Olive can do wonders to your diet! (HEALTH +)

Whether you prefer them green or black, olives are a healthy fruit to add to your meals. For the Greeks, they represent nobility and peace but more than that they know the wonders it does for your health.

Olive oil helps keep cholesterol levels in check and controls the blood sugar. It is one of the easiest to digest as it is monounsaturated. Drizzle some on top of a vegetable salad or dip a slice of whole-grain bread in some and eat as a snack.

Olive oil can also be added to spicy dishes and acidic food items. Try adding them when making sauces and dressings. Make a mix of olive oil with onions, herbs (oregano, thyme etc) and garlic for pasta sauces. Use olive oil to marinate your meat dishes as this allows better penetration ofthe flavour into the food.

For sauteing or frying, it's best to use a combination of extra virgin and regular olive oil. Add flavour to olive oil by infusing the oil with sprigs of dried herbs. It's best stored in a dark cool spot and in a tightly covered container. Keeping olive oil in the refrigerator, can make it turn thick.

Table olives can eaten in the pickled form or stuffed with pimentos or even just plain. While they can be used in anything from baked dishes to martinis, they also make a healthy snack eaten on their own.

10 best foods to reduce cholesterol (HEALTH +)

Have a salmon fish dinner. Snack on a handful of nuts. Pour a dash of olive oil in your salad.


And bite into that sinister chocolate. Now you can do all this guilt-free! All these foods help in fighting bad cholesterol. According to the American Heart Association, 'You can reduce cholesterol in your blood by eating healthy foods'. So, here we are today with our list of top 10 cholesterol fighting foods.


Oats: If you change your morning meal to oats then you can do your cholesterol level a whole lot of good. Do note that two servings of oats can lower LDL cholesterol by 5.3% in only 6 weeks. Essentially, oats contain a substance called beta-glucan which absorbs bad cholesterol.


Red Wine: Here's yet another reason to toast to your health. The red grapes used in the manufacturing of red wine have an important effect on cholesterol levels. Two glasses of red wine in a week can do you a whole lot of good.


Salmon and fatty Fish: Full of Omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is a natural health wonder, which helps in keeping heart conditions such as heart attacks, stroke and high cholesterol levels at bay. Fishes such as salmon, sardines and herring help in raising good cholesterol levels by 4%.


Nuts: Mono-unsaturated fats (found in nuts, seeds etc.) have the lowest fatty acid molecules and are the best of the three fats, namely poly-saturated fats, saturated fats and mono-unsaturated fats. Nuts are the best way to get those required healthy fats into your body without feeling guilty. Since the fats that come from nuts are natural and are not chemically processed, this makes them heart healthy, filling, and nutritious options.


Beans: Excellent for the heart, ½ a cup of beans added in our diet (in the form of any dish or soup), helps in lowering cholesterol levels by 8%. You should try black, kidney, or pinto beans; each one of them supplies about one-third of your day's fiber needs.


Tea: Tea has antioxidants and less amounts of caffeine than coffee. An eight-ounce cup of coffee contains around 135 mg caffeine; tea contains only 30 to 40 mg per cup. Tea helps in protecting your bones because of the presence of phytochemicals in them. It is also a great defense against LDL cholesterol levels.


Chocolate: Chocoholics can celebrate with a healthy dose of dark chocolate as it is full of antioxidants and cholesterol-reducing properties. According to a Spanish study published in 2010 in the "Journal of Hepatology,", "the antioxidants in dark chocolate reduce the damage that can occur to blood vessels, which can further threaten the health of people with cirrhosis. The dark chocolate can help prevent the blood vessels in the liver from rupturing". Medical experts suggest that munching on 100 grams of chocolate every day helps in reducing the occurrence of cardiovascular mishaps by 21 percent.


Spinach. Popeye the sailor was quite right when crediting his muscle power to this green leafy vegetable. It is believed that spinach contains around 13 flavonoid compounds which keep us away from cancer, heart diseases and osteoporosis. 1/2 a cup of this lutein-rich food, daily, guards us against heart attacks.


Olive oil: This oil has many health benefits. It contains mono-unsaturated fatty acids which lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides, without lowering good cholesterol levels. Different stages of pressing and processing yield different varieties of olive oil.  

White foods, a must in your diet(HEALTH +)

Loaded with phytochemicals, white food usually earns a bad reputation in the healthy food category thanks to food items such as white rice, white bread, white sugar and so on.


But today with the help of Shachi Sohal, H.O.D. Dietetics Deptt at Dr. B.L. Kapur Hospital, New Delhi we will have a look at some healthy white foods such as onion, garlic, white radish, baby corn and sesame seeds. Read on to understand the health power and benefits of these food items.


Onion: Nutritive Value per 100gms of edible portion
- Calories ( kcal): 50
- Proteins (gms): 1.2
- Carbohydrates(gms): 11.1
- Fat( gms): 0.1
- Iron( mg): 0.60


Health benefits:
Onions contain sulfur compounds as thiosulfinates which exhibit antimicrobial properties.
Onion is an aphrodisiac food, it helps in strengthening the reproductory organs.


Garlic: Nutritive Value per 100gms of edible portion
- Calories ( kcal): 145
- Proteins (gms): 6.3
- Carbohydrates(gms): 29.8
- Fat( gms): 0.1
- Iron( mg): 1.2


Health benefits:
- Garlic helps remove toxins, stimulates blood circulation and normalises intestinal flora.
- The allicin in garlic has been shown to lower blood pressure.
- Garlic has been proven to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol.


