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About Vinod Kumar

An Engineer MBA, Vinod Kumar founded Naturally Yours with the vision to make healthy and organic food accessible to millions of Indians. He Strongly believes that organic and health food industry is the answer to the major health problems in India.

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Top 5 Health Benefits of Himalayan Single Clove Garlic

himalayan Clove

At Naturally Yours over the years I have met and spoken to hundreds of farmers, collectors and farm product distributors.

If I had to point out one thing that has always amazed me, it is the diverse agricultural heritage that we have across our country. Each region has a “gem” hidden away.

And yet they exist due to the strong knowledge and commitment that our farming community has towards preserving these little-known herbs and plants.

One such product that I came across a couple of years ago was the Himalayan Single Clove Garlic or the Snow Garlic or the Kashmiri Garlic (as this is found commonly in the Kashmir region of India) as it is popularly referred to as.

When I first saw this single clove garlic I was astonished at this small pointy somewhat lotus-like structure with a hard surface and pungent smell.

I clearly remember asking the farmer where the rest of the garlic is! The farmer calmly explained, Sir, this is all of it!

Himalayan Single Clove Garlic is one of the most potent herbs in the world and is known to be 7 times more potent than the normal Garlic.

7 Times! That blew my mind!

So I did my research to dig out all the facts & health benefits of this amazing herb.

  1. Reduces High Cholesterol Levels

Himalayan Single Clove Garlic is known to effectively reduce high cholesterol levels in the body. Research shows that garlic can lower about 20 mg/dl Cholesterol and Triglyceride levels in human body.

A popular recipe is to peel 3 or 4 cloves of garlic and have it on an empty stomach.

  1. Cures Cold & Cough

Scientist say Himalayan single clove garlic helps reduce the risk of getting cold and cough by over 50% when regularly consumed. In addition, it also reduces the chances of getting infected by other diseases. The presence of chemical compounds called Alliinase and Alliin helps create a powerful compound called Allicin when the bulbs are crushed or ground.

These powerful compounds help to alleviate cold and cough.  A syrup which is made of 2 bulbs crushed together and put in glass water and consumed is known to cure a cold and cough.

  1. Helps Fight Cancer 

Garlic inherently contains an organosulphur compound named diallyl trisulfide which helps fight cancer by helping the body to kill the cancerous cells. Researchers at the University of North Carolina have found that patients who consume garlic have a 66.67% per cent lesser probability to get cancer.

The National Cancer Institute says that consumption of garlic regularly reduces the risk of various cancers by 50% (average). This they attribute to the sulphur compound which helps to fight the cancerous cells in the body.

  1. Fights Diabetes

Researchers have found that consumption of 2-3 bulbs Himalayan Single Clove Garlic regularly helps decrease and control blood sugar levels. The presence of Allicin when combines with Vitamin B and Thiamine triggers the pancreas to generate insulin in the body. This, in turn, helps the body to fight diabetes effectively.

  1. Cures Heart Disease & High Blood Pressure

Himalayan Single Clove Garlic helps fight Heart Disease in two ways. One it reduces the LDL Cholesterol and the triglycerides in the body. Studies have shown that patients consuming garlic have up to 20% less LDL Cholesterol and triglycerides.

Second, it prevents the formation of plaque and clots by reducing the density of the blood. Scientists are of the view that patients consuming garlic regularly are 83% less prone to harmful blood clots.

In case of High Blood Pressure consumption of Himalayan Single Clove Garlic helps muscles relax and thereby help in reducing blood pressure levels.

A chemical compound called Hydrogen Sulfide present in garlic helps create this magic, which reduces the systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the body.

If you know of any more health benefits than the ones mentioned above please do share in the comments section below.

Ps Note: Himalayan Clove Garlic is available in GOQii Store

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8 Surprising Health Benefits of Black Rice

black rice

‘Rice’ is a staple for Asians. With people getting increasingly health conscious and with superfoods coming into play, conversations around ‘Rice’ and its various varieties have also increased among the health enthusiast

White rice in the current times has become a thing of the past and the health conscious people are moving to red, brown, quinoa and black rice. Yes you are reading its right ‘Black Rice’

Black Rice or also known as ‘Forbidden Rice’ is a variety of rice that is considered to be very healthy.    It is a rare and a very old variety of rice which has been grown in India for centuries. It is mainly grown in the North East (called as Chak Hao) and the southern parts (called as Kavuni~Tamil) of India.

Simply put, when you look at the rice varieties look at the colour of the rice, the darker the shade of rice, the more nutrition it has. By that yardstick ‘Black Rice’ is the gold standard in rice varieties.

So let us look at some of the health benefits of this amazing rice.

 1. Rich in Antioxidants: Black rice is a grain which is super rich and loaded with Antioxidants. The Anthocyanin content found in black rice is way more than most grains and this is what makes this grain stand out in comparison to other superfoods like quinoa, red rice, etc. Studies have shown that the Anthocyanin antioxidants in grains help the body to protect against heart diseases, cancer and many more.

  1. Rich in Fibre: Black rice is loaded with fibre and minerals. A typical bowl of 100gms of black rice serving has over 4.9 grams of fibre. This is double the amount of fibre available in brown rice. So, if you are looking to include some rich fibre in your diet then it is better to start consuming Black Rice than any other varieties of rice.
  1. Has anti-inflammatory properties: Black rice is a natural healing food. Research has shown Black rice to reduce inflammatory compounds in your body and increase the anti-inflammatory compounds. This increase in the anti-inflammatory compounds help in reducing inflammation in various diseases like cancer, arthritis and allergies.
  1. A natural detoxifying agent for your body: Black rice is a rich and natural detoxifying agent. Studies have shown that the phytonutrients in black rice help detoxify your body and remove harmful toxins from your liver. So, next time you throw a party, have a detox week by consuming Black rice.
  1. A gluten-free grain: Black rice, like other varieties of rice, is naturally gluten-free. So, if you are allergic to gluten and have the Celiac disease (Gluten insensitivity), then you should consider having black rice in your daily diet plan.
  1. Helps fight diabetes: Black Rice bran contains fibre, which in turn helps glucose to be absorbed by your body over a longer period of time. Research has proven that eating whole grains like Black Rice helps your body lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and also keeps your weight in check in addition to boosting your energy levels. So, if you are diabetic then you should consider substituting Black Rice to white rice in your daily diet as it way better and helps fight diabetes.
  1. Your weight loss partner:  Black Rice is a whole grain and super rich in fibres. This combination helps your body reduce signals of hunger thus helping in preventing overeating. In addition, researchers have found out that whole grains like Black Rice help prevent insulin resistance in your body which leads to and is related to the risk of becoming overweight/obese. If you are someone who is looking to reduce your weight, consider including Black Rice in your weight loss regime.
  1. promotes healthy heart: A healing food like Black Rice has been shown to reduce the atherosclerotic plaque formation in the arteries which is the main reason for a heart attack and stroke. In addition to this Black Rice also helps to reduce the 2 common factors in heart disease, namely LDL, triacylglycerol and total cholesterol. Consider including Black Rice to promote a healthy heart and keep heart-related ailments at bay.

Hope you like this article, do let me know your views and any other health benefits I may have missed in the comments section below.

Ps Note: Black Rice is available on GOQii Store

 

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