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:-)