April 2016 ~ FOOD NEWS

Saturday 30 April 2016

Japanese Food: Top Dishes from Sashimi to Yakitori Chicken

"The first rule of cooking one learns in Japan is "Sozai o Mamoru" which means to protect an ingredient; or to showcase an ingredient's flavor without masking it", says Chef Niki Nakayama of n/naka in Los Angeles, California. When you pop a sushi roll in your mouth, it is the fresh and honest flavours that woo you. And Japanese cuisine is just that - a celebration of flavours and seasonal ingredients in their pure state, and food is presented as an art.

"A basic Japanese meal, which even I have grown up eating, consists of rice known as 'gohan', miso soup, pickled vegetables and fish or meat", says Chef Takanori Fukuda, from Megu, The Leela Palace, New Delhi. Have you ever eaten a cloud before? Because that's what their rice tastes like, incredibly light on the palate and the stomach. He adds, "As an island nation, the Japanese take great pride in their seafood. A wide variety of fish, squid, octopus, eel, and shellfish appear in all kinds of dishes from sushi to tempura".

Japanese food is usually healthy, fresh and well portioned. Take the bento box for example, one of their most simple dish concepts. It is a single portion meal prepared with rice, meat or fish, and vegetables, designed to include a variety of food sources addressing multiple nutritional needs. It offers a contrast of textures and flavours, and speaks volumes about the careful balance that is applied in Japanese cuisine. The first time I tried the bento box, I marvelled at the myriad textures and flavours released with each bite, then at its rapid disappearance.

By: Rohit On 18:55

Yoga May Reduce Impact of Asthma in Your Life

If you are suffering from asthma, practising yoga may offer some relief from the chronic disease and improve your quality of life, suggests a new research. Asthma is a common chronic disease affecting about 300 million people worldwide. The many typical symptoms of asthma include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath.

"Our findings suggest that yoga exercise may lead to small improvements in asthma quality of life and symptoms," said lead author Zuyao Yang from Chinese University of Hong Kong.The study, published in the journal Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, involved 15 randomised controlled trials which involved 1,048 men and women. Most of the trials were conducted in India, followed by Europe and the US.The majority of participants had mild to moderate asthma for six months to more than 23 years. Six studies looked into the effects of breathing alone during yoga exercise, while the other studies assessed the effects of yoga that included breathing, posture and meditation.Most people continued to take their usual asthma medication while participating in the studies. The studies were conducted over a time period of two weeks to over four years. The researchers found some moderate quality evidence from five studies that yoga exercise reduces the impact of asthma on people's quality of life."However, it is unclear whether yoga has a consistent impact on lung function and we don't yet know if yoga can reduce people's medication usage, or if there are any side-effects of yoga for people with asthma," Yang noted.

By: Rohit On 10:45

Bengali Fish Dishes Perfect For Family Or Friends

This year, for Bengali New Year, I decided to do something very intrinsic to Bengali cuisine -- explore the dimensions of cooking fish.

Shadowed by the rivers, fresh fish is essential and intrinsic to the culinary heritage of the food-obsessed Bengali community. What is most impressive is the sheer diversity of fish preparations that are different and distinct from almost any other part of India.

On the Bengali table, fish is cooked together with the assortment of regional specialties indigenous to the wet, fertile region replete with greens, citrus and coconuts. Coconuts are plentiful and a much-loved ingredient -- and for Bengali people, almost anything tastes better with some coconut.

When cooking with fish, all parts of the fish are used -- from the head to the tail. Different treatments and preparations are used for different parts, showcasing the various tastes and textures. Fastidious Bengali home cooks like to shop for fish daily, usually in the early morning, returning home proudly with the catch of the day and tales of how they managed to get it before it was all gone.

Fish can take diners from starters to the main course without any problem. A traditional meal often commences with an assortment of vegetables and small shrimp, and fish heads or tiny fish are usually added to regular vegetable dishes to add a touch of sweetness, boost the protein and transcend the ordinary into something festive or more formal.

Fish heads are a coveted part of the fish, because their rich omega-3 fatty acid content is associated with promoting intelligence. Although it’s not as popular as it once was, a true Bengali household will reserve the fish head for the children or a new son-in-law. Adding it to lentils elevates it to a celebratory dish.

Needless to say, a fish head cannot be savored without using your hands, so to this end Bengalis enjoy eating fish by gently separating the bones from the flesh.

Curries are, of course, the mainstay of the table, and these range from gentle, nigella-scented vegetable and fish stews to common fish curries enriched with pungent mustard, creamy coconut, rich yogurt and sometimes even lemon.

To showcase the diversity of cooking fish for the Bengali table, here are four traditional but simple recipes that are practical enough for everyday meals.

By: Rohit On 03:48

Friday 29 April 2016

21 Countries Could be Malaria-Free by 2020: WHO

As many as 21 countries, including six in the African region and four of India's neighbours - Bhutan, China, Nepal and Malaysia, could be free of malaria by 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated in a report published today to mark World Malaria Day. One of the goals of WHO's 2016-2030 programme against malaria is to eliminate the disease in at least 10 countries by 2020. To meet this target, a country must achieve at least one year of zero indigenous cases by 2020.

"The 'Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030', approved by the World Health Assembly in 2015, calls for the elimination of local transmission of malaria in at least 10 countries by 2020,” the Geneva-based organisation said in a statement.

"WHO estimates that 21 countries are in a position to achieve this goal, including six countries in the African Region, where the burden of the disease is heaviest,” the statement added.

"Our report shines a spotlight on countries that are well on their way to eliminating malaria,” said Pedro Alonso, director, WHO Global Malaria Programme.

According to the WHO analysis presented in the report, these 21 countries are: Algeria, Belize, Bhutan, Botswana, Cabo Verde, China, Comoros, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Iran, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Paraguay, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Suriname, Swaziland and Timor-Leste.

"WHO commends these countries while also highlighting the urgent need for greater investment in settings with high rates of malaria transmission, particularly in Africa. Saving lives must be our first priority,” Alonso noted.

Since the year 2000, malaria mortality rates have declined by 60 percent globally, the report pointed out. But reaching the next level - elimination - will not be easy, it added.

Nearly half of the world’s population, 3.2 billion people, remain at risk of malaria. Last year alone, 214 million new cases of the disease were reported in 95 countries and more than 400 000 people died of malaria, the report said. To make the world free of the disease, “new technologies must go hand in hand with strong political and financial commitment,” Alonso added.

Reaching the goals of the “Global Technical Strategy” will require a steep increase in global and domestic funding from $2.5 billion today to an estimated $8.7 billion annually by 2030, the report noted.

By: Rohit On 04:48

Thursday 28 April 2016

Pineapple on the Grill: The Secret's in the Spice

By mid-April, when I have grown weary of winter citrus but the bounty of local berries hasn't hit the market yet, I like to turn to the tropics for some sweet, juicy variety. My luscious pineapple dessert not only is packed with island flavor, it satisfies a sweet tooth healthfully as well. Grilling the fruit caramelizes its natural sugars, brings forth its juices and gives it attractive grill marks. A sprinkling of ground allspice adds another dimension with its warm, aromatic Caribbean flair.Once the pineapple comes off the grill, it's topped off with another layer of tropical flavor in the form of coconut whipped cream. I don't use coconut milk because it is more healthful; it isn't necessarily better for you than regular whipped cream.