Radish: Nutritive Value per 100gms of edible portion
- Calories ( kcal): 35
- Proteins (gms): 0.7
- Carbohydrates(gms): 3.4
- Fat( gms): 0.1
- Iron( mg): 0.4


Health benefits:
- Radish helps in preventing Urinary Disorders. It is a diurectic i.e. increases production of urine. It is helpful in the treatment of dysuria or painful urination.
- It is beneficial as a carminative for relieving gastric discomforts, and also serves as a laxative and stimulant.


Sesame seeds: Nutritive Value per 100gms of edible portion
- Calories ( kcal): 567
- Proteins (gms): 16.9
- Carbohydrates(gms): 26.04
- Fat( gms): 48
- Iron( mg): 7.78


Health benefits:


- Sesame seeds contain good amounts of many essential minerals. Calcium, iron, manganese, zinc, magnesium, selenium and copper are especially concentrated in sesame seeds. These minerals are vital for bone mineralization, red blood cell production, enzyme synthesis, hormone production and regulation of cardiac and skeletal muscle activities.

- Sesame seeds are rich in oleic acid ( MUFA ) which helps to lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and increase HDL (good cholesterol) in the blood.


Baby Corn: Nutritive Value per 100gms of edible portion
- Calories ( kcal): 86
- Proteins (gms): 2.6
- Carbohydrates(gms): 18.5
- Fat( gms): 1


Health benefits:


- Baby corn is a good source of folate and vitamin B. It also contains potassium, vitamin B6, riboflavin, vitamin C and fiber.
- Good for people on a diet as it contains a good amount of nutrients, fibre and is low in calories.

Eat oranges to stay fit in winter(HEALTH +)

Have your share of oranges this winter and stay healthy.


Winter is here and this is the time to savour oranges. You can have it just like that or as dessert. Ever enjoyed that chocolate orange cake which just melts in mouth leaving a lingering taste? If you want to avoid all the extra calorie, it's better to have oranges just like that. So, now you can carry an orange in your bag. Rich in Betacarotene, oranges can protect our cells. Orange peels are very good for skin too. The health benefits of oranges are as follows:


Fibre funda: The fibres in oranges are good for the digestive system and relieving constipation. Fibres also reduce cholesterol which is helpful in keeping you in good health. Fibres are also good in keeping the blood sugar levels in control.


Rich in calcium: Oranges are also rich in calcium, associated with a healthy bone structure and teeth.


Strong immunity: Vitamin C stimulates the production of white cells in our body, thus improving the immune system. So, eating oranges regularly will keep you away from viral infections.


Kidney health: Regular consumption of oranges significantly reduce the risk of developing kidney stones.

Don’t reveal your dieting plans(HEALTH +)

Abstaining yourself from revealing your weight loss plan could be the key to successful accomplishment of your goal, a new study has revealed.

A study from New York University revealed that those who shared details of their regimes with family and friends were less likely to meet their goals.
  
According to the researchers, positive recognition people get when they discuss their diet can be interpreted as accomplishment, as a result of which dieters are less likely to stick to their plan as strictly as before.


"The danger is that you feel that you have already reached the goal and because of that you don't have to act on it any more," the Daily Mail quoted Professor of psychology Dr Peter Gollwitzer, who lead the study, as telling CNN.


He gave tips to dieters, which could help them in following their weight loss regime successfully.

"One is simple - you can keep your mouth shut."


"Another one is to form different kinds of intentions, not only say what you want to do but also when, where and how you want to do it."

He said that by describing our objective, we mentally map out our future, so are more likely to follow through.


The third solution, he continued, was to only share your weight-loss plan with a trusted few, who can help you keep on course.

Tara Harwood, a registered dietician echoed his advice.


"You have to be very particular on who you choose. Make sure they are people who are going to encourage you and not hinder you and your success," she told Fox News.


"So, you do want to tell some people, however, for the most part keep it to yourself and let other people gradually notice these changes in you," she added.

Suryanamaskar is more than weight loss(HEALTH +)

Suryanamaskar can do to your body what months of dieting cannot. And it can do to your mind what no spiritual discourse can.


Not surprising, the world is going crackers over this ancient yogic tradition of worshipping the rising sun. What with the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Victoria Beckham and Kareena Kapoor endorsing it over gym workouts and bizarre diets.


From improving your posture, strengthening muscles to whittling extra inches around the waist, the benefits of Suryanamaskar are many, provided you adapt it the right way. A set of 12 fixed, cyclic postures define Suryanamaskar which when performed repeatedly at an easy pace can bring a sense of well being, almost immediately. However, those with a heart condition, arthritis or slip-disk, need their doctor's consent before starting the routine. Suryanamaskar's surging popularity notwithstanding, jumpstarting a schedule is most definitely not the best thing to do for a fitness novice. If you have been gravely out of form in a way that you haven't stretched your muscles in ages, first give your body some time to open up, which you can do with some flexibility and stamina-building exercises before embarking on the more arduous 'Suryanamaskar'.


And once your body has registered a certain fitness level, you can begin with a set of three Suryanamaskars in the first instance and increase it to five then ten and more depending on your stamina. Anymore than clocking up numbers, it is important to get each posture right, for the very essence of this yogic ritual lies in perfecting every move. To say the least, it can be an uphill task for beginners. But our expert-backed warm-up exercises are sure to make Suryanamaskar less strenuous and ever so graceful.


1. Neck: Breathe in while you turn your neck to the right and breathe out as you come back to the starting position. Again, breathe in while turning your neck to the left and breathe out in the centre. Repeat this movement thrice. Rotate your neck first clockwise and then anti-clockwise.


2. Arm and shoulder: Stretch your arms out in front of your chest and move your palms up and down, then sideways. Further on, rotate your fist clockwise and anti-clockwise. To relax your arms, place your palm on your shoulder and move your shoulders first clockwise then anti-clockwise.


