healthy food Archives - Page 7 of 9

March 28, 2019 By Sunita Arora 2 Comments

The Magic of Indian Masala Chai

The word Chai actually means tea in English and Russian. In India, it is also known as Masala Chai. More appropriately, it means spice blend. Tea has become a daily part of Indian life. It is now a key element of our culture which has spread throughout the world. Masala Chai is an everyday drink in most parts of India. It is common for Indians to delight themselves with 2 cups of it per day.

In almost every street corner and even office space, you will find a Chai Wallah (tea vendors) who prepares this traditional beverage. They prepare this rich Masala Chai over an open fire in small stands and stalls and serve it in clay tea cups called Kullarhs.

Well, you can prepare it yourself! This may be the right tea for you, to give you the strength and energy during the day and to take you on an amazing ride through the world of Indian tea. Let’s prepare it together! Have a look at our Masala Chai benefits, recipe and get your ingredients ready.

Some amazing Benefits of the Indian Masala Chai

Improves Digestion: The spices used in Masala Chai help in regulating the digestive system. It also helps in keeping your gut healthy. A spice like Ginger aids digestion by improving circulation and delivering oxygen to organs so they can perform optimally.
Supports the Immune System: It is known to strengthen the immune system and keeps common infection at bay. It helps provide relief when infected with common cold and cough.
Improves Heart Health: Cinnamon, one of the main ingredients in Masala Chai, helps lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure. Drinking Masala Chai can prevent cardiovascular disease when consumed regularly over long periods of time.
Relieves Aches and Pains: The spices found in Masala Chai can alleviate common aches and pains. These health benefits derive from the anti-inflammatory properties of many of the ingredients in it, specifically ginger and clove.
Reduces Nausea: Spices like Ginger and Cardamom are well known for their ability to reduce nausea and seasickness. Masala Chai soothes an upset stomach and alleviates stomach pain associated with nausea.
Boosts Energy: It is a wonderful experience having a hot cup of ‘Masala Chai’ after a hard day’s work. Caffeine is a natural stimulant in Masala Chai which boosts energy and gives you the kick which you need to start your day.
Boosts Metabolism: Tea is known as a heat generating food in Ayurveda. It helps speed up metabolism. Ingredients like ginger, clove, black pepper and cardamom helpincreaset loss and increases the metabolism of the body in a short period.
Contributes to Reduce Sugar Levels: Ingredients used in Masala Chai such as clove, cinnamon, and cardamom helps in preventing diabetes by increasing the insulin sensitivity of the body and lowering one’s blood sugar levels.
Relieves PMS: It can be your best friend to fight the symptoms of PMS the natural way. Ingredients like ginger, clove, and cardamom work as natural painkillers when you are experiencing period pains. It calms your nerves, keeps you in a good mood and relaxes your muscles.

Authentic Masala Chai Recipe (Serves 2 cups)

Ingredients

Water: 1 cup
Milk: 1 cup (organic whole milk, almond milk, oat milk)
Black tea/ loose leaf: 1 ½ teaspoon
Jaggery Powder: 2-3 teaspoons (more or less) or maple syrup, honey, brown sugar
Clove: 2-3
Cardamom: 2
Cinnamon: ½ stick
Peppercorns: 3-4 (optional)
Ginger: 2 slices or crushed
Star Anise: 1 (optional)

How to prepare

Lightly crush cardamom, cinnamon, clove, ginger, star anise, and peppercorn and add in boiling water
Add black tea/leaf and boil it for 2-3 minutes
Add sugar and milk
Bring it to simmer twice or more
Turn off the heat and strain it into your favorite mug
Your Masala Chai is ready!

A common myth is that green tea has more health benefit than black tea. This is simply not true. It is because all tea (Black, Green, and White) comes from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis, they offer the same benefits. The spices which we have used in our Masala Chai are well known in Ayurveda for many health benefits.

Ginger is anti-inflammatory and improves digestion, prevents and manages stomach ulcers, protects against symptoms of cold and flu, and stimulates blood circulation. It also reduces blood cholesterol by improving liver function
Cinnamon has Anti-fungal, Anti-bacterial properties. It helps in lowering LDL cholesterol and has a regulatory effect on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes
Cardamom is considered as a kidney cleanser. It is known to enhance appetite, improve digestion and provide relief from acidity in the stomach. It is also considered beneficial to the urinary tract system
Cloves are well-known for its anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and antiseptic properties. They’re also known to heal ailments of the digestive system and promote good digestion as well as metabolism
Black Pepper is a powerful anti-oxidant. It improves digestion and promotes intestinal health. It is an effective remedy for respiratory conditions including colds, coughs, and flu
Star Anise aids digestion, alleviates cramps and reduces nausea. It also helps in preventing constipation, supports good sleep, promotes bone and skin health.