I use it because it has such an intense, craveable coconut flavor that it makes you see palm trees. Besides, it keeps the dish vegan-friendly.To make it, you refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk for several hours - long enough for the fat to separate and rise to the top of the liquid. Then you scrape off the solid fat and whip it as you would cream, with a touch of sugar. It is so rich and decadent that you need just a little for this recipe. But the rest keeps well in the refrigerator, so you can have it on hand to dollop on those berries, too, when they arrive at last.Grilled Pineapple With Coconut Whipped Cream4 servingsThe pineapple also can be cooked on an outdoor grill. (Remember to brush the grates with oil.) If you have a pineapple corer, use it to remove the core before you cut the pineapple into rings.MAKE AHEAD: The can of coconut milk needs to be refrigerated for at least 5 hours and up to 1 day in advance. You'll have whipped coconut cream left over; it can be refrigerated for at least 1 month. Ellie Krieger likes to refrigerate the beaters she uses for the coconut whipped cream; you can chill them along with the canned coconut milk.From nutritionist and cookbook author Ellie Krieger.IngredientsOne 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar1 fresh whole pineapple1/4 teaspoon ground allspiceCanola oil, for the grill pan2 teaspoons fresh mint leaves (whole or chopped), for garnishStepsChill the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours and up to 1 day.Remove it from the refrigerator without shaking it or moving it too much. Transfer what has congealed at the top to a mixer bowl, being careful not to include any of the liquid. The yield should be about 3/4 cup of solid coconut cream.Add the sugar to the bowl; whip with chilled beaters (optional; see headnote) on medium-high speed (stand mixer or handheld electric mixer) until the coconut cream is glossy and firm enough for a spatula to leave tracks that remain. The yield is about 1 cup.Cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple. Cut away and discard the skin and any brown spots on the fruit. Cut the pineapple flesh crosswise into eight equal slices (about 1/2 inch thick). Use a spoon or apple corer to carve out the center core of each slice to create rings. Sprinkle the allspice evenly over each pineapple ring (on one side only).Brush a large grill pan lightly with the oil and heat the pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches and adjusting the heat as needed, cook the pineapple rings for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until they are nicely browned and grill marks have appeared.To serve, place 2 pineapple rings on each serving dish. Top each with a small dollop (2 teaspoons) of the coconut whipped cream, and garnish with mint.Nutrition | Per serving: 90 calories, 0 g protein, 21 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 16 g sugar.

By: Rohit On 11:34

Wednesday 27 April 2016

The Junk Food Chronicle: Obesity on the Rise Among Rural Children in China

Researchers raised the alarm about an obesity explosion among children in rural China as a Western-style diet high in sugar and carbohydrates starts taking its toll. A 29-year survey of kids in China's eastern Shandong province revealed that 17 percent of boys younger than 19 were obese in 2014, and nine percent of girls - up from under one percent for both genders in 1985.

"This is extremely worrying," the European Society of Cardiology's Joep Perk said of the study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. "It is the worst explosion of childhood and adolescent obesity that I have ever seen."

The data comes from six government surveys of some 28,000 rural school children (aged 7-18) in Shandong. The percentage of overweight boys had grown from 0.7 percent to 16.4 percent, and girls from 1.5 percent to nearly 14 percent, it found. The study used different measures of Body Mass Index (BMI) for overweight and obesity than the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard. BMI is a ratio of weight-to-height squared.

For the UN's health body, a BMI of 25-29.9 is classified as overweight, and from 30 upwards obese. The study authors used a stricter cut-off of 24-27.9 for overweight, and 28 and above for obese.
This means it would be difficult to compare the numbers to other countries, but does not invalidate the fattening trend observed within China itself, said Perk.

"China has experienced rapid socioeconomic and nutritional changes in the past 30 years," study co-author Ying-Xiu Zhang of the Shandong Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement.

"In China today, people eat more and are less physically active than they were in the past. The traditional Chinese diet has shifted towards one that is high in fat and calories and low in fibre."

By: Rohit On 23:47

Tuesday 26 April 2016

Body Polishing at Home: Get a Natural Glow

Body polishing is not only good for the effects it has to soften and moisturize the skin but it also helps exfoliate and smoothen the skin. However, this concept is not really new. When you study about the beauty rituals of the Mughal queens or research about the skin practices followed by the Egyptians, you will find that cleansing grains and exfoliaters made with natural ingredients have been since days bygone.

Wheat, rice flour, semi-precious stones, roots, flowers, herbs, grains, pulses and all have been researched and used on the skin to beautify the body and make it smooth. I would propagate the use of exfoliaters on the body not just to remove dead skin but also to detox, soften and smooth the body.The magic of using an exfoliater or body polisher lies in the right mix of ingredients. You can make a body polisher for detoxing the body, removing blackheads and whiteheads, moisturizing and improving the blood circulation. Here's how to make them at home and get glowing skin naturally.

Body Polish for Improving Blood Circulation

1 cup rice powder

1 cup pounded fresh mint leaves

1 tsp camphor

1 cup oatmeal

10 drops of peppermint oil

Mix all the ingredients well and stir in some cool rose water to make a smooth paste. Apply it all over body and when it is semi-dry scrub off by patting a bit of cold milk onto the skin. Rinse with cold water and you will feel a cool tingling sensation all over.

By: Rohit On 04:32

Monday 25 April 2016

Food for Thought: Are You on a High-Fructose Diet?

To test the effects of fructose and DHA, the researchers trained rats to escape from a maze, and then randomly divided the animals into three groups. For the next six weeks, one group of rats drank water with an amount of fructose that would be roughly equivalent to a person drinking a liter of soda per day. The second group was given fructose water and a diet rich in DHA. The third received water without fructose and no DHA.

After the six weeks, the rats were put through the maze again. The animals that had been given only the fructose navigated the maze about half as fast than the rats that drank only water - indicating that the fructose diet had impaired their memory.

The rats that had been given fructose and DHA, however, showed very similar results to those that only drank water - which strongly suggests that the DHA eliminated fructose's harmful effects.

Other tests on the rats revealed more major differences: The rats receiving a high-fructose diet had much higher blood glucose, triglycerides and insulin levels than the other two groups. Those results are significant because in humans, elevated glucose, triglycerides and insulin are linked to obesity, diabetes and many other diseases.

The research team sequenced more than 20,000 genes in the rats' brains, and identified more than 900 genes that were altered by the fructose. The altered genes they identified, the vast majority of which are comparable to genes in humans, are among those that interact to regulate metabolism, cell communication and inflammation.

Among the conditions that can be caused by alterations to those genes are Parkinson's disease, depression, bipolar disorder, and other brain diseases, Yang said.

By: Rohit On 01:43

Sunday 24 April 2016

Living Around Green Spaces Helps Treat Diabetes Better

A five-10 minute walk in your neighbourhood park can elevate your oxygen levels but if you aim for overall health, try living amid greenery as it can reduce chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension and lipid disorders among the elderly.

