Advice, Diet, food, meal palnning, New Food, nutrition, Protein, Wellness

How to Grow Broccoli Sprouts at Home

broccoli sprouts, how to grow broccoli sprouts at home Advice, Diet, food, meal palnning, New Food, nutrition, Protein, Wellness August 17, 2018 Leave a comment

What’s so special about broccoli sprouts? According to various researchers (including Johns Hopkins and Ohio State University), they contain 1,000 percent more nutrients than mature broccoli!

Sulforaphane, the prominent phytochemical in broccoli, combats cancer on several fronts − including removal of carcinogens, prevention of cancer cell production, destruction of breast cancer cells, and tumor reduction. These small plants are in the cancer research limelight for their unique ability to exert 50 times the amount of cancer fighting power of broccoli.

Sprouts are easily absorbed into the system because they also contain potent digestive enzymes.

Ingredients

2 tbsp broccoli sprout seeds.

Filtered water

Instructions

Add 2 tablespoons of broccoli sprouting seeds to a widemouthed quart jar.
Cover with a few inches of filtered water and cap with the sprouting lid.
Store in a warm, dark place overnight.
The next morning, drain the liquid off and rinse with fresh water. Be sure to drain all the water off.
Repeat this 3-4 times a day. Continue to store your seeds in a warm, dark place. After a few days, the seeds will start to break open and grow.

Eventually, the sprouts will be an inch or so long and have yellow leaves. Now you can move the sprouts out into the sunlight.
Continue to rinse them 3-4 times a day until the leaves are dark green. Now they are ready to eat!
This whole process will take about a week. Patience is key!
Once they are ready, replace the sprouting lid with a standard mason jar lid and store in the refrigerator.
Serve on top of salads, stirred into soups, or however strikes your fancy.

Advice, Diet, Fitness, food, Health, meal palnning, New Food, nutrition, Protein, Wellness

Why everyone should eat Chia Seeds?

chia seeds Advice, Diet, Fitness, food, Health, meal palnning, New Food, nutrition, Protein, Wellness August 16, 2018August 17, 2018 Leave a comment

Weight loss can be a major challenge today because of the abundance of food available and a more sedentary.

But inthis modern-day superfood that is native to South America can help you with weight loss in a healthy way . In older times, chia seeds were a staple in Mayan and Aztec diets, but later got banned due to their ritualistic religious use. Needless to say, these seeds have made a comeback with a bang in the market due to their positive connection with weight loss.

When you think of chia seeds, you most likely think of the tiny seeds that were the joke of a generation as we slathered them on clay sculptures and gleefully watched the sprouting of ‘green hair’ on Homer Simpson and porcupines.uhh..now let us go keen on them, Chia seeds are rich in fibre and thus eating them in between your meals not only stops you from bingeing but also helps you eat less in your next meal.

Chia is the edible seed of Salvia hispanica, a flowering plant in the mint family.

The seeds are hydrophilic, absorbing up to 12 times their weight in liquid when soaked and developing a mucilaginous coating that gives chia-based creams and beverages a distinctive gel texture.

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy – 486 kcal (2,030 kJ)

Carbohydrates -42.1 g

Dietary fiber-34.4 g

Fat-30.7 g

Protein-16.5 g

Chia seeds on average contain 6% water, 42% carbohydrates, 16% protein, and 31% fat. The fatty acids in chia seeds are highly unsaturated, with the major fats being linolenic acid (50–57% of total fat) and linoleic acid (17–26%). The seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and the B vitamins thiamin and niacin.

Ground or whole chia seeds are used in Argentina, Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Paraguay for nutritious drinks and food.

Chia seeds may be sprinkled or ground up on top of other foods. Chia seeds can also be mixed into smoothies, breakfast cereals, energy bars, granola bars, yogurt, tortillas, and bread. They can be soaked in water and consumed directly or mixed with any kind of juice or milk.

