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Did you know? Water is a Super-nutrient…Part 1

Girl drinking water

Not many are aware of the fact that ‘Water’ is a super-nutrient. When asked which are the nutrients the common answer is carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Some manage to include vitamins-minerals too.

Water is an important nutrient for our body and it is abundantly available. It is important from the point of view that if our body is not well hydrated then the other nutrients in our body don’t get metabolized well. Thus, the fate of other nutrients is completely dependent on water.

Water makes up for around 60-70% of our body weight. However, the amount of water contained in different body cells varies. Muscle cells comprise of 70-75% water whereas fat cells contain 10-15% water. Therefore, a muscular person will always have a good percentage of water in his body.

When one doesn’t hydrate himself adequately, his cells start losing water and the adverse effects of dehydration sets in. Dehydration can be a serious condition that can lead to problems ranging from swollen feet or a headache to life-threatening illnesses such as a heat stroke.

It is possible to go without food for a long time, but people cannot live without water for more than a few days. Every cell and organ depends on water to perform innumerable functions. The most essential functions include the following:
• Removal of waste and toxins out of the body
• Regulating the bowels
• Transport of nutrients and oxygen to all the cells
• Helping the heart pump blood efficiently
• Controlling the blood viscosity, blood circulation and thereby the blood pressure
• Regulating the body temperature
• Lubricating the joints
• Protecting the organs and tissues
• Helping in saliva production

Most of us are aware of these essential functions of water, yet many of them fail to drink enough of it on a daily basis. When questioned, a wide variety of reasons follow, “I tend to forget”, “I don’t feel the need to drink it”, “I don’t feel thirsty”…and so on. It’s been observed that many people tend to confuse thirst with hunger as our brain sends similar cues for both. Thus, some people end up grabbing some snacks in response to a thirst cue which could have been satisfied just by sipping water.

To be contd……..

In our next part we will talk of How do you create the need to drink water?

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High calcium rich recipes for strong bones

We all know that as the age advances most people suffer from osteoporosis. In today’s time, it’s even more visible in youngsters.

Dr Anand Kulkari has explained very well in his blog about Osteoporosis, its symptoms and causes.  For you to refer— https://goqii.com/blog/osteoporosis/

The first line of treatment to prevent or cure osteoporosis is having good nutrition in which CALCIUM forms the major part of the diet.

The moment we think of calcium, our think of milk and milk products and leafy veggies. But, trust me sometimes it’s so monotonous and boring to have a glass of milk and have those boiled or cooked green veggies.

So here I am with some yummy interesting Calcium rich recipes which will not only enhance your calcium intake for the day but will also add variation in meals.

PANEER Ki KHEER

paneer ki kheer

Paneer Ki Kheer is a sweet recipe straight from the heart of Bengal. It is one of the quickest desserts you can make with a unique ingredient-fresh Paneer. This recipe is high in calcium and low in calories making it a good dessert option for people with osteoporosis. Besides, it is rich in protein and riboflavin.

Ingredients

Cow’s milk chenna crumbled 50gm

Skimmed Milk 300ml

Rice powder 1 Tsp

Saffron (Kesar) a few strands

Almonds, blanched and slivered 4

Pistachios, blanched and slivered 4

Green cardamom powder 1/4 teaspoon

Sugar free – to taste/stevia/jaggery

Preparation

Boil milk in a deep pan and simmer till it reduces and thickens slightly. Add rice powder mixed with a little water and stir. Cook till the mixture thickens a little more.

Add saffron and continue to cook. Add almonds, pistachios and green cardamom powder and mix well. Add sugar-free/stevia/jaggery and stir till it dissolves. Add chenna and mix.

Take it off the heat and set aside to cool. Serve. If you wish you can have it hot too.

 Pumpkin Surprise

red pumkin

A low-calorie pudding made of pumpkin. This recipe is rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium and beta-carotene. A perfect dessert for people who watch their weight and have little time for cooking. In addition, this recipe can prove to be useful for people with high calcium and magnesium requirement.

