The coconut controversy – is it really all bad?

My inputs on coconut oil: published 19th September 2013 in Health.india.com:

Read: The coconut controversy – is it really all bad?

Are there healthy eating options at the movie theatre?

Are there healthy eating options at the movie theatre?

Watching a movie in a multiplex seems incomplete without a tub of popcorn and cold drink. But what you don’t realise is the amount of calories you add within those two hours. Earlier people often brought something from home to munch on whilst enjoying the film. But those days are gone when you could sneak in your own snack in the theatre. Nowadays, there’s no choice but to buy those overpriced snacks sold by the multiplexes. These can be very unhealthy.

 Read how to choose wisely when buying snacks in the theatre in my latest article published on the Zee News website: http://zeenews.india.com/news/health/healthy-eating/khaane-bhi-do-yaaron-are-there-healthy-eating-options-at-the-movie-theatre_24072.html

Movie buffs, are you eating healthy at the theatre?

Be it at home or a multiplex, watching movies without a tub of popcorn is next to impossible. It gets even better with a soft drink, isn’t it? But what we don’t realise is the amount of calories we add within those two-three hours. While controlling the habit of binging is easier at home, there’s no choice but to buy those overpriced unhealthy snacks sold by the multiplexes. Nutritionist Sweta Uchil-Purohit tells us how to choose wisely when buying snacks at the theatre. 

Here’s a quick look at the approximate calorie count of some of the popular snack combinations sold at movie theatres:

Snacks	Calories (approx)
2 vada pav + soft drink	670
Veg burger + soft drink	530
Chicken sandwich + soft drink	460
Veg grilled sandwich + soft drink	450
2 samosas + soft drink	440
Potato chips (small) + soft drink	315
Butter popcorn (tub) + soft drink	320
Caramel popcorn + soft drink	330
Nachos (1 bowl) + iced tea	405

If you look at the calories, some of the snacks have almost as many calories as an entire meal! If this leaves you wondering what to do, just keep in mind that the star of the outing is the movie. The snacks and the drinks are just add-ons that contribute to ‘mindless eating’ (eating food without actually paying attention to what and how much is being eaten). 

That being said, there are ways to avoid or reduce the amount of mindless eating at the movies:

Eat a small snack/dinner before the movie: A bowl of fruits, chana chaat, homemade soup or proper meals are great to fill you up. Chances are that if you are already full, then you won’t be tempted to overeat on the snacks.

Pick a snack to share: Nothing better than sharing the calories. Popcorn is always great to share – keep passing on the tub so that you end up consuming lesser calories. You can buy smaller packets of snacks if there are less people to share with. 

Avoid aerated drinks: Drink water or fresh juice without sugar. Iced teas, bottled juices and aerated drinks sold at multiplexes are loaded with sugar, so avoid ordering them unless you have people to share it with. 

Check if you can get made-to-order snacks: Grilled sandwich without the butter or mayo, steamed corn without the dollop of butter, plain popcorn instead of the cheese or caramel flavours, lime juice with 2 tsp sugar (or a dash of salt), fruit chaat without the honey, cream or sugar – are all tricks to reduce the number of calories.

Recommended snacks	Calories (approx)
Steamed corn (no butter) 1 cup	130
Grilled tomato sandwich (no butter/mayo)	170
Plain popcorn (1 cup)	64
Lime juice (2 tsp sugar)	60
Fruit chaat (no sugar/honey)	100
Plain nachos (4-6 nachos) + salsa	135

Choose the lesser evil: In case you are left with no choice, then pick the snack with the least number of calories and share it.

Even though Bollywood movies are longer and last up to two-and-a-half to a good three hours, just remember that nobody has till date starved to death at the theatre. You can always grab a healthy bite after the movie.

How to beat the onion crisis with these 'No-onion' recipes

“Who moved my onion?”, “Onion may touch Rs.100/kg by Puja”, “Onion free with purchase of tyres”, “Know your onions”, “Amid LOC firing, India plans to buy onions from Pakistan”, “Soaring onion prices brings tears across India”-these are all the headlines the humble onion is making in newspapers across India!

Get on to any social networking site and you’ll find hundreds of ‘original’ teary jokes and see ‘rings’ with the onion taking the pride of place instead of a diamond! So much brouhaha over the price of one of the most essential ingredient in most menus seems justified. Jokes apart, yes, they do make you cry when you have them and also when you don’t!!

I’m not a student of economics, but here’s a thought-if the demand for onions falls, won’t the rates too take a dive? What if we all use onions sparingly? Normally where you would need 2-3 onions/ day what if you can make do with just 1 onion in two days? How???? For starters, try making your regular dishes by reducing the amount of onions or even omitting the onion altogether or the next simple alternative: prepare dishes that don’t need onions!