3. Knee: Bend forwards with your palms resting on your knees, join your knees and move forwards and backwards. End the routine by rotating your knees clockwise and anti-clockwise.


4. Stomach and back: Interlock your fingers over your chest and slowly raise your hands upwards while you breathe in and stand on your toes. Return to Position 1 as you breathe out. Repeat this cycle three times.


5. Legs and waist: Stretch your legs wide in standing position, touch you left toe with the right hand, then the right toe with the left. Keep your knees straight while you do so. Repeat a few times.


By now your body is suitably warmed up to begin the Suryanamaskar routine. Here is a step-by-step account of the 12 postures. Don't try this routine on a mat, you are better off on the bare floor or on the grass.

Pomegranate juice beats office stress(HEALTH +)

A study has found that pomegranate juice, which lowers heart rates, can help beat office stress, and also make one feel more positive towards one's work.


Scientists studied a group of volunteers who drank 500ml of the juice every day for two weeks. At the beginning and end of the study their pulse rate was measured and they filled in a questionnaire describing their mood and feelings about their job.


The research, funded by the Pomegranate juice company, showed almost all of the workers reported being more enthusiastic, inspired, proud and active.


They were less likely to describe their feelings as distressed, nervous, guilty and ashamed compared with the beginning of the fortnight and most had lower pulse rates. "On the basis of these findings there is a justified argument for busy workers to drink pomegranate juice to help alleviate chronic stress and maintain good health," the Daily Mail quoted lead researcher Dr Emad Al-Dujaili, of Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, as saying.



There is growing evidence that pomegranate juice delivers wide-ranging health benefits that merit further research. "It is very rare indeed for an all-natural juice to offer the range of health benefits that we are seeing in pomegranate juice," the researcher added.

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The five-a-day diet plan(HEALTH +)

To meticulously stick to your body's requirement of five fruit-veggie portions every day, it is important that you know all about the programme.


The five-a-day plan - long hailed as the cornerstone of great health - stresses on the health benefits of eating five portions of fruits and vegetables every day.


As most fruit and vegetables are low in fat and calories but high in fibre, they help in filling us up without piling on the pounds and keeping our hearts healthy. The fibre they contain keeps our digestive system healthy, preventing problems such as constipation, piles and bowel cancer. For instance, their soluble fibre helps lower cholesterol, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease.


Fruits and veggies also boost vitamin and mineral intake, including folate for a healthy nervous system and vitamin C for strong immunity and healthy skin and hair. They also provide potassium, which helps lower blood pressure and many antioxidants that help guard against problems such as heart disease, strokes, cancer, dementia, arthritis and even wrinkles.


Do fruit juices matter?
No matter how much fresh fruit juice you drink in a day, it is counted as only one portion. That is because juices don't contain fibre (unlike a whole piece of fruit) and the juicing squeezes out the natural sugars found between the fruit cells, making them more harmful to teeth. As for juice drinks, they usually contain little juice, lots of sugar and hence don't count for much. Smoothies may count as two portions, but not more. If you're making your own smoothie, it needs to contain two pieces of fruit such as a banana and a pear, or one portion of fruit and a small glass of pure fruit juice.


Must fruits and veggies be eaten on their own to count?
No. The fruits and veggies you add to dishes such as stir-fries, curries, stews, soups, pizzas, pasta, rice dishes, sauces and desserts all count towards your tally. As for baked beans, kidney beans, chick peas and lentils, they count as only one portion, even if you eat a lot of them. That is because nutritionally they are more similar to meat, poultry, fish and eggs rather than fruits-veggies.


What exactly is a portion?
A portion of fresh fruits or veggies is 80 grams. The World Health Organisation recommends at least 400 grams of fruits and vegetables daily to prevent obesity, heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes. So breaking this 400 into five servings means each serving should be around 80 grams.


Shouldn't we eat more than five portions?
Studies show our health may benefit even more with greater intakes of fruits-veggies. The World Cancer Research Fund recommends that, in future, we should aim for at least 600g of fruits and veggies daily; equivalent to six portions. Meanwhile, a study published earlier this year in the European Heart Journal found people who ate eight portions of fruits and veggies each day had a 22 per cent lower chance of dying from heart disease than those who ate three portions. For each extra portion added, the risk was lowered by 4 per cent.


Should we eat different fruits and veggies?
To get the most health benefits, it's best to vary your choices as different fruits and veggies contain different combinations of fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Aim to eat five differently-coloured fruits and veggies each day.

Aerobics is best way to lose belly fat(HEALTH +)

A new study has found that aerobic exercise is the best bet when it comes to losing that dreaded belly fat.


Belly or abdominal fat - known in scientific communities as visceral fat and liver fat - is located deep within the abdominal cavity and fills the spaces between internal organs. It's been associated with increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and certain kinds of cancer.


"When it comes to increased health risks, where fat is deposited in the body is more important than how much fat you have," said Duke exercise physiologist Cris Slentz, Ph.D., lead author of the study published in the American journal of Physiology.


"Our study sought to identify the most effective form of exercise to get rid of that unhealthy fat," he added.


When Duke University Medical Center researchers conducted a head-to-head comparison of aerobic exercise, resistance training, and a combination of the two, they found aerobic exercise to be the most efficient and most effective way to lose the belly fat that's most damaging to your health.


"Resistance training is great for improving strength and increasing lean body mass," said Slentz.


"But if you are overweight, which two thirds of the population is, and you want to lose belly fat, aerobic exercise is the better choice because it burns more calories," he added.

6 Low calorie foods for your cravings(HEALTH +)

Choose foods that are heavy on the stomach but are low in fat. The ones that fall low on the glycemic index are said to stave off hunger for longer periods of time.


Know what these are and win over your urges.


