Health Bytes
Unlike other items, some food items should not be stored in a fridge as soon as you shop them home. For example, tomatoes will not ripen if stored in a fridge and will lose flavour. Storing Potatoes in the fridge will turn their starch into sugar and spoil their texture and become sweet and faded when cooked. Ripe bananas can be stored in the fridge but if they are put in while they are green and hard, they would not ripen. Onions and Garlic should also be stored in a dry place and not in a refrigerator.
It may come as a surprise to you but few food items that we consume regularly considering healthy are avoided by the nutritionists like Canned soup, smoothies, popcorn and a can of Cola. According to the Daily mail, Canned soup contains plenty of salts. The popcorns are now popular in butter and chocolate form instead of being available in plain whole grain form. A small can of Cola gives you seven teaspoons of sugar. Their regular consumption leads to substantial weight gain and increased risk of Type II diabetes and heart diseases. They can also cause decaying of your tooth.
Unbelievable! Did you know the noise we make while eating influences our eating habits and quantity? Yes, it's true. It does. It turns out that more the person is aware of his bites, chomping, crunching or simply chewing, the lesser he consumes. Sound is now typically labelled as on of the forgotten sense for food. To verify this, an experiment was conducted on few people who were made to wear headphones and listen to loud music while eating. it was observed that those who were listening to low sounds consumed more.
Weight conscious women keep wondering when is the best time to eat dessert, whether after lunch or before dinner during the evening in a way to work off the extra calories before sleeping. One must not consume a dessert on an empty stomach since your body will absorb it faster leading to increased sugar levels in the blood. The most convenient time is to have it after a balanced meal. That will allow your body to get all the nutrients in the meal to stabilize your blood sugar from dessert. Drinking water during its consumption and walking after, will also help you counter the effects.
According to science, our stomach tends to know when we will eat and starts releasing digestive juices at that time and if you drink water at the very same time, the digestive juices are diluted in the water and it hinders them from breaking down food. As a result, less juice is supplied to digest your food and undigested food gets leaked into the system which leads to heartburn and acid reflux. Drinking water during meals also increases insulin levels of your body. The healthy way is to have a glass of water thirty minutes before a meal.
Time to include a cruciferous vegetable, a new superfood, radish in your regular diet. They are extremely low in calories and contain high anti-congestive properties which help to treat cold and cough and boosts immunity. Radishes are loaded with hypertensive properties and high in phytochemicals which add anti-carcinogenic properties. They contain potassium and high fibre keeping the blood pressure in check, treating diabetes and stomach problems. They are a rich source of Vitamin C, hence, applying a crushed radish on your skin makes you look younger.
Gluten-free food is gaining popularity to be included in a regular diet which is very healthy if cooked right. They must be consumed in balance with other grains and cereals. Quinoa, corn, Brown rice, amaranth, wild rice etc. are some of the grains which are gluten-free. Quinoa is a good gluten-free source of iron, proteins and fibre and is extremely delicious. Brown rice is known for its low glycemic index thus is healthful staple which helps in reducing insulin spikes. These grains provide essential nutrients and keep you full and satisfied by ensuring that you eat small portions.
Aloe Plant - this plant will remove all the harmful chemicals from the air. English Ivy - it filters the air and improves the quality of your sleep. Jasmine - It reduces anxiety and makes you wake up in a good mood. Lavender - this plant helps you in treating insomnia and anxiety. Snake plant - This plant is magnificent because it provides great quantities of oxygen. It absorbs the carbon dioxide that we exhale and produces oxygen during the night.
Coconut oil was proved effective for treating the cancer patients because of an anti-cancer component present in it called Lauric acid. After two days of treatment with coconut oil, it was found that Lauric acid completely exterminates more than 90 percent of colon cancer cells. Coconut oil is generally used as a hair oil and, in some places, is also used for cooking meals. It decreases the side effects of chemotherapy and improves the life of cancer patients. Experiments are being conducted with animals to find ways in which it can be used to protect against cancer.
Macular degeneration is one of the leading cause of blindness in the world. A normal human mind needs a sleep of maximum 8 hours a day and sleeping longer than that leads to macular degeneration. It was studied that those who sleep for longer hours are seven times more likely to suffer from geographic atrophy which represents the advanced stages of the condition. Not only that, hitting the snooze button too often causes severe damage to eyesight in the long term.
