Nutrients & more...

Eating healthy is one of the most basic needs and getting the kids to eat well has become a daily challenge of parents. In our obsession with calories and vitamins; we tend to forget that food has cultural value also. The childhood is full of memories associated with food (b'days, festivals , other holidays etc.) and it’s the experience which makes it worthwhile. Here are a few tips for eating healthy as a family: No TV rule while dining - Talk to each other instead of watching TV. With less distraction and more interaction the kids tend to finish their food. Pic Don’t eat alone - we tend to eat in a more balanced way when in company. This helps us watch what we are eating. An aware family will always have more healthy dishes on the plate. Pic Don’t hurry up with your meals - Eating is an experience to be savored. Dinner with your family is usually a time to catch up on everyday activities of each person. Cook your own meals - This ensures that you have control ov...

Make a list before visiting the supermarket. List according to priority e.g. put yogurt above that pack of chips. pic Read the labels - While buying packaged foods; always read nutrition labels and ingredients along with the expiry dates. This will ensure that you get freshest products which will last longer. Avoid food-like substances - Yes, there are certain "foods" which are not really food but a product of the processing industries. Mostly things with too many ingredients which you can't recognize (e.g. HFCS-High fructose corn syrup) are the ones to avoid. pic Go organic - If you want the best for your family then don’t skimp on buying good foodstuffs. Also by doing this, you will not only keep your family healthy , but also help those few people who have taken care that no pesticides should pollute the food. pic Visit the farmer's market regularly - the quintessential " sabzi mandi " is the closest we come with regards to local produce an...

This is a common caption highlighted on a number of oil containers in the supermarket. The consumer relies on these health claims and makes his/her purchase thinking that they have bought a 'healthy' product. In fact this term is misleading and mostly used as a marketing gimmick. Its like calling sugarcane juice "fat-free" or "100% natural". Pic Here are the facts: 1. No oils from vegetable sources have cholesterol. Only animal fats have cholesterol eg. butter, lard, eggs etc. 2. Though vegetable oils are Cholesterol free, it doesn't mean that you can let your food swim in it. Moderation is the key. 3.Body is capable of making the cholesterol (it is required by the body) it needs. There is no need to buy an oil blend which has grand health claims on its package. You can just go by your choice . To do: Change the type of oil (groundnut, sunflower, soybean, mustard, safflower, coconut, canola, cottonseed etc.) used every few months . This p...