Is that possible? Cooking Indian food without onions?? Of course it is- there are many communities who make delicious food without onions or garlic. Even Ayurveda advocates the ‘Satvik diet’ in which pungent foods like onion, garlic, green chilli and others are not recommended!

Here’s what I do- make dishes that does not require onions, simple! It’s not impossible-think about it. There are dishes in your menu books or that you regularly make which do not require onions-just make these dishes till the onion prices fall, which it will eventually. I’m sure most people are already doing the same, for those at a loss here are a few dishes that you can try out for the next few days:

Read more: Face the onion crisis with these 'No-Onion' dishes. Published in Citizen Matters (26th August 2013)

Healthy Indian Foods to Eat during Ramadan

You can eat healthy even during Ramzan fast. A satiating meal in the morning is the secret. Here are some tips on how to go about it.
Here's : How To Eat Healthy Food during Ramadan (Published in Citizen Matters 19th July 2013)

Eating Healthy at a PUB? Yes, it's POSSIBLE!!!

Think of pubs and ‘fish and chips’ is the first thing that you associate with it – blame it on the Brits! You’d cringe at the thought of stepping into one if you belong to the ever increasing fitness and health conscious tribe. Well then here’s some good news for you: 

Read more in my article published in Health.india.com on 17th July 2013: Eating Healthy at a Pub? Possible!

Expert tips to eat healthy in a pub!

If you are a health and fitness enthusiast, pubs would be the last place on earth that you would be going to! After all, it is a place where people go to drink and be merry. That said, there are always times when going to a pub becomes a social necessity. We are certainly not advocating the use of alcohol, but merely giving you a few tips that will ensure that these trips can be made healthier than usual.

These days, pubs offer a lot more than fish and chips and with some smart choices you can actually find some healthy stuff in the menu. Nutritionist Sweta Uchil-Purohit tells you how to make healthy choices when in a pub.

For starters: What does one drink in a pub? Answer: Definitely not milk. But beware, you could get more calories from what (and how much) you choose to drink than the cake you refused earlier at the office party! That’s because every gram of alcohol contains 7 calories whereas a gram of sugar has 4 calories. While both these forms of calories are called empty calories, it is easier to go overboard with alcohol as it’s a drink. Add to this the food that you eat and you could be having a whole day’s calories in that one night!  For those who can stick to just one drink, here are a few tips to make sure that that drink lasts for a while to prevent someone from topping it up for you:

• Take small sips instead of gulping it down (in which case you’ll be left twiddling your thumbs while the others are still drinking).
• Nibble on some food in between sips.
• Drink water in between – always good to keep yourself hydrated no matter where you are. Read about the 9 hangover remedies that actually work! 

And here’s a reminder of the approximate calorie* count for different drinks to help you make it last the whole night:

Drink	Quantity	Calories*
A glass of wine	147ml	125 calories
A bottle of Light Beer	355ml	110 calories
A bottle of Regular Beer	355 ml	150 calories
A shot of Hard liquor	45 ml	95calories
A glass of cocktail	133ml	anything from 100-300 calories

 *Note: Calories can differ from one brand to another depending on the amount of alcohol it has.

If you must drink then wine would be a wise choice given the associated health benefits. For the ladies who prefer cocktails here’s a shocker – some of them have more calories than alcohol alone! That’s because the calories from the syrup or sweeteners increase the calorie count in the drink.

If you want to stay off drinks completely, offer to be the ‘designated driver’ and you can be sure your friends won’t try to tempt you to have that ‘one small peg’. Opt for a juice instead of mocktails, as the latter is mostly a concoction of artificial flavours and colours.

Coming to food, follow the golden rule of avoiding food that is fried or greasy (chips, chivdas, fried papads, cocktail samosas, fried peanuts, French fries, fried chicken, Chicken 65, etc) or too sweet (desserts). Indian pubs have a good range of tandoori foods to pick from and these can be good news as these are foods that are baked with just a marinade coating like fish/chicken tikkas or tandoori paneer. Add a salad (without the dressing) and some nuts to munch with your drinks and you could just get home without worrying about that extra time you’ll have to spend at the gym to burn it off!

Here’s how a ‘healthy’ night-out at a pub can look:

Drink: Wine, water or juice

Sides: Nuts (salted nuts can make you thirstier so keep a glass of water handy) and a salad

Nibblers: Tandoori fish/chicken/paneer or grilled chicken/fish/paneer, steamed momos, satay, shish kebabs

Hit the dance floor if the pub has one as there’s nothing better than burning those calories while letting your hair down. All said and done, moderation and portion control is the key to leading a healthy lifestyle, so keep track of the quantity as well. Cheers!

