Back To School-7 Healthy Lunch Box Ideas

 (Japanese Bento box-Image courtesy BBC News )

Getting a child to eat his lunch at school and making sure it's also a healthy meal can be a daily nightmare for most parents. A child's lunch plays an important role in meeting their day to day nutrition needs. To know more about the right foods for your child you can read  Is Your Child Getting the Right Nutrition .
Packing a healthy lunch box for a kid isn't always difficult. Sometimes it may not be always possible to pack a balanced meal into a child's lunch box. Just make sure to avoid packing junk food or processed foods like cookies,chips, jello's and such. Here are 7 Healthy lunch box ideas for your child: 

1.  Parathas+ Yogurt+ Salad/Fruit: when made with less oil can become a healthy and filling lunch box favorite. Avoid the frozen commercially packed varieties (which may be more convenient) as they can be too oily. Alternatively (if time is a constraint)you could roll out the parathas in advance and cook them in the morning. Kids love aloo parathas,methi parathas, gobi parathas, radish parathas and even the most fussy kid will devour a broccoli paratha.
2. Sandwiches/Wraps+ Fruit: (Use 100% whole wheat/ double fiber breads,pita breads or whole wheat tortillas/wraps). Fillings can be with the good ole' P&B(Peanut butter) or other nut butters(almond/sunflower/cashew nut,etc), chutney, guacamole, hummus, tofu spreads. You could add freshly cut fruits like bananas, strawberries, peaches  or vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce to the filling or put it as a side. Avoid adding salt/sugar as this could make the sandwiches soggy.Cold cuts of turkey,tuna, eggs, grilled chicken, or cheese slices could also be a filling option for kids
3. Roti's, tortillas,bagels, English muffins (whole wheat)+ egg/paneer/tofu burji(scrambled), chole/rajma(lentil/pulse/bean) curry + salad/fruit.
4. Rice dishes+ low-fat yogurt/Greek yogurt+ fruit/salad. You could make a mixed vegetable pulav, mint/pudina pulav, palak/spinach rice, peas pulav, curd/ yogut rice, egg/chicken fried rice and such.Try adding some pulse/lentil/paneer/tofu/soy nuggets to add some protein to the rice dish. Avoid dishes like khichdi, bisibele bath which are not palatable when eaten cold.
5. Idli/dosa/dhokla + chutney/nut butters+ salad+ Low-fat milk. You could try out different varieties of dosas like adai, pesarattu, neer dosa and idlis like rava, coin, stuffed vegetable idlis.
6. Mixed vegetable upma + low-fat yogurt+ fruit. The upma can be made from rava/semolina, oats, vermicelli poha or dhalia/broken wheat.
7. Noodles, pasta+ salad+ 100% fruit juice. Try adding some mixed vegetables to the noodles/pasta along with chicken/tofu/paneer/egg to increase the fiber and protein content.

Try to be as creative as possible with the foods. Children love fun shapes, so use a cookie cutter to cut the salad vegetables/ fruits. Even sandwiches can be made into different fun shapes with the help of different sandwich cutters. Use desserts as an occasional treat for the kids. Don't make it a habit of giving a sweet drink (juice, flavored milk) on a daily basis.
Take a look at these creative Japanese moms: Japan's Amazing lunchboxes

 Bento Box-Image Courtesy BBC News Magazine

Chicken and Vegtable Biryani

In my quest to cook 'healthy food' comes this version of Chicken biryani which is also loaded with vegetables! Biryani is something every Indian is familiar with and is usually something made on festivals,special occasions or when you have guests/friends over. Whether it's a 'Vegetable Biryani',Chicken Biryani or Mutton Biryani, most families have their own secret recipes.
Usually, a chicken/mutton biryani is made without vegetables, but here is my attempt at combining the vegetable biryani with the chicken biryani to ensure my family gets it's daily dose of vegetables even on special occasions !
 Ingredients: (Serves 4)

• Basmati rice: 1 1/2 cups (rinse and soak in water for at least half an hour)
• Chicken: 250gms (use chicken with the bones)
• Onions: 2-3 big red onions/5 medium onions (sliced fine)
• Tomatoes: 2 big (chopped)
• Ginger paste: 2 tsp
• Garlic paste: 2 tsp
• Mixed Vegetables: 1 cup (peas, carrots, beans, capsicum/bell pepper and such)
• Yogurt/curd: 1 cup
• Cilantro/coriander leaves: 5 tbsp(finely chopped)
• Mint leaves: 3 tbsp(finely chopped)
• Green chillies: 5-6 slit(use less/more according to your taste)
• Red chilli powder: 2-3 tsp(add less/more according to your taste)
• Coriander powder: 2tsp
• Cumin/Jeera powder: 1tsp
• Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
• Salt: 3-4 tsp (adjust according to taste)
• Oil: 2 tbsp

Whole Spices:

•  Bay leaves: 1-2nos.
• Cumin seeds: 2 tsp
• Cloves: 3-4 nos.
• Cardamom/Elaichi: 2-3nos.
• Peppercorns: 4-5nos.
• Cinnamon stick: 1"
• Star anise: 1-2

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken in a paste made with 1/2 cup yogurt, turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, half of the ginger+garlic paste, half of the chopped cilantro and mint leaves and set aside for at least an hour in the fridge. 
2. Heat the oil in a kadai or thick bottomed pan, add the whole spices and let it fry for a minute.
3. Add the sliced onions and fry till it turns golden brown (add a little salt to let the onions cook in it's own water)
4. Add the remaining ginger+garlic paste, the slit green chillies and the chopped cilantro and mint leaves and fry for another minute.
5. Drain out the water from the basmati rice and add it along with the mixed vegetables and stir for 5-6 minutes.
6. Add the chopped tomatoes,salt and the remaining yogurt and stir till the tomatoes are cooked.
7. Add the marinated chicken and stir for a 5 minutes.
8. Then add about 4 cups of water, cover and cook (with occasional stirring) till the rice is cooked.
9. Serve hot with a mixed vegetable raita.

Healthy tip:

• I use oil when making the biryani instead of ghee and add a little ghee just before serving(an occasional indulgence). This not only reduces the amount of saturated fats and cholesterol in the dish, but also tends to enhances the flavor as the ghee is freshly added. 
• Since I use less oil while cooking(which also drastically reduces the calories in the cooked recipe), I add salt while frying the onions to let it sweat and prevent it from burning.

Tricky Treats!!

Found this wonderful clip on the CDC-TV site:
Introduces the character of Coyote, a trickster, and shows children the difference between healthy snacks and sweet treats.
Watch it:

Healthy snack ideas for kids

 Kids are picky eaters and not eating enough at meal times is a common complaint. That's why snacks play an important role in providing the extra nutrition that they tend to miss out. Most parents tend to focus more on providing a nutritious meal and overlook the importance of giving healthy snacks. Chips, cookies, cheese puffs, cupcakes are convenient snacks but not the healthiest choices. Here are some healthy snack ideas for kids:

• Sandwiches (with 100% whole wheat breads)-you can use cheese, tofu, nut/peanut butter, guacamole, paneer, egg, vegetables as the filling.
• Seasonal fresh fruits-cut them up in fun shapes/ sizes(use a melon scooper/cookie cutter), mix them in low-fat yogurt, make smoothies or plain fruit salads.Fruit and cheese kebabs are also a fancy way of serving fruits that kids will love.
• Fresh vegetables: cut them into strips and serve with dips like guacamole, hummus, peanut/almond butter.
• Steamed snacks: like idli's/vegetable stuffed idlis, dhoklas, khandvi's can be cut/decorated into fun shapes.
• Mini- rolls/burritos: whole wheat chapathis/rotis can be used to make rolls with egg/paneer/tofu burji(scrambled), rajma/ channa, mung(pulses/lentils) curry/usal or cheese spread.
• Tikkis/cutlets can be made with soy chunks, mixed vegetables, lentils and shallow fried or baked (instead of deep fried). These can also be served inside a pita bread or sandwich.
• Mini/triangle/cone dosas/uttapams: these fun size/baby dosas can be more interesting for kids than the regular adult size ones. Serve them with chutney/ketchup/peanut butter (you can even draw a smiley face on the dosa with it)!
•  Nuts and dry-fruits: older children can be given a handful of mixed nuts and dry fruits.

These snacks can be served with either a glass of low-fat milk/soy milk, water, 100% fruit juices or homemade juices.
Make sure to serve these snacks at least two hours before meal times, otherwise they may not be hungry enough for it.
Here's a great clip that I found on CDC-TV- it introduces Coyote, a trickster and teaches kids the difference between healthy snacks and sweets:

Is Your Child Getting the Right Nutrition?