Advice, Diet, Fitness, food, nutrition, Protein, skin, Wellness

6 skin benefits of fasting during Shravan

dietitian in bangalore, health, shravan fasting, skin care in shravan Advice, Diet, Fitness, food, nutrition, Protein, skin, Wellness August 16, 2018 Leave a comment

In case you are fasting and keeping your non-vegetarian diet aside, here are seven food items that will help you get a healthy glowing skin in the month of Shravan

If you think that fasting during Sharavan can turn your skin dull and dry, then you need to think again. This is because a vegan diet comprising of fruits, vegetables, health drinks and nuts, improves the digestive system, keeps you healthy and helps you attain a glowing skin. The fasting diet is equally rich in vitamins and minerals, fasting do have some skin benefits. These seven food items listed below will help you get a healthy glowing skin in the month of Shravan:

1. Banana: Rich in vitamins, minerals, and potassium, the fruit nourishes and revitalises dry skin. Consumption of banana protects the skin against free radicals that cause pre-mature ageing. While it’s zinc content fights acne-causing bacteria and the vitamin C content promotes the production of collagen.

2. Papaya: Rich in vitamin A and Papain enzyme, papaya helps to reduce pigmentation and promote rejuvenation. Also, it removes tan and controls acne breakout.

3. Pomegranate: Its antioxidant property builds up immunity and reduces tanning. Also, pomegranate has anti-ageing property that help rejuvenate the skin internally and externally. The delicious fruit if consumed during the fasting season, will keep the skin healthy and glowing.

4. Sweet potato: It contains vitamin A, C, D along with niacin, riboflavin and potassium. Sweet potato is a rich source of natural antioxidant that reduces pigmentation and signs of ageing. During Shravan, sweet potato can be eaten in boiled or mashed form. It can also be sauteed in olive oil and eaten for taste.

5. Sabudana: This is another rich source of carbohydrate, which is eaten universally during fasting period. Carbohydrates are rich source of energy and will keep you active throughout the day. Sabudana is eaten mostly in the form of khichdi, popularly known as ‘sabudana khichdi’. Mix milk and dry fruits in a sabudana recipe to increase its nutrition level. Sabudana along with milk and dry fruita contribute to a healthy skin.

6. Cold Milk: This is one of the most important drinks to have during Sharavan. Drinking milk increases the nutrition level of the diet and helps attain a healthy skin. Anytime you feel an acid formation in the stomach or heartburn coming on during the fasting period, have a glass of plain cold milk without additives or sugar. It can also be consumed as the main drink in the morning or evening.

Stay away from high calorie foods during fasting month as such food items can weaken the immune system and lead to a dull skin.

Advice, Diet, Fitness, food, Wellness

Why fasting during Shravan is good?

akhilasoukhya, dietitian in bangalore, shravan fasting, smart eater Advice, Diet, Fitness, food, Wellness August 16, 2018 Leave a comment

The Hindu month of Shravan is when many people follow fasts on certain days like Mondays or eat only one meal for the entire month. There are also other days like the Chaturthi, Ekadashi, Poornima (full moon day) etc. when fasting is followed too. Why did this practice of fasting begin? What are the rules? Does it have any benefits – health and otherwise?

The spiritual reason

It is believed that fasting has been a part of Hinduism, which is a way of life, since the beginning. We, humans, spend a lot of time in planning, procuring, cooking and eating food which not only becomes an exhausting activity by itself, but it also takes away from what should be a spiritual way of life. Or so is the belief! So, certain days were followed as days of fast when one would abstain from eating or would eat limited, saatvik foods.

Hence, the food allowed on fasts were supposed to be those which are easy to procure throughout the year, like the tubers sweet potato, yam, tapioca, the millets like the Indian barnyard millet (samo/varai/bhagar/saamai), grains like amaranth (rajgira), dried fruits, water chestnuts etc. It was believed that when you don’t have to spend too much time in managing the food part of every day, you end up having more time to be close to the Almighty or the higher spiritual powers, and hence one would take up these fasts with joy.

The present reality

Unfortunately, over time, fasting has become more of a feasting where people indulge in deep fried starchy foods like potatoes, sabudana (sago palm starch pearls), sweets made using dairy products and heavy handed use of ghee. Also, often people forget the real purpose and goal of a fast eat simple foods (eg. Fruits), do not over eat, eat less at each meal or decrease the number of meals, cook food in a saatvik way (avoid deep frying, processed foods).

