GOQii

Blog

Search Results for: quinoa recipe

By Leave a Comment

Top 10 Foods For Diabetics

Foods For DiabeticsYour food choices matter a lot when you’re facing Diabetes. While it is difficult to find foods which prevent diabetes complications like heart disease, kidney disease, spiking blood sugar levels, etc. there are some foods for diabetics which can help reduce carbohydrate intake, which in turn keeps blood sugar in check. Let’s take a look at these foods for diabetes. 

Top 10 Foods For Diabetics 

  1. Cinnamon: This fragrant golden spice helps in controlling sugar, cholesterol and triglyceride levels in Type 2 Diabetes. It adds flavour to food, can be sprinkled on tea, coffee, oatmeal and smoothies, etc. Studies have shown just ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon daily can improve fasting blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity.
  2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil contains antioxidants called polyphenols which are extremely beneficial for heart health. Olive oil is the best option for  MUFA source when it comes to managing diabetes. Several studies have shown that MUFA helps to keep blood sugar in check by lowering insulin resistance and it keeps you full, minimizes blood sugar spikes, and helps in good absorption of nutrients. Daily healthy intake for a Diabetic person can be 1-2 tsp (5ml-10 ml) to manage sugar levels.
  3. Nuts: are the best snacking foods for diabetics as they are delicious and nutritious. Nuts like walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios are a boon for diabetics as they are low in carbohydrates and high in protein and fat, which makes them good for stabilizing blood sugar. Due to high in protein and low in digestible carbs they help to reduce blood sugar and LDL levels. A Diabetic person can have a small handful of approx. 20-30 gm daily. But be sure to avoid salted varieties of nuts.
  4. Beans: are complex carbs loaded with fiber and rich in protein which gives a feeling of satiety. Beans are not expensive at all, easily available and they are incredibly versatile. Having beans in the diet regularly can control blood sugar and lower blood pressure. You can add beans in your salads, soups, veggies and sandwiches or use soaked/boiled beans in various recipes. Include one bowl daily which is approximately  25-30 gm of beans to regulate blood sugar levels.
  5. Quinoa: is considered as a complete protein because it contains all nine essential amino acids needed to build muscle and it is rich in minerals such as iron and magnesium. This protein-rich whole grain is a great substitute for white rice. It is rich in fiber and gets digested slowly, which keeps the stomach full and prevents blood sugar spikes. It is a healthy option for breakfast, snacks and effective in weight loss too. Daily  20-30 gm of Quinoa can be taken in different ways like salad, or mixed with vegetables, etc.
  6. Fenugreek Seeds: are very effective in treating people with diabetes. It is rich in soluble fiber which lowers the sugar levels by slowing down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. Studies have shown a daily dose of 10 gm of fenugreek seeds soaked in water helps to control Type 2 Diabetes.
  7. Oatmeal: is one of the best foods for diabetics as they can fit into any healthy meal plan. They are high in fiber and low in glycemic index. It does the miraculous job in regulating blood sugar levels and increases energy levels. Steel-cut oats approx. 20 gm-30 gm daily with low-fat milk or vegetables are best for Type 2 Diabetes because they are least processed.
  8. Garlic: is a herb which reduces inflammation, blood sugar, LDL Cholesterol in people who have Type 2 Diabetes. It also reduces blood pressure and boosts immunity. 1-2 cloves of Garlic can be crushed and taken raw with water early morning or can be used while cooking.
  9. Turmeric is a very powerful spice with numerous health benefits. It helps to lower inflammation, reduce blood sugar and boost immunity. It has curcumin which benefits kidney and heart health in diabetics. It is an important ingredient in Indian cuisines, around ½ to ¼ tsp can be added in water or milk to reduce inflammation, boost immunity and regulate blood sugar levels.
  10. Chia seeds: are the powerhouse of nutrients and are one of the wonderful foods for Diabetics. They are high in fiber which lowers blood sugar in diabetics and helps maintain healthy weight. It also decreases blood pressure and inflammation in the body. Take 10gm of soaked chia seeds daily, can be also added in a smoothie, shake, curd etc.

We hope these 10 foods for diabetics helps you make a wonderful and positive shift to a healthier life but before you try them out, do consult with your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian. 