A common complaint that most parents have is that their child doesn't eat (enough). The question that then arises is whether the child is getting the right amount of nutrition that is required for growth. There are even instances of parents requesting the pediatrician to prescribe some supplements or health tonics.
Most of the times these are not required as parents just wrongly assume that their child isn't eating enough just because the portions they eat are too small. Keep in mind that they are kids and will not be able to eat as much as an adult. One way of knowing whether is to check the child's growth records. If the child is around or above the 50th percentile,then he/she is getting enough calories to grow. If at any point, the percentile keeps dropping below the 50th percentile in terms of weight and the height doesn't seem to be increasing too much over a period of time, then that may be a sign of under-nutrition.
Sometimes, just getting sufficient calories for growth is not enough-the child may be eating and drinking the wrong foods (chips,candies, cookies, soda/aerated drinks , chocolates and such) most of which which provide nothing other that empty calories.
To ensure that a child is getting adequate nutrition through his/her diet, here are some guidelines:

•  Make sure that the child eats at least 3 meals (breakfast, lunch,dinner) and has 2-3 small snacks in between. 
• Serve the meals and snacks at the dining table and not in front of the TV. 

• Ensure that the child gets a helping from all the food groups at meal times:

Grains: Rice, breads, pasta, roti/chapathi, or ragi/jowar
Protein:Pulses/lentils/beans(e.g dals, mung,rajma,soy, etc) eggs, chicken, fish.
Vegetables: make sure the child eats a variety of veggies and also green leafy vegetables (palak/spinach, amaranth, collard, chard,etc). Limit using only potatoes as a vegetable.
Fruits: can be served at the end in lieu of dessert. Here again choose fresh seasonal fruits rather than canned fruits(which can be loaded with sugar).
Dairy: Yogurt/curd, skimmed milk, low-fat cheese, soy milk are also excellent sources of calcium. These can be served separate or mixed with the meal-cheese sandwich, curd/yogurt rice.

• Serve water instead of juices with the meals.
• Healthy snacks can also contribute to the child's nutrition. Avoid foods like cookies, pastries, jello, chips, chocolates. Fruits, cheese sticks, fruits in yogurt, fruit smoothies, mini sandwiches(with cheese, guacamole, almond/nut butter), dhoklas, mini-uttapams, mini-burritos(with cheese/scrambled eggs,pulses ) nuts and dry fruits, coin idlis, sukha bhel, popcorn(with less butter/oil), etc. Use your imagination and make the snacks more attractive when serving. A glass of skimmed milk/ soy milk or 100% fruit juice can also be served with the snacks. 
• Make sure there is at least a gap of 2 hours between snack time and regular meal times, otherwise the child may not be hungry.

Moreover, keep the child engaged in some kind of physical activity (outdoor play, swimming, cycling, etc) for at least an hour each day. This will not only keep the child occupied instead of sitting glued to the T.V or video games, but will also increase the appetite.

The 'Gold Medal Diet' (for Indian athletes).

2012 Olympic Gold Medal

(Image Courtesy of IOC)

With the Olympics just around the corner, here's wishing all the Indian athletes competing in the London Olympics the 'very best of luck' in their endeavor  for the coveted Gold medal!
With the last leg of training still going on, a gentle reminder to eat a well balanced diet, as diet and good nutrition too play an important role in an athletes quest for Gold.
There are numerous stories in the press after each Olympics about the non-serious attitude at the Olympic village by the Indian contingent. Stories of how the Indian teams gorge on the numerous buffets/foods available, the shopping sprees, the visits to the beauty parlor and the night-outs abound. This is in sharp contrast to the athletes of other countries who have their eyes set on the Olympic Gold and try to stay clear of such temptations (some of whom even go to the level of staying in a private hotel on personal expenses to avoid being distracted)!
Since most in the Indian team cannot afford such luxuries,here are some tips on eating and staying healthy at the games village:

• Choose whole grains for your meals: Carbohydrates should come from whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat breads, rolled/steel cut oats (avoid instant), whole wheat rotis instead of maida naan/roomali rotis (Indian food is a local favorite in London,so I won't be surprised if there is a section of Indian delicacies), whole wheat pastas. If the latest press release on the Indian teams food choices is accurate, then please note that fast food (read burgers) by the (in)-famous 'evil clown' chain is NOT A GOOD CHOICE!! 
•  Include high quality proteins every day: chicken,fish, eggs, and for the vegetarians, pulses/beans, soy and soy products(tofu, soy milk), skimmed milk, yogurt must be a part of each meal as exercise/training tends to increase the bodies protein requirement. Avoid eating only protein foods as this can lead to dehydration.
• Avoid fried foods: french fries, fried chicken (or other non-veg foods), chips, burgers,  must be at the minimum as fatty foods takes a long time to digest and also tend to make the body sluggish. The best way to get your fats is to include healthy fats from nut butters (peanut/almond/sunflower seeds and such), various nuts, fish (a good way to get your omega-3's).
• Avoid overeating on desserts: The dessert section is a big temptation to all-leave that for your victory meal (after you win the medal). Moreover these can lead to fluctuations in your blood sugar levels and also create a surge in the insulin in your blood. Stick to eating fruits for dessert as that will ensure that you get your fiber as well as various vitamins and minerals. Fruits like bananas and oranges are great for adding the much needed potassium to your diet.
• Drink plenty of water: keeping yourself hydrated is the key. Avoid soft drinks/aerated /fizzy drinks and alcohol. Sports drinks during your event can be a good alternative to replace the sodium lost through sweat.
•  Avoid caffeine: although there seems to be a controversy on whether caffeine is dehydrating or not, it is best to avoid it at the moment and experiment with it later after you get back home. 
• Get adequate rest and sleep: The late night movies, parties, music bars can be checked out after your events. It is most important to give your body the necessary rest required after the day's training.

Think twice before you gorge on the wrong food- you have trained for years to be selected for the Olympics, so why give up your dream?
Nothing is IMPOSSIBLE, for the word itself says "I'M POSSIBLE" !!! So, on your marks, get set and GO....get the Gold Medal!

Pomegranate and Dill Raita

Dill known as 'sabsige soppu' in Kannada and 'savaa' in Hindi, is a delicacy especially in Karnataka. It's added to 'dal', upma, rice rotti's and adds a distinct flavor.
The raita is a quick and simple accompaniment to a meal.

Ingredients:(Serves-4)
Yogurt(non-fat)-1 1/2 cup
Pomegranate seeds- 1/2 cup
Dill leaves- 2 tbsp (chopped)
Salt-to taste
Red chilli powder- a pinch
Roasted cumin- a pinch(powdered)
Chaat masala- a pinch (optional)

Method:
1)Mix the dill leaves, pomegranate seeds, yogurt and salt together.
2)Chill for about an hour before serving.
3)Sprinkle the red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder and chaat masala just before serving.

Neer Dosa (A Manglorean delicacy)

Neer Dosa

Neer Dosa (neer=water and dosa=crepe) is a no-ferment dosa which is a speciality of Manglorean cuisine. The name "Neer Dosa"is derived from the fact that the batter is almost of the consistency of water which is unlike other dosa batters. The resulting thin lace-like dosas (nick-named "lace dosas" by an aunt of mine) is eaten with relish in all Manglorean homes.
Made from rice, the rice grains are soaked in water for about 2 hours, then ground to a fine thin(water-like) batter. Once the batter is ready it is poured onto a hot round iron griddle(most Manglorean houses have a separate griddle kept aside for neer dosas). The sizzle on the pan creates the craters or lace-like appearance.

Ingredients:Makes 15-20 dosas
Rice: 2 cups
Water: enough to make a thin (water-like) batter
Oil: 1tbsp
Salt: to taste

Method:
1)Soak the rice in water for at least 2 hours.
2)Grind to a fine,thin consistency.Add a little salt and mix well.
3)Heat the iron griddle till it's really,really hot.
4)Spread a little oil. Usually an onion is cut into half and dipped into the oil and used as a brush to spread the oil (this is believed to make the pan non-stick).
5)Pour a ladle full of batter into the center of the griddle and let it spread by itself (do not spread)on the griddle (add extra if needed where required to make a perfect circular dosa).
6)Cover and let it cook (do not flip the dosa over)
7)When done, remove the neer dosa gently with a spatula.
8)Serve the with neer doss chutney, honey or kori gussi (chicken curry).