So instead of being able to derive any of the reported benefits of fasting like improved digestion, improved insulin levels, decreased body weight – one ends up actually feeling bloated and is unable to sleep at night due to the ‘upvaas’ feasting induced hyper- acidity.

How to derive health benefits from fasting?

Take the focus away from food: Instead of planning a visit to a new upvaas food joint, eat a fruit and enjoy the light feeling tummy.
Eat nutritious carbs: Stay away from starchy potatoes and sabudana and derive the nutritious benefits of foods like water chestnut, rajgira and varai.
Follow the ancient Chinese rule of eating: Eat one morsel less than what makes you feel full. Do not overeat at any cost.
Detox: Drink plenty of water and eat fresh fruits as that is what will keep you feeling energetic.
Revive the Saatvik way: Use healthier cooking methods for making delicious upvaas food eg. Make sabudana appe instead of sabudana wada or a upvaasache thalipeeth made from upvaas bhajani instead of sabudana thalipeeth.
No feasting after fasting: Once you are done with the fast, do not try to compensate for the imaginary loss of calories by bingeing the next day.
Exercise, always: It would be useful to remember that a fast does not mean you are unwell, no need to use that as an excuse to not exercise every day.

Advice, food, Health, meal palnning, New Food, nutrition, Protein

Flax Seeds

Advice, food, Health, meal palnning, New Food, nutrition, Protein August 14, 2018 Leave a comment

Is flax seed the new wonder food?

Some call it one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet. There’s some evidence it may help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes. That’s quite a tall order for a tiny seed that’s been around for centuries.

Flax seed was cultivated in Babylon as early as 3000 BC. In the 8th century, King Charlemagne believed so strongly in the health benefits of flax seed that he passed laws requiring his subjects to consume it. Quite interesting. curious to know more about this tiny tot. here you are

Nutrition:

Flax seeds contain 534 calories per 100 grams, corresponding to 55 calories for each tablespoon of whole seeds (10 grams).
They consist of 42% fat, 29% carbs and 18% protein.
The net digestible carbs are only 1.5 grams for every 100 grams of seeds, making flax seeds a low-crab friendly food. Two tablespoons of flax seeds provide about six grams of fiber. This is roughly 15–25% of the daily recommended intake for men and women, respectively Soluble fiber helps regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels. It also promotes digestive health by feeding the beneficial bacteria in the digestive system When mixed with water, the mucilage gums in flax seeds become very thick. This, combined with the insoluble fiber content, makes flax seeds a natural laxative.
Consuming flax seeds can help promote regularity, prevent constipation and reduce the risk of diabetes. However, flax seeds are also high in arginine and glut-amine. Both of these are important in preventing heart disease and supporting the immune system
Flax seed proteins may be useful against fungal infections, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and inflammation Because of their high content of omega-3 fatty acids, flax seeds promote a lower ratio of omega-6 to omega-3. A lower ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids may significantly reduce the risk of various chronic diseases
There is one variety that is not as nutritious as regular flax seed, a yellow flax called “solin.” It has a very different oil profile and is low in omega-3 fatty acids

Vitamins and minerals:

Vitamin B1: This B-vitamin is also known as thiamine. Vitamin B1 is essential for normal metabolism and nerve function.
Copper: An essential mineral that is important for growth, development and various functions in the body
Molybdenum: Flax seeds are rich in molybdenum. This essential trace mineral is found in seeds, grains and legumes
Magnesium: An important mineral that has many important functions in the body. It is found in high amounts in grains, seeds, nuts and green leafy vegetables
Phosphorus: This mineral contributes to bone health and tissue maintenance, and is usually found in protein-rich foods

Phytoestrogens also help lower blood pressure and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the arteries

Lignans are fermented by bacteria in the digestive system and may reduce the growth of several cancers, especially hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast, uterus and prostate cancers

Flax seed oil is a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as alpha-linolenic acid. The alpha-linolenic acid and related chemicals in flax seed oil seem to decrease inflammation. That is why flax seed oil is thought to be useful for rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory (swelling) diseases.

