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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

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Why You Shouldn’t Throw Away The Egg Yolk

benefits of egg yolkEggs are the easiest and fastest to cook. Not to mention, they’re one of the most favorite meals! Almost all of us savor eggs in various preparations such as an omelette, boiled eggs, poached eggs, fried eggs, scrambled eggs, egg curry, egg sandwich, and many more.

Eggs basically have three parts- the outer shell, the inner 2 parts, namely the white albumin and the yolk. Among these three, the outer shell is what we discard and the inner white and yolk is what we consume. But, many of us are still not open to consuming egg yolks. We believe that it is very high in fat and cholesterol and hence, bad for health. But, what we fail to understand is, its immense nutritional power.

Egg Yolk versus Egg Whites

Nutrient

 White Yolk % Total in White

% Total in Yolk

Protein

3.6 g

 2.7g 57% 43%
Fat 0.05g 4.5g 1%

99%

Calcium

 2.3 mg 21.9 mg 9.5% 90.5%

Magnesium

 3.6 mg 0.85 mg 80.8%

19.2%
Iron 0.03 mg 0.4 mg 6.2%

93.8%

Phosphorus

 5 mg 66.3 mg 7% 93%
Potassium 53.8 mg 18.5 mg 74.4%

25.6%

Sodium

 54.8 mg 8.2 mg 87% 13%

Zinc

 0.01 mg 0.4 mg 0.2%

99.8%
Copper 0.008 mg 0.013 mg 38%

62%

Manganese

 0.004 mg 0.009 mg 30.8%

69.2%

Selenium

 6.6 mcg 9.5 mcg 41%

59%

Thiamin

 0.01 mg 0.03 mg 3.2%

96.8%

Riboflavin

 0.145 mg 0.09 mg 61.7% 48.3%
Niacin 0.035 mg 0.004 mg 89.7%

9.3%

Pantothenicacid

 0.63 mg 0.51 mg 11% 89%
B6 0.002 mg 0.059 mg 3.3%

96.7%

Folate

 1.3 mcg 24.8 mcg 5% 95%

B12

 0.03 mcg 0.331 mcg 8.3% 91.7%
Vitamin A 0 IU 245 IU 0%

100%
Vitamin E 0 mg 0.684 mg 0%

100%

Vitamin D

 0 IU 18.3 IU 0% 100%
Vitamin K 0 IU 0.119 IU 0%

100%

DHA and AA

 0  94 mg 0% 100%
Carotenoids 0 mcg 21 mcg 0%

100%

Nutritional Benefits Of The Egg Yolk

From the above table, it is evident that the egg yolk has higher amount of nutrients compared to the egg white. Egg yolks contain vitamins like A, D, E, K, B6, Folate, B12. Among these, vitamins A, D, E, K are found only in egg yolks and not in egg whites. Egg yolks are among those very few foods that naturally contain good vitamin D content.

Egg yolks have good amount of carotenoids; lutein and zeaxanthin. Carotenoids are colourful pigments that give the egg yolk its yellow colour. These carotenoids are known to act as antioxidants that protect different parts of the eyes from free radicals, thus preventing age-related macular degeneration to set in.

Egg yolks and egg whites, respectively, contain 13 types of minerals. These minerals include calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, sodium and selenium. The proportion of all these minerals is more in the egg yolks compared to the egg whites.

Nutrients in egg yolks, such as Choline, help in regulating cardiovascular function. Now, coming to the most dreaded feature of the egg yolk-fats and cholesterol! But, it’s not at all as bad as we think.

Egg yolks contain what we call as Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) in the form of DHA and Arachidonic acid. Omega 3 fatty acids like DHA are required in the body for the proper functioning of the brain and retina of the eyes. Omega 6 fatty acids like Arachidonic acid, are needed for healthy skin, hair, libido, reproduction, growth and response to injury. These Essential fats are also needed in the body for protecting the functioning of the nervous system.

The Cholesterol Issue

We confuse dietary cholesterol with cholesterol in the blood stream. In fact, high levels of LDL (the major carrier of cholesterol), can be the cause of certain heart diseases. Bottom line is that it is perfectly safe to have your favorite egg yolks without thinking about suffering a heart attack. It is found that, low-carbohydrate diet filled with saturated fats is actually more responsible for increasing blood cholesterol and causing cardiovascular problems. But, yes. Egg yolks are high on fats and cholesterol so, they are better had in a limit in daily diet. 1-2 whole eggs per day are the safe limit to have eggs on a daily basis, without worrying about heart diseases.

