Nutrients & more...

When I was a kid, we had different sweets for every season. Whether it be  Rasgulla  and  kulfi  (ice cream) in summer or  gajar halwa  (carrot pudding),  til laddoo, gajak, etc.  in winter, or  Ghevars and choorma in monsoons,  every season had its own special sweet.  We were allowed to overindulge in these seasonal delicacies as kids until our excesses sent us straight to the dentist's waiting rooms. While growing up, I saw most people in my family struggling with Diabetes, Hypertension, Obesity, Heart disease, and even cancer. I wondered how to prevent or delay them as they tend to run in families. I came across a staple that is kept in every kitchen worldwide and is used at alarming levels in the food processing industry. Sugar Sugar comprises two molecules of sucrose. Sucrose is an easily assimilated macronutrient that provides a quick source of energy to the body, provoking a rapid rise in blood glucose upon ingestion. Its exc...

Indian cooking is full of various fried dishes from Pakodas, samosas, kachoris, namkeen sev, bhujiya (usual savory snacks) etc. to poori and bhaturas (fluffed, deep fried flatbreads) to bhajiya & vadas (deeo fried dumplings); fried foods are everywhere. Reasons to avoid Deep fried products 1. Full of fat- The amount of fat/oil exceeds far beyond the daily needs of an average person. Excess fat accumulates in the body over a period of time and leads to obesity. Such people are more prone to metabolic syndrome and heart diseases. Pic 2. Deadly- Repeated frying (a common practice in India) makes the oils smoke and changes the properties of the oil. Overheating leads to production of deleterious compounds like acrylamide, acrolein, etc. which are extremely damaging to the body. Pic 3. Salted- Salt is necessary in our diet but we are getting too much of it. This is evident by the increasing number of patients with high blood pressure. Most of the fried foods are salted. O...

Do you feel lethargic even after having a good night's sleep? Do you get tired easily no matter what you do? Do you have difficulty concentrating? Has your friend/collegue/spouse commented that you have been looking pale these day? Chances are that you might be suffering from deficiency of iron . What is Iron? It is an essential mineral which serves diverse functions in the body. Since its required in small amounts, it is a 'micronutrient'. Why is iron important? 1. It is required in the blood cells for oxygen transport. Its deficiency causes anemia . 2. It is important for the development of the fetal brain. 3. Necessary for immune health. 4. It is required for producing energy in cells. 5. It is a constituent of our muscle protein 'myoglobin' and helps in storing oxygen in the muscles. 6. It’s a part of various enzymes in the body. What foods to eat? Include these in your diet: Liver, eggs, whole wheat flour, bajra , soyabeans, chickpeas, len...