The findings revealed that higher levels of greenness around homes is associated with a significantly lower risk of chronic diseases -- a 14-percent risk reduction for diabetes, a 13-percent reduction for hypertension and a 10-percent reduction for lipid disorders."This study builds on our research group's earlier analyses showing block-level impacts of mixed-use and supportive building features on adults and children," said lead study author Scott Brown from the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine in the US.The researchers analysed 2010-2011 health data of nearly 2,50,000 participants over age 65 and a measure of vegetative presence based on NASA satellite imagery."Going from a low to a high level of greenness at the block level is associated with 49 fewer chronic health conditions per 1,000 residents, which is approximately equivalent to a reduction in the biomedical ageing of the study population by three years," Brown added in the paper published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.The findings "illuminate the vital role of parks and greens to health and well-being and point to the critical need for a holistic approach in planning that draws on research", stated Jack Kardys from Miami-Dade County Department of Parks in the US.The research adds to the evidence that higher levels of greenness is associated with better health outcomes.

By: Rohit On 12:55

What We Eat has Bigger Consequences for the Planet Than We Ever Thought

A new report has added to the growing body of research suggesting that what we eat has tremendous consequences for the planet -- and the future of humanity.The paper, which was released this week by the World Resources Institute, examines the environmental effects of making certain changes to global diets, such as shifting toward vegetarianism or simply eating fewer calories, by calculating the resulting impact on agriculture-related greenhouse gas emissions and land use. And it found that ambitious shifts away from animal products could have a dramatic impact on the environment, cutting agricultural land use by about 2.5 million square miles and slashing billions of tons of carbon emissions over time.

The role of food in a sustainable future is an issue that's growing as a global priority, with the world's population expected to exceed 9 billion by the year 2050. Currently, the United Nations estimates that 70 percent more food (as measured in calories) will be needed by that point to feed everyone. Meeting this "food gap" in sustainable and climate-friendly ways, however, will be very difficult.In this context, the new study analyzes three broad types of diet shifts: reducing the overall over-consumption of calories; reducing the amount of protein consumed from animal-based foods as a whole; and simply reducing the amount of beef consumed. Within each of these shifts, the authors proposed two or three specific scenarios representing more or less ambitious goals.For example, in the shift that proposed reducing over-consumption, the researchers proposed two alternate scenarios. The first was to cut calorie consumption in such a way that obesity would be totally eliminated and the number of overweight people would be halved (the more ambitious scenario). The second, more modest proposal, was to halve both the number of obese and overweight people.More and less modest scenarios were proposed for the other two diet shifts as well. The researchers relied on a global biophysical model called the GlobAgri model to calculate the environmental impacts of each scenario. The model takes into account the carbon footprint associated with agricultural production -- emissions produced by farm equipment or belched by farm animals -- as well as emissions associated with land-use change, such as the deforestation that can accompany agricultural expansion.Overall, the study found that each shift came with its own set of environmental benefits. The greatest of these came from reducing the overall consumption of animal-based protein.The most ambitious of these scenarios proposed reducing animal-based protein consumption in all parts of the world where consumption (from any food source) exceeded 60 grams of protein and 2,500 calories daily -- targeting 1.9 billion people worldwide in total. The proposed shift would bring these populations' protein consumption down to exactly 60 grams daily by reducing only animal-based protein in the diet.The results of this scenario included a 13 percent reduction in total agricultural land use and a 10 percent reduction in agriculture-related greenhouse gas emissions.The report's authors have acknowledged that reducing all animal consumption would likely be much more difficult than just cutting down on beef, which is what was proposed in the third major diet shift. This shift also came with substantial environmental benefits -- about a 6 percent reduction in both agricultural land use and emissions in the most ambitious scenario.The authors didn't choose beef for this specific scenario at random. Out of all the animal products consumed across the world, a reduction in beef is likely to make the biggest single impact. The report points out that total emissions associated with cattle raising are greater than those produced by most countries -- and nearly half the land used for all meat and dairy production in the world is associated with beef production.Still, warned Janet Ranganathan, WRI's vice president for science and research and one of the paper's authors, the report is not intended to encourage total vegetarianism worldwide. And even the most ambitious shifts for beef and other animal product reductions don't call for a global zero-meat policy."We're trying to advocate for small shifts that can have a significant impact on people's environmental footprint," she said.The focus on land use is an aspect of the report that hasn't appeared in many other studies of diet shifts, said Marco Springmann, a researcher in Oxford University's Future of Food program who was not involved with the new report. Springmann recently published his own study on the environmental impacts of a shift away from meat-based diets, research he said focused more on health and climate change benefits, but not so much on land-related issues.He cautioned, however, that land use can be a tricky thing to focus on."Most of the time, we imagine that changes in future food production will be met by both the use of new land, but also by more intensive use of existing land," he said, noting that predictions about which of these solutions will be applied to an increase in the production of any given food source are difficult to make. But while he noted that these difficulties may mean the report's estimates on land use changes are a bit extreme, he said it was overall a good inclusion.To help encourage dietary shifts, the report also includes a tool called the "shift wheel," which provides tactics the food industry can use to influence consumer purchasing. Broadly, these tactics include advertising and selling products in ways that maximize their benefits and minimize their disruption to the consumer's normal lifestyle or buying habits.The report's proposed tactics are meant to target barriers to the consumer at the point of sale by helping companies within the food industry directly encourage different choices.This approach has also not often been used by other studies on diet shifts, said Springmann, the Oxford researcher. "In a lot of other papers, they appeal more to policymakers and tough regulations, so it's nice that there is also a paper that speaks more to industries that want to market their product," he said.How feasible any of the proposed shifts are, on the other hand, remains to be seen. Ranganathan emphasized that the report was meant to explore the impacts of small shifts, which could be made palatable to large groups of people -- and Springmann agreed that this type of approach may be best in the future.

By: Rohit On 01:41

Saturday 23 April 2016

Many people experience problems with the skin

Many people experience problems with the skin and vision in their lifetime. If you have the same problem as these people, we suggest that you try this highly potent recipe for skin rejuvenation and eye care and enjoy its benefits.

The combination of this ingredients will reduce your diopter and it may even help you finally get rid of those glasses. This home remedy will not only sharpen your vision, but also will rejuvenate your skin and will give you a nice and young look.

It is easy to make, super-cheap and affordable, so everyone can make it at home. The best thing is that the ingredients you need are healthy and natural.
Recipe For Skin Rejuvenation And Perfect Eye Vision

Ingredients:
7 oz/200ml flaxseed oil
2 lemons
3 garlic cloves
2 lbs / 1 kg raw honey
7 oz/200ml water
Preparation:

Peel and boil the lemons. Add the ground garlic in. Finally, add the honey and flax seed oil, and stir well. Pour the mixture into a jar and make sure you keep it in a cool and dark place, preferably in your fridge. Take a tablespoon before your meals. Do not forget to stir it once in a while, using wooden or plastic spoon, never metal, as it can destroy the nutrients.

Respondents who have enjoyed the benefits of this remedy say that their diopter has improved from -4 to -2. This recipe also improved their skin condition, so their skin became smooth and soft.