We hope that this article on egg yolks helps you enjoy your eggs whole, and any way you like it. For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads. For further clarity or information, you can speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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Taking Ownership Of Diabetes Through Education and Awareness

Diabetes ManagementDiya was a young girl who seemed as active as can be. She trekked, hit the gym, albeit sporadically, had a healthy appetite and as she called it, ‘lived to eat’. At 30, there was a blood donation drive and check-up in the organisation she worked at and here, she was diagnosed with diabetes. There were no other alarm bells ringing; she thought she was healthy! The doctor prescribed medications. She carried on with her life till a shooting pain in the chest made her rethink her lifestyle.

Prakash was detected with Diabetes in his late 30’s. A history of smoking, stress infused work situation, being overweight and a family history of Diabetes made a potent combination which led him to the road to Diabetes. He continued his unchecked lifestyle along with sporadic visits to the general practitioner till he found his vision blurring and a burning pain in his limbs, which made it difficult for him to sleep. Faced with diabetes complications, he knew he had to seek help from the right doctors, eat the right diet and correct his lifestyle before it was too late.

That is the scenario for most people and that is the stealthy attitude of diabetes; it creeps in and hits you. Once diagnosed, either medication is taken or not. Rarely is there a consistent follow-up. Medications tend to plateau after a while and if there is no consultation with doctors regularly, no scheduled blood tests, no nutrition assessments, no exercise patterns, it augurs for something deep and dark. This is seen as the initial concerns with diabetes control. Not everyone takes it critically. But not everyone has access to proper doctors and nutritionists.

Diabetes Is Not Taken As A Serious Disease

Consistency is key for maintaining and even reversal. Yes, in the early stages, a reversal is possible. A diabetes patient needs support, needs family and friends to assist in their journey, as it is a challenge. More than mere support, it is about adherence.

It is about breaking the habit. It is about changing habits. The first feeling when one is diagnosed is shock, helplessness, feeling of depression. As an illness, diabetes is debilitating in the long run as it has an overall effect on almost every part of the body, externally and internally. And yet, it can be controlled, and in some cases, reversed.

But now comes the challenging phase of education i.e. control and solution, and it is not easy. Besides medical advice, traditional indigenous methods are offered, and they have been helpful. Hence, understanding what goes into the treatment of diabetes is crucial.

So let’s look at the aspects of diabetes management.

1. Education

At first, you’ve got to understand the diagnosis – is it Type 1 or Type 2. Understand the various repercussions of the type of diabetes you have. Consult your doctor, read reputed websites for knowledge of diabetes and diabetes management. Listen to conventional wisdom and follow the advice of the doctors. Get on a plan.

2. Nutrition

Nutrition involves two aspects – Medication – those suggested by the doctors and home grown indigenous supplementary methods have also been beneficial. The other aspect is Food – what can be eaten, what can be paired together, and what must be avoided.

Meal composition – high protein, low carbs. Understanding foods with a high glycaemic index (foods that spike up sugar levels in the blood are to be avoided). Another important aspect is the timing of when you eat. Fad diets are not helpful and can be harmful. Sustainable, sensible eating and not temporary ‘diet eating’, one in which you can measure what you eat for a long period of time, is important.

Hydration – drinking water is extremely essential. Essentially, what you ingest can help in lowering possible future microvascular damage and other complications.

3. Control

Diabetes care needs discipline. Controlling diabetes involves complying with a proper course of medication and a healthy living construct. It is imperative that you maintain regular follow-ups with the doctor. Blood work, especially HbA1C levels must be checked every quarter to enable proper diabetes care.

Most doctors complain that follow-ups are low, if any. What has shown progress is that along with medications, the main aspect is weaving exercise into your lifestyle. Walking and light exercise has shown to have tremendous benefits in controlling and lowering HbA1C levels. Recent studies have shown that a 10-minute walk after every meal has proved as beneficial as a 30-minute walk every day.

4. Solution

So how do we control and/or reverse diabetes? Diabetes may be a global pandemic and India has the second highest number of cases, but the solution is simple! It is proper management through medication adherence, education, lifestyle changes, self-monitoring, keeping up with doctor appointments and awareness of the issues that could be faced in the future.

The first step is to take ownership of the disease. This can be achieved through awareness, which happens through education. The medical community and the Diabetes Patient Community on Social Media and other close knit communities or groups ensure that you understand what people are going through, and the solutions that are available. Holistic management of diabetes ensures that the patient with diabetes wins in the game of life. Do not panic. It is easy and definitely do-able. It is not rocket science!

If you need help or support managing Diabetes, join GOQii’s Diabetes Care Program. It’s India’s only diabetes program that is driven by Smart Science and Personal Coaching to improve Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), Postprandial Blood Sugar (PP), and reduce HbA1c levels. You can subscribe here: https://store.goqii.com/diabetescare

For more tips on how to manage diabetes, check out Healthy Reads.

