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Healthy Eating: Chilli Bean Soup

Healthy Eating: Chilli Bean Soup The onset of the cool, rainy weather calls for a bowl of piping hot soup! If you\’re keen on experimenting with some new recipes, why not try this delicious bowl of Chilli Bean Soup? It\’s easy to prepare and is totally nutritious! Let\’s get started.

What You Will Need

  • Boiled Kidney Beans – 1 Cup
  • Finely Chopped Onion and Tomato – 1 Medium Sized
  • Chopped Carrot – ½ cup
  • Finely Chopped Red, Green and Yellow Bell Pepper – ½ cup
  • Chopped French Beans – 2 tbsp
  • Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp
  • Chopped Coriander – 2 tbsp
  • Chopped Green Chilli – 1
  • Pepper Powder – ½ tsp
  • Chilly Sauce – 1 tsp
  • Tomato ketchup or puree – 1 tsp
  • Vegetable stock or water – 2 cups
  • Oil for seasoning
  • Salt to taste

How To Prepare  

  1. Take a pan and heat a tsp of oil.
  2. Add ginger garlic paste and saute till slightly brown.
  3. Also add onion and chopped green chilly. Saute onion till translucent.
  4. Add tomato, bell peppers, carrot and french beans to the pan.
  5. Saute the vegetables for 5-7 min with closed lid.
  6. Now add kidney beans and stir along with vegetables.
  7. Add the pepper powder, salt, chilly sauce and tomato ketchup.
  8. Stir well and add 2 cups of vegetable stock.
  9. Close the pan with a lid and allow the soup to simmer for another 5-7 min.
  10. Serve the Chilly Bean Soup hot.

Highlights Of The Chilli Bean Soup

  • It is a great mid meal snack or even a meal option when you wish to end your day light.
  • The soup will help you clear your throat and work as an anti-inflammatory agent because of vegetables and pepper.
  • Choose your vegetables very wisely this monsoon and use them only after washing them properly.

If you try and enjoy this delicious Chilli Bean Soup recipe, share it on your social media pages and tag us! We\’d also love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. You can find more healthy recipes here. You can also get more recipes and tips, tailored to your health needs directly from a certified expert. Subscribe to GOQii\’s Personalised Health Coaching here. #BeTheForce 

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Nourishing Women’s Health: Essential Nutrients for Every Stage of Life

Nourishing Women's Health: Essential Nutrients for Every Stage of Life

A woman’s journey through life is marked by remarkable milestones and transformative changes, from the onset of puberty to the joys of pregnancy, the nurturing of new life through lactation, and the transition into menopause. Throughout these stages, the female body undergoes significant hormonal fluctuations, making proper nutrition a vital aspect of maintaining optimal health. By ensuring the intake of essential nutrients, women can support their overall well-being and safeguard against potential deficiencies.

Essential Nutrients For A Healthy Diet In Women 

Let’s explore key nutrients crucial for women, including iron, folic acid, calcium, vitamin D, choline, and magnesium. By understanding the importance of these nutrients and incorporating them into a well-balanced diet, women can empower themselves to thrive at every phase of their extraordinary journey.

  1. Iron: It plays a vital role in the formation of red blood cells, transport of oxygen to different parts of the body, building immunity, etc. but is unfortunately most commonly deficient in women worldwide. This deficiency is due to poor nutrition consumption and loss of iron during menstruation which can lead to anemia. To avoid the same, its important to include Iron rich foods like green leafy vegetables, legumes, organ meat, chicken, nuts, tofu, etc. Iron gets effectively absorbed in the body when combined with Vitamin C, hence, adding citrus fruits, broccoli, and bell peppers to meals will be of great help.
  2. Folic acid: This vitamin has a special role to play during the child bearing age of women. During pregnancy, Folic Acid helps in the development of the neural tube that will develop into your baby’s brain and spinal cord. Apart from this, it also plays an important role in the formation of red blood cells, deficiency of which can lead to anemia. We can include green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans, and broccoli to ensure you’re getting a good amount of this vitamin!
  3. Calcium: During adulthood, adequate calcium consumption is necessary to ensure good bone and muscle health, sending & receiving nerve signals, releasing hormones & other chemicals but  after menopause, the fall in estrogen levels causes decreased calcium absorption. This can lead to fragile bones. Hence, its advised to further increase calcium consumption after menopause. We can do so by including dairy products, green leafy vegetables, tofu, nuts like almonds , chia & sesame seeds.
  4. Vitamin D: This sunshine vitamin is necessary for absorption of calcium & phosphorus in body. It also helps to build immunity, cell growth & reduce inflammation. If not absorbed in the body adequately through sunlight and diet, it can cause symptoms like bone pain, low mood, poor muscle strength, constant tiredness, frequent infections, and weight gain. Exposure to sunlight, adding food rich in Vitamin D like fatty fish, egg yolks, fortified cereals, and fortified milk helps when deficiency is minor. In case of severe deficiency, its advisable to take supplements.
  5. Choline: It is one of the necessary nutrients for women during the phase of pregnancy and breastfeeding as it plays an important role in the child’s growth . It also helps to maintain good  brain health & nervous system, muscle control, and cell formation. Including whole eggs, organ meats, fish, Soyabean, wheat germ, chicken, almonds, kidney beans, quinoa, and cottage cheese is a good way to keep its deficiency away.
  6. Magnesium: This is a mineral which is necessary to ensure proper functioning of muscles & nerves. It helps in protein production but its deficiency during pregnancy can lead to serious complications like gestational diabetes, restricted fetal growth, preterm labor, and pre-eclampsia. Eating a diet which includes nuts, pumpkin seeds, green leafy vegetables, beans, legumes and peas will help.