So, add the ingredients mentioned above in your regular tea to make it a complete Indian Masala chai. Do share your experience in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

March 23, 2019 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Ashwin Chitransh Never Gave Up On Being Healthy!

Ashwin C-COLLAGE

After GOQii Before GOQii

Sleeping during the day and working at night was his regular routine. He had no discipline in life and ate indiscreetly. He weighed 79 kg at a height of 5 ft 6 inches. He tried to lose weight by just dreaming about it and doing the bare minimum. He did not have a good workout routine so the small gym that he had created for himself at home was not utilized to its optimum. Finally, magic happened and he got into a routine. He joined a gym with a personal trainer, his diet got regularized and he is far healthier and fit that he was.

Ashwin Chitransh’s Transformation Story In His Own Words

It all began for me in August 2017 when I took a trip to McLeodganj for a couple of days and had rich grand meals. When I came back home, I weighed close to 79 Kg at the height of 5 Feet 6 inches. I was aware that I was leading an unhealthy life but I wasn’t doing anything about it. Set up a small gym at home but hardly worked out. My routine was haywire with me sleeping during the day and working at night. My eating habits were bad and nothing was helping me get on track. I wanted to change things for myself. This is when I was introduced to GOQii by a friend. I liked the concept of a personal coach who will motivate and push you to achieve your health goals.

I enrolled in GOQii and also joined the Gym with a personal trainer. This started my journey of transformation! On my first day at the Gym, I felt nauseous and thought I’d pass out in 15 minutes. Other guys were working out smoothly which was quite intimidating. There were so many well-built guys using heavy weights that I could not even dream of. The key, I realized, is patience. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Don’t compete with others, compete with yourself to achieve your goals.

Apart from a gym workout, cardio workout is important for me. Most of the fat which I had, was on my belly. I started by walking for 2 km, increasing gradually to 5 km per day, at the speed of 5 to 6 kmph. Then, a bit of my belly fat melted, I started running/jogging at 8kmph. I gradually moved to 10 kmph but reduced the distance to cover (to 1.5 km).

Currently, I work out for 30 minutes mostly focusing on the abdominal area. Slowly once the belly fat saw some reduction, I started working on 2 muscles a day.

One thing which is very important to keep in mind while undertaking any health goal is that it takes time to achieve these goals. You need understand your body and how it reacts to various strenuous exercises. You need to have patience especially when it comes to achieving weight loss goals.

Exercise alone cannot help you, diet is equally important. “There is no love sincerer than the love of food,” quoting from Man and Superman by George Bernard Shaw. A lot of my misconceptions were broken. One such misconception was that if you go on a diet you have to remain hungry. Secondly, good healthy food is tasteless. But, in fact, I learned a few things:

To eat healthily, you do not need to make it taste bad necessarily
Quit (Avoid) unhealthy/junk/fried food

My GOQii Coach helped me make healthy food choices. My diet now includes pre and post work out meals and salads. I was never a salads guy but I eat them now. I have stopped having refined sugar since November 2017. My meals are balanced and portion size is small with multiple meals in a day, unlike my earlier three large meals.

All these small changes over time have helped me achieve my health goals. I am much fitter and healthier now. My only message to all is don’t be disheartened if your hard work does not pay initially. It takes time. You won’t see changes in a week. Just be self-motivated and keep pushing yourself. There will be days when you won’t be able to work out or you won’t be able to follow your diet. But, it’s okay! Continue with the same routine next day. When you fall, you must have the willpower to stand up again not once but multiple times. Its sheer determination and hard work that will help you achieve your goals. Did I fail during my transformation phase? Of course, I did fail, and on more than one occasion but I never gave up.

What does coach Evangelene Wankhar have to say about her player Ashwin?

Ashwin Chitransh was assigned to me in October 2017. His goal was to lose 10-12kgs. He wanted to get active and build strength. Prior to GOQii, he had already started with gym workouts with a personal trainer and lost 3kgs. But, his concern was his food habits. When we started, he was having a heavy meal for dinner, adding few unhealthy foodstuff during the day. These were old habits which I had to gradually get him to shed. Each time he had a heavy meal and ate unhealthy food, I guided and explained to him the pros and cons. I told him choosing healthy food over unhealthy will help him achieve his goal. He agreed and started applying the tips I shared with him every day. Of course, he had few cheat meals but he has managed to make the cheat meals healthy as well. If he took something over the counter which was unhealthy, he compensated that with more activities and a healthy diet the next day. Over the last few months, he has progressed well. He has been very consistent in his workouts, healthy food habits and has been following every guideline that I share with him. I am proud to say that Ashwin has achieved his target goal of losing 12kgs and now we are in the process of building his strength and muscles since that is his next goal.