Ingredients:

Red pumpkin 400 grams

Corn flour 1tsp

Milk 200ml

Cinnamon powder 1/2 tablespoon

Desiccated coconut 1 Tsp

Pomegranate pearls 1 Tsp

Stevia extract to taste

Almonds 10gm

Preparation

Place pumpkin pieces in a large pan. Add Stevia extract and one cup of water. Cover and cook on medium heat for about twenty-five to thirty minutes. Mix cornflour with milk till smooth. Once the pumpkin is cooked add cornflour-milk mixture and mix.

Cook till the mixture thickens. Sprinkle cinnamon powder. Add desiccated coconut and mix.

Transfer the mixture to a serving dish. Sprinkle crushed almonds and pomegranate pearls and serve.

Cardamom Shake

A beverage made up of milk, flavoured with poppy seeds and cardamom. A High calcium recipe good for people with osteoporosis. Also a good Breakfast/Evening time menu option for all

Ingredients:

Toned Milk 300ml

Water 100ml

White Poppy seeds 10gm

Cardamom seeds ground1/2tsp

Stevia, extract to taste

Preparation

Place the poppy seeds in a frying pan over a moderately low heat and dry-roast, turning often, for about 5 minutes.  Combine the poppy seeds, cashews or almonds, and water in a blender process for 2-3 minutes. Add 100 ml of milk and process on low speed for 15 seconds. Pour the mixture through a strainer over a pan.

Press out as much as liquid as possible, and then add the remaining milk and cardamom seeds. Stirring constantly bring to boil over moderately high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Now mix stevia extract. Pour the milk back to forth from one pan to another until it is frothy.

Serve immediately in warmed cups.

NADRU YAKHNI

Nadru-ki-Yakhni

Nadru Yakhni is a Kashmiri dish made of lotus root and yoghurt. Called Nadur in Kashmiri, Bhein in Punjabi, and Kamal kakri in Hindi is rich in calcium and magnesium main course recipe

Ingredients: –

Lotus stems 500 gm

Yoghurt 200gm

Onions sliced 200gm

Cooking oil 10 ml

Cloves 6-7

Cinnamon sticks 2 inch

Cardamom black 2-3

Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp

Kashmiri Chilli powder 1 Tsp

Dry ginger powder 1tsp

Mint powder 1/2tsp

Fennel powder 1tsp

Salt to taste

Preparation: –

Cut the edges of lotus stems and peel them. Cut them into diagonal slices. Soak in water. Boil the slices in salted water till soft. Fry onions in oil till brown and grind with a little water. They impart the brown colour to the gravy. Mix yoghurt properly in a half a cup of water, whisk and then strain. Boil the strained yogurt stirring continuously till it changes its colour to yellow. Keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan, add onion paste, cinnamon & cloves, when they crackle, mix Kashmiri Mirch (chilli), fennel and dry ginger powder, add a little water and sauté. Add lotus stems & yogurt to the mixture, bring it to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes, add cumin seeds, salt and cardamom. Finally, add mint powder and mix properly.

Serve hot with Brown rice/roti.

Green Chapati with Sesame Seeds

A calcium and fibre rich dish for patients of osteoporosis. Very easy to prepare with easily available food Ingredients.This recipe is a good variation of regular chapattis.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower green finely chopped 200gm

Sesame Seeds 50gm

Bengal Gram Flour 50gm

Whole wheat flour 200gm

Onion finely chopped 100gm

Cumin seeds 5gm

Coriander leaves finely chopped 1tsp

Cooking Oil 5 ml

Red Chili Powder 1/2 Tsp

Asafoetida 1 pinch

Salt to taste
Preparation: –

Dry roast Sesame Seeds. Mix Bengal gram, whole wheat flour, sesame seeds, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, cumin seeds, coriander leaves and onion in a mixing bowl. Make dough using some warm water and prepare chapattis.