Soup
A bowl or two of broth-based soup rather than higher-calorie cream soups works well. Add your favourite cut-up veggies, plus a protein such as beans, chicken, or fish, so you have all the elements of an energy-dense, satisfying meal. Due to its thick consistency, soup takes longer to absorb keeping your tummy full for a longer time.


Smoothies and cottage cheese
If smoothies are made with low-fat yogurt and loads of fruit, you're getting protein, fibre, and calcium. A glass of apple or banana smoothie will surely gratify your hunger for a while. Low fat dairy products, like natural yoghurt, low-fat milk and cottage cheese supply rich amounts of protein and calcium. They have a mild impact on your blood sugar levels that helps delay hunger cues and enhances weight loss.


Popcorn and puffed rice
Popcorn has the volume effect. If you have a tub of air-popped popcorn and don't add fats (caramel or butter) to it, you can consume it without any guilt. Moreover, it gives you a lot of sensory satisfaction. You can also munch on baked or roasted snacks such as khakra (crisp roti) and kurmura (puffed rice) without worrying about adding additional calories.


Raw fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are lower in calories per gram compared to denser foods. To increase satiation, consume a cup of chopped water-rich fruits and vegetables, such as berries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, kiwi, celery, cucumbers, bell peppers, leafy greens and water chestnuts. If you don't like it plain, prepare a fruit or veggies salad by adding a few drops of vinegar and low-fat salad dressing to it. Also, whole wheat pasta with your favourite sauteed veggies provide higher satiety.


Whole grains
As whole grains contain all the nutritious part of the grain, they digest slower and more efficiently than refined grains, such as white flour. As fibre-rich, low-glycemic foods, whole grains also help manage hunger pangs. Go for fibre-rich whole grain foods like steel-cut oats, long-grain brown rice, pearled barley and whole wheat bread. When purchasing breads, cereals and pasta, check ingredients lists to ensure that whole grains are listed as main ingredients.


Legumes
Legumes, such as split peas, lentils and beans, contain a unique blend of protein and fibre. One cup serving of cooked split peas or lentils provides up to twice as much fibre as other fibre-rich foods, such as barley, whole wheat pasta, raspberries and pears. Naturally low-fat and cholesterol-free, legumes are heart-healthy. Nutritious legume-based dishes include lentil soup, split-pea soup, chilled bean salads and dals.

Foods you need to eat and avoid(HEALTH +)

Deanne Panday, who trains the bodies and minds of stars, has put her stress-fighting weapons in a book. Here's an excerpt on what foods you need to eat and avoid. Stress is the silent killer that affects 50 per cent of the country's working population. Panday says it has a lot to do with the kind of food we eat.


The following excerpt from the book I'm not stressed, which has been endorsed by a bevy of Bolslywood stars, tells you what foods help you manage stress better and what don't. Read on to find out.


Foods that help you destress
Certain food items in our diet can actually help reduce stress in our bodies. While apricots and greens like spinach replenish the body with magnesium, which is known to relax the muscles and help with headaches, nuts and dark vegetables like almonds, pistachios, broccoli, and okra are rich in vitamins B and E that help lower blood pressure. Citrus fruits, which are a storehouse for Vitamin C, also help in controlling blood pressure. Other food items like sweet potatoes provide insulin to the body, provide energy, and help deal with fatigue in a stressful situation. Below is a list of foods I recommend for stressed-out people:


- Low-fat dairy products like lowfat cottage cheese and cheese
- Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, etc
- Nuts like almonds, pistachios, etc
- Decaf green tea or rosemary tea
- Dark coloured vegetables like beetroot, okra, and peas
- Beans or lentils
- Brown rice
- Oats
- Oily fish like salmon and tuna
- Lean beef
- Egg whites
- Chicken without the skin
- Asparagus
- Artichokes
- Sweet potatoes
- Leeks
- Watercress
- Sesame, sunflower, and flax seeds
- Also, drink lots of water, with a few squeezes of lime (lemon is a natural metabolizer)


Foods that aggravate your stress levels
Certain food groups like caffeine, alcohol, and salty foods are known to aggravate stress in our bodies. Caffeine increases the production of norepinephrine, which keeps us alert and awake. These foods also interfere with our sleep and prevent us from relaxing. Alcohol can lower the amount of sugar in our blood and cause us to feel less energetic. It can also lead to an irregular heartbeat, which triggers panic attacks, among other things. Salty foods increase the blood pressure and makes us feel stressed.


Below is a list of foods you should avoid as much as possible especially during stressful days: - Hydrogenated fats: Some varieties of margerine, crackers, cookies, baked foods, bread


- Artifical flavour and colouring: Potato chips, chewing gum, some cereals, soft drinks
- Preservatives: Canned food and fruits, canned meats, pickles, butter, potato chips, baked goods, chocolate
- Glutamates: (MSG or Aginomoto) Soy and soy protein, canned tuna, powdered milk, dried and canned soups, flavoured chips, sauces, salad dressing, canned foods, soya sauce
- Artificial Sweeteners: Aspartame, saccharine, found in diet foods, sodas, chewing gum
- High-fructose corn syrup: Corn sweetner, corn syrup solids
- Packaged and processed foods: All canned foods, packed soups, cereals, bacon, sausages, cold cuts
- Sugar and sugary foods: Frozen desserts, donuts, pastries, candy, honey
- Foods with tannin: Wine, coffee, beer, maple and caramel flavouring
- Refined grain: White bread, white pasta, white rice, low fibre sugar cereal
- Sodium: Found in most processed foods, soups, soya sauce, canned foods, fast foods and preserved meats like ham and bacon
- Fats found in all fast food items like burgers, fish and chips, fries, etc.

Why are hot dogs unhealthy(HEALTH +)

Scientists have made an advance in their effort to replace animal fat in hot dogs, sausages, hamburgers and other foods with healthier fat.


