image I posted doesn't look white.. Isn't it. I just made a simple mixture with white rice and vegetables and tossed them in a small amount Ghee along with a pinch of salt, turmeric, and few spices which will add not only a good flavour and taste to the bland white rice but also adds a lot of nutrient value to the boss of foods:-) Just felt like using the term "BOSS" for rice, what say friends!! IS IT APT FOR IT?? DROP IN MY COMMENT BOX, WHETHER THE TITLE BOSS SUITES RICE:-)

Let's continue in detail regarding this topic in my next post. Till then "eat healthy and wisely"