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"

YOGURT/DAHI- HEALTHIEST SOURCE OF CALCIUM & VITAMIN-D

Curd is one of the best food with superb awesome properties.


Being a product of milk it is the richest source of both calcium and Vitamin D. And guess what, Curd is far ahead of its parent product(Milk) , when it comes to nutritive facts. Milk is known for its high fat content, whereas curd has a lesser fat content compared to milk. 

Even the lactose intolerant people, can happily enjoy the pure milk product "Curd" as the lactose is broken down in the process of fermentation of milk to curd and thus suites the "Lactose intolerant" people too :-) That's cool of curd!! Isn't it friends !!

Fermentation is a wonderful natural chemical process and fermented foods have a fabulous property of forming good bacteria in stomach, the so called "probiotics"

Eating your daily dose of curd helps in preventing vaginal yeast infection, as the lactic acid in curd has powerful anti-fungal properties. So all the ladies over there, just don't ever miss your daily cup of curd. Eat atleast twice or even once is ok, but never miss out eating curd. Though you all may be busy in taking care of your whole family, you should take care of yourself first, so that you will be perfectly fit & healthy to take better  care of everyone around you :-)

Curd is loaded with minerals and vitamins. Curd is one of the richest source of calcium obviously being a product of milk. Thus eating curd will help you to have strong teeth and strong bones. 

Curd is even rich in protein, therefore good for all, helps in building your muscle strength too.  Curd has other minerals like Phosphorus, Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc, Sodium and Vitamins like A, D, B12, E.

Curd has another fantastic property of maintaining the acidity and alkalinity of digestion, I mean, Curd maintains the pH of the digestive system. Ha, here again comes the known fact, followed since our ancestral times, which is, whenever anyone is suffering from acidity, don't you guys remember your elders advising you to have a glass of butter milk or sweet lassi or just plain curd or curd rice. Curd thus acts a fantastic natural antacid!!

Let me tell you another fact that curd even acts as a Aphrodisiac and even yogurt helps in relieving the hangover..

Did anyone ever think why should we eat a cup of curd or curd rice only in the end of our meal?? I even don't know but let me guess over here, as curd helps in absorption of most of the nutrients in the food we eat I guess that might be the reason we eat it at the end, so that what all we eat are properly absorbed, especially the nutrients. Nice logic :-) What say friends!!

Good day.

CHERRIES

Here comes the Cherry season :-) How many of you are aware of the cherry season ??

MAY-JULY..  National Cherry day is celebrated on July-16th

Cherries have a very short peak season, and cherries are known to have a short shelf life just like strawberries. That is you have to finish of the fruit in maximum 2 days, otherwise you just have to discard the fruit as it will lose all the nutrients and even get rotten.

Not only do they look beautiful, attractive, cherries are power house of nutrients and full of antioxidants, and in fact they are known to have highest content of antioxidants. Commonly termed as "Dessert Fruit" Cherries are delicious in taste.

DIABETES : Cherries are "YES" for Diabetics, as they have a low-glycemic index(22) compared to other fruits.

INSOMNIA( lack of sleep): How many of you find it difficult to sleep well?? A handful of cherries may help you. As Cherries are a good source melatonin, which has a calming effect on your nervous system.

MUSCLE ACHES: Got to see many cases, complaining of post work-out muscle pain!! Due to increased awareness of fitness regime, most of the people attend gyms, and they do take care of their food too, like increase in the protein intake to cope with the muscular training exercises, but in order to reduces the muscle aches instead of popping a pain killer, better to have natural diet which acts as a natural pain killer, and anti-inflammatory effects. Cherries will serve you in this matter. Cherries  act in the same way as the pain killer drugs act.

GOUT: Cherries also help to prevent or reduce Gouty arthritis, Osteoarthritis etc..

ALZHEIMERS DISEASE: Obviously, Cherries serve to increase your memory power, as they have the maximum amount of anti-oxidants, thus prevent the incidence of Alzheimer's disease.

JET LAG: Cherries can be your close friend in case you are suffering from jet lag after a long flight journey :-)

HYPERTENSION: The good amount of Potassium maintains the heart rate and blood pressure. Phytosterols in Cherries controls the bad cholesterol levels in the body.

Cherries are also rich in fibre, Vitamin C, antioxidants like Anthocyanins, Cyanidin, Quercetin, Phytonutrients, Vitamins, Minerals like Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Potassium, Iron etc.

Cherries are known for their alkaline content and thus keeps our body at a perfect balance by maintaining the pH.

A half cup of cherries thrice a week will keep you healthy :-)

Before you hesitate to buy the Cherries, thinking they are a bit costly compared to other fruits, just compare the price of Cherries with the Pizza or any Junk food which are empty calories.

Invest your money not only in Real estate, Shares, Gold, or whatever but also in good natural, healthy food that will keep you healthy forever so that you can enjoy each and every moment of life :-)

GOOD DAY :-)

CAUTION!! NEVER REHEAT NOR REFRIGERATE THESE FOODS !!

A very good morning Friends..

In continuation with my previous blog post, regarding reheating the refrigerated food, I would like continue mentioning certain foods that we daily eat, but are not aware what foods may be toxic if we store and reheat again and again for 2-3 days.

1. MUSHROOMS: Being a very healthy vegetable, Mushrooms are very sensitive and delicate and should be treated with great tenderness:-) Once you prepare the yummy Mushroom curry or mix in your veggie salad, you better finish it off in one stretch. The reason is the good amount of protein present in Mushrooms will undergo degradation and may even cause serious digestive or heart problems. So, Beware Friends, whenever you cook this pretty umbrella shaped cute, tender vegetable, try to limit the quantity you cook.