They have solved the mystery of why hot dogs develop an unpleasant tough texture when vegetable oils replace animal fat.


Anna M. Herrero and colleagues explained that some brands of sausage (frankfurters) have been reformulated with olive oil-in-water emulsion as a source of more healthful fat.


With consumers gobbling up tens of billions of hot dogs annually, and the typical frankfurter packing 80 per cent of its calories from fat, hot dogs have become a prime candidate for reformulation.


Some hot dogs reformulated with vegetable oil develop an unpleasant chewy texture.


Herrero's team set out to uncover the chemistry behind that change with an eye to guiding food companies to optimise low-fat sausage manufacture.


Using a laboratory instrument called an infrared spectrometer (IR spectrometer) they verified that sausages made with heart-healthy olive oil-in-water emulsion stabilized with casein were slightly tougher.

However, when frankfurters were elaborated with an emulsion stabilized with a combination of casein and microbial transglutaminase (to help the oil blend in better) the sausage became much tougher.

The IR spectrometer revealed that the proteins and fats in low-fat cooked derivates formulated with this stabilizer system as animal fat replacer showed weak lipid-protein interactions, which implies more physical entrapment of the emulsion within the meat matrix.




This fact could explain why those sausages are tougher than the others.


The study appeared in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

Magic foods that keep you happy(HEALTH +)

WTo lead a quality life you need to be energetic and happy. There are magic foods that can help you when clubed in a trio


Foods to boost energy
Whether you are heading out for an exercise session or suffering from a mid-afternoon slump, there are times when we all need energy boost. Here are three instant pick-me-up foods.


Oats
If you're feeling worn out, weak or unable to concentrate, you could be deficient in certain B vitamins. These vitamins not only help to keep the brain functioning properly, they also help the body to break down carbohydrates into glucose to fuel the body. For a good source of B vitamins, try incorporating oats into your diet; a morning bowl of porridge should do the trick.


Chocolate
Amongst the many reported health benefits of dark chocolate (including its ability to lower heart disease risk, prevent wrinkles and boost the mood), the popular treat is also a great pick-me-up snack, which is great news for chocoholics. Chocolate is high in energy-boosting chemicals including theobromine (a stimulant found in many popular energy drinks) and caffeine.


Beetroot
Beetroot not only provides a multitude of health benefits, the vibrant vegetable is also a great source of longlasting energy. First of all, beetroot has a high sugar content which helps to provide an instant energy boost. It is also high in many energy-boosting nutrients including magnesium, iron, vitamin C and nitrate.


2. Foods to beat the blues
We all go through periods of feeling anxious, irritable or depressed. The foods you eat can directly influence the way you feel, so check out these top three foods to cheer you up.


Marmite
If you're feeling anxious, stressed or depressed, a dose of Marmite, rich in B vitamins, could help to lift your mood. B vitamins are important for normal brain function and producing moodboosting serotonin, with vitamins B12 and B6 being particularly beneficial for regulating your mood.


Oily fish
Omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish are well known for being good for the heart. However, they are equally beneficial for our brain health and mood. A recent study found that participants who had lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood were more likely to be moderately depressed and have a negative outlook.


Bananas
Bananas are high in natural sugars, making them a great remedy for low energy levels which can leave you feeling down. On top of this they are a great source of tryptophan, an essential amino acid which boosts serotonin levels, helping to regulate your mood.


1. Foods to help you sleep
Whether it's a one-off occurrence before a big event or a nightly struggle, most of us suffer from insomnia at one time or another. Fortunately, there are foods that can help you sleep a little easier.


Dairy products
If you're struggling to get a good night's sleep, foods containing tryptophan should be a first port of call. Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, helps to raise serotonin and melatonin levels in the body, both of which can help induce sleep. Bedtime-friendly sources include dairy products such as yoghurt and milk.


Oats
While many of us associate oats with breakfast time, they are also the perfect evening snack. Oats are a good natural source of melatonin, which is often taken as a sleep aid due to its ability to help regulate the body's internal clock. They are also another good source of tryptophan, especially when combined with milk.


Flax seeds
Flax seeds are great for increasing levels of sleepregulating substance serotonin in the body due to their high levels of both tryptophan and omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, the omega-3 fatty acids they contain have been proven to help reduce the anxiety, depression and stress which are leading causes of insomnia

Make your meal nutrition rich(HEALTH +)

WExperts suggest how you can fortify your child's meals so that they are wholesome


We are a health-conscious generation and in theory, know the nutritional value of almost every food. But our taste buds are not slaves of the information we've gathered. In fact it's clearly the other way round! Some fruits are just non-seasonal the year round, while some veggies can never make it to the menu.


If we don't like the taste of one, the smell of the other makes us say "eew" (the calcium-rich milk has my vote!). Well, we all may just get to keep our lists of outcasts without having to ever hear the doctor announce the deficiency we invited ourselves. Just grasp the tricks of food fortification.


A pinch of this and a pinch of that!
Fortification is not new to Indian cuisine. Our spices are a storehouse of vitamins and other nutrients, informs nutritionist Naini Setalvad. Think of an ailment, and our good old turmeric's ready to fight. She reminds us of its anti-septic, anti-histamine and even cancer fighting properties.



And indeed, the yellow power is rich in tonnes of nutrients - dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, niacin, manganese, iron, potassium, magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids, omega 6 fatty acids and phytosterols.



Sow the seeds for a healthy heart
Cardiologist Dr Dhanashri Chonkar prescribes sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds to ensure that bad cholesterol doesn't come knocking. These seeds contain good monounsaturated fats that help keep cholesterol levels low and also lower blood pressure.



