diet Archives

September 18, 2020 By Neha Goyal 1 Comment

Pistachios – Your Powerful Nutritional Punch!

Pistachios are edible seeds of the pistachio tree, member of the cashew family. They are nutrient-packed nuts that can be enjoyed both as a healthy snack or as part of a delicious recipe. Available both in the shell (in-shell) or with their shell already removed (shelled), they’re typically sold roasted and salted, although unsalted options are available, as well as some flavoured varieties, too.

Pistachios originate from the Middle East but today, 99 per cent of the pistachios produced in the United States come from California.

How Does It Give a Powerful Nutritional Punch?

Loaded with Vitamins and Minerals: Pistachios are a rich source of protein, dietary fibre, several minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, sodium and selenium. It is also a good source of vitamins like vitamin A, K, C, E, B6, B1, B2, B3, B9, and B5.
Good Source of Antioxidants: They contain more antioxidants than most nuts and seeds, second only to walnuts and pecans. You can literally “see” the nutrients through the various colours in pistachio. The green and yellow colour of the actual nut comes from lutein and zeaxanthin. The thin purple skin surrounding the nut is loaded with anthocyanins, the same type of antioxidants found in grapes and cranberries.
Lowest in Fat: A serving of pistachios has 13 grams of fat, of which about 1.7 grams are saturated, 3.5 grams are polyunsaturated, and 7 grams are monounsaturated fats. Compared to most other tree nuts, pistachios are one of the lowest in fat.
Cholesterol-Free: Pistachios have the highest phytosterol content (214 milligrams per 100 grams) amongst nuts. Phytosterols come from plants and because they have a similar structure to cholesterol, they compete with cholesterol for absorption by the body, ultimately limiting the amount of cholesterol absorbed.
Compared to other tree nuts, pistachios have a higher essential amino acid ratio and the highest percentage of branched-chain amino acids. Pistachios are a great plant-based protein option for everyone, but especially those eating a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Health Benefits of Pistachios

Heart Health: A number of studies have shown that pistachios significantly reduced total cholesterol and the “bad” LDL-cholesterol levels while increasing the “good” HDL-cholesterol level. They may increase antioxidant concentrations, which is linked to improved dilation of blood vessels as a result of a reduction in inflammation.
Weight Management: It may seem counterintuitive but eating pistachios—a high-fat, calorie-dense food—has actually been associated with weight management. Pistachios are rich in fiber and protein, both of which increase satiety by helping you feel full and eat less .
Gut Health: Pistachios are high in fiber, which moves through our digestive system mostly undigested. But some types of fiber are digested by the good bacteria in your gut, acting as prebiotics. Gut bacteria then ferment the fiber and convert it into inflammation-fighting short-chain fatty acids, & also results in decreased the number of lactic acid bacteria. It also increases the number of butyrate-producing bacteria in the gut more than eating almonds does.
Blood Sugar Control: Despite having a higher carb content than most nuts, pistachios have a low glycemic index, meaning they don’t cause a large spike in your blood sugar. Also rich in fiber and healthy fats, antioxidants, magnesium, carotenoids and phenolic compounds, which are beneficial for blood sugar control.
Good For Eye Health: Pistachios are rich in antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which are essential for eye health, as they reduce the chances of developing eye conditions, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.
Prevents Cellular Damage: As our cells grow older, they accumulate oxidative damage due to the presence of free radicals, which can cause considerable damage to cells. Pistachios, being rich in antioxidants, including lutein, beta-carotene, and gamma-tocopherol, has oxidative damage-fighting benefits which also play a key role in reducing the risk of disease, such as cancer.

How to Include Them in Your Diet?

One of the simplest ways to enjoy pistachios is as a snack on their own. You can also throw chopped pistachios on your yogurt or morning oatmeal or use them as a crunchy topping for your salads. Pair pistachios with a piece of fruit for your afternoon snack, their fiber, fat and protein will keep you satisfied.

Takeaway

Pistachios are very nutritious. Regularly eating pistachios may be a good way to improve health and wellbeing. But stick to plain, unsalted pistachio nuts in their shells and avoid eating more than 30gm a day. Before you begin eating them, do consult with your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian.

For more on nutrition and healthy eating, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

August 13, 2020 By Navnee Garg Leave a Comment

Healthy Eating: Recipes With Healthy Fats

In the previous blog, we saw how Healthy Fats Are Good For Us. We now know that a nutritious eating plan doesn’t mean cutting out all fat, just focusing on healthier varieties. Not sure how to get started? How about some easy & delicious recipes that would not only add “Healthy Fats” to your intake but also satisfy your taste buds?