2. BEETROOT/SPINACH/CELERY : These super foods which are rich in antioxidants, may turn carcinogenic(foods that cause cancer) when stored in refrigerator and reheated. The nitrate content in them is the cause of the toxicity of these vegetables.

3. POTATOES: These are one of the most common foods used extensively world wide and I guess even few states use potatoes as their staple vegetable. Easy to prepare, handy and always available in the kitchen, tasty and kids friendly vegetable with a reasonable price and so on....Potatoes have to be served immediately after cooking and in any case the meal is delayed the potato curry should be placed inside the refrigerator after 2 hours of cooking. In case left outside more than that, the Clostridium botulinum bacteria tend to attack the tasty recipe of potato and then start producing spores which are the main cause of Botulism. And theses spores are resistant to heat, so there will be no use if you reheat the curry.

4. EGGS : Hmm..Eggs we all know that eggs ( I mean boiled or cooked eggs) should never be refrigerated. The reason behind this is that the protein power house in eggs will be disrupted and deteriorated when stored after cooking and again reheating, so if ever you happen to cook more, better donate to poor and needy :-)

5. RICE : Even boiled rice also is normally not refrigerated, and it is a good practice. If any of you guys remember your olden days that all the vegetable curries used to be cooked first and then the rice would washed thoroughly and cooked and served immediately hot!! And most of the elders even now prefer to eat only hot rice, compared to the new generation who usually just reheats the rice once again in a microwave oven before eating or else jus eat it cold. Hmm.. Even I used to do the same :-( But according to the Food Standards Agency, the longer the rice is kept outside to room temperature, the more favourable it becomes to toxins. And the bacterial toxins in turn will cause vomiting, diarrhoea etc..  So better to cook rice just an hour or even lesser before you eat. This will help you to be healthy :-)

6. SEAFOODS: Cooked Sea food also is not recommended to be stored for longer periods in the refrigerator and reheat before eating.

7. PROTEIN RICH FOODS: Many protein rich foods may also be harmful to your body upon refrigerating and reheating, as the storage tends to break down the proteins in the foods which no longer may be useful building blocks for our body, instead certain protein degraded products are very hazardous to our body.

8. CHICKEN : Another protein rich food, commonly cooked yummy and tasty and tempting which mainly prevents us from donating the super spicy chicken curry to anyone, instead store it in the refrigerator and eat it in the next 2 days ;-) I guess this happens in most of the households :-) But Chicken being rich in protein tends to be degraded and even the quality of the chicken nutrients, will reduce upon storing, so no point in eating a tasty but not so healthy, low-nutritive food. In worst cases the stored chicken may also be the result of many stomach infections and may disturb your daily routine unnecessarily. SO EAT FRESH AND STAY FRESH :-) 

Take care dear Friends,
GOOD DAY :-)

REHEATING OF FOOD FROM REFRIGERATOR

Hi Friends,

Good Morning,

 With increased career goals and a strive towards a better life style, I feel we all are neglecting our health.

Today, let's see a few interesting notes about how healthy it is to reheat the food kept in the refrigerator and enjoy a  meal without any strenuous effort ;-)

Reheating the food is quite common in all households irrespective of place of origin. 

Reheating can actually be done for one time.  And the most important thing is that, all the foods should be kept immediately in the refrigerator after 4 hours of cooking(if you want to preserve the foods).  What exactly happens is, if we leave the food on the dining table for hours together, we are indirectly inviting the germs,(Bacteria, Virus, Fungi etc..) to come and have the food ;-) and slowly they will start multiplying in the left over food and expand their colonies !!

In order to kill the dangerous bacteria and even their spores,  the US FDA advises to boil  the food for at least a minute at 150 degrees or even above temperatures.

Reheating actually reduces not the only the quality but also the taste of food particles. 
In any case of time issues better reheat the food only once and also thoroughly and eat the reheated food immediately. 

If still food is left over, please donate to poor people around you, no need to call fancy numbers and wait till they come and pick your food,  just look around and donate your left over food if any, to the needy, whom you will find many around your house or locality.

In this way you will have two benefits, i.e., you will be prevented from the toxic effects of stored food and instead if you donate, that will help many poor people to fill their tummy:-) and a huge self satisfaction which is worth millions :-)

The other way to prevent all the reheating process is to just cook small quantities each time.

There are certain foods which are strictly not to be stored and reheated which many of us are not aware and I shall share the list of those foods in tomorrow's newsletter :-) 

Till then, EAT HEALTHY AND STAY HEALTHY :-) 

PASTA

Pasta a staple food of International cuisines, mainly for Italians, is considered as a traditional dish in Italy. Contrary to the common belief that Pasta have been introduced first by Italians, actually the Arabians were the ones who have introduced Pasta to Italy in 9th Century AD. Interesting Isn't it?? :-)

Pasta is one of the world's most accessible foods, World Pasta Day is celebrated in October. There is even a Pasta museum in Rome. That sounds something royal about Pasta !! 

Mediterranean is one of the famous diets and is known for its healthier side, and the soft, tasty, Pasta is an integral part of mediterranean diets. Pasta is an easy to prepare meal and easily attracts not only women, but also men and teenagers also and drives them to prepare this yummy, fast, instant as well as a HEALTHY dish. Just got to watch a TV commercial recently where a teenager boy prepares pasta to impress his girl friend;-) Cool.. Right!!