Neer Dosa /Lace-Dosa

Foods that can stain your teeth

So you’ve tried every teeth whitening product and still don’t have those pearly white teeth? Don’t blame the product-it may be time to watch what you are eating!
Yes, that’s right; your diet can both help and wreak havoc on your teeth. Here’s a list of foods (and drinks) that you should try and avoid for your teeth, especially after you’ve tried a teeth whitening product:
• Tea: Your daily cups of hot chai could be staining your teeth. This is due to the presence of tannins in tea.
• Wine: Both red and white wines can stain the teeth due to its high acid content and also due to the tannins present in them.
• Energy drinks, sports drinks, colas/aerated drinks: the acid content in these tend to erode the teeth enamel while the color added to the drinks stain teeth.
• Dark colored fruits, berries: the natural color pigments in these fruits can latch on to the teeth enamel thus staining them.
• Tomato based curries/sauces, soy sauce: again the natural color pigments present in these are strong enough to stain teeth.
• Spices like turmeric, saffron and other masalas.
An easy rule of thumb to remember which foods can stain the teeth is that if the food can stain your clothes then they are more than likely to stain your teeth too!
Since completely avoiding all these foods is impossible, here are some tips to reduce the staining effect of these foods:
1. Eat these foods with other foods especially crunchy foods like carrots, celery, apples, and cucumbers. These tend to scrub the teeth while being chewed.
2. Sip drinks from a straw-thus minimizing contact with teeth.
3. Rinse your mouth after each snack, meal and drink. Brushing teeth after a meal if possible is a much better option.
4. Floss your teeth at least once a day to remove all food particles stuck in between teeth.
Take care of your teeth, after all like the saying goes, “Every tooth in a man's head is more valuable than a diamond”!!

How To Stay Fit While on Vacation

Everyone deserves to take a break and come back refreshed. But weight watchers rarely are able to enjoy a vacation for the fear of putting on some extra ‘holiday pounds’! Here are some tips for those who want to stay in shape even while on a vacation:
Diet: While it is very difficult (sometimes impossible) to stick to a rigid diet plan while on a holiday, weight watchers can still enjoy a variety by ‘eating smart’:
• Avoid tucking into unnecessary fried foods like chips, fries, namkeens-these not only add on unwanted calories, but also make you feel sluggish and lethargic (the last thing you want while on vacation)
• Eat a wholesome breakfast-anything from cereals and milk, oats, idli, sandwiches along with fresh fruits. Keep the Belgium waffles, chocolate doughnuts and muffins for the occasional indulgence. Eating a hearty breakfast and then stepping out to explore the place will keep you going till lunchtime.
• Be adventurous-try out the local cuisine. You don’t have to stick to the tried and tested menus. Holidays are all about exploring and what could be better than exploring the local cuisine. Besides they can be a lot healthier than the fast-food joints that you would otherwise end up at.
• Stick to portion sizes- You just need to know when to stop. Don’t eat till you feel stuffed and not able to move. Avoid eating at the buffets on a daily basis.
• Keep yourself hydrated-with natures ‘zero-calorie’ drink, WATER! Avoid the sodas/aereated drinks and ice-cream sodas. Choose fresh fruit juices or tender coconut water instead.
• Check out the local markets-If you don’t want to shell out exorbitant rates for fruits and salads at the hotels/restaurants, then check out the local markets for seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Exercise: Most hotels are equipped with a gym so make sure to pack your exercise shoes and some workout clothes. If working out in a gym is not your idea of a holiday, then you can still burn the extra calories by:
• Walking/jogging- explore the nearby areas by going on a walk/jog in the morning or late evening.
• Swimming: Cool off by taking a splash in the pool/lake or ocean.
• Try out adventure sports-like rock-climbing, snorkeling, deep sea diving, water skiing, surfing, white water rafting. These are not only fun, but will also make sure that you are keeping yourself active.
• Cycle/hike- instead of taking a tour bus or renting a car on all days, chalk out places that are close to where you stay and you can rent a cycle or go on a hike and get a feel of the place.
• Dance: Check out the local hot night spots and have a ball dancing the night away.
Don’t stress out too much if you aren’t able to follow any of the tips-after all the whole idea of the vacation is to unwind, as Cliff Richards’ classic oldie ‘Summer Holiday’ goes:
“We're all going on a summer holiday,
no more working for a week or two.
Fun and laughter on our summer holiday,
no more worries for me or you,
for a week or two”
You can always get back to your diet and fitness routine once you get back home!

Diet and Fitness Tips for the Monsoons

After the long, hot summer months, the monsoon rains bring much needed relief from the heat. The rains, which are a welcome change, can spell the end for outdoor exercises for all health enthusiasts. The rains also tend to bring to the table steaming teas along with hot ‘pakoras’. So how does one take care of the diet and exercise with all these hurdles? Here are some tips to help you continue your weight loss journey:
Exercise:
• Outsmart the rains and join a gym/aerobics/yoga/dance class. Since these are conducted indoors, the rains are highly unlikely to hamper your fitness plans!
• Invest in some exercise machines like the treadmill/elliptical/exer-cycle and burn those calories without having to leave your home(make sure to exercise otherwise you’ll end up using them to dry your wet clothes)!
• If joining a gym/exercise class or buying exercise equipment isn’t too friendly on your pocket-then pick up some exercise DVD’s or surf the internet for exercises that you can do at home.
• Keep yourself active-take the stairs whenever possible, jog inside the house, do simple home exercises. Doing this will keep your metabolism from slowing down.
Diet:
• Avoid binging on fried foods (pakoras, chips, namkeens, samosas,etc) as far as possible. Moderation is the key word here.
• Snack on the grilled buttas/makkai/corn that seem to pop up everywhere with the rains. Nothing smells better than corn being roasted over hot coals on a rainy day, besides the fiber makes it an excellent heathy snack.
• Eat light meals and keep yourself hydrated by drinking loads of water.
Precautions: A word of caution as the monsoons also brings with it the dangers of waterborne diseases like cholera, jaundice, typhoid and diarrhea. Here are some tips to avoid falling sick this monsoon:
1. Drink only boiled/ bottled water. Carry a bottle of water from home to avoid drinking water from unsafe sources.
2. All vegetables and fruits should be washed well in clean water especially those that are consumed raw. Avoid eating salads and cut fruits, juices, golas and chaats from the street vendors.
3. Eat home cooked meals as far as possible. If it isn’t feasible at all times, then opt for cooked meals like roti/chawal with sabzi/dal. Avoid sandwiches, raitas, salads, which can contain raw vegetables.
With these simple precautions you can prevent yourself from falling sick which will end up as another excuse for not exercising.
Just keep in mind that the monsoon season is no excuse for NOT exercising!

Antioxidants? Look in your cereal box!

That’s right-your bowl of cereal may have a lot more nutrition than you knew. A recent study aimed at studying the anti-oxidant content of some of the popular breakfast cereals and whole grain snacks revealed that raisin bran cereals and popcorns contained a large amount of polyphenols.
Polyphenols are chemical substances that act like antioxidants and have been known to protect against health problems like cancer, heart problems and even prevent aging by removing free radicals from the body.
The study which was conducted by Dr. Joe Vinson at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania adds a new dimension to the benefits of whole grains. Whole grains were always known to be beneficial due to its fiber content, but the discovery of polyphenols greatly increases its nutritional value.
The researchers also pointed out that the polyphenol value increased with the addition of polyphenol-rich ingredients such as raisins and cocoa to the breakfast cereals. The study also concluded that among the whole-grain snacks, popcorn topped the list in having the highest amount of polyphenols.
Though this gives us more reason to reach out for whole-grain cereals and snacks, a general word of caution since some of these products can be high in terms of sugar(e.g.: breakfast cereals), fat and salt content (e.g.: popcorns).
A few tips to keep in mind while buying packaged products:
• The best thing to do is to check the labels.
• Choose cereals that have whole grains instead of refined.
• Buy cereals with less or no added sugars (less than 27% sugar) and sweeten your bowl of cereals with fresh/dried fruits (adding fruits will also increase the antioxidant content of the cereal).
• As for fat-choose cereals which have less than 9% fat.
• As far as popcorns are concerned, buying the corn kernels and popping them at home with a little oil and a dash of salt would be a better idea than buying the readymade microwavable sachets.

5 Reasons Why Summer is the Best Time to Shed Weight!

With the summer sun beating down there isn’t much to look forward to other than a summer vacation somewhere cooler. For those who will be stuck in the heat, and have been planning to lose weight since the New Year, here are five reasons why summer is the best time to put your weight loss plans in action:

1. Easy to stick to a diet plan: with no relief from the heat, fried, greasy, heavy food is probably the last thing you want to eat! That itself cuts out a lot of calories from your diet!

