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Ill effects of Midnight Snacking

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It’s 12 midnight… and are you craving for food?? Do you want to eat a Pizza?

In today’s busy world everyone is chasing their dreams and busy struggling for the survival of the fittest, working through day and night to get successful. But, have you ever wondered in the process of getting successful what we are doing to ourselves? Are we stressing ourselves which is indirectly hampering our lifestyle?

This is not a phenomenon only with the adults, Urban kids and teenagers are also falling prey to this unhealthy lifestyle. Today, they are more familiar with gadgets than playing in the outdoors. They are becoming such gadget freaks that during night hours they spend hours watching movies or playing games on their I-Pads or other tablet devices with a big bowl of chips or some rolls or chocolates and so on for company.

Adults are staying awake watching their favourite fick or they are all red cheering for the red devils of Manchester United or you are just about to finish watching the’ Game of Throne’ or it could just be office work which is making you a nocturnal creature.

Mid-Night is one time when most people feel a craving for good and healthy snacks. Even if you’ve had dinner at 8, you’ll again start feeling hungry if you are awake late. And when this happens, most end up eating junk. Especially for all the weight watchers this is one thing which is very unhealthy. Unhealthy, because this does not necessarily mean that one is hungry, it could be just boredom due to being awake or a habit that’s one has developed over the years.

Health hazards of such a behaviour are many – from weight gain to bloating to acid reflux to triggering stress hormones and much more. Taking each into account let’s see what people usually crave and what could be the alternative if one can’t control that ‘’hunger pang’’ at midnight.

  1. Ice Creams: When you open your fridge and find that a tub full of ice- cream, you would obviously eat it … so instead of the outside Ice Cream….how about making your own? take some ricotta cheese and blend some berries and nuts- your ice- cream is ready!
  1. Craving salt: It could be chips, nachos, fries anything – but do you know it is full of saturated fats with oodles of salt which can really increase the unwanted BP and metabolism resulting in strokes and weight gain respectively. So how about having some roasted makhanas or puffed rice or wheat with rock salt and black pepper. Having avocados with some yoghurt is something which is not only healthy but yummy too. 
  1. Cookies / BrowniesAre one of the many which people/children adore having. These can hamper your sugar levels, spiking it high with running the controlled metabolism. Instead,have some fruits / homemade brownies/ sponged squeezed Rasgulla ( a Benagli Sweet) or simply 2-3 pieces of dark chocolate to control that temptation.
  1. Nuts: Rich in trans fats, nuts can easily hamper our blood pressure levels, trigger that heart stroke and make anyone fatigued. Instead,have something sweet with a crunch, mix 1/2 cup of Crunch cereal with a small container of fat-free Greek yoghurt good to go with both fibre and protein. Even some fruits like dates, pomegranates can be had with some coating of nuts and dark chocolate emptying the temptations for both sweet and nuts.
  1. Simply Pizza:Everyone’s delight, having pizza with loads of cheese and bread can spike up that sugar level. Hence, one can always have their own multigrain toasted pizza at home with a good choice of veggies and some healthy cheese.

Hence here I have jotted down a list of healthy snack which you could binge on: These are snacks especially for teenagers or youngsters who seldom like eating fruits.

1/2 cup Roasted Peanuts
1/2 cup Roasted While gram (Channa)1/2 cup protein mix (a mixture that is easily available with nuts and seeds)
1/2 cup roasted wheat (it’s a snack that is available just like puffed rice.)
1/2 cup roasted Mung bean ( Moong)1 medium bowl popcorn (no butter)
1 glass milk (saffron, cardomon can be added. coffee too can be added once in a a while but in moderation so as to prevent functional disturbances like sleep issues, being irritable and nervousness)
1 bowl papaya, cucumber, pomegranate
2 boiled egg whites (sprinkle black pepper over it )
Boiled Cauliflower with Olive Oil and Sea Salt
Crunchy Muesli + milk
Wheat Rusk ( 2 )
Green Tea / Black Coffee / Black Tea with roasted 5-7 almonds
Sprouts salad ( with olive oil dressing )
Boiled Kalachana salad ( with olive oil dressing )
Homemade Snack Mix
1 veg multigrain bread sandwich ( 2 multigrain bread slices, coleslaw)Bottom Line: Take that last bite before 9pm to be fitter and healthier!

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Prenatal exposure to Fish boosts Child’s brain power…

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Growing scientific evidence supports the theory that expectant mothers who eat fish regularly actually are helping boost their children’s brain power, even though they are usually advised to avoid fish that contain high levels of neurotoxin methyl mercury, according to a new study published in the journal of Nutrition.

Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises pregnant women to eat only two meals of fish a WEEK and to avoid most large fish to reduce the exposure of their babies developing brains to mercury. However, a recent joint report from the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recommended nations emphasize the benefits of eating fish for pregnant mothers and nursing mothers and the potential risks of not consuming fish to brain development. (January 8, 2013 Food Product Design)

Because those messages are confusing to most consumers, researchers at the University of Rochester, the University of Ulster, and in the Republic of Seychelles conducted a study to examine what happens to children’s development when their mothers eat fish while pregnant.