Now let's look at the Nutrient facts of Pasta: 

CARBOHYDRATE: As 60% of the energy for humans has to be derived from carbohydrates, we all should have enough amount of carbohydrates daily. But due to the recent increased incidence of metabolic diseases, many people are just giving a pause to have good amount of carbohydrates. But instead if you guys be a little smart enough to differentiate the refined carbs and complex carbs, it will be easier for all of you to eat full yet be healthy:-)

Pasta is an excellent source of complex carbs, but choose the Pasta prepared from whole grains, as refining of the whole grains washes out all the nutrients and  converts the complex carbs into simple carbs.

Pasta  has good amount of insoluble fibre in it and the speciality of insoluble fibre is, it increases the roughage of the stool, thus reliving you from constipation if any. Pasta has a low glycemic index and Diabetics can enjoy the extremely versatile dish happily.

Whole wheat pasta contains Carotenoids, Lutein, Zeaxanthin, folate, Zinc, Selenium, Manganese. Selenium is an important mineral and helps in protecting  cells from damage. Manganese is another wonderful mineral which helps in regulating blood sugar, and also helps in metabolising Carbohydrates.

Pasta is low in Sodium and also free from cholesterol so no worries :-) unless you over do the Pasta with excess white creamy sauces, cheese etc etc.. It is just like what happens to your face when you over do your make up, the same happens to your poor digestive system, when you over do your food. The only difference is we can see the change of over make up immediately but we tend see the effects over creamy food stuff, quite later.. 

So, instead of adding all unhealthy stuff, on to your healthy pasta, make it a healthy, nutritious meal by adding finely cut boiled vegetables, fish, chicken pieces, Olive oil, grated paneer instead of cheese, tomato which is rich in a splendid antioxidant called Lycopene, which has the magical power to repair damaged cells. In this way you have a complete meal enriched with carbs, fat and protein.

So a big YES to PASTA..When your kids crave for junk foods, instead of buying them burgers or pizzas, just say a few fascinating words of this wonderful, versatile dish and I'm sure they won't say NO:-)

GOOD DAY FRIENDS :-)

THE MOST SPECIAL DISH ON A VEG PLATE..PANEER.

Hi Friends,

Hope you all had a good day!!

How many of can guess correctly, what is in the above image?? EGG BHURJI?? Yes or No?

I'm sorry friends, those all you guessed it as egg bhurji are all wrong;-)

It is the King of Vegetarian recipes, A Royal dish, a soft and spongy texture, that just melts into your mouth and I bet none of you can just eat it without giving a compliment to this wonderful dish. Another clue it is pure, milky white in colour unlike in the picture, in which I have made it in a pure Desi style, But I and my love it this way:-)

So, I guess all of you have already raised your hands to answer..PANEER.

Panner is produced from milk.

A great source of calcium, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals and a little amount of carb and some amount of fibre makes it in the list of healthy food.

Especially kids and old people are more benefited with this paneer, as the abundant amount of calcium in it works great for strong bones and teeth, and paneer also has Vitamin D in it and helps in absorption of all the calcium properly.

The high amount protein is a must for mainly vegetarians, and paneer will give you the required protein, so please include paneer also in your weekly menu, if not in your daily menu. Few recipes are tasty as well as healthy :-) So, choose wisely and keep your family healthy and happy with the yummy tasteful dishes.

Coming to the fat content, actually paneer has quite a good amount of fat in it , and though most of it is from the conjugated linoleic acid, and sphingolipids which are considered as good fats essential for the growth of the body, My advice is to be modest here, as fat is a fat, good or bad. But for kids paneer is the best healthy food option, opt for it on home made pizzas instead of cheese, do some magic and try to include paneer in most their recipes:-)

In fact the conjugated linoleic acid is essential for the body for adults to even helps in burning fat by increasing the body metabolism. But when the limit is crossed all the fat gets accumulated.

The Vitamins and minerals also helps in increasing the immunity, promotes growth in children, helps in the strengthening of cartilage and tissue formation.

Due to good amount of protein and low carb, paneer is a YES for Diabetics and even recommended by American diabetic Association.

COOL AND HEALTHY DRINKS IN HOT SUMMER;-)

Hi Friends,

 Being Summer, in order to combat the heat, there are  many healthy cool options. One of them is the traditional Indian refreshing non-alcoholic drink SWEET LASSI.

As many are aware that sweet lassi is originated in Punjab, and even today if anyone wants the perfect Lassi you have to visit a Punjabi Dhaba..What say friends??

Hmm..Few foods/drinks are so tempting or infectious and even addictive and Sweet Lassi is surely one of such delicious foods that no one can say "NO" to it.

Now, all of you please don't get surprised or shocked if I say that in North India, commercial Lassi outlets use washing machines to churn the yogurt into lassi.

Sweet Lassi is a perfect natural probiotic drink. Probiotics are natural microorganisms found in the body mostly in the intestines, and these are called the good bacteria and helps in the easy breakdown of all the food stuff you have taken, thus helping in keeping your digestive system cool and relaxed:-)

Probiotics are also important for the absorption of all the minerals present in your food stuff and they even fight with the harmful bacteria and protect your stomach lining from damage. Just like the saying"A Diamond has to cut with a Diamond" the bad bacteria entering in our body can be easily dealt with the good bacteria present in our body;-)

We all are naturally gifted with the good amount of good bacteria but with our dietary style and lifestyle the good bacteria tends to be destroyed by stress, antibiotics, modern junk foods, and by excess intake of sugars and simple carbs..So in order to compensate this loss we should increase our intake of foods that are probiotic.