2. Fruits and salads are so much more appealing-the water content in fruits and veggies makes it all the more delicious during summer. This not only adds much needed fibre to the diet, but also helps in keeping your body hydrated.

3. You could lose extra calories by just drinking ice cold water-yes, scientists now suggest that drinking ice cold water may burn a few extra calories as the body has to raise the temperature of the ice water to the bodies temperature! This may or may not be true but drinking 10-12 glasses of ice cold water a day can’t add calories as water is a great zero-calorie drink!

4. No festivals until August-so that means no excuses of having to break the diet due to festival binging! From now until Krishna Janmashtami (10th August), you can focus on your diet!

5. Exercising in the heat could burn more calories-this is the principle behind ‘hot yoga’ (Bikram yoga)! Supposedly, exercising in the heat burns more calories since it makes the heart pump harder to your extremities to help you lower your body temperature, which rises fast in hot weather.

So stop wasting time and get started and who knows you could end up losing up to 8-10kgs by Independence Day (15th August) if you only make up your mind!

Have a hop,hop,hoppy (& Healthy) Easter!

In my endeavor to make your (and our own) life a little more healthier, here are some ideas to make this Easter a little healthy for all:
1. For the Easter egg hunt: Kids love this tradition of hunting for eggs and discovering the treats inside them. This year, instead of filling all the eggs with only chocolates, candies and other sugary stuff (they get too much sugar on other days anyway), you could ALSO fill some of the eggs with other treats like:
• Stickers/ tattoos
• Cute erasers
• Animal crackers
• Toy cars
• Cute bob pins/barrettes/ hair clips/hair bands
• Magnets
2. For the Easter Basket: along with the chocolate bunny and some candies, try filling the basket with:
• Popcorn
• Crayons/color pencils/ Color markers
• Coloring book
• Toys
• Crackers
3. For the Easter menu: I wouldn't want to spoil all the fun on a festive day by having only healthy food on the table, instead try including some healthy recipes along with the traditional food to have a perfect balance:
• Grilled/tandoori chicken or fish instead of fried chicken/fish
• Herb roasted veggies
• Garden salad with vinaigrette or buttermilk dressing
• Fresh fruit salad
• Fresh fruit juice instead of soda/aerated drinks
After you’ve had your fill, enjoy the spring weather with your family by taking a nice long walk.
Have a ‘hoppy Easter’!

March-Frozen Food Month

Like most people, I had no clue that there was such a month as “Frozen Food Month” (definitely frozen food manufactures have something to do with this)! Anyway, we were grocery shopping and a poster for the same caught my eye. Although I’m not for frozen ready-made/ready to eat food as it has way too much sodium and preservatives, I am a regular visitor to the frozen veggie aisle.
Frozen fruits and veggies are according to me a life saver for working women (and of course those men who can and will cook)! Washing, cutting and cooking veggies take time and that’s where these frozen veggies come handy since they are already cleaned and cut.
Nutritionally too, frozen veggies have the same nutrition as fresh vegetables and fruits. Some scientists feel that frozen fruits and vegetables are more nutritious than fresh foods as they are picked, cleaned, cut and frozen immediately after harvesting. Compare this to the amount of time it takes for the fresh veggies to be picked, packed, sent to the different parts of the country before it reaches a sabziwala(vegetable vendor) or sabzi mandi or bazaar near you. Even after that, it’s probably sitting on the cart/refrigerated shelf for some time before you pick (and put in the fridge) and it gets eaten!
The advantages of frozen veggies and fruit:
1) Easy, convenient and saves a lot of time (can you think of the amount of time saved peeling fresh peas)!
2) Sometimes frozen veggies can be cheaper when the fresh vegetable is not in season.
3) Similar in nutritional content as fresh veggies/fruits.
I always have a packet of frozen mixed veggies which has green beans, carrots, green peas and corn-I usually use this in pulav’s, upma, khichdi, poha, biryani and even in pasta and noodles!

What kind of frozen foods do you pick up?

It’s Time to …..Spring Clean your Diet

With spring just around the corner, people are getting ready to welcome the warmer months by clearing the junk, dust and dirt accumulated over the past few months and storing away the woollies for the next winter. This year along with spring cleaning your house, how about cleaning your diet too?
Spring cleaning the diet follows the same principles as that of cleaning your house-throw out the junk and stock up on the good stuff. Here are some tips to help you to start with:
Things to throw out/stop:
• Bhujias, sev, chivda/farsaan
• Chips, French fries and other fried stuff which are the regular snacks on cold winter evenings.
• Butter/ghee and the 5-10 liter oil bottles which was being liberally used on almost everything from dals to rotis,
• Egg puffs, aloo buns, vegetable puffs/patties
• Parathas, poories,pakodas/bajjis, samosas, vadas, butter chicken,
• All those ‘garam garam’ halwas-carrot, mung dal, sooji, kaju and such.
• Alcohol that was used as an excuse to “warm the cockles of the heart”!
With warm weather, the thought of oily, heavy food can make people sick in the stomach. Warmer weather calls for lighter cooking methods, more salads, fruits, buttermilk/chaas, and yogurts/curd.

Here’s a Simple Indian diet for Spring/Summer:
Early morning: Hot water or Tea
Breakfast: Idlis + chutney and papaya
Mid-morning: Masala chaas/buttermilk OR Tender coconut water

Lunch: Brown rice/semi-polished rice
Dal palak + cauliflower peas sabzi
Yogurt+Cucumber salad

Evening: Tea/ coffee with fruit chaat
Dinner: Phulkas with capsicum sabzi
Masoor dal,
Carrot raita
Mango

Don’t forget to keep yourself hydrated with at least 10-12 glasses of water every day.

Who will LOSE (weight)on Dancing With The Stars this season?

That’s right-while most people are interested in knowing who will win the ‘Mirror Ball’ trophy, I’m more interested in seeing who will lose weight this season.
Dancing With The Stars (DWTS) has become a platform for the stars not only to show case their dancing talents, but also their weight loss through dancing. In the past seasons, stars like Kristie Alley, Kelly Osbourne, Rob Kardashian, Ricki Lake, and Nancy Grace have lost the trophy but walked home slimmer, trimmer and a lot fitter than when they started the show.
Dancing is an excellent way ‘to keep your body moving’-the mantra for everyone today! It can burn anything from 200-500 calories and is known to aid weight loss, increase cardiovascular performance, muscle mass, flexibility and improve balance. The advantage with dancing is that it does not feel like exercise.
This seasons DWTS has an interesting star cast which has actors, singers and sports stars like Super Bowl champion Donald Driver from the Greenbay Packers and the tennis legend Martina Navratilova.
So instead of sitting back and enjoying the show, this time, put on YOUR dancing shoes and groove away to the music. Who knows, you may be the BIGGEST loser when the show ends!

Are you ready for an Oscar Party?