Try these recipes with healthy fats!

1. Salad with Flaxseed Oil Dressing Recipe

Ingredients:

Chopped Romaine Lettuce – 3 cups
Mixed Green Vegetables – 2 cups
Flaxseed oil – ¼ cup
Juice of 1 lemon
Soy Sauce, Low Sodium, Wheat-free – 2 tablespoons
100% Maple Syrup – 1 tablespoon
Ground black pepper – ¼ teaspoon
Sea salt – ¼ teaspoon

Directions:

Chop greens and place in a large salad bowl.
Drizzle Flaxseed oil directly on greens and rotate bowl to evenly coat the greens with the oil.
Squeeze the juice of one lemon directly onto the greens.
Add soy sauce and maple syrup into bowl.
With clean hands, toss the salad to evenly distribute the Flaxseed oil dressing throughout the salad.
Add sea salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately in colorful salad bowls.

My Special Tip: To fully enjoy, create a salad bar that includes some great toppings, including cherry tomatoes, grapes, sliced reduced-fat cheddar cheese, cucumbers and thinly chopped red, orange and yellow bell peppers.

2. Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

Fat-free Chocolate Milk or Low-fat Chocolate Soy Milk – 1 cup
Ripe Banana – 1
Peanut Butter – 1 tablespoon
Ice Cubes – 4 to 6

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or a food processor.
Blend until smooth.
Serve Cold

3. Kale Salad with Fresh Strawberries and Toasted Almonds

Ingredients:

Kale Leaves – 1 large bunch (9 cups bite-sized pieces kale leaves)
Juice of 1 medium orange, divided
Extra-virgin olive oil, divided – ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon
Pinch of salt
Orange Zest – 1 tablespoon
Honey – 2 teaspoons
Freshly ground black pepper
Sliced strawberries (or blueberries, blackberries or raspberries) – 1 cup
Dried currants or raisins – ¼ cup
Slivered almonds or pine nuts, toasted – ¼ cup

Directions:

Remove and discard center ribs and stems from kale leaves. Tear kale leaves into bite-sized pieces.
Combine kale, half of orange juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt in a large bowl.
Massage kale by scrunching small amounts with your clean hands, then releasing and repeating. With massaging, kale will soften, somewhat deepen in color and become more fragrant.
Make the dressing by whisking remaining orange juice, orange zest, honey and pepper in a small bowl. Gradually whisk remaining ¼ cup olive oil into the juice mixture to combine well. Set aside.
Pour the dressing over kale. Add strawberries, currants and toasted almonds. Toss gently.
Let salad ingredients marinate for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

4. Avocado Chicken Salad with Kale

Ingredients:

Shredded Rotisserie Chicken – 1 cup
Half Avocado Chunked
Lemon Juice – 2 teaspoons
Chopped Dill (Shepu) – 1 teaspoon
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1 teaspoon
Kale, torn into bite-sized pieces – 1 cup

Directions:

In a large bowl, massage the kale with olive oil. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
In another bowl, toss together chicken, avocado, lemon juice and dill, breaking down the avocado slightly for a creamier texture.
Top kale with chicken salad and serve.

That’s it! Do try these delicious recipes with healthy fats and let us know your thoughts in the comments below! For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE cooking sessions on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

July 14, 2020 By Kusum Soni 3 Comments

Top Meat Substitutes And Their Importance

Meat consumption has primarily been linked to Western diet and recently, it’s been a trend in people who want to build muscles. No doubt, Meat is an excellent source of high-quality protein, various vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B12, zinc, selenium, iron, niacin, and vitamin B6. However, a large number of studies have linked meat consumption to higher risk of cardiovascular disease, heart disease, stroke and some forms of cancer, Type 2 diabetes, also known as “Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)”. That is because, Meat is high in saturated fat, which can lead to above-mentioned lifestyle diseases. Thus health awareness, and other factors such as animal disease, natural resources depletion, green-house gas emission and other environmental concerns has led to the shift to low fat and low calorie plant foods and has increased importance of meat substitutes in the current scenario.

Plant based foods are associated with lowered risks for several kinds of cancers, lowered incidence of hypercholesterolemia, cardiovascular diseases and are known to enhance the immune system as well. Only limiting factor here can be the low quality proteins, but that too can be easily overcome by including diverse plant protein sources to get all the essential amino acids.

