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About Neha Goyal

Neha Goyal is passionate about keeping herself healthy and educating others about the same. She believes that a fit and healthy body is our greatest asset. Being a post-graduate in Nutrition, she promotes healthy living and eating. She is also a REEBOK certified aerobics instructor. According to her, health is a relationship between you and your body, and you have to take full responsibility for the same. Her health mantra is, "Eat mindfully, sleep soundly, and stay active as much as you can, so that you age gracefully"

December 27, 2022 By Neha Goyal Leave a Comment

7 Reasons Why You Should Avoid Caffeinated Drinks During Winter

Avoid Caffeinated Drinks

Caffeine is a natural stimulant most commonly found in tea, coffee and cacao plants. Billions of people rely on caffeine to start their day and to get through their night shift or afternoon slump. It works by stimulating the brain and the central nervous system, helping you stay alert, reducing the onset of tiredness. Nothing is as comforting on a chilly morning as a hot cup of tea with a cozy blanket. For most people, intake of these caffeinated drinks increases during winter as they believe it provides warmth to beat the cold. But is that really so? Is there a reason to avoid caffeinated drinks? Let’s find out! 

How Caffeine Works

While caffeine is considered safe, drinking too much raises some concerns. When you drink any caffeinated drink, your gut absorbs it very quickly and sends it to your bloodstream. From there, as it reaches your brain, it starts blocking the effects of a neurotransmitter called adenosine. Adenosine relaxes your brain and makes you feel tired. So by blocking its receptors, caffeine helps you stay awake and alert. But with alertness comes anxiety as well. At the same time, caffeine also stimulates our stress or “fight & flight” hormones.

Reasons To Avoid Caffeinated Drinks During Winter 

  1. Dehydration: During winter, most people feel less thirsty and their water intake automatically reduces. All caffeinated drinks are diuretic and tend to flush out water from the body through urine, making it deficient in not just water but also vitamins and minerals that are required for the smooth functioning of the body.
  2. Amplified Heart Rate and Blood Pressure: Winter is not a good time for people with heart conditions and high blood pressure. They are always advised to stay away from low temperatures as it can constrict their blood vessels and lead to high blood pressure. Caffeine being a stimulant also increases heart rate and blood pressure. So it may increase difficulties for such people.
  3. Empty Calories: Most caffeinated drinks are loaded with sugar and give you not just empty calories but a sugar crash later, which might make you feel more lethargic after some time.
  4. Effect on Digestion: Being a stimulant, caffeine increases gut motility or the contraction of muscles that propel the contents in the gastrointestinal tract. This might be a reason why you feel like having tea or coffee with or after a heavy meal. But this actually isn’t good because it reduces the time your food stays in each part of your digestive system, not letting the nutrients fully absorb. In fact, too much can lead to diarrhea which is followed by dehydration.
  5. Pregnancy & Lactation: Caffeine can easily cross the placenta and can reach breast milk. So, women who consume caffeinated drinks may need to limit their intake to avoid risk of miscarriage or low birth weight.
  6. Interaction with Medication: Our body flushes out caffeine generally within 6-8 hours but while in the system, it can react with your medication and supplements, causing poor absorption or side effects.
  7. Suppresses Appetite: Now this can be both good and bad for all weight watchers. Research shows that caffeine acts as an appetite suppressant but increases higher plasma levels of PYY & Leptin (anorexic hormones). It might make you eat less calories, but with less food, there is less nutrition as well. So beware of consuming too much caffeine, as our body needs more nutrition to maintain immunity.

Now, the purpose of all this information was not to coax you off caffeine but to ensure you control your intake. Controlled amounts can have some benefits too! Make sure you drink the right quantity and the right version. 1-2 cups of black tea, green tea and black coffee are better options than sugary and cream filled versions. Also ensure that you drink your last cup 6-8 hours before you sleep. 

We hope this article on why you should avoid caffeinated drinks in winter helps you! Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below. For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

December 11, 2022 By Neha Goyal 1 Comment

Healthy Eating: High Protein Hariyali Appe

hariyali appeGreen veggies are available throughout the year and these veggies can really help you boost your mood. But, apart from boosting your mood, what if these greens gave you a high protein boost? Let’s try making these delicious, crispy on the outside yet warm and tender on the inside, high protein Hariyali Appe that will help kickstart your mornings! 