How about throwing an Oscar party?
After Super bowl Sunday, here is another Sunday that will have millions of Oscar fans glued to the TV. This year’s Oscar has all the ingredients for a best seller. Here’s who I am supporting this year:
Best picture-The Descendants, Hugo or Moneyball? My money is on “Moneyball” (as that’s one of the few Brad Pitt movies that actually held my attention) though ‘Hugo’ seems to be a front-runner for the award.
Best actor-hmmm, that’s a tough choice! I would say George Clooney for ‘The Descendants’ (yes, yes-you guessed it right, I am a HUGE Clooney fan!).
Best actress- Meryl Streep for the “The Iron Lady”! I haven’t seen the movie-but let’s face it,the lady is made for the Oscars!
Best animated feature film-Kung Fu Panda 2 or Rango (both were such fun movies).
Best Director- Michel Hazanavicius for daring to be different! ‘The Artist’ is an amazing black and white silent movie set in the Hollywood of the 1920’s.
Get your list ready and you can throw a fun Oscar theme party this Sunday (26th February) while watching it live on T.V. Make it more fun by asking your friends to dress up like their favorite actor/actress from this year’s nominees. To suit the theme, you could put healthy snacks on the menu that Hollywood celebrities eat to stay in shape. Name them after the stars and watch your guests gobble them up without as much as a whimper! Here are some fun (and healthy) snacks for your Oscar party:
1. Katy Perry chicken-the singer loves grilled chicken which is a great party snack. Grilled chicken or even tandoori chicken has all the protein needed to fill up your hungry guests while also being low in fat.
2. Go nuts with Rene Zellweger- the actress included nuts as a part of her weight loss regime to achieve stunning results. Not only are nuts packed with vitamins and minerals, they are also a good source of healthy fats and the protein in it gives a satiety feeling.
3. Jessica Alba smoothie- the 30 year old actress maintains a stunning figure post-pregnancy with frozen yogurts and dried fruits in her diet. Mix some medjool dates and dried figs in some Greek yogurt and make a smoothie for the guests.
4. Jolie sandwich- Angelina Jolie sticks to fish and lean protein to maintain her svelte figure. Make some mini-tuna fish sandwiches (100% whole wheat bread) and put a little toothpick through it and serve as appetizers.
5. Demi Chai-Welcome your guests with Demi Moore’s favorite drink-herbal tea. Not surprising as green tea is also known to rev-up the metabolism. Serve them in stylish shot glasses with a dash of lemon instead of the regular tea cups.
6. Aniston guacamole- Jennifer Aniston loves Mexican food and what can be better than fresh home-made guacamole with baked tortilla chips for a party.
7. Potter Popcorn-Kids love Harry Potter and popcorn. Besides who can resist the smell of fresh popcorn? Make it with half the amount of oil and you have a healthy snack for all.
8. Madonna Mocktail-make your own non-alcoholic drinks with fresh fruits (or 100% juice for those who don’t have the time) and top them with some fruit ice cubes. Kids will love the fruity ice cubes which can be made using some of the blended juice(or the 100% juice) .If possible choose a different coloured fruit for the ice cubes so that it stands out rather than blending with the drink.
9. Brad Pita wraps-a whole grain fan, Brad Pitt makes sure to include whole grains like brown rice, 100% whole wheat breads and wraps in his diet. Use whole wheat pita/roti/tortilla with some grilled chicken/tofu or kidney beans (rajma)/ garbanzo(kabuli channa)beans as a filling with freshly made homemade salsa.
10. Holly dessert- what better dessert to round off the Oscar party than a big bowl of freshly cut fruits? Most Hollywood celebrities can’t do without these sweet treats in their diet-so why should you be an exception? Chop some seasonal fruits and mix a few exotic fruits, try your hand at carving some shapes (or at least use a scooper to make some fun shapes) and you have an eye-catching dessert!
If you want to look like ‘the stars’ you need to learn to ‘eat like one’ too! So, now that you have the theme and the menu for the party, sit back, relax and enjoy, for “the Oscar goes to………”

Palak Chutney(Spicy spinach chutney)

Palak Chutney (Spicy spinach Chutney)

The original recipe uses tendli/tondli(ivy gourd) leaves,but since that isn't available everywhere, had to substitute with palak.The resulting Palak Chutney was quite close to the 'tondekai/tondli chutney' that I remember. Here are the ingredients for the Palak Chutney:

Ingredients:
Palak(baby)/Baby spinach-2 cups chopped
Garlic-5 cloves(crushed)
Ginger-1" piece
Cilantro/coriander leaves-1 cup
Green chillies-6-7nos(or according to taste)
Roasted channa dal-2 tbsp
Roasted groundnut-2tbsp
Hung yogurt/curd-3tbsp(sour)
Salt-to taste
Oil-1tsp

Method:
1)Heat the oil in a pan,add the garlic and green chillies and saute for a couple of minutes.
2)Add the chopped baby spinach and saute till they are cooked.Let it cool.
4)In a mixer grinder-add the channa dal,groundnuts,cilantro,ginger,salt and the cooked palak.
5)Make a fine paste.
6)Pour the palak chutney into a bowl. Add the yogurt and mix well. Test for salt.

Palak chutney tastes great even without the addition of the yogurt/curd at the end(add a little tamarind). I just love the creaminess that the yogurt adds to the palak chutney.
Serve the palak chutney with idlis/dosas, as a spread for sandwiches,a dip or as a side with your meal.

You know it's time to lose weight when.............

1)You think twice before sitting on plastic garden furniture.
2)You bend over to tie your shoes and your stomach gets in the way.
3)You put frosting on an aspirin.
4)Your daily exercise program consists of the one sit-up you do getting out of bed.
5)You can't stand up from an armchair without using your hands.
6)Your driver's license says, "Picture continued."
7)Your refrigerator door gets more exercise than you.
8)You try to do a few push ups and discover that certain body parts refuse to leave the floor
9)You get tired just saying the words "ten-kilometer run."
10)You go to the zoo and the elephants throw you peanuts.

(Got this as an email forward-thought it was worth sharing)!

Okra Fried Rice

Okra Fried Rice

We first had Okra Fried Rice at a Caribbean inspired party last month and it was just awesome!Never knew that okra could blend so well with rice. The whole dish has a subtle okra flavor and goes well with the jerk chicken (jerk potatoes for the vegetarians) and goat curry.
I didn't get the actual recipe, but tried it anyway and the result was almost similar to the original. So go ahead and try out this awesome Caribbean style Okra Fried Rice.

Ingredients:
Fresh Okra/Ladiesfinger: 250g(finely sliced into thin rings)
Onions: 1 small (finely minced)
Garlic: 5 cloves(finely chopped)
Bell Pepper(optional): 1/2( finely chopped into cubes)
Cooked rice: 3 cups(cooled brown or basmati)
Bay leaves: 1-2
Cloves: 2
Cinnamon: 1/2 "
Allspice: 1tsp
Oil: 1tbsp
Soy sauce: 1-2 tsp
Pepper: to taste
Salt: to taste

Method:
1)Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon. Then add the chopped onions and garlic and saute till translucent.
2)Add the bell pepper and saute for 5 mins(optional) and then add the okra rings and fry till it loses the stickiness.
3)Add the soy sauce,allspice,pepper and salt and saute for a couple of minutes.
4)Add the cooked rice(you can add some chicken soup base while cooking the rice for added flavor) and mix well.
5)Serve the Okra Fried Rice with 'jerk chicken' or 'jerk potatoes', Chicken curry, or any spicy curry.

Caribbean Style Okra Fried Rice

Enjoy!!!

New Year Weight Loss Tips!!

It’s that time of the year when everyone one tends to make resolutions for the New Year. If like always, losing weight is on the top of your list, then here are some tips to keep in mind:
• Exercise-the latest weight loss mantra is to move your body! Whether it’s joining a gym or dance classes or swimming, exercise has to become as important as “brushing your teeth”!
• Don’t skip breakfast-a new study in the Journal of American Dietetics reveals that dieters who regularly ate breakfast shed weight more steadily than those who skipped it.
• Avoid snacking on high calorie foods-which tends to pile on the calories without you noticing them. Instead of fried foods(like chips/mixtures, chivdas, samosas, vada), pastries, donuts, etc, choose healthier options like fruit with low fat yogurt, channa chaats, low-fat cheese sticks or even a handful of mixed nuts.
• Watch the sugar- juices, cokes, cappuccinos, mochas, milkshakes, sweets and desserts are loaded with sugar which can wreck your diet. Hydrate yourself with at least 10-12 glasses of water, the natural “zero-calorie” drink and keep the sweets and desserts for the occasional indulgence.
• Eat balanced meals-crash diets don’t work in the long run. So instead of trying out fancy new diets, stick to eating balanced diets that are tailor made by a dietitian to suit your lifestyle.
• Control your portion sizes- anything eaten in excess (even the healthy foods) can add unnecessary calories. You can have several smaller meals instead of the traditional 3 big meals if you feel hungry in-between meals.
• Avoid weekend binging-it can bring back all the calories you managed to burn during the week with the end result being that there isn’t much weight loss.
Follow these tips to be able to stick to your resolution and to make sure that it doesn’t become another resolution that bites the dust!
Sharing a New Year joke making the rounds:
Dear God,
All I want for 2011 is a big fat bank account and a slim body...
Sincerely, please don't mix these up like last year!!

Let this not be just a wish-make it come true!
Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy & Prosperous New Year!!

Understanding Calories-The Good, the Bad and the Ugly!!