Advice, Diet, food, meal palnning, nutrition, Oats Recipe, Protein

How many types of Oats are Available?

akhilasoukhya, dietitian in bangalore, food recipes, health, nutritionist, smart eater, types of oats Advice, Diet, food, meal palnning, nutrition, Oats Recipe, Protein June 16, 2018 2 Comments

Types of Oats

Oats are one of the few whole grains you’ll find many varieties of on the grocery shelf, making them an extremely versatile ingredient. With such a wide selection available, choosing the right oat for your recipe might be a little challenging. Use this quick guide to the oats you’ll find at the store to make your decisions a little easier, and perhaps you’ll be tempted to give them each a try!

All-natural and delicious, oats – in all their forms – are a terrific way to add fiber, vitamins, minerals, and plant-protein to any diet. Here’s what to look for at the grocery store:

Steel cut oats

These are coarsely cut groats with a sharp steel blade. The nutritional profile & Glycemic Index of this kind remains the same as the whole groats. The cook time of this is slightly lesser than the whole groats as they are cut.

Whole oat groats

These are hulled oat kernels meaning the outermost layer that is inedible is removed from the whole grain oats. These are chewy and go great in salads, slow cooked stews and pilafs. The cooking time of oat groats is quite long as much as 50 to 60 mins apart from the soaking time. Not all oat varieties have low glycemic index, but these have the lowest Glycemic Index among their counter parts since these are least processed.

Scottish oatmeal

The whole groats are stone ground to coarse meal, great to make porridge and stews. Cooking time is about 15 to 20 mins.

Regular or Rolled oats

These are made similar to the Indian Poha. They are steamed and then rolled to flatten them. So they can be eaten as such without cooking. They also cook quite fast. It is always good to use these organic since we do not rinse them and are consumed directly.

Quick cook oatmeal

These are steamed for longer and pressed more to make them flakes than the previous kind. The nutritional profile of this kind is almost the same as the rolled variety. These have a high glycemic index and must be consumed in moderation. It is good to use these too organic.

If you are striving to prevent or manage diabetes, then the best kind is to use whole groats or steel cut oats and the next choice should be rolled variety. Quick cook or instant variety are more processed and is almost similar to any processed food and is good to avoid them.

Reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, lower cholesterol levels, improved immunity, reduced risk of type 2 diabetes are some of the health benefits that come just with the consumption of 1 bowl of oatmeal regularly. But most of us may not prefer to eat a porridge regularly.

Advice, Diet, meal palnning

How to plan a meal for you and your family

Advice, Diet, meal palnning June 12, 2018February 28, 2019 Leave a comment

Meal Planning

There’s no better healthy eating activity than meal planning. It not only forces you to think about what you are going to eat throughout the week, it teaches you to plan for a healthier future. This month, work with your parents and family to plan out your meals. Not only will it be rewarding, it will make for a healthier you. A couple things to keep in mind.

1. Figure out a time each week for your family to sit down and come up with a meal schedule.

2. Depending on your family schedule, dinner might be the best meal to plan for. And if you can only plan for a couple days, that’s okay. Try to plan for at least 3 days.

3. Work together and be open to the healthy meal suggestions from each person in your family.

4. When it’s your meal, always help your mom or dad prepare and cook.

5. Most importantly, make an honest effort to make sure each meal is balanced and healthy.

Advice, Diet, food, Health, nutrition

Choose your food wisely

akhilasoukhya, choose your food wisely, dietitian, dietitian in bangalore, nutritionist, smart eater Advice, Diet, food, Health, nutrition May 13, 2018May 13, 2018 4 Comments

We all can eat better, and truthfully, there are simple and delicious substitutions for the unhealthy food items you love. Here are some ideas. Try them and figure out what tastes good to you. It’s worth the effort.

Eat lean chicken, Not chicken nuggets

Benefits of lean chicken:

High Protein Content
Rich in Vitamins & Minerals
Weight Loss
Control of Blood Pressure
Reduced Cancer Risk
Reduced Cholesterol
Treatment of Common Cold

Eat a veggie burger, Not a cheeseburger

B Vitamins
Iron
Fiber and Protein

Eat baked potatoes, Not French fries

Just 110 calories.
No fat, sodium or cholesterol.
Nearly half your daily value of vitamin C.
More potassium than a banana.
A good source of vitamin B6.
Fiber, magnesium and antioxidants.
Resistant starch.