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5 Muscle Building Mistakes Which Might Be Keeping You From Your Goal

muscle buildingIf you’ve been looking at motivational posters on social media or your local gyms which have “go hard or go home” or “work until your muscles hurt” or “no gain without pain” or something to the effect of relating success to extreme weight training, then you’ve clearly been looking at the wrong posters. We come over so many cases where users claim that they’ve been at it in the gym for so long without ever achieving their desired result. In order to help you avoid the same fate, we’re sharing this article on muscle building mistakes!

Common Muscle Building Mistakes to Avoid

1. Prioritising Quantity Over Quality
We live in an age where we believe more is better. A gaze around the gym might show mindless addition of reps and set backed by piling unreasonably more plates (mostly on the leg press machine and rarely the squat rack if not for 1/100th partial rep squats). Most folks aiming to add muscle might believe training seven days a week must undeniably be better than three. What these people fail to realise is the foundation of quality muscle building still rests upon what it used to be about a hundred years ago – Getting stronger. Becoming stronger is neural training. The central nervous system demands its necessary share of rest before it is ready to tackle new challenges in your next workout. In the words of the Bodybuilding Legend Lee Haney: “Stimulate, not annihilate!”

Pro Tip: Build Movement Quality in a lift before gradually adding volume (sets and reps), before gradually adding weight.

2. Chasing The Pump
If you are a true meathead, you remember the first time you curled that lonely barbell in the gym and the immediate next thing you did was flex your arms before the nearest mirror. It’s okay if you did. Pursuit of the ‘pump’ or build-up of metabolic fluid as a result of high volume resistance training in a muscle has fascinated millions of people entering muscle building. The degree to which pump helps increase muscle size fades as quickly as the pump itself a few hours after training. Don’t get me wrong, metabolic and high rep training has its place, though making every exercise in your program a high rep per set one in order to feel the temporary pump at the expense of actually getting stronger (refer to point 1 above) would be a big miss.

Pro Tip: Focus more on documented progress in weight lifted and the volume for which it is lifted rather than an arbitrary goal like ‘feeling the pump’.

3. Pain is (the only way to) Gain
Most people wearing the ‘Pain is Gain’ t-shirts have a very myopic vision of their training years. Most of them belong to the late teens to late twenties. Fast forward ten years and they may soon begin to laugh at their idea of ‘balls-to-the-walls’ intensity every workout, week after week. As we age, especially as we enter 30s, training revolves more about recovery than making unending progress. Joints and connective tissue take a solid hit if we are really lifting seriously. As such, making every workout a masochistic fiesta can seriously hamper our joints’ ability to outperform them later.

Pro Tip: It’s okay if a workout didn’t leave you hurt and devastated. Try to make a majority of your workouts in a year energizing and your training longevity might increase by several years.

4. Taking Supplements Is Like Pressing A Switch
All of us know that someone who swears by his or her shelf full of powders and pills claiming to transform them into a machine. Supplements have their place in the life of serious strength and physique athlete. However, replacing natural, real food with doses of meal replacement drinks is a strategy that might fail to deliver real robust and healthy changes in your physique. Quality, natural and fresh nutritional food would always beat sole supplementation.

Pro Tip: Make a select handful of supplements such as Whey and Creatine Monohydrate a tool to fill in the gaps in your nutrition wherever or whenever you see it, rather than a staple in your diet.

5. I Need To Train Like A Pro
In the pursuit of ‘Big Guns’, an amateur might look up the internet for the training split of an eight time Mr. Olympia winner and begin to emulate it in his training. The efforts might soon begin to be outweighed by the stopping of gains through either injury or incorrect loading parameters and the trainee might soon end up in dire frustration before switching to an altogether new program, this time followed by a multiple ‘World’s Strongest Man’ title winner.

Many individuals fail to understand that it might take more than a decade of continual solid and consistent effort with the big lifts in order to come anywhere near being called a pro. And we aren’t even talking about ‘pharmaceutical aids’ yet.

Pro Tip: Aim for Health first, followed by getting stronger, followed by improvement in appearance whenever drawing out your training strategy or designing a muscle building program.

We hope this article helps you avoid these common muscle building mistakes and aids you in making the right choices. For more on fitness, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions on GOQii PRO within the GOQii App, where you can get one-on-one guidance in real time by certified fitness experts.

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From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

As we observe World Cancer Day under the powerful theme ‘United by Unique’ (2025-2027)**, we are reminded that every individual’s journey with cancer is distinct, yet united by shared resilience, hope, and the collective fight against this disease. This theme places people at the centre of care and their stories at the heart of the […]