Everybody wants to ‘go on a diet’. Everyone knows that ‘you have to watch your calories when you diet’, but not everyone understands what exactly ‘calories’ are/mean! Most people associate calories with only junk food/ sweets/chocolates as they know that they are ‘high calorie’ stuff. But what many don’t know is that almost all foods have calories and that the body needs calories for energy purposes.
So why are calories getting a bad reputation? Well, that’s because we live in a world of abundance and we choose to feed our bodies with foods that have too many calories and too little nutrition.
To understand calories better, let us start with the some FAQ’s:
What are calories? Calories are the units used to measure energy.
Where do we get calories from? From the food we eat (fruits, vegetables, grains, pizzas, pooris, cake, chocolates, etc.) and from the beverages we drink (milk, juices, coffee, alcohol, etc.). The energy is stored in these foods in the form of ‘macronutrients’ namely carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Each of these macronutrients gives us ‘energy’ in varying numbers:
Carbohydrates= 4 calories per gram
Protein=4 calories per gram
Fat= 9 calories per gram
Since all foods have calories and since our bodies need calories-how does one know what to eat and what to avoid?
Good question! To make things simple-let’s divide calories into three groups: Good; Bad and the last……UGLY!!
1. Good calories: are those which come from ‘nutrient dense foods’. These are foods that are loaded with other nutrients like minerals, vitamins, fiber, essential fatty acids which the body needs, in contrast to the number of calories the food contains.
These can be found in regular foods that are familiar to most people like fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains like brown/parboiled/semi-polished rice, whole wheat atta, jowar, bajra, barley, ragi/nachni, nuts and seeds, lean meats like chicken/turkey (skinned out), fish, soy and other dry beans/pulses. Try to get the maximum calories through these foods and you will end up getting most of the nutrients that the body requires including the calories needed for the body to function normally.

2. Bad calories: These would be foods that man has changed from its natural format-like polished/white rice, white bread, refined flour/maida, and also those foods that are naturally high in saturated fats like red meats, butter, ghee, cheese. The trick is to ‘go slow’ with this group. Try to avoid or limit these foods as these have been stripped off their nutrients.

3. Ugly calories: or ‘empty calories’ are those foods that provide no other nutrients other than calories. These are usually foods that are either loaded with sugar or fat/oil/ transfat (vanaspathi, margarine). Best examples of these would be cola/aerated drinks, alcohol, sweets (candies, cakes, pastries, donuts) fried foods like chips, fries, namkeens, pakodas, pooris, etc. Avoid eating these on a regular basis as these will provide you with only calories that you don't need!

Now that things are hopefully a lot clearer, there are two more things to keep in mind-PORTION SIZES and regular EXERCISE!
Too much of even ‘good’ things can be bad for you. Eating balanced diets and exercising regularly is the key to staying healthy!

Healthy Heart Diet for Indians

The World Heart Day is on the 29th of September. A Heart Healthy Diet is not designed only for those who have problems related to the heart (high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart attack, etc). Following a Heart -healthy diet can be beneficial for all, especially since research shows that Indians are genetically predisposed to heart disease.
A heart friendly diet should be:
1. High in fiber-studies have shown that a diet high in fiber helps in reducing cholesterol. Include whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat atta, ragi, jowar, bajra, whole wheat bread/pasta) and pulses, fresh fruits, vegetables and green leafy vegetables.
2. Low in fat- a diet low in fat, especially saturated fats (those found in butter, ghee, cream) and trans-fat (dalda/vanaspati, margarine,) is shown to be beneficial.
3. High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids- a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids is seen to benefit those who are at high risk for ischemic heart disease (IHD). It is essential for numerous normal body functions like building cell membranes in the brain and controlling blood clotting. Fish, walnuts, flax seeds, soy beans, spinach/palak should be included see the benefits.
4. Low in sodium-sodium is known to increase the BP and put more pressure on the internal organs including the heart. The RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for salt is less than a teaspoon/day.
5. Rich in Antioxidants: Found in coloured fruits, vegetables and grains, antioxidants are believed to help prevent disease by fighting free radicals which are substances that harm the body when left unchecked.
Here’s a sample diet:
On rising: Water + Walnuts
Breakfast: Oats porridge (old fashioned/steel cut/rolled oats NOT Instant)+ Blueberries
Mid-morning: Green tea + Apple
Lunch: Brown rice + Palak dal curry+ Cabbage and pea’s sabzi
Cucumber and tomato salad+ Buttermilk/chaas (made from skimmed milk)
Evening: Tea/ Coffee (with skimmed milk/ Soy milk) with Channa chaat
Dinner: Paushtik Roti (with flax seed powder) + Baingan ka bharta + Fish curry
Carrot raita(made with non-fat curd) + Red grapes

Prevention is always better than cure and this is true even for the matters of the heart! Why wait for heart problems to crop up and then change your diet? By eating healthy now, you may be able to prevent/avoid heart diseases in the future.

10 Ways to sneak in more vegetables in your diet

How to add more vegetables to your diet

The benefits of eating a diet rich in vegetables are many-from lowering cholesterol, controlling sugar levels, aiding weight loss, fighting cancer to relieving constipation. However, most dietitians still feel that the common man is not eating enough vegetables to get the full benefits.
The question in most people’s mind: How much vegetable should one consume in day?
The answer is around 8-9 servings of vegetables and fruits/day. That would mean around 4-5 cups of fruits and vegetables, which is a lot. Most of us tend to eat not more than 1-2 cups/day. So how does one achieve eating the recommended amounts?
Here are some tips to sneak in more vegetables into your diet:
1. Add vegetables to dishes which you would not do so otherwise-instead of plain upma, kichidi, poha, noodles, pasta, dal, add some mixed veggies into these dishes and you make them more nutritious and a filling dish.
2. Add grated veggies to any dish-you can add grated carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, beetroot, etc to roti’s, chutney’s, chaats, dosa, idli and even salads. Try sprinkling some grated vegetables like carrots on top of dishes as a garnish-it makes the dish more colourful and inviting.
3. Add a salad with every meal-these need not be limited to just cucumber and tomatoes. A lot more vegetables like beetroot, radish, methi leaves, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, knol-khol/kohlrabi, turnips, and capsicum/bell pepper can be eaten raw. Pulses and legumes and even some grains can be sprouted and added to the salads (like wheat, methi seeds, moong/mung, channa,etc). To avoid boredom, try out 3 different salads every week. You could even mix fruits and vegetables together to make some exotic combinations.
4. Add vegetable purees-to soups, curries, chapathi dough, dosa batter.
5. Add chopped/sliced veggies to sandwiches, wraps, bhel puri, fruit chaats.
6. Make dips with vegetables/fruits-avocado, cucumber, mint, cilantro/coriander leaves, pumpkin, apple, strawberries, figs, etc can all be made into tasty dips. These can be also used as spreads on whole wheat breads and phulkas to make healthy snacks.
7. Eat raw vegetables for snacks- carrots, celery, parsnips can be paired with the fruit/vegetable dips to get double the vegetables!
8. Add veggies to meat/poultry/fish curries. Even scrambled eggs taste better when you add some sautéed veggies like tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and capsicum/bell pepper!
9. Make chutney’s with vegetables/fruits-you don’t have to limit chutneys to just coriander/cilantro or mint. Try making chutneys from brinjal/eggplant, tomatoes, onions, apples, carrots, etc .Eat them with your meals or add them to your salads, breads, yogurts to create a unique dish!
10. Make your own veg+fruit smoothies- mix and match veggies with some sweet fruits to make your own smoothies/juices. The pulp contains the fiber-so try not to strain it out!

Common myths about Diabetes among Indians

As a clinical dietitian I have come across several myths that diabetics (along with their friends and relatives) have about the disease and also about the kind/type of food that they can/should eat. Here are a couple of the most common myths:

1) Diabetics should not eat rice: One of the biggest misconceptions is that once a person is detected to be a diabetic he has to stop eating rice. This is not true. Rice can be included in a meal plan for a diabetic. The only thing to keep in mind is to stick to the quantities prescribed by the dietitian. Though brown rice/semi-polished rice is better than white rice due to the fiber present in brown rice, white rice eaten in the prescribed amounts and along with whole pulses (rajma/kidney beans, channa, moong/mung), vegetables and a salad to increase the fiber content of the meal is also fine.

2) I have ‘thoda sa diabetes’ so I don’t really need to take medicines or follow a diet: There is no such thing as ‘little diabetes’ or as they say in Kannada: “swalpa diabetes idhe”. You may be a recently diagnosed diabetic whose sugar levels may have just started to go above the normal level, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t need to take the medication prescribed or follow a diet and exercise. If you choose to ignore the situation thinking that it will ‘go away’ then you are wrong. Once diagnosed you need to follow whatever the doctor and the dietitian have prescribed to avoid the complications associated with Diabetes.
3) I have diabetes so I must not eat fruits, as fruits are sweet: This again is a very common myth among diabetics. All fruits can be eaten by a diabetic but in different quantities/portion sizes depending on the carbohydrate content in them. Some fruits have more carbohydrates, so you may be asked to eat a lesser amount than the others. Your dietitian will be able to guide you based on the total carbohydrates that your doctor has prescribed for you.

4) I drink ‘karela/bittergourd’ juice every morning and also eat methi sprouts and ‘kala jamun(the fruit), so I can reduce the dosage of my medication: Though these are known to reduce/keep the blood sugars under control in Ayurveda, don’t try to reduce your medication on your own without first discussing it with your doctor.