February 28, 2019 By Neha Morche 2 Comments

Your Guide To Organic Food

With fitness and healthy lifestyle taking the world by a storm, Organic Food has become a common phrase associated with this storm. Everyone is talking about buying and consuming organic food over processed food but what exactly constitutes organic food?

Basically, organic food is the usual edible food but is produced, processed and packaged in a different way without using chemicals, pesticides, insecticides, non-organic fertilizers, antibiotics or any artificial hormones which are used otherwise. Organic food meets strict standards and is thus, safe to eat.

Advantages of Organic Food:

Retains at least 50% more natural nutrients like vitamins and minerals than artificially grown food
Not hazardous for health as they contain no chemicals
Tastes more natural and delicious as there are no added sweeteners, coloring, flavors and preservatives
Organic food protects one from cancer and other diseases
Organic agriculture keeps our oceans, lakes, rivers and water supplies clean

Disadvantages of Organic Food:

It is an expensive proposition
Not easily available everywhere
Lack in variety
Short shelf life because of no added preservatives

What Types of Foods Are Available as Organic?
Most consumers think of fruits and vegetables when they think of organic food but there are many other organic foods which include pastas, sauces, frozen juices, cereals, soups, chocolate, cookies, meat, poultry, dairy and even wine.

Not only the vegetarian food items but even poultry and meat have gone organic. Isn’t that interesting for non-vegetarians? But how does it work? It is because poultry and animals are fed only organic feeds and that puts them in the category of organic non-vegetarian food. Also, the animal and birds are not given any growth hormones for their mass production.

Tips to Buy Organic Food:

Look for the label or logo that has approved the production of the food as “organic”
Remain informed about the organization that is an authorized seller of organic food
Pay attention on the expiry date. As no preservatives are added to the food, their natural shelf life is less

People may mistake Natural Food as Organic Food as it has not reached many areas in the world due to support from the government, proper authentication, etc. So there is a difference between Natural Food and Organic Food

What is the Difference Between “Organic” and “Natural”?

“Natural” is often misrepresented in product labeling as “healthy” but “natural” only means that the product has undergone minimal processing, no certification or inspection system. Also, “natural” does not necessarily relate to growing methods or the use of preservatives.

As we all know, eating unhealthy creates health issues whereas eating healthy and organic not only helps you get healthier and live better but most importantly, it develops the good habit of eating right.

Where do you buy your organic food from? Did you know that the GOQii Health Store within the GOQii app offers a variety of organic products? Download the app and check them out: www.goqii.com/app

#BeTheForce

December 14, 2018 By Trupti Vyas (Pandya) 4 Comments

Winter Recipes

Winter has set in and it is that time of the year when our body experiences tremendous changes in energy levels, metabolism and our food preference also changes. Winter is also the season which is full of colorful veggies and fruits in market. Our body needs extra vitamins and minerals to help combat cold weather, illness and to maintain your good health.

Let me share with you some nutritious food ideas that will help boost immunity and maintain energy levels through the day.

Here are 5 healthy dishes which will help you to keep warm on cold days-

Millet Vegetable pan bread (Bajra Dudhi Thepla)-

Ingredients–

(Bajra) Millet flour – 1 cup
Wheat flour – 1 cup
Bottle gourd (Dudhi)- 1 cup (grated)
Curd – 1/3 cup
Oil – ½ cup (to add in flour and roast theplas)
Green coriander – 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Green chilly – 1-2 (finely chopped)
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
Red chilly powder – ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Sesame seeds – 1 tsp (optional)
Salt – ½ tsp (as per taste)

Preparation

Take out flour in any big utensil. Mix wheat flour in the same bowl. Also add bottle gourd, ginger, green chilly, green coriander, Asafoetida, cumin seeds, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, sesame seeds, salt, 1 tbsp oil and curd. Add 1-2 tbsp water or as per requirement and knead soft dough. Keep aside the dough for 10-15 minutes so that it gets set.

Grease your hand with some oil and knead the dough. Pre-heat the pan (tawa). Take little amount of dough (lemon size) and make a round ball. Take one ball, dust it with dry flour and place it on rolling plate and roll into 6-7 inch diameter bread (thepla).

Place the rolled bread (thepla) on pre-heated pan (tawa) and when color of the bread (thepla) turns darker from surface then flip the side. Spread 1 tsp oil on the upper surface. Flip the side and spread some oil on this side as well. Roast the bread (thepla) on medium flame until it gets brown spots on both sides. Take it of the pan and place it in a plate.

Serve the Millet Vegetable pan bread (BajraLaukiTheplas) with curd (yogurt), Corainder paste or pickle or with any vegetables of your choice.

Suggestion: Mix finely chopped spinach in the flour for making Millet Spinach Breads (Bajra spinach thepla) and add finely chopped fresh fenugreek leaves for making millet fenugreek breads (bajramethitheplas).