Healthy Monsoon Munchies

Published in Citizen matters on 9th July 2013: Enjoy the rains with these Healthy Monsoon Munchies

Grilled Sabzi/ Curry Sandwiches 

While you are tempted to eat some hot snacks during the rains, why not make the snack a bit more healthy? Here are some tips: click here to read more.

Did you get your Vitamin D today?

Find out how, where, when and why to get your daily dose of vitamin D:
Published in Citizen matters on 26th June 2013: Did you get your Vitamin D today?

7 Foods Good for Summer

With hot days and rainy nights, check what’s on your plate. And there is a place for leftover rice too! 

Published in Citizen Matters on 24th May 2013: 7 right foods for the Summer!

Healthy North Indian foods to choose when dining out.

Published in Health India on 22nd May: Healthy North Indian Food Choices When Dining Out

Dining out need not be taboo for health freaks or those who are on the proverbial diet. You don’t have to stop socializing or be stuck with a salad when the rest of the gang is polishing off the food like there is no tomorrow. With a little information, some smart choices and the determination to stick to portion sizes, you too can enjoy a healthy meal while dining out.

While every cuisine has its unhealthy quota of foods, there also are foods that can easily fit into the ‘healthy’ list. Regardless of which restaurant you choose, here are some general guidelines by dietician Sweta Uchil-Purohit to make healthy choices when ordering North Indian food.

Ask for water instead of juices, mocktails, aerated or alcoholic beverages. There’s no point in adding extra calories when you can drink nature’s zero-calorie drink – water.

Avoid fried foods, desserts and food made of refined flours: Pass on the pooris, bhaturas, pakodas, naans and roomali rotis and look for healthier options like whole wheat rotis or phulkas. Desserts are loaded with both sugar and fat and are best to be avoided.

Go for plain rice: Since most restaurants don’t serve brown or semi-polished rice, your only option is to ask for plain rice. This is definitely a better choice than biryanis or pulavs.

Ask for your food to be made without oil, butter, ghee and malai: Since most restaurants are now familiar with the health conscious crowd, they are more than willing to make changes to their dishes to keep their clientele happy. Be firm and put in your request while placing the order and hopefully your food will be cooked with less oil if not with ‘no oil’.

Always order a non-creamy soup and a salad (no dressing): This is an age-old trick used by weight watchers. Fill-up your stomach with non-creamy or thin soups and salads (without the mayonnaise dressing) and you won’t be able to eat much during the main course.

Choose items that are baked, grilled or steamed: These are healthy methods of cooking that don’t add extra calories to the dish. Tandooriitems, shashlik, grilled kebabs are all healthier choices than fried items.

Choose tomato based curries: These are lower in calories than themalai or cashew based curries. Rajma, chole and even fish or chicken cooked in tomato gravy is a better option.

Once you are familiar with these guidelines, you can easily pick out the healthy items from any menu. For those who love eating North Indian food, here’s a sample meal plan of what you can order:

Course	Veg	Non-veg
Beverage	Water	Water
Soup	Mixed vegetable soup	Tomato soup
Appetiser (optional)	Tandoori paneer/ Paneer Shashlik	Chicken tikka/ Tandoori chicken
Salad	Green Salad/ Raita	Green Salad/ Raita
Main	Roti /Phulka/ Plain rice	Roti/ chapati/Plain rice
Side	Chhole and Bharta	Methi chicken and gobi mattar

If you have to choose an appetiser/starter, pick something which is a protein based, non-fried item (like tandoori paneer/hara bhara chickenkebab or prawn shashlik) as protein tends to fill you up and will leave you with little space for the courses to follow.  Eat slowly and try to relish every bite (mindful eating), stick to your portion size and if you feel that you are full even before the main course arrives, then ask for your portion to be parceled so that you can enjoy it in the next meal. If you do get tempted when the desserts are being served, then go ahead and take a spoonful from your friend’s plate. Cheers and happy dining!

Mango Salsa recipe

Mango salsa, watermelon salsa, mixed veg and fruit salsa recipes- check out my salsa recipes that were published in Citizen Matters on 14th May 2013: For recipes please visit - Yummy-It's Salsa Time

 Different salsas

 Mango Salsa

Pineapple and Watermelon Salsa

Published in Citizen Matters on 14th May 2013: For recipes please visit - Yummy-It's Salsa Time

How to avoid the 'Delhi Belly' (Traveller's Diarrhoea) this summer?

How to avoid the 'Delhi Belly' (Traveller's Diarrhoea) this summer?