This remedy has also proven to be beneficial for those who struggle with hair loss, because they have soon noticed that their hair has stopped falling off. Respondents also said that this remedy significantly improved their hair quality, giving their hair a nice and healthy shine.

By: Rohit On 11:11

Higher Fructose in Pregnancy Ups Kids' Heart Disease Risk

Would-be mothers please take note! Women who consume foods rich in fructose or fruit sugar levels can put their babies at risk of developing heart disease as adults, finds a new study."We found that when the mother has a high intake of fructose in her diet throughout pregnancy, her offspring is more at risk of developing adult obesity, high blood pressure and metabolic dysfunction, all of which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease," said lead author Antonio Saad from University of Texas, in US.The findings revealed that higher levels of fruit sugar could also have an impact on future generations, and especially for female children.

The team investigated throughout pregnancy, the impact of higher levels of fructose consumption in mice on their offspring when they are adults.When pregnant mice were exposed to water sweetened with fructose -- a common sweetener in foods and beverages -- their offspring showed several more risk factors for heart disease, compared with mice that only drank water throughout pregnancy.Both female and male offspring in the fructose group exhibited peak glucose levels as well as higher blood pressure.In addition, female offspring of the fructose group showed heavier and higher percentages of abdominal fat tissue, liver fat and insulin resistance as well as lower concentrations of leptin compared with their water group counterparts.Previous studies have found a connection between fructose consumption and the rise in rates of cardiovascular disease, obesity and Type 2 diabetes. The findings were detailed in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.The team measured the percent of abdominal fat tissue and liver fat using computed tomography, or CT, scanning in mice, which were fed only water or a 10 percent fructose drink that mimics the level of fructose in most soft drinks.Limiting intake of high fructose-enriched foods and beverages during pregnancy may have a great impact on the child's future health, the researchers suggested.The study could have worldwide implications for people because a large proportion of processed foods and carbonated beverages contain high-fructose syrup and other fructose-based sweeteners, they added.

By: Rohit On 02:06

Friday 22 April 2016

What Are the Benefits of Eating Almonds Daily?

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You've heard this before, almonds are one of the healthiest nuts. Our grandmothers have told us time and again not to forget those almonds she diligently soaked a night before.Health experts agree, they are packed with protein, Vitamin E, minerals and monounsaturated fats that have been shown to boost heart health.

A new study supports the same. According to a team of American researchers, eating a moderate amount of almonds every day may enrich the diets of adults and young children. "Almonds are a good source of plant protein - essential fatty acids, vitamin E and magnesium," said Alyssa Burns, a doctoral student at University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences in US. For the 14-week study, scientists gave almonds daily to 29 pairs of parents and children. Most of the adults were mothers with an average age of 35, while their children were between 3 and 6 years old. The children were encouraged to consume 0.5 ounces of almond butter daily. Parents were given 1.5 ounces of almonds per day. Participants ate almonds for a few weeks, then they resumed eating their typical intake, which included other foods as snacks. Researchers based their conclusions about improved dietary intake on participants' scores on the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), a tool used to measure diet quality and adherence to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Researchers used an online dietary recall to find out what adults had eaten and how much. That way, researchers could measure diet quality, Burns said. When parents and children were eating almonds, their HEI increased for total protein foods, seafood and plant proteins and fatty acids, Burns said, while they ate fewer empty calories. Parents also decreased sodium intake. Parents and children consumed more vitamin E and magnesium when eating almonds, she said. "Almonds are equally nourishing raw or soaked. When soaked overnight the germination process starts in these seeds so the quality of proteins may show some improvement. By replacing one snack with one ounce of almonds, you are removing empty calorie dense food with a nutrient dense alternative," suggests Dr. Rupali Datta, Chief Clinical Nutritionist at Fortis-Escorts Hospital. Talking about the benefits of eating almonds everyday she adds, "They are sources of unsaturated fats, high-quality vegetable protein, fiber, minerals, tocopherols, phytosterols, and phenolic compounds. By virtue of their nutritional composition they are potent health boosters. Clinical studies across the worlds have shown the positive effect of nuts on cardiovascular risk factors, weight management and to a lesser extent on cancer, inflammation and hypertension."

By: Rohit On 04:17

Thursday 21 April 2016

The Fidgety, Bored, Tired, Frustrated Person's Guide to Meditation

If you're not already into meditation, there's something slightly comical about trying to do it. You have to think about thinking. Or, stop thinking about thinking. Or think about not thinking. What you're mostly thinking is "Why can't I meditate?"Which happens to be the title of Nigel Wellings's new book (subtitle: "How to Get Your Mindfulness Practice on Track").

Wellings, a British psychoanalytic psychotherapist who's been interested in meditation since he was a teenager 40 years ago, aims his book not at skeptics or raw beginners but at the many people who perceive the value of meditation, who have tried it, maybe taken a class, but can't keep it up. As a frustrated student named Tess puts it: "My mind still goes blah, blah, blah!"There are more than 300 pages of explanation, anecdotes, encouragement, examples and so on, but let's jump to the end of the book, where there's a "Quick-Fix Chart for the Struggling Meditator."Problem: Can't find time to meditate every day. Possible solution: Don't wait for the meditation mood to strike you - do it routinely, like brushing your teeth, whether you feel like it or not.Problem: Falling asleep. Possible solution: Keep your eyes open. Or try meditating while walking.Problem: Boredom. Possible solution: Be mindful of the experience of boredom itself - what is it like? (That's also a possible solution for being distracted, Wellings says - the biggest problem for would-be meditators. "A distraction you are mindfully aware of . . . is not a distraction - it is your object of mindfulness.")Problem: Disappointment, the feeling that meditation just isn't working for you. Possible solution: Cultivate loving kindness toward yourself. Be patient. Develop a sense of humor.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

By: Rohit On 11:00

Wednesday 20 April 2016

Health Ministry & Indian Medical Association to Set Up a Working Group to Tackle Healthcare Issues

Health Ministry in collaboration with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) will form a first of its kind working group to evaluate and address major healthcare problems in the country. This was announced by Health Minister J P Nadda, who also sought help of IMA members to fight the major health battles faced by the Indian population. Mr. Nadda addressed the IMA's annual Central Council meeting the NATCON 2015.

"Never in the history of the IMA has a joint committee of this nature been formed between the IMA and the Government of India. We are extremely hopeful that together we will be able to find effective solutions to major healthcare issues being faced in our country.

"Some of these include the high prevalence of water and food-borne diseases, increase in percentage of women smokers, epidemics such as dengue and swine flu as well as the increased incidences of lifestyle diseases in people as early as in their late twenties and thirties," the statement said.

"This will be a great boon for the Indian consumer at large for now medical devices will become more affordable and accessible even to the lower strata of the society. We believe that access to healthcare is a basic fundamental right of each and every Indian citizen under article 21 of the Indian constitution and no person must die of disease just because they cannot afford treatment," Dr KK Aggarwal, Secretary General of IMA, said.