Yogurt is made with milk which is full of protein and other nutrients like potassium, vitamin B12 and calcium. It also comes with probiotics which are living organisms, also known as good bacteria, that help in digestion and boost immunity. Hence, you must have heard, a bowl of yogurt is healthy for you. According to a study, it was found that consuming yogurt helped women greatly in reducing the risk of high blood pressure. Women are recommended to consume at least four servings of yogurt in a week for good health.
If you knew eating chocolate could offer health benefits, you would not have restricted yourself from its consumption, right? Well, researchers have observed that eating chocolate is good for heart health. The researchers studied the lifestyle and eating habits of 1,100 adults and more, all aged between 18 to 69 and concluded that eating 100mg of chocolate lowers the insulin resistance and levels of serum insulin and liver enzymes which mark the risk of heart disease. Additionally, youngsters who consumed chocolate were physically more active than those who didn’t. Dark chocolate consumption showed improved memory, spatial organisation and better reasoning skills.
According to the dieticians, cinnamon has a lot to offer to people such as if it is consumed with warm water, early in the morning, can help greatly in weight loss. Cinnamon reduces the insulin resistance in the body which helps to cure PCOS or Type II Diabetes. Cinnamon is an insect repellant, it has antiviral, antifungal and anti-bacterial properties which prevent food spoilage and kills stomach bugs. It improves blood glucose control. It also has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which help in reducing headaches and arthritis pain. Cinnamon also has anti-carcinogenic properties and it helps to slow the growth of cancer cells.
Eating well is essential for both, physical as well as mental health. There are certain food items which help boost the brainpower as we age. For example,adding blueberries to our regular diet can prove to be effective in preventing short-term memory loss. Fish and broccoli which are rich sources omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin K respectively enhance the cognitive function of the brain and boost brainpower. A diet rich in whole grains reduces the risk of heart diseases, lowers cholesterol and enhance blood flow to fire up the brain cells. Nuts and Dark Chocolate can help enhance focus.
Even as the Union health minister made a pitch for vegetarian food by counting on its health benefits, the doctors said that a well-balanced diet which is rich in all nutrients is key to healthy life. While most of the doctors agree to and recommend a vegetarian diet consisting of fruits and cereals which are beneficial to health, some of the doctors argue that vegetarians are completely deprived of certain essential diet components such as Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin B12 which help in strengthening muscles and brain nerves. However, several studies in India and abroad observe that vegetarians are less prone to heart diseases, cancers and obesity.
According to a research, a continuous classical practice of ballet dancing and meditation improves the wisdom of people. The study was conducted on a bunch of participants who practiced meditation, vipassana, and mindfulness, and it was found that they had more wisdom and peace of mind than those who didn't practice. Meditation is a proven and effective stress buster and pain reliever technique which also helps reducing anxiety. Nevertheless, the more these people practiced ballet and meditation, the higher they scored on psychological traits which are associated with wisdom.
What makes Ragi a super cereal is that it is a very good substitute for the canned baby food. It helps in strengthening and development of bones in children and elderly people. It helps in digestion and metabolic activities because of its high fibre content. It aids in weight loss and controls obesity and diabetes. Ragi is also rich in calcium and is a great substitute for lactose intolerant people. It is gluten free. It also supplies iron which is easily absorbed. Ragi is highly recommended for daily consumption as it is cheaper.
Sweet potatoes might be something more than a superfood because of their high fibre content and nutritional values. Dieticians even recommend them in weight loss diet. They help in lowering blood sugar levels because of their low glycemic index. The high fibre content helps in preventing constipation. It is very good for eyes, prevents stress, controls blood pressure, anti-ageing, anti-cancer, heart healthy and full of energy. The most common way of consuming them is in the roasted form. However, individuals with kidney problems, diabetes and obesity should eat it after consulting a physician.
A Study suggests, cooking food using sunflower oil can reduce the risk of diabetes and heart diseases in people. Sunflower oil has a greater content of linoleic acid which is usually found in oils from nuts and seeds such as poppy seeds, corns, walnut, sesame and sunflower. People with higher linoleic acid in blood have less body fat which lowers the risk of Type II Diabetes and heart diseases. There was found to be a significant decrease in inflammation in case of people who had more linoleic acid content in their blood.
People on weight losing diet need not hate carbs because we all need them to live. carbs are definitely not evil. There are many healthy ways to include carbs in your diet and enjoy this macronutrient while trying to lose weight. Timing is a crucial factor here. Consume carb containing foods like fruit juices, cereals and sugary foods during the breakfast because that is when your body's glucose tolerance is highest. Have low-GI fruits and veggies as much as you want. Choose wet carbs over white carbs which help to fight carb cravings.