For more help to manage diabetes, and get the right guidance and motivation by certified experts, join the GOQii 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), reduce HbA1c levels and let you win gold! You can subscribe here: https://store.goqii.com/diabetescare.

#BeTheForce 

By 39 Comments

Health Benefits Of Eating A Bowl Of Salad Daily

bowl of saladTraditionally, salads are prepared with raw vegetables like cucumber, tomatoes, cabbage and onions, which are cut into slices and sprinkled with a pinch of salt and lemon. They were either served as the smallest portion of the meal or totally ignored. If you’ve been doing the same, it’s time to change! Adding a bowl of salad to your meals is important, and that’s what we’re going to tell you in this article.

Why Should You Eat A Bowl Of Salad Daily? 

  • Firstly, starting your meals with a bowl of salad will help you lose weight. It’s true because salads are low in calories, high in fiber and rich in other nutrients. Fiber helps you feel full, so you eat less of the rest of your meal. Eating less but healthy = sustainable weight loss! Eating a high fiber salad aids in lowering cholesterol and also is known to prevent constipation.
  • Eating a little healthy fat (like the monounsaturated fat found in olive oil, avocado and nuts) with your vegetables in salads helps your body absorb protective phytochemicals  (known to protect against cancer and heart disease), like lycopene from tomatoes and lutein from dark green vegetables.
  • Best way to skip croutons (deep fried pieces of wheat bread) which are low in nutrients and have a high glycemic load, is to replace them with nuts and seeds to maintain the salad’s crunchiness.
  • To balance it with proper carbohydrates and proteins to make it a whole meal, you can add brown rice or protein packed Quinoa, Grilled Chicken, low fat Paneer (Cottage Cheese), Tofu or Sprouts.
  • People, who do not like to eat fruits, can relish salads which combine fruits and vegetables and eat it as a whole meal or as a snack. This provides a host of powerful antioxidants, which protect the body from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals.

Tips To Prepare Healthy Salads

  • Salads are known to be rich in Vitamins. Fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K cannot be absorbed and used by the body without the presence of some fat. So go for the unsaturated fats (good fats) like olive oil or canola oil. Toss the oil with vinegar to help to prevent blood sugar spikes after meals.
  • The best way to include greens like romaine, radicchio, iceberg and spinach in your daily diet is to mix them all up or use one at a time in salads.
  • Add medicinal herbs like basil, garlic, lemon juice or parsley to the salad for that strong punch of flavor and loads of disease fighting antioxidants. The more flavorful your salad is naturally, the fewer high calorie ingredients like extra cheese and cream you’ll need to add for taste.
  • Pack your salads with as many other veggies or fruits as possible to get the synergetic effects. Carrots, cucumbers, different colored peppers, broccoli, peas, artichokes, strawberries, raspberries, or pears are great choices to add different textures as well as plenty of filling fiber.

We hope this article encourages you to make a habit of adding a bowl of salad to your meals! Get creative with your salad, make it colorful or crunchy and share a pic on social media or the GOQii Arena and tag us! For more on healthy living and nutrition, check out Healthy Reads.

To get more advice and guidance from experts on nutrition, weight loss, diet tips and healthy recipes! Subscribe to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

Eat Healthy and #BeTheForce

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health.

By 6 Comments

The Right Way To Include Superfoods In Your Soup

soupWhether you’re a confident cook or a kitchen newbie, a little advice is always helpful. So, here I am with these need-to-know soup-making tips and techniques to make your soup healthy and nutritious. Soups make an excellent choice for snacking, a light dinner recipe or post workout meal. You can easily fit it in your meals in various ways.

Homemade Soup vs Packed Soups

Canned or dried instant soups contain lots of salt, hidden sugars, fillers, and preservatives to increase shelf life of the product. As with almost anything, home-made is better. Making your own soup takes time, but it gives you complete control over the ingredients and how you prepare them.

Know Your “Superfoods”

Superfoods are all around us but we seldom take note of them. Incorporating superfoods into your bowl of soup can load your meals with nutrition, antioxidant properties and low amount of calories. Some of the popular choices of super foods to consider are Moringa, Drumstick, Pumpkin, Barley, Bell pepper, Sprouted legumes and pulses, Broccoli, Mushroom, Spinach, Sweet Potato and all herbs and spices. Cinnamon, Cayenne peppers, Pepper, Rosemary, Oregano, Lemon grass, Basil, Thyme, Parsley are a boon for our digestive and Immune system.