5) I’m on insulin so I don’t need to be careful of what I eat. I can eat whatever I want and simply increase my insulin dosage when I eat sweets: Even if you are on insulin, you still have to follow a diet and most important- eat on time! Tampering with your insulin dosage can be very dangerous-you could go into a coma due to very low blood sugars (hypoglycemia) if the insulin you took is too much.

6) I’m eating ‘diabetic rice/atta’ and ‘diabetic rusk’ and still my sugars are not under control: These are mostly clever marketing gimmicks. Just because a label says ‘healthy’ or ‘high –fiber’ or ‘low-fat’ or ‘good for diabetics’ doesn’t mean that you can eat as much as you want and expect your sugars to be under control. Even if the manufacturer’s claims are true, how much you eat (portion sizes) is also important to keep your sugars in check.
These are just some of the myths that I have come across during my years counseling diabetic patients in Bangalore. With India on the verge of becoming the ‘diabetes capital of the world’ people will come across many more. The best thing to do if you or anyone you know has a doubt/query, is to ask your Doctor/dietitian/ health care provider and get it cleared out instead of believing what may not be true.

Eat Healthy This Ramzan

The Muslim Holy month of Ramadan (or ‘Ramzan’ as it is known in India) begins on August 1st this year. Ramzan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when Muslims fast during daylight hours. Those who are physically able to are required to fast each day of the entire month, from sunrise to sunset. Eid Al-Fitr, which is expected to be around the 30th of August, marks the end of Ramzan.
Here are some tips for eating healthy during Ramzan:
• During Suhur/Suhoor(pre-dawn meal): try to switch to complex carbohydrates like brown rice(parboiled rice/semi-polished rice), whole wheat breads/atta/pasta as these take time to be digested and hence will keep you feeling full for a longer period of time.
• To avoid acidity: eat foods rich in fiber like vegetables, fruits, whole pulses/legumes. Avoid coffee, spicy and fried foods as these tend to increase the gastric secretion that can irritate the lining of the stomach.
• To avoid weight gain: avoid fried foods like namkeens(chivdas/mixtures/sev/ghatias), samosas, fried chicken, fried fish, sweets, desserts, pastries, chocolates, biryanis(on a daily basis), ghee, butter.
• To avoid dehydration: between Iftar and Suhur, drink loads of water, tender coconut water, lemonade, buttermilk/chaas and also eat fruits and vegetables that contain a lot of water/moisture like watermelon, muskmelon, pineapple, cucumber, all gourds(like bottle gourd, turrai, ash gourd).
• Choose healthy methods of cooking: opt for grilled/baked non-veg instead of fried.
• Instead of high calorie desserts: opt for fresh fruits on a daily basis, these not only have less calories but will also provide you with the all-important fiber and water.
For those who are looking out to eat healthy during Ramzan, here is a sample Indian diet that is balanced and does not go overboard as far as calories are concerned:
Breaking the fast (at sunset): Dates + Water

Iftar(dinner - the meal which ends the day's fast):
Option 1:
Rice +Gajar Methi sabzi +Masoor Dal+ Tandoori chicken+ Cucumber and tomato salad+ Buttermilk/chaas
Watermelon
Bedtime: Skimmed milk
Option 2:
Phulkas
Baingan bhartha +Channa Masala +Grilled chicken kabab +Mixed veg raita
Muskmelon
Bedtime: Buttermilk
Option 3:
Rice
Fish curry +Cabbage and peas sabzi + Chickpea salad with peppers &tomatoes
Pineapple
Bedtime: Ragi malt

Suhoor (pre-dawn meal)
Option 1:
Veg Daliya Khichidi
Kadi + Stir fry mix veggies
+ Grilled chicken + Carrot and mint salad
Papaya

Option 2:
Brown/semi-polished rice
Beetroot sabzi + Radish sambar + Mixed veg salad
+Buttermilk
Strawberry

Option 3:
Jowar roti
Bhindi sabzi + Chicken curry+ Mint raita
Tender coconut water
Banana

Eating healthy through Ramzan will not only be easy on your stomach but will also make sure that you don’t put on unnecessary weight during the month. Keep the feasting and all the yummy biryanis and kheer’s for Eid-after all, everyone deserves to indulge in some feasting after a month of fasting!

Mall Walking-the latest fitness trend!

A new fitness phenomenon called ‘Mall Walking’ comes to town. Popular in most American cities, mall walking is simply as the name suggests, using your neighborhood mall as a place to exercise. You can walk or even jog in the corridors of the malls. Most participating malls open their doors early for walkers even before the shops open their doors to shoppers.
What are the benefits of mall walking?
• You can walk in any weather: With mall walking, you can never have the heat, rain, snow or the wind as an excuse for not exercising. Since the temperatures in malls are controlled, you have a perfect climate all year through.
• Safety: Since you are walking inside the mall, you don’t have to worry about getting mugged, teased or even hit by traffic.
• Clean and pollution free environment: You don’t have to jump over puddles, or try to avoid stepping on dog poop or worry about your allergies acting up due to pollution!
• No cost: The malls won’t charge you for walking-so that means you won’t be paying a hefty membership or monthly charges.
How to get started?
• As for any exercise routine, ask your doctor or health care provider if you are fit for walking.
• Invest in some comfortable workout clothes-even though it’s the hippest mall around, you can’t be exercising in your skinny jeans.
• Put on your walking/exercise shoes-again stilettoes are a strict no-no for exercising.
• Start with 10-15 minutes of walking at a pace that you are comfortable and then after a couple of days increase the pace and the duration.
• Get a walking buddy (or partner) to keep you both motivated.
What are the disadvantages?
• It could be heavy on your pocket-the main reasons why mall owners are happy about letting you use the mall! Walking by the displays in the shops could make your wallet lighter even if you aren’t a shopaholic!
• If you get tempted by the aromas from the food court, you could be getting in more calories than you burnt! The solution to this would be to walk without your wallet or just get minimum cash (just in case of emergencies).
• Since you aren't paying for it-getting motivated to exercise may be a challenge(money after all,is a great motivator and everyone wants to get his/her money's worth).

Keep in mind that the walking surface is hard,so make sure you are wearing good shock absorbing shoes to protect your joints.

So come summer, monsoon, winter, don’t let the weather bother you too much-just slip on your walking shoes and go ‘mall walking’.

Q) Have you ever tried 'mall walking'? Tell us about it.

4 Reasons Why Soft Drinks are bad for your Health!

Why Soft Drinks are bad for your Health!

Aerated drinks, more popularly known as soda’s, soda pops, fizzy drinks, soft drinks or carbonated beverages are the bane of every dietitian!
Why-you may ask? Well, good question-let’s put up a list of reasons for this:
1) For starters, what you are drinking is water with 8-10 teaspoons of sugar. So, essentially what you get is hydration with a load of unnecessary calories and zero nutrients!
2) That’s not all-what you also get are other chemicals like carbon dioxide (water is infused with CO2 to create the bubbles), phosphoric acid (H3PO4 or E338) and caffeine (C8H10N4O2).
3) Phosphoric acid is commonly used for rust removal-so why are soda manufacturers adding it to the drink? It is used as an acidifying agent to acidify colas and also gives colas their tangy flavor. Various studies have shown that phosphoric acid leaches the calcium from the bones and makes them brittle and over a period susceptible to osteoporosis. Not just that, high phosphorus intake has also been associated with tooth loss, periodontal disease, and gingivitis
4) Caffeine is a stimulant as well as a mild diuretic and has been known to be addictive. This is added to colas to give an instant boost as well as to get you addicted to it.
According to a 2006 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, older women who drink cola (diet, regular or decaffeinated) were seen to have significantly decreased mineral bone density, putting them at increased risk for bone fracture.
Dr. Marion Nestle from his book Food Politics states “The relationship between soft drink consumption and body weight is so strong that researchers calculate that for each additional soda consumed, the risk of obesity increases 1.6 times.”
Putting all this together: Soda/cola= weight gain+ brittle bones +tooth disease + zero nutrients!

That being said, what are the healthy alternatives to drink-diet soda?
No way-just because they substitute the sugar with artificial sweeteners, doesn’t make it a healthy drink! It still has the rest of the chemicals (phosphoric acid, CO2 and caffeine) along with the chemicals from the sweeteners. Instead, choose from these healthy drinks to quench your thirst:
1) Water- the natural ‘zero’ calorie drink that has no side effects.
2) Tender coconut water- also known as the ‘fluid of life’ is another natural thirst quencher that is loaded with electrolytes to replenish those lost by the body in the form of sweat.
3) Buttermilk/chaas- this one has added calcium which strengthens your bones.

