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April 9, 2018 By Trupti Hingad 1 Comment

The humble ‘Khichdi’

khichdi

My love for ‘Khichdi’, a mixture of cooked rice with lentils, vegetables with tempered spices dates back to my childhood days. It’s the preferred choice of mothers to feed their child Khichdi (minus the spices) as it’s the easiest to digest, well-balanced \food. Khichdi is a mixture of Carbohydrates, protein, Fibre and calcium.

History of Khichdi

Just to take you a little into the history of Khichdi, the wonderful dish traces its origin in the Indian subcontinent as early as 1350. ‘Khichdi’ was recently promoted globally by the government as India’s ‘Super Food” and Queen of all foods”. The government also plans to globally promote Khichdi as healthy, delicious and easy to make Superfood of India.

The Great World food India event held at the India Gate Lawns, New Delhi set a Guinness book world record of making the largest portion of Khichdi weighing 918kg. Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and well-known yoga and Ayurveda Guru Baba Ramdev were among the eminent personalities who took part in preparing the KHICHDI. The humble khichdi has travelled across borders—From Egypt to Britain.

Taste better and retains nutrients when cooked in an earthen pot

Khichdi tastes best when cooked in an earthen pot. Clay pot’s porous nature allows both mixture and heat to circulate through the food. This results in aromatic food, which is generally lost in other types of utensils. Clay is alkaline in nature and it interacts with acidity in the food, thereby neutralizing the pH balance and eventually making the food healthy. It is believed to provide the required minerals including calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and sulphur that benefits health. Due to its heat resistance and slow cooking, the food retains all its nutrients and moisture, therefore you would not require extra oil or fat for providing moisture to your food. Apart from calming the body and detoxifying it, the ingredients in khichdi also have the perfect balance of the basic elements required to improve energy, immunity and digestion.

Health Benefits

Khichdi is the food of choice of Panchakarma, a form of Ayurvedic healing that helps in mind, body healing and detoxification. Wondering why white rice is part of the mix? During cleansing, the metabolism slows down and the digestive strength weakens, so any food you eat must be very easy to digest. You also need adequate proteins to keep the blood sugar stable and burn fat, which is where the lentils come in.

Nutritional Benefits

Nutritionally speaking, khichdi and veggies make a balanced meal that reboots your digestive system after eating packaged and restaurant foods. And if you want to add some colour to your khichdi, try a palak khichdi. It’s one of the healthiest one-dish meal you’ll eat. For most, khichdi is the kind of food you eat when you are unwell as it is considered a bland dish. While, yes moong khichdi is an easy-to-digest meal when you have an upset tummy or fever but hey, that’s not what khichdi is all about. Every region in India has a unique variant of this dish.

There is Bengal’s khichuri; Haryanvi Kichri with Bajra and moong dal served with lassi; Bisi Bela Bhat in Karnataka; Hyderabad’s popular breakfast khichdi-kheema khatta are some of the popular khichdi varieties.

Varieties of Khichdi

Moong khichdi may not fit in your definition of tasty food, but in Surat, this is a much-loved meal. You’ll love their khichdi served with piping hot kadhi, a mixture made of curd and some add-ons like cooked vegetables. Khichdi is the ultimate comfort or soul food, however humble it may be.

Bajra ka khichdi is a popular dish in Rajasthan eaten during winter. Bajra along with ghee keeps your body warm and your skin soft and supple in the cold weather. You can whip up a lip-smacking bajra khichdi at home.

So let me share some amazing khichdi style with you

Daal Khicdhi—simplest and common one( rice, tur dal, spices, veggies, peanuts and desi ghee).

Bhogar Khichdi–(rice, moong dal, veggies, spices, and desi ghee)—This is BENGAL speciality.

Sprouted lentil khichdi–( rice, sprouted lentil, herbs spices, desi ghee)

Pongal (Tamil Nadu khichdi)-(rice, moong dal, desi ghee, Kaju, spices.

Barely khichdi-(barley, herbs, veggies, spices, desi ghee)

Khato-–Hyderabadi khichdi (rice, moong dal, veggies, desi ghee)

Mushroom pesto khichdi–( rice, mushroom, cheese, pasta, pine nut and desi ghee)

Corn Palak khichdi–( rice, moong dal, corn, spinach, spices, desi ghee)

Sabudana khichdi–( sabudana, peanuts, potatoes, and desi ghee) You can enjoy khichdi with curd, buttermilk, grilled fish and veggies.

So let’s cook some Khichdi in one meal today and sooth our soul.

October 6, 2017 By Priyam Saini Leave a Comment

Super Healthy – Pumpkin Seeds

pumpkin seeds 1

Did you know that you can eat seeds? Yes, it’s true you can as they are rich in nutrients. These small but mighty kernels are high in vitamins and minerals the body needs to function at peak performance. Seeds are extremely versatile and can be incorporated easily into a variety of different recipes. There are various kinds of seeds that you can eat and Pumpkin seeds are one amongst them that you can eat.