Probiotic foods not only prevents acidity, bloating, they also help in improving constipation and also useful if you are suffering from diarrhoea too. Probiotic foods are also useful in improving your urinary tract infections, if any..

Sweet Lassi is perfect when your energy levels are low, as it provides immense energy levels and you swap your lunch or dinner with a glass of sweet lassi happily.... How many of you have done this??:-)

All the men out there, if you are fond of showing up your muscle mass, have sweet lassi regularly and the protein in it helps in increasing your muscle mass and is also a good friend of body builders. The abundant amount of calcium in Lassi helps in keeping your bones strong and also improves your dental health. So, if anyone runs away from a glass of milk, please substitute it with a cup of curd or a glass of lassi.

Lassi is loaded with amount of minerals and vitamins, like Calcium, Zinc, Potassium, Phosphorus, Folic acid, B-complex group of vitamins. With all these, Lassi is good for increasing your immunity levels. Another good news for all the pure veg's out there, that in case your Doc has advised you to increase B12 intake and you are worried what to take other than supplements, yogurt or lassi has a decent amount of Vitamin B12 and make it a habit to include yogurt regularly in your diet, and in summers just explore, experiment with 'n' number of variants of lassi:-)

Just one caution you all have to keep in mind is the amount of sugar added in sweet lassi and just have in moderation.

Enjoy the cool natural drinks available widely, and need not open the google and search for exotic drink recipes, instead just go back  to your childhood and grab all the grandma's recipes, they are the perfect as well as nutritious and easily available, and easy to make :-)

GOOD DAY.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF MANGO.

Good morning dear friends!!

Mango is one of the most commonly available fruits which contains plenty of nutrients in the form of many minerals and vitamins. Also termed as "Vitamins powerhouse" The golden coloured fruit contains mostly all the Vitamins, like Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, folate, A, C, E. With all these vitamins, mangoes play a fantastic role in helping your body to do dishoo dishoom with all the diseases from head to toe.

Let me explain.. Vitamin A as we all know, helps in reducing the chance of eye disorders, moisturise the hair and skin thus maintaining the integrity of skin and also helps in the rejuvenation of skin thus prevents in ageing of the skin. The Vitamin A and betacarotene in mangoes helps in reducing the dark blemishes, and acne. But patients taking warfarin therapy should be cautious as the Vitamin A interfere with warfarin therapy.

Vitamin C as usual helps in maintaining the  immunity. Vitamin E is great for maintaining the fertility and virility in men. Mangoes also acts as a detanning agent thus helps in increasing or I would say maintaining your original complexion:-)

The folate and Iron in mangoes makes them perfect for pregnant women as well as patients suffering from anaemia. Never knew this!!

The other B-complex vitamins helps in the mechanism of many enzymatic and metabolic reactions and also helps in strengthening your nervous system, especially the vitamin B6 do wonders to your nervous system. 

And here comes the super antioxidants which are gaining too much hype nowadays and all the foods containing these antioxidants are termed as superfoods, and Our National fruit mango is no back and infact it is heading the race I can say with plenty of antioxidants like Quercetin, Isoquercetin, Astragalin, Fisetin, Gallic acid, Methyl gala, Zeaxanthin etc.. All these antioxidants help in preventing the silent killer 'Cancer' and offers protection against certain cancers of Colon, Breast, Leukemia, Prostate etc. 

How could I ever miss mentioning about the fiber in mangoes which is another main reason for making mangoes in the top list of one of the healthiest foods. The good amount of fiber helps in reducing the amount of cholesterol and and also keeps a check on your sugar levels and even cleanses your digestive system. The bioactive ingredients like esters, terpenes, and aldehydes helps in increasing your appetite and at the same time improves the function of your digestive system, by helping in the breakdown of protein diet whatever you take, whether it be meat or any pulses, in case if you guys find any difficulty in digestion of heavy diets.

Kids are as usually fond of mangoes and it is even good for them as mangoes has a good amount of a fabulous protein called Glutamic acid which helps in improving your kids memory and concentration ability.

Chinese since ancient times have been using mangoes as herbal medicine in treating bleeding of gums, cough, constipation, nausea, anaemia, Fever, motion sickness, and even digestive problems.

Mangoes do contain many minerals like Iron, Potassium, Selenium, Calcium, Phosphorus etc.


Mango peel is rich in phytonutrients but few persons may be allergic to the peel, and also to the raw, unripe mangoes which causes burning sensation of tongue, mouth as such..

Mangoes are even low in saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium. Though the glycemic index of mangoes is in the medium range and is considered safe for diabetics to eat a medium sized mango, better keep a check at the same time not to get carried and cheated by the sweet taste and low glycemic index as the mangoes have fructose and may be the reason for increased weight in case you eat more than 1 at a time. Kids and non-obese, non-diabetics however can enjoy as mangoes provide good amount of energy.

Worried with the commercial aspects of the fast ripening of all fruits, as the manufacturers are using certain chemicals like calcium carbide for artificial ripening and this calcium carbide may cause serious health problems in case if you guys feel lazy to wash the fruits properly and thoroughly.. Better soak the mangoes overnight in water.. My maid does the same thing, she actually soaks the mangoes in water whole day, and I was wondering why she does so.. sometimes the lessons that are learnt throughout the life works best than the lessons taught in your class rooms..What say guys:-) So do respect any ideas that comes from your elders, they advice you with all their experiences they have faced..