The IMA Central Council meeting was attended by over 1000 doctors who, over a two day period, discussed issues affecting the Indian medical community, including increased cases of violence against doctors, un-warranted media trials, redundant laws that need urgent amendments as well as commercialization of the medical practice by its inclusion under the Consumer Protection Act.

By: Rohit On 21:17

How Yogurt (Curd) Can Help You Keep Cool this Summer

"Did you notice that the dahi (Indian curd) in chaat is always sweet," said Manjit Gill, corporate chef of the ITC Hotels group, while we enjoyed some Delhi papdi chaat, aloo tikkiand gol gappe at the unlikely location of a 5-star resort in Manesar, far removed from the crowded lanes of old Delhi.

According to Chef Gill,chaats, the popular street food of North India, were allegedly invented about 400 years ago in old Delhi when the Mughal rulers wanted to come up with a dish that helped counter water-borne diseases. The sweetness in dahi is because adding salt to yogurt leads to acidity, explained Gill, and hence salt in dahi is a no no. Today, we go to stores and buy probiotic curd as it is said to be good for digestion. However, Indian cooking traditions always knew that curd was good for health, this is nothing new to us.

I was in Delhi for the weekend recently and it was really (really) hot and dry there. Curd came to the rescue again, as I politely refused the wine and beer offered with meals and went for the lassi instead. Lassi is Punjab's flagship drink, made with curd and water churned together as the base. After hearing Gill out, I asked for the sweet lassi and not a salted one. What I noticed about the lassi at Delhi in places such as the United Coffee House at Connaught Place and the legendary Bukhara, as well as the lassis I have had in farmhouses outside Amritsar and at dhaabas such as Kesar Dhaba, is that they tend to be lighter and frothier and less sweeter than the lassisone gets in Mumbai. And they are a lot more refreshing too.

By: Rohit On 01:58

Tuesday 19 April 2016

Magnesium Plays Role in Regulating Body's Internal Clock

Magnesium in our diet has an unexpected role in regulating body's internal clock and metabolism, finds a study."Although the clinical relevance of magnesium in various tissues is beginning to garner more attention, how magnesium regulates our body's internal clock and metabolism has simply not been considered before.

The new discovery could lead to a whole range of benefits spanning human health to agricultural productivity," added senior study author John O'Neill of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge.Magnesium -- a nutrient found in many foods -- helps control how cells keep their own form of time to cope with the day-night cycle. The discovery is expected to be linked to the body clock, which influences the daily cycle of sleeping and waking, hormone release, body temperature and other important bodily functions in people.Researchers used molecular analysis and found that concentrations of magnesium rose and fell in a 24-hour cycle in all cell types and that this impacts on the cells' internal clocks."Internal clocks are fundamental to all living things. They influence many aspects of health and diseases in our body, but equally in plants and micro-organisms," said lead study author Gerben van Ooijen from the University of Edinburgh's School of Biological Sciences."It is now essential to find out how these fundamentally novel observations translate to whole tissue or organisms, to make us better equipped to influence them in complex organisms for future medical and agricultural purposes," Ooijen added in the paper, published in the journal Nature.The team examined three major types of biological organisms -- human cells, algae and fungi. They found in each case that levels of magnesium in cells rise and fall in a daily cycle and this oscillation was critical to sustain the 24-hour clock in cells.They were surprised to discover that it also had an enormous impact on metabolism in cells -- how fast cells can convert nutrients into energy -- throughout the course of a day.The surprising discovery may aid the development of chronotherapy -- treatment scheduled according to time of day -- in people and the development of new crop varieties with increased yields or adjustable harvesting seasons.

By: Rohit On 03:26

Sunday 17 April 2016

Chicken Ghee Roast: Mangalore's Pride and Joy

When I was moving house the second last time, after having lived in one of the convenient parts of town for nearly seven years, a few of my friends had one request, "Can you please find a flat that is close to Coast II Coast? We need our regular fix of Chicken Ghee Roast and neer dosa.” Even today, when I don’t live within the easy reach of this restaurant, the combination of ghee roast and neer dosa is one of the most frequent suggestions made, when the invariable question - “what do we eat?” - comes up.

This Mangalorean delicacy, credited to have originated in Kundapura district, and in the kitchen of the famous Shetty Lunch Home, is one of the hottest selling, and most loved dishes of the cuisine. What is Indian food without its spices? And the case of the chicken ghee roast is no different; it’s the Kundapur masala that makes it stand out, and the ghee of course.

From the ‘secret’ combination of spices in the one found at Shetty Lunch home, to the subtle flavours at Kanua on Sarjapur Road, the posh upgrade at Karavalli at The Gateway Hotel, to the absolutely simple and home-style version at Bekal in Indiranagar – the Chicken Ghee Roast in the city has found its way to small hole-in-the-wall joints, to pubs, and five star hotels. In fact, few Mangalorean restaurants in the city don’t have it on the menu, with each place serving their own rendition of the dish.

Author Jane M D’Souza, who’s an expert on Mangalorean catholic cuisine, says in her book that there is no such thing as an ‘original’ recipe. “The dish originated in the Mangalorean Bunt community yes, but that community is a dynamic one that sees an overlap of Hindu, Muslim, and Christian cultures. Therefore, one naturally adapts from the other, and almost every community of the area has its version of the Chicken Ghee Roast. My recipe for instance is a mix of each of these cultures, and an experimentation of variations over time. In fact, only recently I began to include a squeeze of lemon juice, along with the curd and turmeric in the marinade. The result has been great," she writes in Jane's Cook Book.

What goes into the marinade of this delightful preparation? It’s mostly curd, turmeric powder, jaggery, dry red chillies (a combination of Kashmiri red or Bydagi, and Guntur), black peppercorn, cloves, fenugreek (methi) seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, garlic, and tamarind paste. Plus, you need curry leaves for tempering, and quite a bit of ghee of course. And as D’Souza says, you could also add a little lemon juice to the marinade.

D’Souza says that in her recipe, she omits the fennel seeds. “While the marinade of curd, turmeric powder and salt stands the same in most recipes, variations appear in the use of chillies, onions and sometimes fennel seeds. In my version of the recipe, I use a mix of Bydagi and Kashmiri chillies in the masala. I do not skimp on the ghee and ensure that I use a lot of curry leaves when frying the masala as this adds an additional dimension to the taste and makes for the perfect spoon to wipe a plate clean of all the masala.”

The Kundapura Masala, which is pretty much makes the chicken ghee roast what it is today can be found on the shelves and that means you don’t have to go through the arduous process of grinding all the spices, and prepping them.

A cook by passion, and profession, Vishal Shetty’s version of this Mangalorean dish is slightly different. “Typically, I make a paste with Bydagi chillies, garlic, and jeera. But first, I soak them for a bit and boil it. In the meanwhile, I half-steam the chicken with turmeric and salt and then sauté the masala paste well with ghee, add the chicken and let it cook. I also use curry leaves or sometimes coriander leaves for the tempering. I don’t always add curd, but if I do, it’s towards the end to add a bit of tanginess to the dish.”