All in all, a well balanced diet rich in all food groups is the key to good health. If this article helped you, let us know in the comments below and share it with your friends and family too!

Find more articles on Women’s Health here. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here. 

#BeTheForce 

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Benefits Of Eating Watermelon During Summer

watermelon

Summers are incomplete without the red and juicy watermelon. Watermelon is a large, sweet, and refreshingly low calorie fruit. It is grown in a favorable climate from tropical to temperate regions worldwide. Besides cantaloupe, honeydew and cucumber, watermelon is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family. All parts of this fruit are edible.

There are lots of nutrients from the seeds to the white flesh closest to the rind. The rind contains more amino acid citrulline than the flesh. Rind is edible after cooking. Watermelon rinds are often cooked as vegetables in most parts of India. Watermelon seeds are also loaded with nutrients. They are high in protein, fiber, vitamin B and omega 3 fatty acid.

Healthy Reasons To Eat Watermelon 

Each bite contains 92% water and 6% sugar. It’s name makes perfect sense, as it consists mostly of water. So apart from keeping you hydrated, what else does this healthy summer fruit offer? 

  • Rich in nutrients: It is an excellent source of a wide variety of nutrients specially Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Potassium, Dietary Fiber and Antioxidant Compounds.

Nutrients present in 100gm of watermelon are as follows :

Sr.No. Nutrients Units Quantity
1 Energy Cal 30
2 Carbohydrate Gm 7.5 including 6.2 gm sugar
3 Fiber Gm 0.4
4 Magnesium Mg 10
5 Potassium Mg 112
6 Choline Mg 6.3
7 Vitamin A Mcg 27
8 B – carotene Mcg 467
9 Lycopene Mcg 4532
10 Vitamin C Mg 8.3

One ounce i.e 28.5gm of seeds provide around 8gm of protein.

  • It helps you to shed extra kilos: Watermelon is the best fruit to eat if someone is trying to lose weight. It is rich in lycopene. It will increase your body’s Arginine level, an amino acid, which helps burn fat quickly. Due to its low calorie and highwater content, it keeps a person full for a long time and helps promote weight loss.
  • Good for eyes: Lycopene, an antioxidant present in watermelon keeps the eyes healthy and protects against age related macular degeneration (AMD).
  • Keeps your kidney healthy: Watermelon is a natural diuretic. Potassium present in watermelon removes toxic substances from the body and reduces the percentage of uric acid present in the blood.
  • Prevents constipation: It is high in water and a good source of fiber that helps prevent constipation and promotes good bowel movement.
  • Promotes a healthy heart: It is the best source of Citrulline – an amino acid that our body converts to Arginine, an essential amino acid that plays a key role in relaxing blood vessels and helps improve blood flow. It also helps control blood sugar and helps lower blood pressure.
  • Keeps your skin and hair healthy: Watermelon contains vitamin C, which the body needs to produce collagen – a protein that keeps your skin supple and hair strong.
  • Helps in cancer prevention: Being a source of numerous antioxidants and flavonoids, watermelon consumption helps in protecting against certain types of cancer such as colon, breast and lung cancer.
  • Helps with sore muscles: Due to the presence of amino acid, citrulline in watermelon, muscle soreness can be treated. Watermelon may enhance performance and speed of recovery post exercise.
  • Reduce asthmatic attack: An antioxidant lycopene present in watermelon helps reduce asthmatic flares up in both children and adults.
  • Keeps you energetic: Potassium present in watermelon has electrolyte properties that leaves you feeling energetic for a long time.
  • Enhances the immune system: Vitamins and antioxidants present in this fruit, aids the production of RBC (red blood cells) which keep the immune system strong.
  • Good for the brain and nervous system: Being rich in Choline, an antioxidant present in this fruit, helps in learning, memory and brain development.

It is the best cooling fruit to eat during the summer season. Apart from the above benefits, Watermelon also has Vitamin B6 and potassium. Potassium maintains water balance in the body while Vitamin B6 improves immunity. Citrulline prevents muscle cramps. Remember that Juicing breaks down the fiber, making sugar easier to absorb and you may not get the benefit of fiber. People with diabetes should consider eating fresh, whole watermelon rather than drinking the juice.