 After knowing so many healthy benefits of mangoes I feel all that glitters with a gold colour are truly precious ;-) :-)

GOOD DAY.

KING OF FRUITS HAS ARRIVED!!

Good morning dear Friends,

So, Wats up!!  Struggling with the heat ??

Instead of blaming the Sun God for emitting harsh, bright rays throughout the day, let's look at the other side of the coin..

Extreme heat helps us to enjoy the summer holidays, provoke us to fly away to our favourite holiday destination, or even enjoy the splashes in the swimming pools, or just relax in your favourite sofa and watch out the "Men in Blue" play their innings, and not only that, movie maniacs do have an extra dose of new releases of their favourite BIG STARS..

Extreme heat outside can make your family bonded, as all of you prefer staying at home most of the time in order to prevent that tan on your face, or even to protect yourself from the dehydration that occurs if exposed to excess heat outside..

Wow..That's quite cool of Summer I feel..What do you say guys??

The most cool thing that we can enjoy only in summers is MANGOES.. No wonder, we come across all the funny, weird commercial advertisements related to Mangoes in the TV nowadays, but those all are art creations from the facts, the Ad Directors just pick a single point that we all love the mangoes irresistibly..

Being the "King of Fruits" and the "National fruit" of our country Mango truly deserves its Royalty and we all do bow to it Majestic properties:-)

Mango originated in Southern Asia about 4000years ago and slowly has spread all over the world. There are more than 1000 varieties of Mangoes, where only 100 or 200 are cultivated commercially.

Does anyone ever remember that Lord Buddha meditated in a groove of Mango tree for years to get all the Wisdom and enlightenment. Just thinking if Lord Buddha gets so much of wisdom by just sitting under the tree, how much wisdom, health would we all get by eating the fruits of that tree ;-):-) Just kidding friends:-):-)

So let's discuss about the healthy benefits of the lustrous, juicy, toned, lip-smacking, divine, royal, sweet, pulpy, yummy, delicious, soft fruit which just slides down your throat and gives you a heavenly feeling when you just give a single bite, a best and a  healthy companion when you are alone or even becomes a part of your family get-togethers, best snack to pamper your son-in-law;-)

So, Friends let's catch up tomorrow to know what makes Mangoes the "King of Fruits" and THE EXTENSIVE HEALTHY BENEFITS it offers.

GOOD DAY..
SEE YOU TOMORROW .

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS A DOCTOR AWAY :-)

Apple also termed as "Miracle food" "Nutritional powerhouses" are one of the common fruits available worldwide since ancient times, we can say they are the first identified fruit by mankind..I'm not perfect in History, and that was just a guess!!

Being a crunchy, crispy, juicy fruit with a modest amount of sweetness and slight sour taste is slightly being overlooked suddenly nowadays after all the hype of the super foods like berries..

But before start searching and buying those high priced superfoods, let me tell you guys that Apple too has all the required qualities such as good amounts of antioxidants and fiber, Vitamins, Minerals.

Lets check out what actually made the Royal Apple to become a competition to the Royal profession ;-)

Apple skin as well as flesh inside is highly rich in antioxidants which protects all the cells of our body  from oxidative cell damage and thus prevents early ageing, cancer, inflammatory conditions etc..

The different kinds of antioxidants in Apples are Quercetin, Kaempferol, Myricetin, Chlorogenic acid, Anthocyanins, Epicatechin etc.. are few of the antioxidants in Apples and at the same time the genuine reason and motivation for all of us to include Apples in our diet atleast thrice a week.

Apples are highly rich in soluble fiber(pectin) which is another reason behind the greatness and nutritive effects of Apples. As we all know fiber is highly helpful in lowering the cholesterol levels, by binding with the excess fat and preventing them to absorb into our body. As the cholesterol levels are kept in check the chances of your arteries to get blocked with plaque is reduced. In this way you are in safer zone when it comes to heart diseases caused by blockage of arteries with all the unnecessary cholesterol that clogs your arteries.

Another fantastic property of Fiber rich foods is the perfect protection they give to your digestive system. Apple being rich in Fiber helps in preventing colorectal cancer, provides benefits by softening the stool thus helps incase you are suffering from haemorrhoids, fissure etc.. Another double edged sword property of this Apple is that it helps during both constipation and Diarrhoea..Wonderful property..Isn't it!!

The good amount of fiber in Apple has also has another advantage that it adds fullness to your tummy and thus helps in preventing you to binge unhealthy stuff.  Aiming at a flat tummy and perfect waist line..Have an Apple a day before your meal ;-)

For those who are confused whether to eat the Apple with the peel or without the peel - The Apple peel has lots of antioxidants in it so preferably have the Apple with the peel, if you want to grab the whole nutrition, as you buy an Apple for quite a good amount of bucks. But wash thoroughly before you bite into the juicy fruit and a make that crunchy sounds around :-)

Much more benefits of eating an Apple are coming into limelight with all the research going around, such as eating Apples lowers the incidence of Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease, arrests growth of tumor cells, reduces the incidence of type 2 DM, breast cancer, incidence of developing stroke especially in Women, protects your eye lens in long run and prevents cataract formation by atleast 10-20%, sharpens your memory so that you can collect all your money in case if you have lend it to many people ;-)

With all the heroic description of the Apple, can anyone guess that Apple seeds are poisonous and contain a chemical that release Cyanide in very minute amounts in our body if eaten.  OMG!! Never knew this.. Right!! Me too.. NEVER CHEW OR EAT APPLE SEEDS. EATING ABOUT MORE THAN 100GMS OF APPLE SEEDS CAN BE FATAL.