Journalist, and a passionate cook, Anupama B, who also happens to be my private supplier of Chicken Ghee Roast should a moment of desperation arise, began making the Mangalore or Kundapur Ghee Roast Chicken after “my friends started singing ‘hosannas’ to this dish they had tried at Mangalorean restaurants. She says her ‘Mangalore-ness’ was called into question because she had never served this dish at her home. “And with good reason. This is a dish that’s a signature in Bunt homes, and my Saraswat Brahmin ethnicity was being whitewashed again with the generic Mangalorean term. Since I loved the dish too, I asked my Bunt friends to share this recipe with me and what I make at home and is much requested by my friends, is an improvised version of all the recipes for Mangalore Ghee Roast I have in my handwritten recipe book.”

And while Mangalorean cuisine uses coconut generously in their food, the ghee roast is quite unique in that way. This one ideally is not cooked in coconut oil, or uses coconut. Anupama, however, does add a little coconut to her recipe. She also doesn’t cook the dish with ghee only, using it only towards the end of fragrance and flavour.

There are two ways to make this dish; the first is the long and from-scratch way, and the second calls for snipping open a Kundapur chicken masala packet. “The masala I use is not branded, and is sourced from Mangalore,” she adds.

When it comes to picking the best place to find this dish, people have their favourites. While Shetty says she’s likes the one at Coast II Coast, Anupama’s favourite would be Shetty Lunch Home at Kundapur. D’Souza, however, says that the best she ever had was a Bunt friend’s home. “I believe that no restaurant can create a Chicken Ghee Roast to beat the ones made in a home. The aroma and the flavour of what I ate at my friend’s daughter’s wedding has remained with me for more than 15 years.”
And as far as I am concerned, I will go anywhere for a good Chicken Ghee Roast, even if that means packing an overnight bag.

By: Rohit On 03:15

Saturday 16 April 2016

How Restaurants in Bengal are Celebrating Poila Baisakh

Poila Baisakh is the first day of the Bengali calendar. In Bengali, the word Poila means ‘first’ and Boishakh refers to the first month of the Bengali calendar. The festival is celebrated as the Bengali New Year.

As the city of Kolkata took a break today to celebrate Poila Baisakh, the Bengali new year, stand
alone eateries and restaurants of major hotels rolled out new dishes to greet the Bengali gourmet. Typical Bengali vegetarian and non-vegetarian items were served in some restaurants while lip-smacking street foods took center stage in some. 'Sonargaon' of Taj Bengal offered some of the specialties of the region like Topse Fish Fry, Kosha Mangsho, Echorer Kaliya, Shukto, Radha Bolobi, Kacha Aam ki Chutney. Another restaurant in the same hotel, 'The Junction' introduced a specially crafted menu drawing heavily from street food items - Machher Chop, Mangshor Chop, Mochar Chop to Postor Boda.

Bringing together two provinces of different frontiers, the Park Plaza introduced the 'Kapurthala to Kolkata' culinary journey where Macchi Amritsari, Masala Aloo Dum, Sarson Ka Saag will complement Chingri Malai Curry, Kadai Chicken and Doi Potol, The culinary route, reflecting the nature of both Punjabis and Bengalis to celebrate life, can be explored from April 13 to April 23. At Saptapadi Restaurant, fusion is the buzz word with typical Bengali items like Mochar Tarkari has been given a Latin American spin in 'Tex Mex Nachos With Refried Mocha'.

There are also other interesting dishes on the menu like 'Ranga Aloo, Karai Suti, Mangshor Pie' (A Scottish dish made with Bengal mutton and sweet potato served with garlic bread and house salad) along with 'Baked Dab Chingri Alaska' and 'Ilish Steak'. The chef and co-owner Ranjan Biswas said, "Timeless songs from Uttam-Suchitra films will be played in the background while the food is served on earthenware cutlery."

'Durbari' and 'Café Swiss' of the Swissôtel offers a a lavish spread of Bengali dishes at the ongoing 'Bengali Food Festival' like Gaach pathar chop (Crumb fried jackfruit patty), Agune Pora Parshe (Parshe fish marinated with freshly ground spices and cooked in tandoor), Posto Diye Potoler Dolma (Stuffed sweet gourd cooked in spicy poppy seed gravy). The festival is also majorly celebrated across Assam, Jharkhand and Odisha.

By: Rohit On 03:36

Friday 15 April 2016

5 Incredible Fenugreek Benefits: From Lowering Cholesterol to Aiding Digestion

Beautiful green leaves with a distinct sweet smell, fenugreek is actually one of the oldest cultivated medicinal plants. Commonly known as ‘methi’ in Indian households, it is a prized ingredient in the culinary world, and can be used as a herb, a spice (seeds) or a vegetable (fresh leaves and sprouts).

How to use fenugreek

India is the largest producer of this ancient herb with over eighty percent of the production centered in Rajasthan. You'll mostly find it as fresh leaves in the market or as a cuboid-shaped, yellow-to-amber coloured seed. The seeds or methi-dana are used as a flavour enhancer while the leaves are used to make leafy delicacies. The quintessential 'Aloo Methi' is a household name synonymous with homely deliciousness. In South India, methi seeds are ground into powder or used whole in various delicacies to boost the flavour of the dish by that extra mile. "You could splutter a little methi-dana in oil and use it to flavour anything from rice to vegetables like okra and even fish (cooked in mustard oil). Or you can add another layer of flavour to fresh chutneys — that can balance sweet, sour and bitter, with the addition of this ingredient," suggests Food Blogger Anoothi Vishal.

Fenugreek in home remedies

No ingredient in an Indian kitchen is truly useful unless it is used as a part of a magical home remedy. Fenugreek seeds contain protein and nicotinic that are extremely useful against hair fall, dandruff and are also known to help in treating a variety of scalp issues like dryness of hair, baldness and hair thinning. It contains large amounts of lecithin as well, which hydrates your hair and strengthens the roots. You can make a hair mask by grinding fenugreek seeds into a paste or you could even soak them in water overnight and later use the strained liquid to rinse your hair.

By: Rohit On 11:29

Thursday 14 April 2016

A Dangerous Chemical Lurking in Your Fast Food

Junk food addicts, take note! People who consume more fast food are exposed to higher levels of potentially harmful chemicals known as phthalates, a new study has warned.

"People who ate the most fast food had phthalate levels that were as much as 40 per cent higher. Our findings raise concerns because phthalates have been linked to a number of serious health problems in children and adults," said Ami Zota from George Washington University in the US.

Phthalates belong to a class of industrial chemicals used to make food packaging materials, tubing for dairy products, and other items used in the production of fast food. Other research suggests these chemicals can leach out of plastic food packaging and can contaminate highly processed food.

Researchers looked at data on 8,877 participants who had answered detailed questions about their diet in the past 24 hours, including consumption of fast food. These participants also had provided researchers with a urinary sample that could be tested for the breakdown products of two specific phthalates - DEHP and DiNP. They found that the more fast food participants in the study ate, the higher was the exposure to phthalates. People in the study with the highest consumption of fast food had 23.8 per cent higher levels of the breakdown product for DEHP in their urine sample.

Those same fast food lovers had nearly 40 per cent higher levels of DiNP metabolites in their urine compared to people who reported no fast food in the 24 hours prior to the testing, researchers said They also discovered that grain and meat items were the most significant contributors to phthalate exposure.