The choice is yours-as the old saying goes “you can lead a horse to the water, but you can’t make it drink”!

Q) What will you choose?

Free radicals,antioxidants and ORAC

We’ve all heard about free radicals and the damage it causes the body-but how many of us actually know what free radicals are and how we can prevent/reduce the damage caused by it. Free radicals are oxygen molecules that have lost an electron and hence become highly unstable and extremely reactive. In this state it tries to grab an electron from any atom that it is close to, so that it can become stable again. This sort of starts a chain reaction as now the other atom has lost an electron and has become a free radical and needs to find an electron itself to become stable. This kind of grabbing of electrons within our body causes a lot of damage. Free radicals are created as natural by-products of the various reactions in our body as well as due to exposure to cigarette smoke, air pollution, and UV light or radiation. It is said that on an average, every cell in our body comes under attack from a free radical once every ten seconds. So how do we stop/prevent/reduce this damage? The answer lies in something known as antioxidants.
Antioxidants are substances or nutrients found in food that may help in protecting or slowing the damage caused by free radicals to our bodies. These antioxidants are thought to act as ‘free radical scavengers’ and provide them with the extra atom that they need. By doing so, the free radical become stable and also stops the chain reaction. Although there are some enzyme systems within the body that scavenge free radicals, the principle micro nutrient antioxidants are said to be vitamin E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. Additionally, selenium ( which is a trace metal that is required for proper function of one of the body's antioxidant enzyme systems) is also included in this category.
Since the body cannot manufacture these micro nutrients, they must be supplied by our diet. Foods that contain antioxidants are measured by ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity). Though this theory hasn’t been proved, nutrition researchers estimate that a person needs to consume around 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units every day for our blood levels to maintain a good antioxidant defense system.
Here are some foods and the ORAC Value/100g:
Pomegranate:3,307
Raisins:2,830
Blueberries:2,400
Strawberries:1,540
Spinach:1,290
Plums:949
Broccoli:890
Beetroot:840
Oranges:750
Red grapes:730
Cherries:670
Brinjal/eggplant:390
Carrots:207
String beans:201
Tomatoes:189

You don’t have to memorize these values, just remember to eat a variety of colored fruits and vegetables. The more colorful your diet (naturally colorful-not by the addition of food colors) the more you will benefit. Don’t limit yourself to just the vegetables and fruits mentioned in the list-others can have their own special benefit.
The rule of the thumb should be to include as many seasonal (and fresh) fruits and vegetables as possible.

Q)What is your favorite antioxidant rich fruit/vegetable?

Weight Management Simplified

The words “Weight Management” can mean different things to different people. For people who are underweight, it would mean increasing their weight to that which would be ideal for their height and age.
For those who are overweight or obese, it would mean bringing their weight down to a healthy level. For others who are at a healthy weight, it would mean weight maintenance.
How does weight gain, weight loss or weight maintenance happen? Simply put, here’s what happens:
Weight gain: when calories eaten > (more than) calories burnt,
Weight loss: when calories eaten < (less than) calories burnt,
Weight maintenance: when calories eaten = calories burnt.
To find out which group you fall into, you would need to follow 3 simple steps:
Step 1: Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI). You can calculate it manually by using the formula BMI= weight in kg / height in meters2.
Step 2: Check if your BMI falls within the Normal range (BMI=19-22), Underweight (BMI≤ 18.5), Overweight (BMI=23-25), or Obese (BMI=26 and above). (Note: The BMI for Indians/South Asians is different from the western population).. For more information on this,please check my earlier post here:New BMI Guidelines for Indians/South Asians
Step 3: Get yourself (and your family) on the path to good health by following a healthy diet and by exercising regularly.
A qualified dietitian will be able to help you with a personalized diet plan that will keep your needs and also the needs of your body in mind.

Ragda Patties ( Potato cutlets in a white pea gravy)

Ragda Patties

Ragda patties is another street food which comes in the category of 'chaat' in India. The ingredients for Ragda pattes are 'white vatana' or dry white/yellow whole peas (which makes the main part of the ragda/curry) and potatoes for the patties/cutlets. 

Ingredients for the Patties:

• Potatoes:4-5 big (I use the red skin potatoes as they don't get too mushy when boiled and mashed)
• Ginger+garlic paste: 1 tbsp
• Green chillies: 1-2 (finely chopped)
• Onion: 1 small/1/2 big (chopped fine)
• Cilantro/coriander leaves: 1 small bunch (finely chopped)
• Rava/semolina/frarina: 1 cup (to coat the patties)*
• Salt : to taste
• Oil: 2 tbsp (for shallow frying)

*I use rava/semolina(cream of wheat) to coat the patties before frying as it tends to absorb less oil. You can also use bread/bread crumbs.
Method:

1. Boil and mash the potatoes.
2. Add the ginger+garlic paste,chopped onions, green chillies,cilantro and salt and mix it well with the potatoes.
3. Check for salt. Make 15-20 portions of this mix, flatten into a cutlet/patties.
4. Roll the patties in the rava.
5. Heat the oil in a pan, when it's hot, add the patties and shallow fry till it becomes golden brown. Remove from pan.

Ingredients for the Ragda:

• White vatana/dry white peas: 1 cup(soaked overnight)
• Onion: 1 small/1/2 big (finely chopped)
• Tomatoes: 3 (finely chopped)
• Ginger+garlic paste: 2 tsp
• Zeera/cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Bay leaves: 1
• Chole masala: 1 tbsp
• Water: 1-2 cups (depending on how thick you want the gravy)
• Chili powder,amchur(dry mango powder),chaat masala : to taste (optional)
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: 2tsp

Method:

1. Pressure cook the vatana/white peas in about two cups of water. Keep aside.
2. Heat the oil. Add the zeera/cumin seeds and the bay leaves.
3. Then add the chopped onions and fry till it changes colour.
4. Add the ginger+garlic paste and the chole masala and fry till the oil leaves the sides.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir till the tomatoes are cooked.
6. Add the vatana, water,salt and let it cook for one boil.
7. Check for taste(you can add the chili powder,amchur and chaat masala if needed).

To serve the ragda patties:

1. Place two patties on a quarter plate/bowl.
2. Pour the ragda (curry)over the patties.
3. Garnish with freshly chopped onions and cilantro.
4. Add a dollop of tamarind+date chutney on top (you can also add some 'sev' on top) and serve.

Enjoy Ragda Patties  in any season!

Brinjal Bharta (Eggplant Curry)

Brinjal Bharta

'Eggplant/Aubergine' or 'Brinjal' as it's popularly called in India, is on my list of 'not-so favorite' veggies . It's not that the list is very long-there are just two vegetables (brinjal and potatoes) and again it's not that I will not touch them. I prefer to eat them only in certain dishes:potatoes as chips or in Masala Dosa and brinjal as a bharta, pakora or stuffed.
For the Brinjal bharta, the brinjal is usually first roasted whole over a fire (since we have an electric cooktop here, I had to bake it) . Once roasted,the brinjal pulp is then cooked with chopped onions,tomatoes and garnished with chopped cilantro. The Brinjal bharta goes well with 'phulkas/roti' or with steamed rice and dal.Here are the ingredients for Brinjal Bharta:
Ingredients:

• Eggplant/brinjal: 1 big
• Onion: 1 medium, finely chopped
• Tomatoes: 1-2 ,diced
• Green chillies: 1-2,slit lengthwise
• Ginger: 1 tsp, finely chopped
• Garlic: 4-5, finely chopped
• Garam masala: 1tsp
• Cilantro/coriander leaves: 5 tbsp, finely chopped
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: 1tsp

Method:

1. Spread a little oil over the skin of the eggplant/brinjal and roast over an open flame till it gets cooked(or you could bake it in the oven for 20-30mins).
2. After it cools a bit, remove the skin (the oil applied on the skin makes it easy) and coarsely chop the eggplant pulp. Keep aside.
3. Heat the oil in a pan,then add the chopped ginger and garlic. Let it fry for about a minute,then add the chopped onions and salt.
4. Saute till the onions become translucent, then add the slit green chillies, diced tomatoes and garam masala powder. Stir for about 5-6 minutes till the tomatoes are cooked.
5. Add the pulp of the brinjal and cook for another 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
6. Garnish the brinjal bharta with chopped cilantro and serve hot with phulkas.

Brinjal Bharta

Question: What is your favorite dish with 'eggplant/aubergine'?