While in the Western countries these seeds often land on buns and bakes, she suggests that we can incorporate them in our chutneys. "In fact, the traditional Maharashtrian diet serves interesting chutneys made from these seeds with bakhri."




Substitute nutrition
While for the non-vegetarians, fish serves as a great source of the very important omega 3 essential fatty acids not produced by our body, those not into seafood can include in their meals flaxseeds, says Setalvad. "And to ensure that your family's diet in rich in calcium, mix oats and barley to the flour," she suggests.


For sulphur, onions are very good, woch the Indian cooking uses almost be default. For a dose of zinc, she counts the other seeds already suggested by Dr Chonkar.




Fortifying desserts
Nutritionist Namita Jain says honey makes for the perfect topping sauce thanks to glucose, B complex, C vitamins and some antioxidants. What's more, honey is always welcome to our taste buds, and works well practically with all the desserts says, Chef Arindam Bahel. More concerned with the taste aspect, he suggests marrying honey with cream, nuts and even chocolates.

For the kids
It's the kids who are the most fussy, agree all mothers worried about ensuring that their little ones receive a balanced diet. Paediatrician Dr Deepa Bhandarkar shares some sneaking tips for them, "Mix jaggery in dal. It's a rich source of iron." She also says that if kids don't like vegetables, prepare a blending and knead the dough in that liquid.



"Like this you can sneak in their requirements of vitamin A and B, she says. And according to her, allow them to indulge in bhel. If made with chana, peanuts and sprouts, it's not really junk food."

Go healthy with raw food diet(HEALTH +)

You may owe some of your health issues to processed food. Raw food chef, Lisa Pitman, talks about eating without heating and how it changed her life


Do you feel uneasy after eating certain kinds of food? Anything oily sparks acidity, milk products make your tummy uncomfortable, wheat gives you hives and meat stations you on the pot too frequently?


One thinks that allergy to processed food is a Western malady. But our diet has large amounts of maida, white rice and fried foods - all of which are processed foods. Bringing in sizeable amounts of nuts, fruits and raw vegetables into the diet could help ease your pain.


Make a start: "The traditional Indian diet is great," says Lisa Pitman, a certified Canadian raw food chef who is in the city currently. "With lots of vegetables, lentils, greens, whole grains, raw chutneys and katchumber. But not everyone eats a traditional thali every day. I am seeing fast food everywhere." Pizzas and pao bhajis are our staples now.


Not to forget our reliance on packaged juices and instant noodles. "Modern Indian meals contain a lot of grains and less fruits and vegetables. Salads are rare to find on menus," she says. "Even making 20 per cent of your diet, raw-food based would be a start." All you need to be careful about is that you're cleaning what you eat well.


Plus, a city like Mumbai is hot and raw foods are cool, easy to digest and light. They hydrate our body better, because of the higher natural water content of fruits and vegetables, than cooked food. A happy by-product of preparing delicious food with raw ingredients is that it makes you conscious of what you are eating. Raw foods are full of vitamins and phytonutrients, many of which are destroyed by cooking. With this change, one can expect reversal of symptoms of diseases such as diabetes and heart conditions. "I have heard that India is experiencing quite an epidemic of both," adds Pitman.


She made a choice: Pitman found she could eat very little processed food very early in life. "When I was little, less than two years old, I fell sick quite frequently," says the author who is conducting a series of talks and cooking workshops across the city. "Almost every day, I had stomach pain and problem with my digestion. My mom began to see the connection between what I ate and how I felt. Meat made me ill immediately; consuming eggs and dairy caused me hours of pain. After lots of tests, doctors discovered that I can't digest animal protein."


When the doctors discovered that little Pitman could not digest most foods, she was asked to take medication every day, for the rest of her life. But she opted to change her diet instead. The results were immediate and significant. "I was suddenly feeling healthy and the pain disappeared," she says.


Going raw: As she grew older, she learned more about the connection between diet and health. Doctors and dieticians had reported that a plant-based diet could prevent and reverse heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and diabetes. "The research pushed me to take a closer look at my own diet. The best results for me seem to come from eating whole-foods. Other than excluding animal products, avoiding refined foods such as white sugar, flour and oils, has provided me with powerful protection against many diseases." It's been 27 years since she's eaten any animal products.


At the same time, her mother - who was in her late 40s - suffered from diabetes and severe asthma. She and could barely walk for more than five minutes without taking rest. In the hope to become better, she agreed to experiment and go on a vegan diet for 30 days. During her trial month, Pitman removed all the refined foods from their diet. "We shifted to eating big salads, smoothies and lots of fresh fruit," she says. After a year, she lost well over a hundred pounds, reversed her diabetes and stopped needing asthma medication. Seven years later, she's not only healthier, but recently completed her second 5-km marathon run. After her mother's illness Pitman realised that though she was healthy and active before removing refined foods from her diet, her vitality soared in bounds just a couple of weeks after removing them.


Eating raw food has brought about changes in Pitman's energy levels. Unlike other people, she doesn't feel drowsy or tired after eating a meal in the afternoon. "I feel fresh during after noon meetings, while others are struggling to keep their eyes open or relying on another tea or another cookie to push through. I think it's so easy to remain positive when you are feeling well. Pain and discomfort is quite depressing and difficult to cope with on a regular basis," she says.


Adding flavour to it: Removing flours and oils from her diet pushed her to experiment with vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. She enrolled in 105 Academy - a raw food culinary school - in the United States and learnt that majority of the vitamins and minerals in our food get destroyed by heat when the food is cooked. However, Pitman states, to enjoy the nutritional benefits of the food it doesn't need to be 100 per cent raw. It can be cooked a little to add to the taste.