So instead of feeding these seeds to your tummy feed them to the motherland(i.e, EARTH) so that the seeds will slowly grow into trees, bearing healthy nutritious fruits.

HAPPY WEEKEND..

BEST OIL FOR DEEP FRYING.

Hi, Friends, Good morning..

So, let's continue our discussion on deep fried foods. As we have seen the harmful effects of fried foods on our body, as it is impossible to completely avoid those tasty or easy to prepare stuff, whenever larger quantities are demanded, let's check which is the better oil to use for deep frying. But always remember, that whatever oil is considered safer, an oil is a fat, and eating foods soaked with whatever oil on a regular basis may start accumulating fat in your body, whenever the limit is crossed. So, as our ancestors taught us please keep the deep fried foods restricted to only occasions rather daily basis.

All the oils have a certain smoke point, and now what's this smoke point? It 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 when exposed to high temperatures. So, what we have to do is whenever a deep fried food is there in your menu, choose the oils with higher smoking point.

The oils which are of Saturated fats and Monounsaturated fats(Olive oil, Coconut oil, Ghee, Avocado oil, Peanut oil, Sunflower oil, Rice bran oil) are known to have higher smoking point and tend to be safer for deep frying, whereas the oils with polyunsaturated fats(Safflower oil, Corn oil, Canola oil, Soybean oil)  are unsafe for deep frying as they break down easily at high temperatures and form free radicals.  These free radicals, as we all know are too  cruel and the culprits of all the Metabolic diseases occurring nowadays and also the cause of increased incidence of Cancers.

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 said to be safe, whereas the Safflower oil is dangerous.

Regarding how many times we can reuse the once heated oil, is maximum upto 3 times we can reuse, but the more lesser the more safer, and the more the oil is exposed to higher temperatures, the more fast it tends to break down and form dangerous free radicals that attack our body.

A small example related to the amount of calories:  A single medium sized baked potato = 200-210calories, whereas French fries made from a single medium sized Potato = 700-710calories.

I guess this single line above is enough for you guys to analyse the amount of calories you are building up every time you binge on fried foods:-(

So, wake up and control your temptations and maintain a distance to the deep frying stuff;-)

GOOD DAY.

DEEP FRIED FOODS..HEALTHY OR NOT??

Hmm.. Just look at those fried Pooris..Looks so appetizing..Isn't it!!  How many pooris can you have at a time;-) 

Not only pooris, french fries, Dough nuts, Chips, Wada, deep fried chicken wings or any food item that is deep fried keeps us engaged in eating for quite a long time..Unknowingly piling up a lot of fat and calories into our body.

Have you guys kept a check on the portion of what you are consuming..Let me help  you..It's for sure not limited to 1 or 2, it will be more than 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 and goes on till our tummy says stop and creates a weird sound in the form of a burp to indicate that you are full.. But the poor tummy is not aware of the ill effects of the quality of your food but only has a check on the quantity of the food you eat :-)

So dear Friends..Let's have a small discussion about how healthy are these deep fried foods and at what frequency can we have them, I mean daily or once a week or once in a month..

It's quite tough to resist deep fried foods during many instances especially the aroma of fried oil is itself is tempting(though its nauseating during pregnancy) even a thought or a discussion of fried foods will make us salivating:-)  Irrespective of gender, age, race we all are addicted or attracted towards deep fried foods..Aren't we??

Fried  foods, I really don't know, why, they are treated as a special form of foods and also cooked mostly during festivals in India, though nowadays, no occasion is needed and what we find around us is mostly deep fried..Ha, Got it, the reason our ancestors made them special and only during festivals is the secret behind having fried foods ONLY OCCASIONALLY!! Oh! my God!!Our ancestors are the best..Kudos to them..

All the stressful discussion above is worth and the main cause which is the reason behind the negativity for these deep fried foods is the deep diving of foods in the greasy, oily, fatty oil:-(

What happens is, when the foods( be it carb, protein or fat) are left in an ocean of oil they obviously absorb some of oil, which is already sticky and ready to mingle, and finally forms a good amount of layer on the foods..and  the high temperatures at which the oil is boiled, tends to break down even the good fats in oil turning them into villains (fats are broken down, oxidised and degraded and form free radicals).

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 as we all know in long run may cause increase in your cholesterol levels. Trans fat is usually an adulterated form of fat which helps in 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 oils, rice bran oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, corn oil etc.. But though these oils may be healthy, but when exposed to higher temperatures constantly may turn out be unhealthy.

Deep frying increases the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGE's) on the surface of foods and these AGE's trigger the formation of carcinogens like Acrylamide, Acrolein, Aldehydes, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Heterocyclic amines etc.. BEWARE!!

Not only that, the AGE's may also increase inflammation of Lungs, Breast, Pancreas, Prostate, Kidney etc... Patients with impaired Kidney function may have tough time in clearing the heavy, greasy fats they eat in the form of oily, deep fried foods.

Most of the vegetables which are rich in Vitamins and Minerals are drained of their nutrients once dived in hot oils. So, you are getting empty calories..

Suppose if you are frying fatty foods like meat, the already excess fats add up more fats and calories, when they are deep fried.  Excessively fried foods are the reason behind acid reflux in stomach which we experience in the form of regurgitation, and irritable bowel syndrome. Being high in calories, increased fat content, may cause a rise in total cholesterol , LDL cholesterol, Obesity which indirectly may be the cause to Type 2 Diabetes and many other metabolic derangements..