The word 'Delhi Belly' is a term which is familiar to most foreigners visiting India. The Urban Dictionary defines Delhi Belly as "Diarrhea or dysentery contracted from eating Indian (i.e. from India) food". It is also known as Bombay belly, Traveller's diarrhea, Montezuma's revenge (in Mexico), and Karachi crouch in Pakistan. This is said to be because of poor standards of food hygiene practiced by most restaurants and street vendors in most developing countries all around the world. 
Food hygiene is a broad term which is used to describe the preparation and preservation of foods in a manner that ensures the food is safe for consumption. If sanitary conditions are not maintained or if food is prepared by people who maintain poor personal hygiene, then the food could get contaminated and can spread diseases like salmonella and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). 
Proper food hygiene can help to protect communities and families from contracting these deadly diseases. Practicing food hygiene should not be limited to just the food/hospitality industry, but needs to be applied in our homes as well.  

How to avoid the 'Delhi Belly' (Traveller's Diarrhoea) this summer?

Here are some tips for maintaining food hygiene:  

• Wash your hands well with soap and water before and after handling food. 
• Clean work surfaces with hot soapy water and rinse well, utensils and equipment like cutting boards, knives, ladles to prevent cross-contamination. 
• Wash fruits and vegetables well in flowing fresh water to remove surface dirt and bacteria. You can also scrub it with a vegetable brush if needed. This helps prevent dirt and germs from going into food when sliced with a knife.
• Maintain personal hygiene and avoid touching or picking body parts or areas when preparing food.
• Use fresh dish cloths and hand towels daily .Wash after use and store as dry as possible
•  Avoid tasting food with the same ladle directly from the pot. This practice may contaminate the food and introduce microorganisms present in your mouth/saliva.
• Do not smoke while preparing food as cigarette smoke can enter food. 
• Keep raw and cooked foods separate to avoid cross-contamination.
• Cover cuts and soars with bandage and avoid touching raw food meant for consumption as salads.
• Keep raw meats refrigerated and wrap it tightly until needed to prevent leakage. Make sure that the fridge temperature is maintained at 5°C and the freezer temperature is at/below-17°C.
• Regularly dispose vegetable peels/scraps, rubbish and other food waste in which bacteria and rats /cockroaches can thrive.
• Keep all food covered to ensure it cannot be contaminated by insects/pests (flies, cockroaches, mice, etc). 

 Personal hygiene and food safety go hand in hand in ensuring good health of not only our families but also the community at large. It is therefore important that good hygienic practices should be practiced in order to ensure that eating food in India is not synonymous with the infamous “Delhi Belly”!!

The A,B,C's of planning a Balanced Diet:

Published in Citizen Matters (18th March 2013):

How to plan a Balanced Diet.

What Women need: 5 important nutrients for women

My article published in Citizen Matters: 8th March 2013

This Women's Day Celebrate Your Health!

How to keep your family fit and healthy

Citizen Matters: Published 29th Jan 2013
How to keep your family fit and healthy

Is Weight Loss on your New Year Resolution List-again???

31st Dec 2012:
Column in Bangalore's Citizen Matters: Is Weight Loss on your New Year Resolution List-again??? 
 

Interview in Talk magazine

Talk magazine 22nd November 2012 : Deal with Post Festive Woes

Sensible Eating through the festive season!

 Indian Sweets (pic courtesy: BBC)

 They say that someone once asked Lord Buddha "What is POISON"? His answer was simple-"Every Thing EXCESS In Life Is Poison"!!! 
Words of wisdom which holds good even today. Excess of even the good things in life can bring with it,it's own set of problems! This is true even with festive food these days. 
Sometime back I remember discussing our change in food habits and the increasing problem of obesity and other health problems that India (and Indians all over the world) are now facing and a friends father's put it nicely as "Hamare zamaane mein Diwali saal mein ek baar manayi jaati thi. Aaj kal tho log Diwali roz manate hein!! Translated into English, "In our time, Diwali (the main festival for Hindus) used to be celebrated once a year and we would indulge ourselves on sweets and other festive food. These days it's like Diwali  is celebrated daily as people eat sweets and other high-calorie food on a regular basis!". 
With Indians being able to spend more on food, waiting for a festival to gorge on sweets doesn't seem to be worth it anymore. No surprises that India is not only seeing an obesity epidemic but will also soon be crowned the "Diabetes capital of the World"!!
Most Indians find it difficult to eat sensibly right from October till January. Navarathri(which generally falls sometime in October) usually heralds the start of the festive binging, then comes Diwali in October/November, Christmas in December and then finally New Year! For Indians in the US,-there's also Halloween and Thanksgiving around the same time to deal with. To top it all, the cold winter months brings on food cravings.With so much tempting reasons for festive food, how does one stay on track with healthy eating?