Pumpkin seeds are green in colour and may have a white outer covering. They are flat and asymmetrically oval in shape. The white husk is edible. They have a distinct nutty and crunchy taste. You can easily get them in the market.

Can be prepared at home too!!!

They can be easily prepared at home by scraping the inside of the pumpkin with a metal spoon. Take out all the seeds. Wash them under running water and separate the seeds from the mass and other remains of a pumpkin. Boil the seeds in salted water for 10 minutes. Keep the salt minimum. You can use rock salt or Himalayan pink salt. Remove from heat and drain. Roast the seeds in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Brush the tray with some olive oil and spread the seeds in a single layer. Don’t overlap. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes. Let the pumpkin seeds cool down…Voila!! They are ready to EAT!!!

pumpkin seeds.jpeg

Nutritional facts:

Pumpkin seeds are energy packed. These small seeds are high in calories (approximately 550 kcal in 100 grams). They are a major source of proteins, fibre, niacin, iron, zinc, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus. Apart from that, they are also a good source of Vitamin B5, B6, B9, potassium and sodium.

It is one of the superfoods. It is an essential part of everyone’s diet (Check with your doctor if you are renal patient)

How to eat these energy-packed seeds?

Buy or prepare roasted pumpkin seeds
These can be included in a variety of things like :

Roasted snacks: To make this – Mix roasted puffed rice + roasted chana + roasted makhana + roasted pumpkin seeds + roasted almonds/ walnuts + roasted peanuts. Choose all or two or three of the ingredients. But don’t skip the seeds. Mix and keep in a jar. Eat as a snack. Very healthy!!! Remember all these have to be dry roasted (without ghee/oil) or roasted in homemade ghee according to your calorie needs.

Add them to a bowl of curd or oats porridge and enjoy the healthy nutritious snacks.

Make pumpkin seeds sweet bars at home. Roast a combination of pumpkin seeds and melon seeds in ghee. Place them on plate evenly. Prepare jaggery syrup. Pour these over the seeds. Let it cool down. After it cools down completely, break into small piece and enjoy eating!!! (This recipe is not advisable for people who want to reduce weight. Good for people who want gain weight or kids).

Nutty powder – Mix 50 grams roasted pumpkin seeds + 50 grams roasted melon seeds + 50 grams roasted sesame seeds + 100 grams almonds + Rocky candy (Mishri) as per taste + 25 grams anise (saunf) = Powder them together. Store them in an airtight container. Eat 1 teaspoon daily. Super healthy powder!!!

Top it up on your salads. Yummilicious!!!

How much can I eat?

As pumpkin seeds are calorie and nutrient dense food, taking too much is not a good idea. You can take up to 2 tablespoons daily (30 grams). This may vary if you have any medical problems.

I hope after reading these facts about pumpkin seeds you will surely include them in your diet. I, myself, eat them daily. I pop in 1 teaspoon roasted pumpkin seeds just before going to bed.

April 5, 2017 By Ranveer Allahbadia 1 Comment

How many eggs can you eat in a day?

Firstly, forget everything you’ve read all your life. When it comes to controversial diet topics like this, people have their pre-conceived notions. So when a fitness blogger contradicts that opinion, people refuse to accept it. Therefore, I NEVER express my opinion. I only speak SCIENCE.

“EGG YOLKS INCREASE YOUR CHOLESTEROL”

Let’s consider the word cholesterol first. People throw around this word without actually even understanding the meaning of it. THE FIRST thing you need to know is that there are 2 kinds of Cholesterol- Good and Bad Cholesterol.

1)LDL

2)HDL

LDL is the BAD cholesterol – it causes heartdisease and it’s what people think of first when we say the words“High cholesterol”.

LDLcontributes to clogging your arteries and blood vessels

HDL is the good cholesterol. It’s the phoebe to LDL’s Ursula. And HDL actually contributes to reducing the clogging caused by LDL cholesterol.

Now coming to eggs. Eggs are an awesome source of HDL cholesterol. The FEARED “high cholesterol” egg is only going to help de-clog your arteries IF used smartly.

It’s giving you a lot of Phoebe. 70% of humans have no change in LDL or bad cholesterol levels even if they have 3-4 whole eggs a day.

The remaining 30% – diabetics, people with bad lifestyles and people who are genetically challenged respond badly.

So let’s get to the point. Should you be consuming whole eggs? Yes if you’re a normal human being without any major health issues. It should definitely be a part of your diet.

Eggs are such awesome protein sources, that they’re rated as the best natural protein in the world when it comes to being absorbed by your body.

All the proteins in the world are rated according to their “biological value” or BV.

Soya – 74

Beef – 80

Cow Milk – 91

Eggs – 100.

The BV scale is created using the humble whole egg as a reference. THAT is the power of the whole egg.

According to science, it’s the best food to put on muscle mass.

And if you do any form of exercise – yoga, pilates, Zumba but most importantly if you do resistance training, you aren’t a normal human being. Your body is being activated often, your muscles are getting damaged often and you need to refuel them with PROTEIN. That’s the only way you get stronger.

