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The small beneficial pod – Green Peas

green-peas

It’s often said that “Good things come in small packages.” I came across one such small package. And indeed a familiar vegetable which is a power house of nutrients given to us by Mother Nature – ‘Green Peas’.

Green peas are botanically considered to be a fruit, but are often sold as a veggie. These are considered to be a poor man’s meat or a way to put some greens on the plate, but this native food provides us with array of benefits. Some of them are…

  1. Peas are low calorie foods rich in proteins, fibre and other micronutrients. Thus making them an apt food, effective in weight management ensuring longer satiety levels.
  1. Peas contain phytonutrients that are healthy for the body. One such phtyonutrient that is recently researched on is a polyphenol known as the coumestrol. A Study in Mexico City determined that only 2 milligrams per day of this phytonutrient is needed to prevent stomach cancer. A cup of peas gives you at least 10 miligrams.
  1. Peas not only contains anti–inflammatory compounds but also anti –oxidants that help’s one to boost their immunity levels and prevent ageing. The presence of Vitamin C in good amounts just adds up to the benefits!
  1. Recent studies have shown that this small package also holds alpha linolenic acid (ALA) precursor of the heart healthy omega –3. The combined effect of anti – oxidants+ omega-3 + anti–inflammatory compounds maintains heart health by promoting healthy blood vessels and preventing their blockage. Also the presence of B- vitamins like B1, B2, B3, B6 and folate help to reduce the homocysteine levels that is a risk factor for heart diseases.
  1. Green peas are rich in Vitamin K essential to hold calcium within the bones. Thus, promoting bone health.
  1. Being a good source of fibre relieves constipation.
  1. These are environmental friendly, nitrogen fixers, do not require artificial fertilizers. After the crop is harvested the tender plant is used as an organic fertilizer.

So let’s gauge the essential nutrients from the tiny package of Mother Nature. Just one cup at a time and all the benefits are thine!

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An apple a day keeps the doctor away

apple-a-aday

One of the most popular adages is “An apple a day keeps the Doctor away”. But, on second thoughts I have always wondered why is it said so? Do we really know what makes an apple so special? Why is it that we never hear an orange or a banana a day keeps the doctor away? Does apple really have any value? Could an apple honestly help a person to maintain perfect health?

In the 19th century, a publication printed this adage saying: “Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.” Nearly, 150 years later, variations of this adage is still quoted. It’s unlikely that the saying would have maintained such popularity if there wasn’t some truth to it, right? With that in mind, let’s consider some of the apple’s components and their effects on our health.

Apples have properties that no other fruits have and its benefits have been proven overtime. We will be able to get the benefits of these properties individually with other fruits, but an apple combines everything and makes it simpler. It has been shown over and over that if it’s not simple, easy and fast, people won’t take care of their health.

Apples have a good claim to promote health. They contain Vitamin C, which aids the immune system. A lot of people who lack Vitamin C in their diet have poor healing, bruise easily and have bleeding gums. It can prevent both coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease because apples are rich in flavonoid. Flavonoids are also known for their antioxidant effects. Apples contain phenols, which have a double effect on cholesterol. It reduces bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol. They prevent LDL cholesterol from turning into oxidized LDL, a very dangerous form of bad cholesterol which can be deadly.

Apple protects your brain from brain disease. This is something that many people don’t know, and when you consider that your brain makes the person you are, it gives a whole new perspective. Apple has substances called phytonutrients, and these phytonutrients prevents neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinsons.

We are all aware that cancer comes in several forms and in different places. Apples target multiple cancers such as colon cancer, prostate cancer and breast cancer in women. A research at the University of Nottingham Research shows that people who eat 5 apples or more per week have lower respiratory problems, including asthma.

The best thing about apples are that they are low in calories. A regular size apple has between 70-100 calories. Eating an apple when craving for candy or chocolate can make the desire disappear since Apple in itself contains sugar, but gives you only ¼ of the calories. They taste great too! Not only that, they also come in many flavours and colours. Not in a mood for a red apple? Why not get a green one. Their taste can vary greatly, but still give you all the apple benefits. Variety is an important element to maintain your health.

An Apple can also prevent tooth decay. Tooth decay is an infection that seriously damages the structure of your teeth, which is caused primarily because of bacteria. The juice of the apples has properties that can kill up to 80% of bacteria. So there you go, ‘an apple a day also keeps the dentist away too’!