How Do You Use Superfoods? 

  • Garlic is used widely as a flavouring in cooking soups, but also has been used as a medicine to treat various ailments. Add 5-6 peeled, cracked garlic cloves and cook, tossing them around occasionally, until they are golden brown.
  • Basil is well known for its medicinal properties. The most commonly known pairing of basil is with tomato, broccoli, parsley, oregano, rosemary and thyme. The best way is to puree it into the soup.
  • Oregano is an effective natural antibiotic and antifungal. It may also help you lose weight and lower your cholesterol levels. Half teaspoon is good to go.
  • Rosemary/Thyme is traditionally used to help alleviate muscle pain, improve memory, boost the immune and circulatory system, and promote digestive health. 1 teaspoon is enough to avail its benefits.
  • Cinnamon is one of the most delicious and healthiest spices on the planet. It can lower blood sugar levels, reduce heart disease risk factors and has a plethora of other impressive health benefits. Add ½ teaspoon depending on the quantity of soup. Ceylon cinnamon is better quality.
  • Vegetables are packed with fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The recommended daily amount of vegetables for men is at least 3 cups a day and for women at least 2 1/2 cups.  Adding them to soups increases the serving of vegetables in a diet. Steaming and boiling caused a 22% to 34 % loss of vitamin C. Pressure-cooked vegetables retain 90% of their vitamin C.

 NOTE: Add fresh herbs towards the end as the flavour diminishes with heat.

Tips To Choose Your Ingredients

  1. Include seasonal Superfoods that are readily available in the market and your own kitchen. Refer to the above list.
  2. Good Fats: Choose fats that your body needs such as Virgin Coconut oil, homemade pure ghee and olive oil are preferable options to add taste and enhance absorption of fat soluble Vitamins from your vegetables.
  3. Right Base: In order to cut saturated fats like cream, you can replace your creamy base with vegetable broth, tomato puree, coconut milk, tomato puree or vegetable puree.
  4. Pick Seasonal Veggies: Pumpkin, tomato, spinach, onion, beetroot, moringa, mushroom, sweet potato, or mixing three or four vegetables not only enhances the taste but also increases the nutritive value. Garlic is common. Use whatever you like from what is available.
  5. Herbs & Spices: Sea salt and black peppers are your two most basic spices. You can experiment with various herbs as all are beneficial for your gut health. Popular flavour combinations are Basil and oregano pair well with tomato-based soups, Parsley, and rosemary go well with potato-based soups, Parsley and thyme are a nice addition to cream soups.
  6. New Age Superfoods: Handful of boiled barley, quinoa, oats, microgreens, boiled sprouts, Tofu, cooked lentils and legumes adds proteins as well as increases the satiety value and health quotient of the soup. They are perfect because it thickens the soup as it cooks; creating an irresistible, slightly sticky broth that coats your spoon beautifully.

Simple Technique To Cook Any Type Of Soup 

  1. Take vegetables of your choice. Wash it and chop in big pieces.
  2. Take a pressure cooker and add 1 teaspoon of extra virgin or unrefined coconut oil/ olive oil. Add chopped vegetables and mix well.
  3. Add 1 glass of water and give a whistle.
  4. After cooling, separate vegetables from water (vegetable broth) and grind them with a handful of boiled quinoa/ sprouted dal or any other protein source to get a thick paste.
  5. Mix it again in the same vegetable broth and give it a boil adding sea salt and herbs at the end. 
  6. Optional: add coconut milk to give a nice colour, pieces of tofu or beans/ bell peppers for crunchiness.
  7. Serve it hot! Your healthy protein rich, immunity boosting soup is ready!

That’s it!  You can make any soup using the ingredients you have at hand with the flavours you prefer, without any recipe. Some examples of healthy soups are tomato basil soup, bell pepper soup, red pumpkin soup, broccoli soup, moringa soup and sprouted soup.