Eat whole grain toast, Not doughnuts

They’re High in Nutrients and Fiber.
Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease.
Lower Your Risk of Stroke.
Reduce Your Risk of Obesity.
Lower Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
Support Healthy Digestion

Eat hummus, Not ketchup

Good Source of Plant-Based Protein
Fights Illness and Disease
Decreases Inflammation
Helps Digestion and Intestinal Health
High in Vitamins and Minerals
Supports Bone Health
Protects Heart Health
Boosts Your Energy

Eat dried fruit and nuts, Not potato chips

High Fiber
Antioxidants
Nutrient Density

Eat spaghetti squash, Not pasta

Anti-Inflammatory To Fight Cancer & Arthritis
Promotes Cardiovascular Health
Helps Prevent Birth Defects
Eye Health
Antioxidants
Aids Weight Loss

Eat lettuce wraps, Not tortillas

Fights Inflammation. Certain proteins in lettuce (or Romaine lettuce), like lipoxygenase and carrageenan, help control inflammation.
Aids Weight Loss. Save.
Promotes Brain Health.
Boosts Heart Health.
Help Fight Cancer.
Cuts Diabetes Risk.
Promotes Vision Health. …
Promotes Digestive Health.

Advice, Fitness, food, Health, summer, Wellness

Your Summer Holiday Health & Diet Guide

akhilasoukhya, dietitian in bangalore, exercise, health, holiday in summer explore new places, juice, reduce weight, stay hydrated, summer, summer food, summer holiday, summer problems, summer tips Advice, Fitness, food, Health, summer, Wellness April 11, 2018 Leave a comment

Your Summer Holiday Health & Diet Guide

Summer holidays present a wonderful opportunity to explore new places,Travel and enjoy outdoor activities, they also brings various temptations that pile on unhealthy or unnecessary eating. This could create a problem, if you are trying to maintain or reduce weight. Here are some vital health & diet tips to help you maintain your vital statistics.

If you have planned a summer vacation, then you need to plan your intake from the moment you step out of your house. If you have planned to take your car, then you could pack in some light salads or sandwiches made with whole meal bread along with some iced tea or even green tea.

This will ensure that you do not pig out on burgers and fries along the journey. Give your children sandwiches and low-calorie cereal bars that provide energy at lower calories. If you are travelling by air, then the temptations are even greater, since in-flight food, alcoholic drinks, and even fruit juices are high in high calories.

Skip on the butter and cheese provided in your food tray. Avoid alcohol, since it ends up increasing your period of jet lag.Stick to a small can of beer or wine. Drink plenty of water, and a small glass of canned juice, instead of fizzy drinks with no nutritional value.

Know More About – Ideal Food for Summer All Time

The situation gets even worse, when you reach your holiday resort, with scrumptious breakfasts, unlimited buffet lunches, dinners, and a mouth-watering variety of desserts after every meal. You might also tend to relax your diet, since you are on a holiday.

While you may enjoy the delicacies spread out before you, try to pick out a lot of salads, grilled vegetables and rice or whole meal bread into your lunch and dinner schedules, and limit the amount of red meat or desserts on offer. Avoid salads dripping with mayonnaise.

If you stay near the sea, then the resort would also have a wide variety of fish, crabs, and lobsters on their menu, try them out, especially when not deep-fried or wrapped in batter.

Include fruits, cereal, and whole meal bread for breakfasts, instead of omelettes, bacon or ham. Even while eating barbecues, eat chicken instead of sausages or beef. For desserts, stick to fresh fruits with a little ice cream or sorbets instead of gorging down on hip-exploding cheesecake.

Even if you do tuck into the delicacies, your holiday resort offers many ways to burn off the fat. Go swimming, hit the gym, or at least engage in regular long walks. If your resort is on the beach, then you can go snorkelling, kayaking or even hire a pedal boat.

Even while on alcoholic drinks, stick to small quantities of beer or wine, instead of calorie rich cocktails. In addition to adding on calories, alcoholic drinks dehydrate the body and cause a hangover that could ruin your holiday.