Plant-based Meat Substitutes

Here are some of the best meat substitutes that can be a part of a healthy and wholesome diet.

1. Tofu: also called Bean Curd, is a Soy food product made from soybean or soya bean. It is one of the best meat substitutes because

It offers a complete protein profile
It has heat-stable storage protein. Hence, it is good for high temperature cooking
Bioavailability of soy protein is equivalent to meat and eggs
They are low in fat in comparison to animal based food especially saturated fat, and have zero cholesterol
Rich in many bioactive compounds such as isoflavones, peptides, flavonoids and vitamins, which have a protective effect against free radicals in the body

Using firm tofu and Crumbling, stir-fry it until brown and crispy. This makes it taste extremely similar to ground chicken or pork. It can be stir-fried with veggies like broccoli, bell pepper, Zucchini to make salads or its sautéed cubes can be added in soups, or used in sandwiches with lettuce and tomato slices or made into Tikka masala or Tofu-Chilli, etc.

2. Beans and Legumes: are an ideal choice for a filling and fiber-rich meal. They have protein content which is at par with some animal foods, as per the Nutritive Value of Indian Foods. Raw beans/legumes can provide a whopping 18-37 gm of protein per 100 grams with additional advantage of fiber, low fat, no cholesterol and plenty of vitamins and minerals.

Few options include:

Chickpeas have beneficial nutrient composition with high fibre which makes it more filling. They not only provide protein but also provide a substantial portion of iron, folate, potassium, and have a calcium content equivalent to milk. Using it as coarsely ground gives it a texture of minced beef. It can be used to make Hummus which is used as a dip for vegetable sticks, baked falafel, which can serve as a meat-free patty in tacos or burgers or pancakes from chickpea flour with veggies to make a complete meal.
Boiled and minced Black beans can replace beans for ground beef in tacos and other similar dishes. The dark colour of the bean makes it a fantastic source of antioxidants and anthocyanins. It can be made into vegetables or fillings for sandwiches.
Lentils have one of the highest levels of protein by weight of all the pulses and less than 1% fat, providing them a nutritional edge to thicken meat-free curries and soups.
Cooked green peas are another protein-rich option, almost the same as a cup of milk. It can be served as a side dish, made into patties, cooked with veggies, stirred into soup or macaroni and cheese or blended with olive oil, parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts to make a delicious pesto sauce.

3. Nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds are another good substitute for meats, fish and eggs as they are protein-dense, especially Hemp seeds which have complete proteins, good fiber, vitamin E, vitamin B2, niacin, folate, and essential minerals such as zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and selenium and healthy essential fats

Only downside here is the relatively higher calories which calls for controlled portions. Here’s how you can use them:

Hemp seeds, chia seeds and flax seeds can be toasted and sprinkled over salad to give a crunch.
Stir them into buttermilk/yogurt and oatmeal or blend them into smoothies.
Sunflower, sesame and melon seeds can be added to muffins, salads, stir fries or in the case of sunflower seeds, can be eaten on their own.
Toasted nuts can be made into energy bars.
Plain nuts and nut butters can be eaten without hydrogenated oils or lots of added sugar, example, Almond butter and peanut butter.
Almond milk or hemp milk are also good options for consumption.

A study by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) has revealed that replacing one serving of red meat with one serving of nuts reduces mortality risk by 19%. Believe it or not, tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams follow a healthy, balanced raw vegan diet during the tennis season. That’s right, both raw and vegan.

We hope this article helps you if you have been looking for meat substitutes. What do you replace your meat with? Let us know in the comments below!

For more tips on nutrition, lifestyle and healthy eating, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

May 26, 2020 By Neha Kapoor 6 Comments

The Right Way To Include Superfoods In Your Soup

Whether 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

Include seasonal Superfoods that are readily available in the market and your own kitchen. Refer to the above list.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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

Take vegetables of your choice. Wash it and chop in big pieces.
Take a pressure cooker and add 1 teaspoon of extra virgin or unrefined coconut oil/ olive oil. Add chopped vegetables and mix well.
Add 1 glass of water and give a whistle.
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.
Mix it again in the same vegetable broth and give it a boil adding sea salt and herbs at the end.
Optional: add coconut milk to give a nice colour, pieces of tofu or beans/ bell peppers for crunchiness.
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. For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to cooking sessions on GOQii Play.

Stay home, stay safe, eat healthy and #BeTheForce