The Study, conducted in the Republic of Seychelles in the Indian Ocean where fish consumption among women is at least 10 times higher than women in the United States and the level of mercury in the fish is almost the same, included 225 mothers and their children. Detailed information about nutritional intake was obtained from the mothers and almost a dozen standard assessments on language and intelligence of the children were completed over several years.

“This study shows that there are no adverse effects of prenatal mercury exposure from fish on children at 5 years old on 10 developmental outcomes when adjusted for maternal levels of Polyunsaturated fatty acids. In fact, we found positive associations with those nutrients and children’s language development,” said Phil W. Davidson, Ph.D., professor emeritus of Paediatrics, principal investigator of the ongoing Seychelles Child Development Study and co-author of the study.

The study Children’s standard language development scores rose as levels of omega-3 fatty acids rose in mothers. They found positive associations between the level of PUFAs in mothers and their children’s subsequent scores on preschool language and verbal assessments. In particular, those scores were associated with DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid.

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Mining for Hidden salt

avoid salty foods
You can easily tick off a list of salty, sodium-rich foods: potato chips, popcorn, hot dogs, pizza, pickles and more. But there are plenty of high-sodium foods you probably aren’t aware of. According to the centres of Disease Control, Americans get one-third of their sodium from breads and rolls, chicken and chicken dishes, pizza, egg dishes and pasta dishes. That’s partly because these foods contain added salt and partly because we eat them so often. Here’s another staggering number: up to 80% of the salt in your food was put there by someone other than you.

Your body needs little bit of sodium in salt to contract muscles, send nerve impulses, and maintain a healthy balance fluids. But, too much sodium can increase blood pressure, make the heart work harder, thicken and stiffen blood vessels, and more. Higher salt and sodium consumption have been linked to increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

HOW CAN YOU AVOID THESE HIDDEN SALT MINES?
avoid-processed-foods

Read food labels carefully. Look at both the amount of sodium per serving and the recommended daily sodium allowance percentage. Shops for product labelled “salt free,” or “no salt added,” or “low sodium.”

Avoid condiments such as soy sauce, ketchup, teriyaki sauce, and salad dressings, which tend to be loaded with salt.

Another good strategy is to limit your use of prepared and processed foods, which tend to be made with a lot of salt. Adding more fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables to your diet can also lower sodium and increase potassium.

Restaurants foods are often loaded with salt. Many restaurants now offer low-sodium choices. If your food is being made to order, don’t hesitate to ask that it be made without salt.

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Whole Grains slash Pre-Diabetes Risk!

Whole grains

Whole grains are packed with nutrients, including protein, fiber, B vitamins, anti-oxidants, and trace minerals (iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium). A diet rich in whole grains has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some forms of cancer.

The addition of more whole grains into a healthy diet is associated with a decreased risk of deteriorating glucose tolerance, including progression from normal glucose tolerance to pre-diabetes, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

According to a research paper titled Food Product Design, dated Dec 26, 2012 published in Health and Nutrition, researchers at Karolinska Institute and Karolinska University Hospital investigated whether a higher intake of whole grains protects against the development of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes and tested for modulation by polymorphisms of the TCF7L2 gene. Participants included 5,477 Stockholm residents aged 35 to 56 years who were not diagnosed with diabetes and who kept food journals of how much whole and refined grains they consumed. Researchers measured blood glucose in study participants and followed up 10 years later.

Participants who ate 59 grams of whole grains a day had a 34% lower risk to deteriorate in glucose tolerance compared to those who ate 30 grams of whole grains a day. Risk reduction was significant in men, but not in women. Participants who consumed 59 grams of whole grains a day also had a 27% reduced risk of becoming pre-diabetic.

Whole grains are rich in fibre. Fibre in the diet does not allow the blood glucose levels to rise thereby controls the rise in sugar levels in the body. Fibre also helps in lowering cholesterol as it helps in decreasing the low density lipoprotein whch is bad cholesterol and increases high density lipoprotein which is good cholesterol.

What foods are in the grains group?

Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain is a grain product. Bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits are examples of grain products.

It is advised that at least half the grains in your diet should be whole grains. Whole-grain versions of rice, bread, cereal, flour and pasta can be found at most grocery stores. Many whole-grain foods come ready to eat. These include a variety of breads, pastas and cereals.

Examples of whole grains include:

  • Barley
  • Brown rice
  • Buckwheat
  • Bulgur (cracked wheat)
  • Millet
  • Oatmeal
  • Popcorn
  • Whole-wheat bread, pasta or crackers
  • Wild rice

It’s not always easy to tell what kind of grains a product has, especially bread. For instance, a brown bread isn’t necessarily whole wheat — the colour may come from added colouring. If you’re not sure something has whole grains, check the product label or the Nutrition Facts panel. Look for the word “whole” on the package, and make sure whole grains appear among the first items in the ingredient list.

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