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Kanji: The Miracle Drink to Level Up Your Winter!

kanjiKanji is a popular north Indian drink. We can call it an ‘Indian Kombucha’ as well. This drink is traditionally consumed to aid digestion. It keeps the gut healthy during winter. This probiotic drink is the result of naturally occurring bacteria and yeast with salty, zingy taste. It may take a week for Kanji to be fermented as per one’s taste but you can store it in a glass jar for a month easily.

Why Do You Need This Drink During Winter?

  • This drink has fiber content which smoothens bowel movements. The growth of healthy bacteria helps to promote healthy bowel movement. 
  • Kanji tones the blood detoxifies the liver and aids digestion.
  • It is packed with a variety of nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A, manganese, few vitamins B as well.
  • Due to the powerhouse of Antioxidants, it helps provide protection from cancer and prevents eczema in children.
  • Low-calorie count makes this a perfectly healthy drink which aids weight loss.
  • Good for maintaining hydration levels and replenish lost nutrients in case of dehydration or diarrhoea.
  • Old remedy to prevent water loss in case of vomiting, also speeds up the recovery. It gives energy if one feels weak or dizzy.
  • It prevents certain infections after surgery and reduces systemic allergy too.

Recipe to Prepare Kanji  

What You Will Need:

  • Black Carrots (Kali Gajar) – 250 gm
  • Filtered Water – 8 cups
  • Black salt – 2 tsp (or as per taste)
  • Asafoetida (Hing) – ½ tsp
  • Mustard Seeds (Powdered) – 3 tsp
  • Red chili powder – ½ tsp (optional)

How to Prepare:

  1. Peel the carrots, wash them and cut them in small pieces about your finger size.
  2. Boil the water and add the carrots into it, boil it for 2-3 minutes and turn off the flame and let it cool.
  3. Add black salt, mustard seeds powder, hing, and chili powder to the mixture and transfer it in a clean glass jar and close it with lid.
  4. Keep this jar out in the sun for 4-5 days so that the Kanji gets fermented. Don’t keep the jar under the sun after fermentation.
  5. After 5 days, if it tastes sour then your Magic drink is ready for consumption.
  6. Stir and enjoy it with your breakfast or your mid-meal.

It’s easy to prepare. In fact, I just finished making a batch for myself! We hope you like this amazing and nutritious drink. Do share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

For more healthy winter recipes and to learn about nutritious foods and drinks, check out Healthy Reads or connect with a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

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5 Healthy Hot Winter Drinks to Warm You Up!

hot winter drinks

If you’ve begun feeling the slight chills in the morning, you know that winter is coming – intended GoT reference. While an epic fantasy drama can turn the heat up in an instant, your body needs a little more warmth or spice, depending on what your taste is like, to help you push through those cold mornings. In this article, I’m going to share some of my favorite hot winter drinks that I include in my diet on a regular basis.

These drinks have numerous health benefits. They will help you boost your immunity, increase your brainpower and remove toxins from your body – these are still just a few benefits from the reservoir of goodness they can offer!

You can’t deny that winter beckons warm, hot, spicy and often something sweet as well. Now, if you want to make your drink healthy, then you must try one or all of these hot winter drinks!  

1. Hot Ginger Tea

This brew is quite effective during winter. It promotes good digestion, boosts your immunity, aids weight loss and helps provide relief in Arthritis. This drink is your ally while battling cold and cough as well.

Ingredients: 1 cup of water, 2 tsp of freshly grated ginger and 1 tsp of raw honey (optional)

How to Prepare: Boil ginger in water for 5-10 minutes, strain it, add raw honey if you want to and sip it hot. Simple, isn’t it!

2. Spiced Green Tea

Do you love Green Tea? Let’s spice it up! This aromatic tea is a wonderful blend of taste and good health! It is rich in antioxidants, aids weight loss, boosts metabolism and the best part is that you can consume this any time during winter!

Ingredients: 1 cup of water, a pinch of cinnamon, ½ tsp crushed ginger, 2 tsp of green tea leaf, ½ lemon and 1 tsp of raw honey (optional).

How to Prepare: Add green tea leaf, crushed ginger and cinnamon in hot water. Cover and steep for 5-6 minutes. Pour it in your favorite mug, then add lemon and honey and start sipping immediately!