According to Zota, the grain category contained a wide variety of items including bread, cake, pizza, burritos, rice dishes and noodles. She also noted that other studies have also identified grains as an important source of exposure to these potentially harmful chemicals. Researchers also looked for exposure to another chemical found in plastic food packaging - Bisphenol A (BPA).

They believe that exposure to BPA can lead to health and behaviour problems, especially for young children. This study found no association between total fast food intake and BPA. However, researchers found that people who ate fast food meat products had higher levels of BPA than people who reported no fast food consumption. The findings were published in the journal Environmental
Health Perspectives.

By: Rohit On 23:43

Songkran Festival 2016: Celebrate with these Top 10 Thai Foods

The Songkran festival is celebrated every year in Thailand from 13th to 15th April, and this year it falls on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. This festival marks the traditional New Year's Day. On the day of Songkran, people often visit local temples and offer food to the Buddhist monks. Did you know that the iconic ritual for this holiday is actually pouring water over Buddha statues? It apparently represents the washing away of all sins and bad omens. Younger people also engage in water fights for fun, and pour water over the palms of elders’ hands as a sign of respect.

Just like Deborah Cater had rightly put, “You have to taste a culture to understand it”. Presenting: Our top 10 Thai foods for you to celebrate Songkran Festival 2016. Ever wondered what makes Thai cuisine so special? It’s perhaps the rich curries or the explosion of flavours that make it such a rage across the globe. Home-Chef Malini Sawhney says, “Thai cuisine is all about balancing bold flavours - a unique mix of hot, sour, sweet and bitter tastes. And my personal favourite ingredient? Coconut milk. It works brilliantly to accentuate the piquancy of Thai food”. Exotic notes are brought about in each dish by blending aromatic lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and galangal. Thai food is like a celebration of the fresh and fragrant.

Without further ado, we bring you our 10 best Thai recipes. From a scrumptiously simple Som Tum Salad to a heavenly Massaman Curry, every dish is indeed a gastronomic delight. Start cooking, stop drooling!

By: Rohit On 01:39

Wednesday 13 April 2016

EU Safety Experts Say Cherry Insecticide Could Carry Health Risk

Dimethoate, an insecticide widely used to protect crops such as cherries, could be harmful to humans, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which advises EU policymakers.The report follows a request from France, which is calling for a Europe-wide ban of the substance made by companies including Germany's BASF and Cheminova, part of FMC. Neither firm had immediate comment.

The substance is found in products used on a range of fruit and vegetables, but France raised particular concerns about cherries for which it is used to combat fruit fly. According to EFSA, there is a lack of information, but it said it could not exclude "a potential long-term consumer health risk resulting from residues".

It cited concerns about toxicity for human health and some U.S. scientific research has found a cancer risk. France in February banned on its soil a dimethoate-based pesticide used to treat cherries, prompting an outcry from French farmers who say there is no viable alternative.

In a statement on Monday, French Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll called for emergency EU-wide measures to prevent the use of products containing dimethoate and the marketing of cherries grown using them. A European Commission spokesman said the Commission would analyse the report and it would be debated at a closed-door meeting of experts representing the 28 EU member states.

By: Rohit On 03:08

Tuesday 12 April 2016

Here's Why You Should Pay Attention to Your Food

Chefs, restaurateurs, and people I dine with are sometimes surprised by how I remember dishes that I had eaten years ago. As a food writer, you are expected to remember tastes. But why this food memory should go back that far is something even I don’t understand fully. One big reason, however, could be that those of us in the business of decoding food and flavours are perhaps more tuned to eat mindfully. Of course, you do not need to be a food writer to appreciate the benefits of mindful eating. Remembering the flavours of what you are eating may or may not happen, if you pay attention to the bites. What will certainly happen, on the other hand, is better and healthier eating. If you are in the habit of eating a bowl of meal in front of the telly, watching your favourite show, abandon it right away. Take some time out, sit at a table and munch slowly, savouring each flavour and the experience.

All nutritionists will tell you that one reason why we land up making bad food choices is because of emotional eating. Feeling low: dig into that bag of chips and wine. Feeling bored: hog on instant noodles. Feeling stressed: reach for that bar of chocolate… All these are examples of not eating mindfully. As is eating on automation—ignoring your body cues, following set patterns and timings and eating when you are not hungry. Or, skipping meals and then eating when you are ravenous. You cannot pay attention to food when your instinct is screaming at you to tank up immediately!

Fortunately, with more emphasis on eating well and living well, many of us are gradually moving towards mindful eating. Go to upscale restaurants, and you will realise that consuming habits in India have been changing and the premium is now on quality and not quantity. People, at least those affluent enough to take care of themselves, are now increasingly careful of each morsel they put in.

Which is also why we have those sundry fads dominating the business of food and restaurants: superfoods like quinoa, goji berries, chia seeds, spirulina, and seaweed have busted the charts in global popularity. And while you may have started on some of these, mindful eating also means that you relook at your foods and where they are sourced from; ingredients that notch up the carbon miles may not be a great idea. Go local.

By: Rohit On 00:32

Monday 11 April 2016

Best Restaurants in Gurgaon

Over the last few years, the food scene in Gurgaon has literally transformed itself. Blink, and there's a new restaurant on the block; but what is most exciting are the evolving trends across cuisines that make the dining experience even more memorable. While some culinary experts are trying to reinvent and bring in the new, others take a step back and decide to celebrate something familiar. We've shortlisted the 10 best restaurants in Gurgaon, which have created a space in the hearts of diners, and stood the test of time.

1. Di Ghent Café
Cost for two: Rs. 1250 (exclusive of taxes)

Enter Di Ghent Cafe and you’re blown away with the whiff of freshly baked bread wafting through the air, the vibrant energy and the sound of the chatter. It’s a lovely restaurant space, with huge glass windows, and morphs effortlessly from mid-morning to lunch and from there to afternoon coffee and onto dinner; by accident or by design. And that’s more than you can for most restaurants in the vicinity. Di Ghent Cafe has an excellent breakfast menu featuring a wide variety of Eggs, Bagels, Croissants, Pancakes and Waffles with toppings galore. I highly recommend their Creamy Carbonara Pasta, Bacon Wrapped Chicken spruced up with a splash of red wine, and their Guislain Panini bursting with flavours of pesto and sundried tomatoes. Your raison d’etre for visiting this cafe? Their waffles, hands down. You can also just walk in for a great cup of coffee (easily the best in Gurgaon), with some freshly baked muffins or cinnamon rolls on the side.

By: Rohit On 00:11

Saturday 9 April 2016

Eat Walnuts to Keep Age-Related Health Issues at Bay

Daily consumption of walnuts can help in healthy ageing, while also improving the blood cholesterol levels and maintaining good gut health, finds a new study.