What You Will Need 

  • Semolina (Suji) – 1½ cup 
  • Green peas – 1 cup 
  • Curd – ¾ cup 
  • Cashews – 8-10 
  • Oil for tempering – ½ tsp 
  • Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp 
  • Asafoetida – 1 pinch 
  • Chopped green chilly – 1 tsp 
  • Grated ginger – 2 tsp 
  • Baking soda (optional) – ½ tsp 
  • Salt to taste
  • Water as required 

How To Prepare 

  1. Soak green peas and cashews for 10 minutes, then grind these using ¼ cup water.
  2. In a bowl, take semolina, add curd, green peas paste, green chilly, ginger and salt. Mix everything together to make a smooth batter using water as required.
  3. Heat the oil in a tadka pan and add the cumin seeds. When it starts crackling, switch the flame off and add asafoetida.
  4. Add this tempering in the batter and mix everything together.  Keep this batter aside for 15-20 minutes.
  5. Check the consistency of the batter once again and add more water if required.
  6. Heat the appe mould on medium flame. Pour a spoonful of batter in each cavity and cover the pan to let the Appe steam nicely while getting crisp from the bottom.
  7. Flip & cook the other side as well but don’t cover it this time.
  8. Remove from the pan and  serve hot with green or coconut chutney.

Highlights and Tips For The Hariyali Appe Recipe 

  • This recipe is high in protein and fiber – it makes a perfect choice for those who are looking for vegetarian recipes providing enough protein.
  • Just like regular Appe, you can add more chopped veggies of your choice to make it more fiber rich.
  • You can also use ⅓ Dalia powder or multigrain atta to replace semolina in this recipe.

We hope you enjoy this high protein Hariyali Appe recipe! Do try it out and share your experience in the comments below or share it on social media, tagging GOQii. For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or get them directly from your GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

Eat healthy and #BeTheForce

November 27, 2022 By Neha Goyal 1 Comment

Healthy Eating: French Beans Khichdi

French Beans Khichdi

If you are on your weight loss journey, you must have heard the advice of keeping your dinner light, low in carbs and high in protein and fiber. But do you feel that this simple tip is actually one of the most difficult to follow? As the entire day goes chasing work, after a tiring day, dinner feels like the only meal we can eat with all the time in the world and actually indulge in. Even if we decide to eat healthy, there are very few meals that support the low carb and high protein idea, especially for vegans. So, I want to share one of my favorite recipes, which is not just good when you are chasing your weight loss goals, but is also diabetes friendly, vegan and gluten-free. Let’s learn how to prepare the delicious French Beans Khichdi! 

What You Will Need 

  • Yellow moong dal – ¼ cup, soaked for 2 hours 
  • French beans – ½ cup, chopped
  • Carrot – ½, grated 
  • Onion – 1 medium sized 
  • Green chilly – ½ tsp, chopped 
  • Ginger – ½ tsp, grated 
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp 
  • Garam masala – ¼ tsp 
  • Ghee – 1 tsp
  • Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp 
  • Lemon juice – ½ tsp 
  • Green coriander – 1 tbsp, chopped
  • Roasted sesame seeds – 1 tsp 
  • Hing – 1 pinch 
  • Salt to taste 

How to Prepare 

  1. Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds. As the seeds start crackling, add hing powder, onion & sauté for 2 minutes. 
  2. Drain soaked dal and add it to the same pan. Sauté with onion for 2 more minutes. 
  3. Now, add ½ cup water, salt, turmeric powder, green chilly, ginger ,garam masala, beans & carrot. Mix everything & cover the pan. Let it steam cook for around 10 minutes and stir 1-2 times in between.
  4. After 10 minutes, turn the flame off and let it team in the hot pan for another 5 minutes. 
  5. Take the lid off and add lemon juice, fresh coriander and sesame seeds over it. Mix everything together and your French Beans Khichdi is ready! 

Highlights of the French Beans Khichdi Recipe 

  • Being Low in carbs & high in fiber, protein & good fats, it is a good dinner option for people suffering from diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, thyroid, PCOD or even high uric acid levels.
  • It is weight loss friendly as it is low in calories but still very filling.
  • It is gluten & lactose free, so people who are allergic to gluten or are lactose intolerant can also enjoy it.