Let us take a break over here..

And later let's continue our discussion regarding which oils are better for deep frying, and how frequent can we reuse the fried oil, and how frequently can we enjoy the fried foods..

Already an aversion started in my mind towards the fried foods but let's see how long will it be there ;-)

UNHEALTHY SIDE OF FANCY CAKES.

Hi Friends,

On a continuation of my previous post, let's have a peep into the other side of the effects of Cake on our body. With all the fancy decorations which includes a lot of frosting, colouring and artificial or natural colouring, the Cakes have an appealing look but at what cost on our health??

The eye catching and pleasant colours add a lot of value to the cake along with a  taste, but how far are these artificial colours are fine to our body.

Though most of the colours are excreted from our body, the remaining minimum percent when consumed regularly on long run can cause harmful effects like, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) in children, decrease in the memory levels of children making them slow at studies or any activity, reason of certain kinds of Allergies, certain Cancers, mostly Brain tumors according to certain research studies, even may induce Asthma in few kids or even elders.

Most of the artificially made colors and flavours are synthetic products and are derived from petroleum combined with few other chemicals..Quite scary to know..Right!!

Few of the dyes used by food industry even contain Cancer causing substances which are the reason behind the increase in frequency of the incidence of Cancer all over the World.

All the Icing and Frosting used as a top up, on the Cakes, are high in Calories as they are made exclusively from sugar, butter and egg, and even mixed with vegetable oils, artificial flavours, artificial colors and preservatives in few Cakes.

The sugar is used in the form of icing sugar or even High fructose corn syrup is used in many instances due to its cheaper availability to the food manufactures and easy to get mixed instantly and thus attain more profitable margins while selling. But this High fructose corn syrup is more dangerous than sugar as it tends to get absorbed immediately and cause sudden rise and sudden fall of your body sugar levels..Such fluctuations of your sugar levels on long run may cause Diabetes. Point to be noted, before you guys get attracted and addicted to the food products stuffed with High Fructose corn syrup.

There is a lot to mention about High fructose corn syrup and lets discuss in detail in a different post on my blog.

The icing made from mostly butter is high in saturated fat and certain vegetable oils are rich in trans fats which when consumed regularly may tend to adapt a shelter for them in your body and slowly build up and start blocking the normal functions of all your organs :-(

The icing is made from beaten raw egg whites in most of the cases and if such icing is not refrigerated properly the gram negative bacteria like Salmonella may find a new home in the icings of cakes and when we happen to eat such cakes we are affected by Salmonellosis, a bacterial infection causing Gastrointestinal disturbances.

If you are a big fat fan of the top up frosting over Cakes rather than the original cake, beware of certain health issues like Diabetes, Heart diseases, Infertility, Liver diseases, Obesity, Cavities, Tooth decay.

Need not sacrifice Cakes but better avoid all the artificial stuff and just have your Cake with natural ingredients and with a very minimal amount of icing, try using colors obtained from natural fruits like Strawberries, Grapes, Carrots, Blueberries, Cocoa etc..

Ok, Fine friends..Eat modestly and opt more for natural food preparations and ditch all the artificial stuff.

CAKES- PRETTY AND TEMPTY:-) HEALTHY TOO??

Being one of the royal, fancy, pretty, decorative, tempting.... Oh!! Words are just flowing to describe the yummy and tasty, lip smacking Cake.

A unique and perfect food for most of the occasions, mostly introduced by the western countries and now has become a part of the Asian families.

Cake is the first thing that comes in mind to celebrate any occasion..No wonder so many Cake recipes, and many Chefs dedicated to specially baking Cakes are in practice.

My doubt was, with lots of flavours, sweetness and creaminess, is this Cake really healthy or not!!

I know most of you have the same doubt, and few are successful in just picking a small portion and few like me are unable to control the addiction towards the extreme sweetness, delicious soothing feeling as we give a bite into the smooth cake and as it slowly slides down our throat.

We all know that Cake = calories.

Few over cautious young Moms are even restricting their kids to have cake. Though it may be right  upto to a certain extent, not completely .. Cakes actually are full of the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The sugar and refined flour is the carb, the eggs and milk constitute the protein and the butter and any oils used are the fat in Cakes. Hmm..All nutrients at one go.. Fruit cakes have good amount of fibre and few vitamins minerals and antioxidants, chocolate cake also is loaded with antioxidants.

Cakes made with chocolates are known to be useful to uplift your mood as they are known to increase serotonin and endorphins, which are the feel good hormones.  Oh!! That's the reason we feel on top of the moon when we have piece of cake;-)

I feel Cake is a substitute for alcohol for girls to opt when you are off mood or in a hype..Men won't even leave a single reason to cheer with glass of Beer or whatever..They say its cold, lets have beer, or either its hot, lets have a glass of whisky, or a corporate meeting at night in the bar?? or a relatives gathering, happy occasion, or even a sad occasion Beer is their companion..Wonder who invented alcohol..

All the dramatic, though facts are all dependent on your mental stability and the way you control your emotions. A strong person will neither binge on a cake nor alcohol. Stability and control is needed  both in your behaviour as well as your eating habits..

Research studies have shown that eating the cake in moderate amounts as a breakfast once a while, will help in controlling your sweet cravings and excessive eating throughout the day. As Cake is known to decrease the Gherlin levels, a hormone known to increase hunger. So eating a piece of cake for your breakfast once a while may keep you full for quite some time and also may save your time to cook the breakfast before running for your office;-) Just kidding..