Serve hot with Yoghurt or Lassi.

Whole Bengal gram and cauliflower green Tikki

tikki

A mouthwatering snack to meet the increased calcium demands of osteoporosis patients. Easy to prepare from readily available ingredients and a low-calorie alternative to fried snacks

Ingredients:-

Bengal gram(whole): – 200g

Cauliflower: – 100g

Onions, chopped finely 200g

Breadcrumbs: -100g

Cumin seeds: -1\2 tsp

Green Chilies, chopped finely: – 3-4

Ginger 1tsp

Oil 5ml.

Salt to taste

Preparation:

Soak Bengal gram for 3-4 hrs and then grind to a coarse paste by adding enough water.  Grate onion, cauliflower, & green chillies and mix well to the gram paste. Add salt, cumin seeds, bread crumbs, ginger. Divide this mixture into equal portions. Flatten each portion with your palm and shallow fry this tiki in hot oil.  Once the Tikki turn brown in colour, remove and serve hot with chutney or sauce.

So, get your bones strengthened with these yummy calcium-rich recipes!! Stay tuned for more such recipes. I will be back with some more interesting healthy recipes to boost your bone health.

 

 

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Super Healthy – Pumpkin Seeds

pumpkin seeds 1

Did you know that you can eat seeds? Yes, it’s true you can as they are rich in nutrients. These small but mighty kernels are high in vitamins and minerals the body needs to function at peak performance. Seeds are extremely versatile and can be incorporated easily into a variety of different recipes. There are various kinds of seeds that you can eat and Pumpkin seeds are one amongst them that you can eat.

Pumpkin seeds are green in colour and may have a white outer covering. They are flat and asymmetrically oval in shape. The white husk is edible. They have a distinct nutty and crunchy taste.  You can easily get them in the market.

Can be prepared at home too!!!

They can be easily prepared at home by scraping the inside of the pumpkin with a metal spoon. Take out all the seeds. Wash them under running water and separate the seeds from the mass and other remains of a pumpkin. Boil the seeds in salted water for 10 minutes. Keep the salt minimum. You can use rock salt or Himalayan pink salt. Remove from heat and drain. Roast the seeds in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Brush the tray with some olive oil and spread the seeds in a single layer. Don’t overlap. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes. Let the pumpkin seeds cool down…Voila!! They are ready to EAT!!!

pumpkin seeds.jpeg

Nutritional facts:

Pumpkin seeds are energy packed. These small seeds are high in calories (approximately 550 kcal in 100 grams). They are a major source of proteins, fibre, niacin, iron, zinc, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus. Apart from that, they are also a good source of Vitamin B5, B6, B9, potassium and sodium.

It is one of the superfoods. It is an essential part of everyone’s diet (Check with your doctor if you are renal patient)

How to eat these energy-packed seeds?

  • Buy or prepare roasted pumpkin seeds
  • These can be included in a variety of things like :

 

  1. Roasted snacks: To make this – Mix roasted puffed rice + roasted chana + roasted makhana + roasted pumpkin seeds + roasted almonds/ walnuts + roasted peanuts. Choose all or two or three of the ingredients. But don’t skip the seeds. Mix and keep in a jar. Eat as a snack. Very healthy!!! Remember all these have to be dry roasted (without ghee/oil) or roasted in homemade ghee according to your calorie needs.

 

  1. Add them to a bowl of curd or oats porridge and enjoy the healthy nutritious snacks.

 

  1. Make pumpkin seeds sweet bars at home. Roast a combination of pumpkin seeds and melon seeds in ghee. Place them on plate evenly. Prepare jaggery syrup. Pour these over the seeds. Let it cool down. After it cools down completely, break into small piece and enjoy eating!!! (This recipe is not advisable for people who want to reduce weight. Good for people who want gain weight or kids).