Do give this healthy, delicious and simple French Beans Khichdi recipe a try and let us know your feedback in the comments below! For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

November 24, 2022 By Neha Goyal 2 Comments

Pistachios – Your Powerful Nutritional Punch!

Pistachios your powerful nutritional punchPistachios are edible seeds of the pistachio tree, member of the cashew family. They are nutrient-packed nuts that can be enjoyed both as a healthy snack or as part of a delicious recipe. Available both in the shell (in-shell) or with their shell already removed (shelled), they’re typically sold roasted and salted, although unsalted options are available, as well as some flavoured varieties, too.

How Does It Give a Powerful Nutritional Punch?

  • Loaded with Vitamins and Minerals: Pistachios are a rich source of protein, dietary fibre, several minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, sodium and selenium. It is also a good source of vitamins like vitamin A, K, C, E, B6, B1, B2, B3, B9, and B5.
  • Good Source of Antioxidants: They contain more antioxidants than most nuts and seeds, second only to walnuts and pecans. You can literally “see” the nutrients through the various colours in pistachio. The green and yellow colour of the actual nut comes from lutein and zeaxanthin. The thin purple skin surrounding the nut is loaded with anthocyanins, the same type of antioxidants found in grapes and cranberries.
  • Lowest in Fat: A serving of pistachios has 13 grams of fat, of which about 1.7 grams are saturated, 3.5 grams are polyunsaturated, and 7 grams are monounsaturated fats. Compared to most other tree nuts, pistachios are one of the lowest in fat.
  • Cholesterol-Free: Pistachios have the highest phytosterol content (214 milligrams per 100 grams) amongst nuts. Phytosterols come from plants and because they have a similar structure to cholesterol, they compete with cholesterol for absorption by the body, ultimately limiting the amount of cholesterol absorbed.
  • Compared to other tree nuts, pistachios have a higher essential amino acid ratio and the highest percentage of branched-chain amino acids. Pistachios are a great plant-based protein option for everyone, but especially those eating a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Health Benefits of Eating Pistachios

  1. Heart Health: A number of studies have shown that pistachios significantly reduced total cholesterol and the “bad” LDL-cholesterol levels while increasing the “good” HDL-cholesterol level. They may increase antioxidant concentrations, which is linked to improved dilation of blood vessels as a result of a reduction in inflammation.
  2. Weight Management: It may seem counterintuitive but eating pistachios—a high-fat, calorie-dense food—has actually been associated with weight management. Pistachios are rich in fiber and protein, both of which increase satiety by helping you feel full and eat less .
  3. Gut Health: Pistachios are high in fiber, which moves through our digestive system mostly undigested. But some types of fiber are digested by the good bacteria in your gut, acting as prebiotics. Gut bacteria then ferment the fiber and convert it into inflammation-fighting short-chain fatty acids, & also results in decreased the number of lactic acid bacteria. It also increases the number of butyrate-producing bacteria in the gut more than eating almonds does.
  4. Blood Sugar Control: Despite having a higher carb content than most nuts, pistachios have a low glycemic index, meaning they don’t cause a large spike in your blood sugar. Also rich in fiber and healthy fats, antioxidants, magnesium, carotenoids and phenolic compounds, which are beneficial for blood sugar control.
  5. Good For Eye Health: Pistachios are rich in antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which are essential for eye health, as they reduce the chances of developing eye conditions, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.
  6. Prevents Cellular Damage: As our cells grow older, they accumulate oxidative damage due to the presence of free radicals, which can cause considerable damage to cells. Pistachios, being rich in antioxidants, including lutein, beta-carotene, and gamma-tocopherol, has oxidative damage-fighting benefits which also play a key role in reducing the risk of disease, such as cancer.

How to Include Pistachios in Your Diet?

One of the simplest ways to enjoy pistachios is as a snack on their own. You can also throw chopped pistachios on your yogurt or morning oatmeal or use them as a crunchy topping for your salads. Pair pistachios with a piece of fruit for your afternoon snack, their fiber, fat and protein will keep you satisfied.

Takeaway

Pistachios are very nutritious. Regularly eating pistachios may be a good way to improve health and wellbeing. But stick to plain, unsalted pistachio nuts in their shells and avoid eating more than 30gm a day. Before you begin eating them, do consult with your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian.

For more on nutrition and healthy eating, check out Healthy Reads or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

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