With all these benefits that Apples bring with it I would say an Apple a day does not just keep the doctor away but does a Lot More Than That!

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Five Foods that help to Lower Blood pressure

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Blood Pressure (BP) has now become a common ailment. Be it young or old almost everyone has BP issues. Infact, BP issues among young adults is on the rise thanks to the lifestyle that most lead! Some have low blood pressure and some high blood pressure issues.

High blood pressure is often considered harmful as it tends to have a negative effect on the heart and may increase the risk of stroke. It’s difficult to manage those BP pills to ensure maintenance of the pressure once diagnosed with elevated pressure levels.

A healthy change in lifestyle may prove beneficial in lowering the pressure levels as well as in maintaining them. Eating right is important during lifestyle modification and when managing pressure levels. This further may help in maintaining or reducing or even curbing the dosage of medicines!

Here are five foods that will help you lower your pressure levels:

  1. Bananas: These are a rich source of potassium, cheap and available throughout the year. Have them as a on- the- go- snack. The potassium helps to curb the imbalance of electrolytes during high pressure.

 

  1. Low fat or Skim Milk: The combination of Vitamin D and Calcium not only helps in reducing the pressure levels but also maintain the bone health. A glass a day is all what you need!

 

  1. Whole Grain: Kick start your day with whole grain cereals as they not only provide you with nutrients and fibre that help in maintaining consistent energy levels but also lower the pressure levels.

 

  1. Beet Juice: A glass of beetroot juice is proven to reduce pressure levels within few hours according to research. The nitrate present in it is known to lower the levels.

 

  1. Dark chocolate: It is high in compounds that cause dilation of blood vessels i.e. flavonoids thus lowering the pressure. One small square piece is what one needs!

**Tip: Along with this lower the intake of salt and processed/packaged foods, exercise regularly and achieve a healthy stress free lifestyle!!

 

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All that you should know about brown sugar and white sugar

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Most of us are aware of the fact that brown rice is good for health and therefore better than white, Brown bread is better than white, but does this same logic apply to brown sugar as well?

Once, while with a friend at a coffee shop, she suddenly came up with this thought that white sugar is unhealthy and brown is very healthy and will help you not gaining weight. I wondered really?

I went back home and pondered over what she said. Next thing I decided do was to research on the subject-which sugar is better white or brown? Both tastes similar in sweetness and both have calories but, when I researched deep into the topic, I got to know lot more.

Let us first take a look at its nutrition value and after that we will look at its relation with weight gain

Although many people are of the opinion that brown sugar is a healthier option than white sugar, the truth is that they only have certain different nutritional values. White sugar is actually 99.9% pure sucrose, while brown sugar is 97% sucrose, 2% water and 1% other substances.

A teaspoon of white sugar contains 16 kilocalories, whereas one teaspoon of brown sugar has 17 kilocalories.

The molasses in brown sugar contains a number of minerals, which include calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron, but since only very small amounts of these minerals are present in brown sugar, they do not bring any health benefit to the body. It is known that sugar has very little nutrients, and both white sugar and brown sugar do not do much to promote health.

Because of its molasses content, brown sugar does contain certain minerals. (white sugar contains none of these). But, since these minerals are present in only minuscule amounts, there is no real health benefit to using brown sugar. The real differences between the two are taste and the effects on baked goods. Brown sugar is more likely referred as “raw sugar” because it is not refined

So now that it has been proved nutritionally, “Brown sugar and white sugar are not much different”, let us now look at the other aspects of sugar and weight loss. It is said that a person should have a minimum of only 2 spoons of sugar in a day but there again it’s a misconception, so how much of sugar a person should have in a day?

Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this question. Some people can eat some sugar without harm, while others should avoid it as much as possible.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the maximum amount of added sugars you should eat in a day are

  • Men: 150 calories per day (37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons).
  • Women: 100 calories per day (25 grams or 6 teaspoons).

But, if you ask me I would say one should avoid excess sugar as much they can.

Whoever out there are consuming brown sugar as an alternative for weight loss or diabetic reasons should look out for better option and go in for natural sweetner’s like honey, jiggery, sugarcane, dates as these would be beneficial and more healthier for you rather than any white or brown or both.

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