Raw plant food has also proven to be beneficial for those suffering from cancer. "American biochemist, T. Colin Campbell's research on diet and lifestyle diseases shows that the growth of cancer cells could be turned on and off by the percentage of animal protein in our diets," says Pitman. "Medication has not been able to produce similar effects. The fibre content of plants also supports healthy weight management and good digestion - two strong predictors of long-term wellness."


Pitman's main preventive arsenal is greens. "I toss them into a fruit smoothie for an extra nutritional boost," she says. "When I'm not feeling well, I crave ginger. It calms my digestive system. I add ginger to smoothies, steep it like a tea and prepare a ginger dressing to toss with my salads," she says. 

Some smart snacking ideas(HEALTH + )

Healthy snacks will go a long way for your well-being


Most of us feel the need of a little something now and then during a busy working day and many of us do end up quite frequently gorging on a samosa, sev puri, potato chips and all kind of salted dry snacks. You keep on munching something or the other while watching television at home. And you still don't understand how the inches are being added to your waist. But if you 'snack smart', it will save you from lots of worries and of course the added weight gain.


Remember to snack with a purpose. Bingeing on fried snack is the worst thing you can do to yourself. It's important to have access to nutritious low-carb snack food so that if you get hungry between meals you won't reach for crackers and chips. Ideally, a low-carb snack should have protein, healthy fat, and some fiber (so the best thing would be to have some raw veggies with eggs).


The problem is that most of the time we just buy snacks off the shelf and indulge in it. Easily available food could be one of your greatest enemy. If you are hungry in between meals, try this:


- A bowl of fruits
- A brown bread sandwich
- A bowl of yogurt
- Handful of nuts
- A bowl of salad as per your choice of vegetables
- Roasted peanuts or chana
- A bowl of sprouts make a great snack too


If you are still craving for your share of 'dry snacks' then do try the baked methi puris or something like it. And if you are having a sandwich. no point in having it loaded with butter and cheese. Be innovative while making a wrap (just make a whole wheat roti and stuff with vegetables or chicken). You can also make a rajma/chhole wrap for innovation.

Cereal with milk best way to start the day (HEALTH +)

A new study has revealed that the healthiest breakfast choice is cereal with milk.


According to the research, breakfast is the key to a healthy lifestyle determining the quality of your whole day's nutrition.


And the best way to start the morning is with a simple bowl of cereal, as it makes people less likely to turn to fatty, sugary food through the rest of the day.


The study, by nutritionist Sigrid Gibson, and published in the BNF Nutrition Bulletin, revealed that cereal is a good source of calcium and numerous other key nutrients, such as fibre, protein and carbohydrate.


The research team analysed 12,068 food records from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, which interviewed Britons aged from 19 to 64.


The results showed that one in five adults ate no solid food for breakfast, one third chose cereal and 45 per cent enjoyed a non-cereal breakfast. The most popular item was tea or coffee, taken on 84 per cent of breakfast occasions.


Milk was consumed with 82 per cent of breakfasts, followed by cereal (39 per cent), bread (33 per cent) and fruit (14 per cent).


Women were less likely than men to choose bread, sausage, bacon or eggs and more likely to have fruit instead.


The study found that eating breakfast was associated with a lower fat and higher carbohydrate intake over 24 hours compared with skipping breakfast.


But this was mainly attributable to cereal-based breakfasts as non-cereal meals were associated with a higher intake of saturated fatty acid and lower protein intakes.


"This provides yet more evidence of the importance of eating breakfast and shows the value of making wise choices," the Daily Express quoted Newcastle University's nutrition professor Chris Seal, a member of The Breakfast Panel which commissioned the study, as saying.


"People who eat breakfast cereal generally eat less fat, saturated fat and sugar than those who do not and have better intakes of protein and important micro-nutrients, such as iron, vitamins and calcium." 

The kiwi way to good health (HEALTH +)

You either love its tangy flavour or loathe it, but there is more to the juicy, bright green kiwi fruit, also popular as kiwi, outside of being a fancy topping for tarts and fruit cakes.


Here's good news for kiwi lovers; apart from looking great atop pastries and cakes, the fruit is an abundant source of healthy minerals and vitamins.


Chef DC Bhatt of the Cabannas, Tivoli Grand Hotel, sheds more light on the benefits of this citrus fruit and why he loves to experiment with it in his desserts and salads. He shares, "Kiwi fruits contain a remarkable amount of Vitamin A, C and E. Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant that protects our body from free radicals, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and obesity among others.


Vitamin E has similar effects, but is fat-soluble and thus is complimentary to Vitamin C in its function. Kiwi fruits contain both these vitamins in high amounts, which help protect our body against free radicals from all fronts."


The dietary fibre in kiwi helps cure maladies such as diabetes, by controlling sugar levels, and colon cancer, by binding the fibre to toxic compounds in the colon.


"I love to use kiwis on my cheese cakes and my clients appreciate it too. Though, I have to admit it is a bit of an acquired taste. The high fibre content in kiwis help reduce cholesterol levels, and compensates for the high calories in the cheese cake," he states its advantages.


Doctors recommend patients with a heart condition to take kiwis daily, as it lowers the chances of a second heart attack.


We list some benefits of eating kiwis ...


- Prevents asthma.
- Prevents wheezing and coughing, especially in children.
- Protects our DNA from mutations.
- Provides a healthy amount of antioxidants and vitamins to the body.
- Prevents colon cancer owing to its high fibre content. 

Tips to tone your shoulders(HEALTH +)

In yoga, the simple sun salute involves poses that push the upper arms and shoulders, encourage resistance training by moving against gravity.

It sets off fat burn by challenging all the muscle groups in the body. For shoulders to be sculpted, this is the most important aspect - muscular challenge and intense work-out.
Arm balancers, like the crow pose (kakasana) are the next best bet.