Whether I’m bulking up or cutting to get ripped, I make sure whole eggs are a part of my diet. As a male lifter, it helps naturally increase your testosterone levels which in turn help make you stronger.

Even if you’re a woman, eggs are super crucial. Every month you lose a bit of the iron content in your blood during your periods. And one of the best sources of iron is egg yolks!

So the ground rule is that if eggs settle well in your system, have at least a couple everyday.

But if you lift, how many should you be having? So this is where the topic becomes a bit subjective. This answer is different for different people.

My ideology is that I consume everything in moderation or how well it suits my body. Eggs are such a nutritionally dense food that I recommend lifters at least to have a minimum of 4 whole eggs a day. If you can, you should definitely try experimenting and going even further.

Some people tend to get acne or bloating with eggs, so if you fall in that category don’t be afraid. Don’t go mad with your eggs but at least see where you can eat eggs comfortably. Till the point where your body and your calorie cap is accepting it.

The ground rule – eggs are a damn superfood! Nutritionally dense, superb for building muscle & above all, so delicious.

November 24, 2015 By Neha Kapoor 2 Comments

Foods for Breast Cancer Prevention

Healthy eating is not something doctors of today promote among their patients to overcome their illness. Making couple of changes in the food and lifestyle can be more beneficial and helpful rather than undergo some life threatening treatments like Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy. One can lower their risk for breast cancer by reaching for the right foods. A woman can cut her chance of cancer by good nutrition and weight management.

Let us look at some of the foods that can help

Broccoli

Sulforaphane—a compound in broccoli—reduces the number of breast cancer stem cells (which cause cancer spread and recurrence). Eating broccoli may not deliver enough sulforaphane to achieve the same effect, but to get the most you can eat your broccoli raw or briefly steam or stir-fry the green florets.

Salmon

Taking fish-oil supplements for at least 10 years can shrink your risk of ductal carcinoma, the most common type of breast cancer. Omega-3 fats in fish oil reduce inflammation, which may contribute to breast cancer. A person can eat about 8 ounces of oily fish (salmon, sardines, tuna) a week.

Walnuts

Walnuts may thwart the growth of breast cancer. Experts think walnuts’ anti-inflammatory properties—which could come from the omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid, phytosterols or antioxidants—may give them their tumor-fighting potential.

Olive Oil

It has been found that the olive oil’s antioxidants and oleic acid (a mono-unsaturated fat) quelled growth of malignant cells.

Plums & Peaches

Plums and peaches have antioxidant levels to rival “superfood” blueberries—and that they contain two types of polyphenols (antioxidants) that may help kill breast cancer cells while leaving healthy cells intact.

Aloevera Juice

Aloe Vera contains at least 6 natural ingredients which act as ´anti-inflammatory agents, reducing inflammation, one of the precursors to cancer. Ingredients to make juice– 3Leaves of Aloe Vera + 50gm Honey + 50 gm Brandy.

Method- Peal the thorns of Aloe Vera after cleaning it nicely and grind it. Mix honey and Brandy. Shake well and store it in a Refrigerator in a glass bottle. Drink 1-2 teaspoon empty stomach.

Graviola Extract– Although graviola has some side effects but it is a boon for cancer patients. Consuming the fruit once a month is the best way to avoid the side effects.
Nutrition and Cancer confirms the cancer- inhibiting phytochemicals in graviola. Scientists at Virginia Tech demonstrated that graviola fruit extract (juice) could reduce the growth of cancer on the skin of breast cancer patients without damaging healthy breast tissue. It can lead to Parkinson’s disease but eating in moderation has no such side effects.

Flax seeds –Flax demonstrates antiproliferative effects in breast tissue of women at risk of breast cancer. Increased cell death (apoptosis) within their tumors.

Wheat Grass– Due to its potent detoxifying properties, wheatgrass works to keep the blood clean and oxygenated as well as increase the red blood cell count. Cancer thrives in a low-oxygen environment, so the wheatgrass contributes to cancer prevention. Also it improves circulation, digestion, reduce fatigue, and boost immunity.

Beans and lentils– Fiber-rich foods help flush excess amounts of estrogen out of your body during digestion. Your gut also breaks down fiber itself into cancer-fighting fragments.

Cur Cumin Tablets– Cur cumin has the ability to modulate genetic activity and expression—both by destroying cancer cells and by promoting healthy cell function. It also promotes anti-angiogenesis, meaning it helps prevent the development of additional blood supply necessary for cancer cell growth.

Vitamin C, A, E and Selenium (Se)

Vitamin C’s anti cancer properties are scavenging cancer causing free radicals such as hydrogen peroxide to prevent lipid peroxidation, neutralizing carcinogenic chemicals, enhancement of immunoglobulin IgA, IgM etc. Se antioxidant property protects the body against environmental and chemical sensitivities and their immune functions enhance the body’s antibacterial and antiviral defences.

Vitamin E is effective in decreasing the risk of colon cancer and inhibits breast cancer tumors, reducing the severity of liver cancer and also restoring the cellular immune system. Vitamin A and carotenoids antioxidants and immune stimulatory property have developed synergistic cancer treatment application.