Lets discuss more about the other side of the colourful and more fancy cakes available nowadays displaying all the cartoon characters on the Cake and bringing smiles on your kids faces..

Till then take care Friends,

Good day:-)

A DIVINE DRINK..GREEN TEA :-)

Good evening Friends, I'm back with a post on the super powerful benefits of Green tea..

In continuation with the previous discussion on Green tea, it is loaded with Antioxidants and many research studies have shown that the Catechin in Green tea have a terrific effect in preventing bacterial, viral and any other infections, thus keep you away for example from frequent Influenza attacks, and reduce your Influenza vaccine shots.

Catechin compounds also tend to keep polishing your neurons in brain and thus improve your brain activity, thus reducing the chances getting Alzheimer's disease, and even Parkinson's disease.

The plenty of antioxidants like flavonoids and Catechins in Green tea are known to fight against the free radicals that attack each and every cell of our body. Having foods that contain large amount of antioxidants work perfectly in extensively fighting with the free radicals and successfully defeating them. In this way your cells are safe. Cells means body cells ;-)

Polyphenols in Green tea helps in regulating the Glucose levels and thus is  a perfect drink if any of the Diabetics are in a dilemma, of what drink to have while chilling out;-) If not hot, a chilled version of Green tea bhi  chalega:-) Opt for healthy ways of enjoying or chilling rather than relying only on alcoholic drinks and increasing the revenue of Bar owners while spoiling your precious health, not only health, even many family relations are spoilt with your daily habit of chilling with a glass of alcohol..Think Men!! LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL..ENJOY IT TO THE FULLEST AND OPT HEALTHY FOOD.

The Epigallocatechin found in Green tea acts as an anti-allergic and reduces the pollen allergic reactions by blocking the IgE receptors. Huh..That's an awesome property of Green tea..

Green tea also helps in reduction of cholesterol by indirectly increasing the fattyacid oxidation and also it has a role in preventing the complete absorption of cholesterol into the intestines.

Whereas normal milk tea may cause stains on your teeth, the super Green tea helps in maintaining dental hygeine, and also prevents dental cavities. A nice natural liquid cleansing agent instead of the chemical mouth cleansers:-)

Packed with plenty of Vitamins and minerals like Manganese, Magnesium, Potassium etc..Green tea has another exotic property in activating the detoxification enzymes and thus help in detoxifying your body from all the unnecessary greasy and sugary stuff loaded in your digestive system!!

Not only psychological relaxation but Green tea also relaxes your arteries thus improving the blood flow and prevent any disturbances and halts of the blood flow be it in your Heart or Brain, and lessens the risk of Stroke or Atherosclerosis.

Green tea also plays a role in strengthening your bones and thus prevents Osteoporosis at a younger age. The polyphenols in Green tea combine with a form of Vitamin D which improves the structure and strength of bones.

A daily intake of atleast 2-3 cups of Green tea will help in maintaining a good health, and each cup of Green tea will give you a dose about 60mg of Catechin(antioxidant).

Whether you rely on Chinese products or not, you gotto believe on this wonderful Chinese Green tea leaves which will help you live longer :-)

CAUTION: PEOPLE WITH LIVER FAILURE SHOULD MINIMISE THE INTAKE OF GREEN TEA, AS GREEN TEA IN LARGE QUANTITIES MAY CAUSE LIVER TOXICITY.

GO GREEN..GREEN TEA :-)

Good evening Friends, how many of you are joining me for a cup of green tea ??

Hmm.. The best and a healthy companion during your break from work, or your perfect partner during your relaxation time with a bundle of health benefits :-)

Doesn't the colour of green tea, resemble something else??;-)  Just kidding friends..It is pure green tea, with a squeeze of lemon juice and along with few drops of honey:-)

Being originated from China, and now being used extensively world wide and also has gained the superfood crown, Green tea is produced for Camellia Sinesis.

Lets start our discussion with the common buzz created around Green tea..WEIGHT LOSS!! Now let me tell you friends that there is no short cut for anything but, the caffeine content in green tea helps in mobilising the fat and utilize it as energy..which helps in losing weight upto a certain extent..

Green tea is known to have a thermogenic effect which helps in oxidation of fats. But if you guys have a cup of green tea along with a big, fat size burger loaded with lots of creamy cheese, mayonnaise, butter and sauces there is no point in expecting to lose fat, and when you don't find any results, you start blaming the poor green tea that all the hype is nonsense..What say friends!!

Another common reason most of the nutritionists prefer green tea is because of its role in relieving STRESS!! The L-Theanine in Green tea helps you to happily relax, and keep you away from anxiety attacks. L-Theanine helps in increasing the alpha waves in brain which usually occur during the relaxation phase.. Green tea do not have any sedative functions but when you are relaxed you tend to go to sleep easily without any hustling and bustling in your brain:-)

The Theanine in Green tea helps in secreting Serotonin and Dopamine which again are responsible for keeping you in a state of relaxation and calming down the Adrenaline rush;-)

So, had a stressful day?? Have a cup of green tea.. Now what if I love black tea? Do I get all the benefits as with Green tea?? 

Black tea is  a processed version of Green tea, and during the processing many antioxidants and other nutrients are washed away, so if you want to enjoy and also acquire all the health benefits of green tea, have only green tea without milk and by adding a squeeze of lemon juice will enhance the absorption of the antioxidants present in Green tea..Hmm..However lemon tea tastes better than plain green tea..Isn't it!! 

Many more health benefits and recommended amount  of Green tea in a day, shall be discussed in my next post..

Till then, Take care Friends :-)