We hope this article helps you head to the market and pick this amazing fruit now! Find more tips on nutrition and healthy summer eating here or speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.  

#BeTheForce 

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Healthy & Refreshing Summer Coolers!

summer coolersGetting out of the house has been a task because of the heat. Venturing out means sweating profusely or being dehydrated due to lack of drinking water at continuous intervals. Want to take some extra precautions to keep your body cool and healthy? Try these healthy and refreshing summer coolers to keep you cool and ward off the heat!

1. Strawberry Pineapple Lemonade

Ingredients:

  • Strawberry – 2 cup fresh small size
  • Pineapple – 3 cup slices
  • Lemon – 1 or ½ cup
  • Ice – Optional
  • Honey – ½ cup
  • Water – 3 ½ cup

Method:

  • Place the strawberries, pineapple and water in a blender and prepare a puree
  • Strain the puree to remove seeds
  • Add lemon juice and honey
  • Add ice cubes and enjoy the drink

Benefits: This healthy, refreshing summer cooler is loaded with antioxidant properties. It supports the immune system, fights diseases and enhances your skin complexion. Its anti-inflammatory properties will help you deal with arthritis, gout, reduced blood pressure and stroke. Adding lemon will enhance its nutritive value by giving a dose of important vitamins to run body functions normally.

2. Mango, Raspberry & Basil Seed Popsicle

Ingredients:

  • Mango    – 3 cup
  • Chia Seed – 2 cup
  • Raspberry – 2 cup
  • Cinnamon Powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Brown Sugar – 1 tablespoon

Method:

  • In a blender, mix the mangoes until it is smooth
  • Pour it in a bowl and add Chia seeds
  • Mix well and let it rest in a refrigerator for 30 minutes
  • In a blender mix raspberries, brown sugar and cinnamon powder until smooth
  • Let it rest for 5 minutes
  • In a popsicle mold, pour 1 tablespoon of mango and chia seed mix. Then 1 tablespoon of raspberry mix.
  • Place in the freezer for at least 2 hrs

Benefits: This Popsicle is one of the best nutrient-rich summer coolers! Mango and Raspberry are packed with nutrients that support the heart, digestion, eye, hair and skin health. Adding Basil Seeds will reduce body heat and boost metabolism. It can relieve constipation and improve the respiratory system.

3. Ginger Cucumber Summer Cooler

Ingredients:

  • Ginger    – ½ Ginger
  • Cucumber – ½ Cucumber
  • Lemon – Few drops
  • Honey – 1 tsp
  • Water – 1 cup

Method:

  • Peel and grate the cucumber and Ginger
  • Blend it well by adding water
  • Strain it and add Honey and lemon
  • Decorate the glass with a slice of Cucumber and enjoy the drink

Benefits: Ginger improves digestive health and blood circulation. Along with Lemon, Ginger acts as an antibiotic. The combination of Cucumber, Ginger and Lemon act as a summer thirst quencher and also helps you lose weight by reducing water retention. It also boosts metabolism and keeps you hydrated!

4. Lemon Barley Water

Ingredients:

  • Barley – 3 cup
  • Lemon    Zest – 2 Lemons
  • Honey – ½ cup
  • Water – 3 cup

Method:

  • Place the barley in a bowl and wash it properly
  • Place it in a pan and add lemon zest and water
  • Bring the mixture to boil and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes
  • Strain the mixture then add honey and stir it well
  • Let the water cool down, transfer it into bottles and refrigerate until it is chilled
  • Serve it and enjoy the drink.

Benefits: It is one of the oldest drinks used by ancient Egyptians to cool their bodies during summer. This summer cooler helps maintain body temperature. It also acts as a natural remedy to reduce kidney stones and clear off Urinary Tract Infection. Due to its fiber content, it aids weight loss, improves metabolism and keeps the digestive system healthy.

5. Gur Sherbet (Jaggery and Chia Seed Drink)

Ingredients:

  • Gur (Jaggery ) – Few pieces
  • Water – 1 liter or 1 cup
  • Lemon – 1 or 2 slices
  • Salt – Optional ( ½ Tea spoon )
  • Ice – Optional
  • Chia seeds – 1 or 2 tsp

Method:

  • Soak chia seeds and jaggery in water for about half an hour or overnight
  • Add few lemon pieces  and serve chilled
  • Carry this drink to the office or if you are going out to stay hydrated

Benefits: One of the traditional summer coolers to replenish oneself. Jaggery is well known for its iron content. It also boosts immunity and reduces constipation. Adding chia seeds to it enhances this drink’s nutritive content by becoming a good source of fats that protect the heart and improve brain functioning.

Do try these healthy and refreshing summer coolers and let us know about your experience. Do you have recipes of your own? Share them with us in the comments below!

If you enjoyed these recipes, you can find more here. You can also get them directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

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