Indian Festive Food (photo courtesy:BBC)

Here are some tips:

1. Don't skip out on your exercise during these months.
2. Enjoy the festive food, but stick to portion sizes.
3. Try to have a small snack, soup, sandwich, yogurt and fruits before leaving for a party-that way you won't be very hungry when you arrive at the party.
4. While planning a dinner/party during the festive season, try not to put all the festive food (read: pooris, mixtures/chivda/farsaan, parathas, pakodas, biryani's,jelebis,gulab jamuns) on the menu at the same time. Choose two or three items and then balance it out with healthy food.
5. Include salads/raitas and fresh fruits in the menu.
6. Serve fresh juices instead of soda/aerated drinks.
7. Instead of gifting your friends and relatives sweets or chocolates, think healthy and gift them with exotic fresh fruits, fruit bouquets, dry fruits and nuts, gourmet coffees/teas or even some herbal spa products or a spice/flowering plant.

   The idea of celebrating a festival should not be centered on overeating festive food but getting into the spirit of the festival. Eating smart or sensibly through these months will  ensure that you don't end up with health problems in the New Year.
Here's wishing a Happy, HEALTHY and Prosperous Diwali to all !!

Mangalorean Egg Curry(Mutta Curry) makes it to the list of 'Global Dishes'!!

Mangalorean Egg Curry goes Global-try it out at Mangalorean Egg Curry!!

Mangalorean Egg Curry (Mutta Curry)

Mangalore Egg Curry (Mutta Curry)

The Mangalorean Egg Curry is one of the dishes that usually features on my menu whenever I invite eggetarians (ovo-vegetarians) for dinner! It's quick, simple (since I use coconut milk from a can) and a 'sure to be a hit' dish !! I always poach the eggs in the gravy-since I feel that it adds to the taste. But if you don't like the look-you could boil the egg and then put them into the gravy!

Ingredients for Mangalore Egg Curry (serves 4-6):

• Eggs: 6 nos.
• Potato: 1 medium boiled and diced
• Onion: 1 big (finely sliced)
• Tomato: 1 medium (diced)
• Coconut milk: 1 can (I use the thick one not the 'lite')
• Red chilli powder: 4-6 tsp (depending on our spice tolerance)
• Coriander powder: 4 tsp
• Cumin powder: 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: 1tsp

Tempering:

• Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds/ jeera: 1/2 tsp

Method: 

1. Heat the oil in a kadai, add the mustard and cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the turmeric and sliced onions.
2. Add the salt and fry the onions till they are translucent, then add the diced tomatoes and let it cook.
3. Add the red chilli powder, coriander and cumin powder, potatoes and mix well.
4. Add the coconut milk and about a cup of water and simmer. Taste the gravy and then reduce the flame.
5. Carefully break the eggs and drop the contents into the gravy one by one (leaving a little space between each). Cover and cook on a low flame for 6-8 minutes (DO NOT STIR).
6. Once the eggs are cooked switch off.
7. Serve the mutta curry (Mangalore Egg Curry) with rice and a side dish. 

The mutta curry also goes well with phulkas/chapathies.

Mangalore Egg curry with rice

Mooli Ki Sabzi (Dry Radish Curry)

Radish, garlic, green chillies

The recipe and photographs for this simple yet tasty 'Mooli ki Sabzi' (Red Radish Curry) are again courtesy my friend in Oregon-Taranjeet Kaur!! Thanks TJ-and thanks Prateek for tasting and giving a 'thumbs-up' for this recipe. Coming from a person who normally isn't too fond of radish speaks volumes about this dish and Taranjeet's culinary skills :)

Taranjeet's Recipe for 'Mooli ki Sabzi': 

• 2-3 bunches of red radish with leaves
• 1 green chili
• 2-3 cloves garlic (smashed) 
•  1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Oil: 1tsp (enough to sauté the garlic)
• Salt: to taste       

 Method: 

1. Wash and chop the radish and greens.
2. Heat the oil in a pan ,add garlic,sauté for a minute and add turmeric powder.
3. Add the chopped radish .Let it cook for a couple of minutes .
4. Add the leaves and mix it well.
5. Sprinkle salt as per taste. Cook covered for 5 mins.
6. Serve the 'mooli ki sabzi'  hot with roti. This also goes well with rice and moong dal.                                                                           

 'Mooli Ki Sabzi' (Dry Red Radish Curry)

 Thanks TJ- hoping for many more recipes (and photographs)!