They also encourage mental focus and a sense of adventure and joy: both also important emotional supports for sustaining a weight loss programme or tough dieting.


Setuasana (Plank pose): Sit on your heels. Place palms flat on the ground, directly under shoulder. Walk the feet back, till they are straight behind. Lift knees off the ground, supporting body on upper arms. The feet should be also rested on the toes, ensuring that the legs remain straight. Look ahead.


Hold for a few seconds, breathing normally. Relax back on your knees with an exhalation. Repeat a few times. Later you may do just once, but hold for long, for half a minute or more.


Benefits: Tones upper arms, trims fat. Challenges stamina, helps develop mental focus. Works out the whole spine. Trims fat along back of legs and calves.

Prishtasana (Lizard pose):

Kneel down, place elbows on ground, cup either with opposite hands as shown. Place the back of feet into the floor or place the toes into the floor. Inhale. Exhaling, tilt torso ahead, leaning face over the folded arms. Continue normal breathing. Hold the pose for ten seconds. Repeat thrice. After a few days/weeks of practice you may increase duration in the final pose for greater impact.



Benefits: Tones upper back, shoulders, entire arms. Improves breathing, pushes abdomen in, toning the digestive system. It will help you de-stress.

Does your diet include probiotics?(HEALTH +)

WProbiotic food is beneficial for health and capable of boosting immunity. Lisa Antao tells you more about its growing popularity.


Did you know there are over 400 distinct species of microorganisms inhabit the various regions of the adult human digestive tract, making up nearly two kg of total body weight? Few of these bacteria, such as lactobacilli species and bifidobacteria, are beneficial to our health and are capable of boosting immunity. In recent years, there has been a lot of curiosity and interest in probiotic foods because of their ability to benefit one's health. The term probiotic means 'for life'. There are two types of bacteria, good bacteria and bad bacteria. Harmful bacteria are those microorganisms, like yeast, fungi and parasites, that cause diseases. Probiotics are organisms that contribute to the health and balance of the intestine tract and are commonly referred to as the good bacteria.


Clinical dietician Dr Bhavi Mody says, "Probiotics are those living microorganisms that are similar to those naturally found in the gastro-intestinal system. Today, probiotic supplements are also available in the form of tablets and capsules." Clinical nutritionist Dr Sunita Dube says, "Foods like yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, milk and soy products like tofu, soy milk, etc. contain probiotic organisms and so do fermented foods."


How are probiotic foods prepared? Probiotic foods are produced by the chemical action of lactic acid bacteria, yeasts or through a combination of both. These useful microorganisms help in breaking down carbohydrates and sugars, making them easily digestible and more nutritious.


And why are probiotics important for health? Gut flora is the ecology of microorganisms present in the body. And this ecology sometimes gets destroyed due to strong antibiotic medicines or drugs, illnesses, excessive consumption of alcohol and even stress. Though antibiotics are prescribed for treating illnesses, their frequent intake can also destroy the good bacteria present in the gut and intestinal tract, which in turn can affect digestion and absorption of nutrients in the body. The long-term use of antibiotics can also prevent the replenishment of these useful bacteria. Here, probiotics play an important role in supplementing the presence of the good bacteria in the body.


There are many benefits of probiotic foods. Clinical nutritionist Dr Nupur Krishnan says, "Probiotics improve absorption of nutrients, improve synthesis of vitamin, essential fatty acids, and prevents some bacteria and yeast infections. Fermented foods are known to possess health benefits because they have been shown to enhance the nutritional quality of foodgrains. Foods like idlis, dosas, dhoklas, wadas and kadhi are some of the lactobacillus fermented cereals and legumes that are commonly consumed in India." She says that fermented foods increase the absorption of vital minerals from gastrointestinal tract, thus preventing mineral deficiencies. Bread, fish sauce, wine and beer are some of the yeast-based fermented food beverages.


Dr Dube says that probiotic foods improve immunity, aids in better digestion, absorption of calcium and prevention of allergies. They also help in treating diarrhoea. If a pregnant woman consumes probiotic food like a month before her delivery, this will help prevent the new born infant from contracting allergies to some extent. Also, if infants who are six months and older are given probiotic food it helps to build their immunity.


Though, probiotic food are beneficial for health, a person who decides to incorporate them in their diet must do it gradually. A normal healthy person can consume a daily dose of probiotic food containing a dose of about two million live organisms. People suffering from long-term illnesses like cancer, diabetes or those who are HIV+ must consult a doctor before incorporating probiotics in their diet regularly, warns Dr Mody.


Dr Dube says that too much intake of any substance is bad. Sometimes, excessive intake of probiotics might result in indigestion and bloating. It differs from person to person. While buying specially manufactured probiotic food, one must check their expiry date, because in outdated products, the live organisms will remain ineffective. Also, make sure that the product you choose, must have more than one billion live organisms present, per dose.


Dr Krishnan mentions the following guidelines when opting and buying probiotic foods:


- Products which are pasteurised or have been refrigerated for a long time will have very few active bacteria.


- Pregnant women should use probiotic nutritional supplements, after consulting a doctor.


- The use of Probiotics for the treatment of any disorder must be medically supervised.


- Look for a product wherein the bacteria should be available at the time of consumption and not only during the time of preparation. Look on the label for viable count at time of use.


- Store probiotic foods like yogurt in a cool dry place or refrigerator and other products as per the instructions on the pack.


- Many commercial foods are being marketed as probiotic-rich, but one should choose carefully, since some of these foods are very high in sugars and contain empty calories i.e. devoid of vitamins and minerals.


- Another cause of concern happens to be the tall claims made by some food industries in their commercials. Most of the time, the health benefits tagged on to the advertised product are grossly exaggerated without the support of any research evidence.