Even as you enjoy your summer holidays, you can still ensure that you enjoy your various meals, while maintaining a low calorie count. Even if you gulp down the odd high-calorie delicacy, you can still burn it off in a fun way by physical activity.

Know More About – How To Stay Fit In Summer

Advice, Diet, Fitness, food, summer

Ideal Foods for Summer All Time

and beans, fat free yogurt, food recipes, Fruit salads, health, nutritionist Advice, Diet, Fitness, food, summer April 11, 2018 2 Comments

Ideal Foods for Summer All Time

Ancient systems of medicine promote weather-based diets, and what stands out are that summers require different foods and winters too require its own type of diet. Winters require foods that promote heat and energy to the body, whereas the summer requires foods to cool the body down. Therefore, it is wise too choose summer foods that are light and cooling, and hydrate the body.

Sunny days make you feel dull and get you out of shape. However maintaining a healthy diet can save you from the scorching heat. Although it is important to eat a healthy diet round the year, it becomes more necessary during the summers.

With temperatures rising up to even 90 degrees, you need to take in pots

of water. The heat can take water as well as sodium away from your body and thus you need to refill it to keep you going. However, drinking water may not be enough, as glucose levels can deplete so you need to get the glucose up. Drinking fruit juices at frequent intervals can be very refreshing and boost your energy levels. Add a bit of lime and sugar to your water to sip in when the sun suddenly begins to take its toll on you.

Meat can make you feel lousy, and dull, as they become heavy to digest during summers. However, grilled fish is excellent summer fare. As the summer heat is already heating up your body, you need less oily and spicy foods, and stick to light and easily digestible food items. Make vegetables a part of your daily diet and cook them in various styles to make it delicious and tempting. Avoid junk food completely, as they only fill your stomach and deprive it of essential nutrients.

Summers are also the best time to shed those extra pounds as you can indulge more in fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables provide your body with the essential vitamins, not fats. Thus even if you eat more of fruits and vegetables, you do not gain weight.

Here is a list of foods ideal for the summer:

Cucumber is a great food for the summer. Cucumber is cool and hydrates your body. A cool cucumber soup is also best alternative for heavy meals.
Replace your heavy meals with lighter ones like vegetable sandwiches.
Fruit salads, fat free yogurt, and beans
Leafy vegetables are a great way to cool off
Tomato is a good source of vitamins and works best on your body during hot days.
Eat raw carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, and beetroots.
Green peas and corn form part of a great summer diet
Also, eat lot of berries that are not only yummy but good for your body as well.
Complement every meal with a fruit so you stay healthy, and drink at least two or three
glasses of fresh fruit juice throughout the day.
You can also make shakes with low fat milk and eat low fat ice creams.
Watermelon is a great way to get plenty of fluids into your system.
Don’t let the summer scare you, instead enjoy it while to stick to your healthy diet.

“Summer cooking implies a sense of immediacy, a capacity to capture the essence of the fleeting moment.”

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Category Archives: Advice

Ingredients

Instructions

In case you are fasting and keeping your non-vegetarian diet aside, here are seven food items that will help you get a healthy glowing skin in the month of Shravan

The spiritual reason

The present reality

How to derive health benefits from fasting?

Is flax seed the new wonder food?

Nutrition:

Vitamins and minerals:

Types of Oats

Steel cut oats

Whole oat groats

Scottish oatmeal

Regular or Rolled oats

Quick cook oatmeal

Meal Planning

Eat lean chicken, Not chicken nuggets

Benefits of lean chicken:

Eat a veggie burger, Not a cheeseburger

Eat baked potatoes, Not French fries

Eat whole grain toast, Not doughnuts

Eat hummus, Not ketchup

Eat dried fruit and nuts, Not potato chips

Eat spaghetti squash, Not pasta

Eat lettuce wraps, Not tortillas

Your Summer Holiday Health & Diet Guide

Ideal Foods for Summer All Time

Here is a list of foods ideal for the summer:

“Summer cooking implies a sense of immediacy, a capacity to capture the essence of the fleeting moment.”