 

  1. Nutty powder – Mix 50 grams roasted pumpkin seeds + 50 grams roasted melon seeds + 50 grams roasted sesame seeds + 100 grams almonds + Rocky candy (Mishri) as per taste + 25 grams anise (saunf) = Powder them together. Store them in an airtight container. Eat 1 teaspoon daily. Super healthy powder!!!

 

  1. Top it up on your salads. Yummilicious!!!

 

How much can I eat?

As pumpkin seeds are calorie and nutrient dense food, taking too much is not a good idea. You can take up to 2 tablespoons daily (30 grams). This may vary if you have any medical problems.

I hope after reading these facts about pumpkin seeds you will surely include them in your diet. I, myself, eat them daily. I pop in 1 teaspoon roasted pumpkin seeds just before going to bed.

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Mind It: Eat slowly, do not gobble down

mindful eating

I had just about done with my daily routine of a brisk walk in a park. And, I hear some noises- what is it that I hear…it was my stomach growling. Sending me hunger cues and reminding me that I should be eating something. And, yes I was so hungry that I could probably eat a horse.

I quickly walked up to the nearest café to grab some snacks so I could calm down my growling stomach. While I was awaiting my order, I started to look around the café. One of the best things to while you are alone in a café is to observe others sitting there.  What do I see?

I see this young man eating at breakneck speed. Probably he was in a hurry to just grab some food and rush out to work. While he was eating a break neck speed he was also fidgeting with his phone. Ain’t we all good at multitasking of this nature? As he was eating he also managed to engage himself in few calls. If he could do that to me it came across as he wasn’t in such a hurry as it seemed! Then I thought to myself why would somebody be eating at such a speed? Probably, just a habit I thought to myself!

This is true though. There are many people whom I know have developed these fast eating habits. They are most often in a hurry to get over and done with their food to get away from the table. Most often one develops these habits during childhood and it continues through your adulthood.

But, let me tell you that gobbling down the food quickly without realizing what just went in, does no good to your body. In fact, eating too fast could nearly double your risk of being overweight or obese. A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association shows that women aged 40-50 years who eat the quickest are more likely to be obese than slow eaters.

Once you start eating, it takes about 20 minutes for the “stop eating” signal to reach your brain. Fast eating overrides the mechanism of stimulating the satiety center in the brain. Thus, if you eat too quickly or say within 20 minutes, you tend to overfill your stomach and overeat, paving way for overweight and obesity and other related disorders.

Rather than thinking about food in terms of number of calories and nutrients, it would be more beneficial if you eat it mindfully. Eating slowly, chewing the food thoroughly, and savoring every bite of it are some important aspects of Mindful eating which contribute to your health in several ways.

Digestion: chewing well promotes the release of salivary enzymes in the mouth which in turn start off the digestion process, thus making your further digestion smoother and simple. Hence it is said that slower you eat, the faster and more efficiently you metabolize the food.

Portion control leading to weight control: Portion control is easily achieved when you slowdown your pace of eating. When you eat slowly you become aware of when you stomach gets full and you also know how much to serve yourself and when to stop. Portion size and eating speed can be well explained through the famous ‘French Paradox’ which says that despite high intake of calorie rich and fatty foods in France as compared to the US, the incidence of heart disease  and overweight is relatively low in France. It is well documented fact that the French eat much slower than the Americans thus ending up taking smaller portions. Sensible eating therefore works miraculously for the weight-watchers.

Taste and Enjoying: Eating sensibly also involves relishing your food thoroughly by feeling the flavour on your palate. Sensible eating lets you experience the textures and the aroma of the food overall, making it a wonderful experience focused more on the impression and less on the health effects of eating.

In an age which is clouded by distractions, sensible or mindful eating gets difficult for many. It requires a conscious effort on an individual’s part to make sure that he or she is eating in an environment which is less distractive. To enable yourself eat mindfully, ensure that you are away from the television, mobile phones and other devices so that the focus is completely drawn towards eating. You can have some soft music playing in the background to make the eating experience more delightful.

When you eat, JUST EAT! Be mindful and Stay Healthy.

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