Do try your own variation and let us know your recipe in the comments below. You can find more articles on nutrition and superfoods here. You can also get these tips or recipes directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing to Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

By Leave a Comment

Two Thumbs Up For Summer Salads!

summer saladsSummer is here and as the weather is only going to get hotter, it’ll take a lot more effort to stay hydrated especially if you’re spending long hours outside. Continuous exposure to high temperature and humidity without any rest and fluids can lead to lack of energy, dizziness headache, weakness and sometimes severe cramps and fluid retention. Instead of eating heavy and hot food, you need something light – like some good summer salads!

But before we go over how you can make your summer salads, let’s explore the ingredients we can use!

What Can You Eat During Summer? 

During this time of the year, our body needs more raw and cooling foods to help nourish and hydrate our cells. Apart from being chilled and high in water content, they also provide fiber for easy digestion and help eliminate toxins from the body.

Do you know that there are hydrating foods that provide about 20–25% of our daily water intake and it’s important to consume these during summer. Some of them include:

  • Fruits: Watermelon, tomatoes (containing lycopene phytonutrient that will help protect skin from ultraviolet rays), grape fruit, pears, blueberries, pineapple (the bromelain in it has many health benefits especially in reducing cough) and cucumber.
  • Leafy Greens: Spinach (Vitamin A and C) for liver detoxification with high watery lettuce, celery is brilliant.
  • Carrots: They are high in water content as well as the beta carotene phytonutrient. It also makes the salad plate more colorful.
  • Fresh Herbs: Parsley, mint, cilantro, coriander and basil are fabulous for reducing headaches, toothaches, calming the nerves and sore throats.
  • Spices: Cinnamon, raw garlic and raw ginger will help in keeping cholesterol levels under check. Being anti-inflammatory in nature, they help you fight against high BP, cancer and diabetes. Pepper goes awesome with salad curbing acidity!
  • Healthy Fatty Acids & Proteins: Nuts like almonds (vitamin E and fiber), walnuts and flaxseeds provide that much needed omega 3 fatty acid boost. You may also add peanuts, cashews, pistachios and seeds like sesame, sunflower, chia(topmost hydrator) for variations.
  • Olive Oil: It is rich in MUFA (Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids) and can be added to the salad (the best form is the cold pressed virgin oil good for thyroid which also has phytonutrients). Canola, walnuts, avocado and walnut oil are wise picks for salad dressing too.
  • Lean Proteins: Quinoa, beans, chicken, legumes, chickpeas, paneer, lentils (folic acid rich providing vitamins and both soluble and insoluble fiber) should be added for muscle growth and repair.
  • Do not forget to sprinkle lime to keep it alkaline!

Summer Salads You Can Try 

Now that you are aware of which ingredients you can use, let’s go over on how you can use them.

1. Breakfast: Add some of the fruits mentioned above and mix them with yogurt. For breakfast, this is a great combination of carbs and proteins. If you are planning a long day out, you can combine your oatmeal with fruits like apple, pear and blueberry along with some nuts.

2. Morning snack: Apple/high watery fruit salad mixed with cinnamon, raisins and sprouts.

3. Lunch: Mix fresh fruits (carbs), vegetables (fiber), sprouts (proteins), beans and lentils.

You can also try using watermelon, tomato, onion, cheese mixed with salt, vinegar oil chilled with lettuce leaves and black pepper. You can also add kale and cabbage for a calorie dense meal.

Another alternative is adding watermelon, cucumber, bell peppers, spinach, avocado, lime and quinoa. Apart from complete proteins, this dish will also provide calcium and vitamins.

The best blend of salad for lunch would be vegetables, good carbs, lean proteins (beans, chicken, shrimp, tofu, cottage cheese) and healthy fats, adding in red onions will keep it anti–inflammatory and antioxidant-rich.

4. Dinner: Mix Quinoa, beans, lentils and chicken with red bell pepper and veggies. Sprinkle lime and add in herbs according to your taste. You may also add spices to make it interesting.

The salads will not only provide water, but will also keep you full for a longer period of time, helping you keep your weight in check. You can get creative with your salads too. Try designing a different recipe for every meal. I would say grab your salad bowl and create your fun, nutritious and delicious summer salad to re-energize yourself.

We hope this article on summer salads helps you beat the heat! Read more articles on how to stay healthy during summer here. You can also ask an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

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 […]