The findings showed that intake of walnuts, especially by the elderly, can boost the good fats and other nutrients as well as lower obesity and blood cholesterol levels.Initially found to increase body weight, the study's preliminary results demonstrated that daily consumption of walnuts for one year by a sizable cohort of older adults had no adverse effects on their body weight."Given that walnuts are a high-energy food, a prevailing concern has been that their long-term consumption might be associated with weight gain," said Emilio Ros, director of the Lipid Clinic, Endocrinology and Nutrition Service at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Spain.For the study, the team instructed 707 healthy older adults to add daily doses of walnuts (approximately 15 percent of caloric intake) to their typical diet or to consume their usual diet without nuts.The participants were not given advice on total calorie and macronutrient intake or food substitution for walnuts. After a year, both groups showed similar results for weight gain, triglycerides and HDL (or 'good') cholesterol, but those eating walnuts experienced significant LDL (or 'bad') cholesterol reductions."We will further assess how walnut consumption may affect, among other outcomes, cognitive decline and age-related macular degeneration, conditions that were major public health concerns," Ros added.

By: Rohit On 12:43

Thursday 7 April 2016

Eating in Front of the TV? Here's Why You Should Pay Attention to Your Food

Similarly, kale and goji berries may be fashionable but instead of paying those huge mark-ups to food marketers, why should we not choose local, seasonal strawberries that are also packed with phytochemicals, and simple palak, spinach greens to be part of our daily diets? Traditional practices of cooking with only seasonal ingredients in Indian kitchens or consuming only seasonal fruit ensured a balanced and nutritious diet round the year. Eating guavas and oranges in winter, melons and mangoes in summer, singhada in the monsoon are all instances of mindful eating that we need to get back to.

Local gastronomy is a big trend in the world of gourmet dining. But what the champions of “Californian” style food, or Noma tourists tend to forget is that all these “high cuisines” are based on front-footing local ingredients. Having arctic ants and foraged foods on fancy plates may be utterly chic. But the chic-ness is firmly rooted in a philosophy of food that takes pride in the local context: instead of importing lemon from southern Italy, use arctic ants to give the same flavour!

Cooking fresh food in the kitchen instead of relying on processed foods is also a healthy traditional practice that we need to go back to. Cooking up MasterChef inspired dishes may be a new fad in metropolitan India and if you are an inventive cook, you may want to rustle up some of those dishes for your parties. But simple, home-style dishes have their own virtues. The spices that we used with particular vegetables, the many cooking oils of each region flavourful and nutritious in different ways, slow cooking techniques… all the ways in which our families cooked before the globalisation of the palate began changing our ways of eating were particularly attuned to our bodies and minds. To be cognizant of these is mindful eating too. And healthy.

By: Rohit On 23:21

World Health Day 2016: How to Tackle Diabetes Before it Happens

An initiative of the World Health Organisation, World Health Day is celebrated on 7th April to spread awareness about global health issues. It is observed by all member states of the World Health Organization (WHO). Each year it rolls out a new campaign and engages people all across the world. Last year, the focus was on food safety. The goal of World Health Day 2016 is to scale up diabetes prevention, strengthen care, and enhance surveillance.
The Alarming Incidence of Diabetes in India

India leads the diabetes epidemic in the world with an estimated 66.5 million people living with diabetes. Studies have shown that not only is a significant proportion of our population IS predisposed to diabetes, on an average diabetes in Indians sets in at least 10-15 years prior compared to individuals of most other countries. The treatment for diabetes is lifelong, so it is best to adopt preventive measures earlier and save yourself the hassle of taking medication later. Through simple lifestyle changes, you can reduce the risk of developing diabetes and can even reverse it in the early stages.With the rising income levels among urban Indians, there is a corresponding decline in health. Factors such as urbanization, increment in wealth, higher anxiety levels, inactive lifestyles, no or little exercise, excessive consumption of calorie-rich foods and inadequate nourishment, are the main reasons for high incidence of diabetes cases in India. Together, these variables lead to obesity and excessive weight gain. While majority of the diabetes patients in India are middle-aged, the onset of the disease begins at a much younger age.What puts us at risk?Being overweight causes insulin resistance and makes it difficult for the body to maintain appropriate blood glucose levels. As obesity and diabetes are interlinked, health experts have created the term "Diabesity". Several studies indicate that obese individuals are up to 80 times more prone to get Type 2 diabetes than those whose body mass index (BMI) is under 22.Other than obesity, genetic pre-disposition is another major factor that increases the risk of developing diabetes. There is a 15 per cent possibility of getting diabetes if either of the parents is diabetic and this probability increases to an alarming 75 per cent if both parents are diabetic.Keep a check on the common symptomsA surprisingly large number of people are unaware that they are diabetic. A lot of them do not know of the common symptoms and as a result do not get diagnosed on time. Watch out for the common warning signs of diabetes such as frequent urination, increased hunger and thirst, unexplained weight loss and blurred vision. Delayed detection of diabetes can lead to serious complications such as kidney damage, nerve damage and cardiovascular diseases.Controlling diabetes before it sets inPre-diabetes is a condition when glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to fall in the diabetes range. Pre-diabetes can be detected through a simple blood test and if your glucose levels indicate you are borderline diabetic, it should serve as a red flag that you need to take immediate action to avoid the condition from progressing.Begin by making the following simple lifestyle changes -1. Well-balanced diet: Stay away totally from highly processed foods, sugar laden beverages and trans fats. Limit intake of red and prepared meats and include whole grains and vegetables into your diet. Limit fats and cook in less oil or use blends. Also, it is necessary to consciously include proteins in your diet. Sources of protein include dal, soya, pulses, low fat milk products like yogurt, milk and paneer. Limiting the portion sizes is the key to maintain good blood sugars.2. Regular exercise is required for keeping your glucose levels under control. Muscle movement results in the utilization of insulin. Thirty minutes of walk every day will cut your risk of diabetes by one- third3. Drop excessive kilos: For those who are overweight, dropping only 5- 10 per cent of your weight can cut the danger of Type 2 diabetes to half. Work with your doctor to manage your weight and if necessary consult a dietician.4. No smoking or avoiding tobacco - Studies have shown that there is a direct link between smoking and developing cardio-vascular diseasesMy prevention mantra is to "Eat less, Eat on time, Eat right, Walk more, Sleep well and Sleep on time."Diabetes management and treatmentWith the development of newer and more advanced medications, diabetes can be managed effectively. Blood glucose (sugar) levels are regulated by two hormones - insulin that lowers blood glucose levels and glucagon that increases blood glucose levels. Since Type 2 diabetes causes sugar levels to rise higher than normal, treatment involves medications that lower blood glucose levels.For diabetes management, there are medicines that allow the pancreas to release more insulin after meals, medicines that lower blood glucose levels by obstructing the breakdown of starches, those that diminish the amount of glucose discharged from the liver called bile acid sequestrates (binding agents); and medicines that make the body more sensitive to the effects of insulin. A recent development is the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which fortifies the discharge of insulin and represses glucagon emission. These options offer the benefit of beginning treatment early so that the problem doesn't escalate to full-blown diabetes.It is never too late to take charge of your health and strengthen your defense against diabesity. Start preventive efforts early by adopting a healthy lifestyle, going for regular checkups and opting for pre-emptive therapies that delay the onset of lifestyle conditions such as diabetes and CVD. Parents should reflect on their own lifestyles and set an example at home for their children to break the vicious cycle of inter- generational conditions.

By: Rohit On 00:23