3. Warm Turmeric Milk

This popular household drink is an excellent remedy for treating inflammation and joint pains. It helps in resolving sleep-related issues as well.

Ingredients: 1 cup of organic milk, ½ tsp of ground turmeric, a pinch of cinnamon powder, 1 tsp of raw honey (optional).

How to Prepare: Mix all the ingredients in a blender for 1 minute. Then, boil it on low flame for a few minutes till it is hot enough. Add raw honey if you want to and serve! The perfect hot winter drink! For sleep disorders, drink this milk 30 minutes before bedtime daily.

4. Spiced Almond Milk

This is a treat for vegans! Purely because it is naturally dairy-free! It can also be consumed by people with dairy allergy or those who are lactose intolerant. Be sure to try this one though, it has an exotic flavor and is quite easy to prepare.

Ingredients: 1 cup of Almond milk, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp of ginger powder, a pinch of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg.

How to prepare: Take a saucepan and combine all the ingredients. Slowly bring it to a simmer for a few minutes and serve hot. If you want to make your own almond milk, Click Here.

5. Masala Chai

Everybody’s favourite! If you’re a tea person, this has to be the beverage you wake up to, or the thing that keeps you going late afternoon! If you want to know about the benefits masala chai offers, read my article on The Magic of Indian Masala Chai. To keep it short, it regulates the digestive system, prevents people from gaining weight, stimulates the appetite and boosts the immune system among other benefits!

Ingredients: ½ cup of Water, ½ cup of milk, 1 tsp of loose tea leaf, 2-3 cloves, 1 cardamom, ½ inch cinnamon stick, 1 small slice of ginger, 1 star anise, 2-3 peppercorn, 1 tsp of jaggery powder or brown sugar (optional).

How to Prepare: Crush cinnamon, clove, ginger, star anise, and peppercorn. Add them in boiling water. Then, add the tea leaf and boil for 2-3 minutes. Add the jiggery and milk. Simmer it 2-3 times and then turn the gas off. Pour it in your favorite mug and enjoy the weather!

Whenever you feel like drinking something hot or spicy, these hot winter drinks are your best picks! We hope you enjoy these recipes in the days to come. Try them and let us know your experience in the comments below! 

Click here for more Healthy Recipes or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching.

#BeTheForce

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Load Up On Carrots During Winter! Here’s Why!

carrots during winterWe’ve often advised people to eat seasonal fruits and for good reason! Seasonal veggies are a good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which are required by the body during winter. There are many vegetables but one of them, which is a must-have during these chilly days is the carrot! Carrots are one of the most loved vegetables not only in India but all over the world. The reason is very evident, it not only serves as a salad but a lot more than that. This orange-coloured root is an ultimate health food with many health benefits. Let’s explore the health benefits of carrots during winter!

Why You Should Eat Carrots During Winter  

  1. Carrots help you get beautiful skin and can help in protecting you from cancer, especially lung cancer. As the temperature drops, this crunchy & colourful vegetable gives you a boost of antioxidants too.
  2. As a rich source of Vitamin A, it helps treat vision loss. So during winter, you can definitely ditch your Vitamin A pills.
  3. The Vitamin A in carrots also help the liver secrete bile and flush out toxins in the body, acting as a Natural Detox.
  4. Carrots contain high amounts of soluble fibers, which indirectly helps in managing cholesterol levels. No more guilt! You can easily binge on your favorite carrot cake during winter.
  5. Carrots are infused with natural pesticides, Falcarcinol, which is anti-fungal in nature. It protects you from any kind of fungal diseases. If your kids eat carrots, you don’t need to worry about them catching any kind of fungal infection. 
  6. Carrots aren’t boring! There are many variations you can try with this root – be it dips, juices or soups – carrots are definitely a hit with your taste buds! 
  7. Carrot tops are enriched in nutrients such as potassium, phytonutrients and they also contain around 6 times more Vitamin C than what the root does.
  8. Carrots have reserved their place in the list of the World’s Healthiest Foods. Undoubtedly, this crunchy root deserves it too.