Winter special Fenugreek seeds and edible gum sweet balls

Fenugreek seeds gum balls is a traditional recipe which can also be used as an Ayurveda treatment for various ailments, especially during winters. These sweet gum balls are not only known for their medicinal properties but also taste delicious.

These are prepared with Fenugreek seeds mixed with wheat flour and Jaggery. New mothers can have these sweet balls as dietary supplement or to overcome any post-delivery problems. People suffering from joints pain, especially in winters, can have this sweet.

Ingredients-

Fenugreek(methi) seeds- 100gms.
Milk- ½ litre(2-1/2 cup)
Wheat flour-300gm(1-1/2cup)
Ghee- 250gm(1-1/2 cup)
Edible gum (Gond)-100gms- (1/2 cup)
Almonds-30-35.
Black Pepper- 8-10.
Cumin powder-2tsp.
Dry ginger- 2tsp
Green Cardamom- 10-12
Cinnamon-4 pieces.
Nutmeg-2
Jageery-1-1/2cup

Preparation:

Clean Fenugreek (Methi) seeds properly(wash seeds then put them in a thick cotton cloth and leave it in the sun to dry, cloth can be washed and used again). Put clean seeds in a mixer and make a thick paste somewhat similar to flour. Boil milk.

Put the grounded Fenugreek (Methi) in milk and let it soak for 8-10 hours.

Cut almonds into small pieces. Gently crush black pepper(break 1 pepper into 4-5 pieces), crush cinnamon and nutmeg into fine powder. Peel Cardamom (Elaichi) and crush it as well.Pour 1/2 cup clarified butter (Ghee) ina pan, fry soaked (Fenugreek) on a medium flame till it turns light brown and smells good. Remove the mixture in a plate.

Put the remainingclarified butter(Ghee) in the pan and heat, fry Edible gum(Gond) and take it out on a plate(fry Gond on a law flame). Fry flour in leftover Ghee in the pan till it becomes light brown then take it out.

Put 1 tspclarified butter in the pan followed by the pieces ofJaggery(Gur), melt Jageery (Gur) into liquid form (Chashni) on a low flame. Add Cumin (Jeera) powder, Dry Ginger(Sauntth) powder, cut almonds, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, Cardamom in the Liquid syrup of Jageeryand mix well.

Take little amounts of the mixture, shape it into small balls similar to a lemon and put it on a plate. Keep Fenugreek seeds and edible gum sweet balls (MethiLadoos) in open air for 4-5 hours.

The sweet is ready, keep them in an air tight container and eat one sweet ball every morning or evening with warm milk. This prevents pain in joints, back and pain due to the cold.

CARROT CAKE SNACKS BITE-

Ingredients-

21/4 cups shreddedcarrots
3/4cups date (about 10 large dates)
2/3cups coconut (shredded or flaked)
1/2cups walnuts
1/2cups sunflowerseeds
1 teaspooncinnamon
1/4teaspoons groundginger
1/8cups toasted sesame seeds
1/8cups shreddedcoconut.
1/8cups chopped almonds

Preparation

In a food processor, blend all the snack bite ingredients together.Scoop out full grinded mixture in a bowl and roll it into a ball.

Roll the balls in sesame seeds, coconut, or chopped almonds for additional crunch. Use the listed optional ingredients to determine the amount of sesame seeds, coconut, or almonds you need.

Store refrigerated or in an air tight container.

Spinach with Chickpeas Green salad-

Ingredient–

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ onion, diced
300g frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
400gtin chickpeas and green peas, drained and boiled.
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation: Take 400gm of chickpeas and green peas in a pressure cooker. Add half a litre water to it and cook till 4 whistle blow. Let it cool for some time. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add and Cook the garlic and onion in the oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add and Stir in the spinach, chickpeas, green peas, cumin and salt. Use your stirring spoon to lightly mash the beans as the mixture cooks. Allow to cook until it getsthoroughly heated. Serve it hot.

Green Greek Smoothies-

Ingredients-

Cup freshly cut pieces of kiwi.
A bowl of Greek yogurt.
½ cup of milk.
Pinch of grounded cardamom.
1 tsp of (water) soaked chia seeds
Fresh Mint Leaves

In a blender,place kiwi, yogurt and milk and blend it for about 1 minute or until smooth.Pour into the glass, and sprinkle with cardamom. Garnish with mint leaves and add 1 tsp of soaked chia seed on it. Serve immediately.

Tip- You can also try other winter fruits and veggies– like oranges, apple, spinach, Beets instead of Kiwi.

Try these healthy and delicious winter warming recipes. And, don’t let the cold weather keep you from enjoying fresh homemade foods. Let’s Enjoy!