 Tips to Add Carrots To Your Diet 

  • Soup It: Add grated carrots to your soups and clear broths to add roughage in diet
  • Crunch It: Raw carrots are enjoyed the best while soaking under the Sun during winters. Great way to boost up the vitamin quotient.
  • Lick It Up: Our very own Gajar ka Achar or Gajar ka Paani is every grandmother’s special recipe.
  • Bake It: The versatility of carrots gets it added even in bakery products. Add shredded carrot while baking muffins, cakes or breads to make a delightful dessert.

DO NOT throw away the carrot tops. Surprisingly, these carrot tops can be replaced with all the herbs in all kinds of dishes adding taste and Nutrition adequately. 

We hope you’re all set to enjoy the crunch this season. Any more queries in mind?  Please feel free to type them down in the comments section below, because, We Carrot about You!

For more topics on the health benefits of foods, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

Eat Health and #BeTheForce 

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7 Nutrition Tips For A Healthy Winter

Nutrition Tips

Everyone likes the drop in temperature, hill station vacations, sitting around the bonfire while barbecuing delicious food, but do we really enjoy the cold and flu? Drying of our skin? Getting viral infections? And then the never ending consumption of cough syrups? The Winter season is one of cool breeze as well as the season of cold and flu. Hence, it is important to take care of ourselves, and avoid getting any viral fevers, cold and flu. To help you with it, I have some healthy nutrition tips for you this Winter. 

7 Nutrition Tips For a Healthy Winter 

  1. Keep a check on your water intake: The most common negligence we do in winters is that we tend to forget to drink enough water. As the temperatures are down, we often do not drink water and consume it only while gulping down food. This leads to dehydration in the body, and further damages our skin, leaving a major impact on our bowel movements, due to which most of the time we are constipated. Make sure to drink at least 3-4 liters of water per day. 
  2. Build your immunity: Common cold & flu are 2 symptoms, which you will get quite often in the winter season. So the best thing will be following a healthy routine daily, so as to keep them at bay. Try drinking Saunth (dry ginger water), every alternate day just before you sleep or anytime once in a day. As dry ginger/Saunth has a bioactive compound called as Gingerol, which is anti-inflammatory and has other medicinal properties as well. 
  3. Avoid overeating: In winter as the temperatures are low, we always tend to overeat, consume hot and spicy meals, eat fried snacks, etc. All we know is the winter makes us hungry, but we need to realise that they also make us put on weight. Issues of bloating, gas and constipation take a toll on our health. To avoid this, we should not indulge in all the cravings. Instead, to beat the cold weather, we should consume hot soups, warm khichdi, seasonal green leafy veggies, and healthy homemade snacks like steamed muthiya’s, sprouts poha, idlis, and many more. 
  4. Restrict caffeine: Drinking tea/coffee every 2 hours to keep the body warm is not a good idea. We not only increase our sugar intake but also our caffeine intake. Caffeine leads to dehydration in the body, and as in winter we already have a tough time meeting our water intake, drinking caffeinated  beverages will harm us further. In that case, we can consume antioxidant rich and caffeine free Green tea’s. Drinking or sipping on Green tea, turmeric water, cinnamon water, and herbal teas will also be a great deal.
  5. Go seasonal: It is also advisable to eat things which are in season, as they are found in abundance. Bioavailability of the nutrients is high, and helps us with the essential vitamins and minerals as well. So winter season belongs to berries like strawberries, mulberries, blueberries and fruits like oranges, chiku, plums, guava. Green leafy vegetables and root vegetables as well. So snacking on a roasted sweet potato for your evening snack will be a great thing. 
  6. Consume superfoods to stay warm: There are a variety of ingredients or to be more precise, many dried foods and spices, which keep our body warm from the inside. Including these while cooking our food is definitely going to keep us warm from the inside. These ingredients include anjeer, figs, dates, sesame seeds, cinnamon, peppercorn, garlic, cloves, ginger, saunth and star anise.
  7. Say no to processed: In the fast moving world, we often tend to have packaged soups, as they are more easy to make than actually chopping veggies and making it fresh. However, these packaged foods are high in preservatives and additives, which are very unhealthy for us. Instead of using them, try blending fresh veggies and make a healthy meal for yourself. 

We hope these nutrition tips help you have a healthy winter! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on staying healthy during Winter, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr 

#BeTheForce 

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