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February 13, 2021 By Aruna Bhatia 2 Comments

Healthy Eating: Masala Gur – The Best Winter Dessert

Masala Gur

Winter is the favorite season for many of us but it brings the challenge of keeping our bodies warm and staying healthy enough to fight off infections. On the other hand, it also leaves the body craving for food. You’ve noticed being hungrier during winter, especially for something sweet. Keeping this in mind, let’s look at a recipe that can help us satisfy that sweet craving, keep warm and boost immunity. Let’s learn how to prepare Masala Gur (Jaggery)! 

What You Will Need 

  • Jaggery – 100 gms 
  • Makhana (fox nuts) – 10 to 12 
  • Ghee – ½ tsp 
  • Sonth (dry ginger powder) – 1 tsp 
  • Ajwain (carom seeds) – ½ tsp 
  • Pinch of Black Salt 
  • Raw Peanuts – 2 tbsp 
  • Almonds – 10 to 12 (roughly chopped) 
  • Jeera – ½ tsp

How To Prepare 

  1. Grate the Jaggery into a bowl and keep it aside 
  2. Take a pan, add half a tsp ghee and roast the makhana in it till crisp. Move them to a bowl.
  3. Next, dry roast peanuts and rub their skin off. 
  4. Now, add the grated gur into a non stick heavy bottom kadai and let it melt on medium flame. 
  5. When you feel the gur is melted and is in a semi-liquid state, add the ajwain, sonth, jeera and black salt one by one into this melted gur. Stir well so that the spices blend well with the melted gur. 
  6. Next, add the makhana, peanuts and roughly chopped almonds to it. Switch the gas off and mix well. 
  7. Grease a thali or a plate and pour this hot gur mix in it and let it cool. Once it cools down and gets hard again, break it into small pieces. Your Masala Gur is ready! 

Benefits of the Masala Gur Recipe 

  • This masala gur can be a healthy substitute to high fat and refined sugar desserts
  • The saunth, jeera, ajwain and black salt aids good digestion, improves metabolism and provides heat to the body 
  • This treat should be enjoyed in small candy size pieces

We hope you enjoy making and eating this tasty Masala Gur winter dessert. Do try it and let us know your thoughts in the comments below! For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to cooking sessions on GOQii Play. 

Eat healthy and #BeTheForce 

February 11, 2021 By Palak Mittal Leave a Comment

5 Winter Fruits That Will Boost Your Immunity

winter fruitsWith the ongoing pandemic, we have faced a lot of challenges and done what not to boost our immunity. All media, friends, family and office emails keep suggesting different recipes regarding kadas, juices and other ways to build immunity. Now this shift of weather change is itself a challenge, as winters come with frequent virals, cold and cough. But, nature has given us seasonal winter fruits to help build our immunity! 

Why Do We Lose Immunity During Winter? 

There are a few reasons which contribute to compromised immunity during winter. These include: 

  • Inadequate sunlight which leads to Vitamin D deficiency
  • Cool air which troubles our respiratory tract by narrowing blood vessels in the body
  • Drop in temperature lowers the immune response
  • Lack of outdoor activities also triggers the multiplication of viruses as people live in close proximity.

Nutritional Winter Fruits To Build Immunity 

  1. Oranges: If you are an orange lover, then you might wait for winters for this particular fruit. Oranges being a citrus fruit, is not only juicy and pulpy, but is a good source of Vitamin C and calcium. It not only boosts immunity but helps in fighting cancer, improves skin and aids weight loss.
  2. Guava: is a crunchy, sweet and delicious fruit rich in Vitamin C. The fibre present in Guava helps in digestion and reduces constipation. Eating a guava on an empty stomach daily helps to clear bowels and aids weight loss. It fights against free radicals present in the body as well.
  3. Pears: This sweet light green coloured fruit which is white from the inside is not only sweet but juicy as well. It is rich in anti-inflammatory properties with the abundance of Vitamin C and E. People use pears for making jams and jellies too.
  4. Mosambi: Also known as sweet lime, it is a member of the citrus family like oranges. It is abundant in Vitamin C and it is advised to drink its unstrained juice to retain its fibre with no added sugar to get its maximum benefits. It helps in promoting immunity by fighting infections.
  5. Kiwi: is a sour and sweet fruit which has a juicy pulp inside. It is rich not only in Vitamin C but is an excellent source of potassium, Vitamin K, fibre and folate. It aids in digestion too.

We hope this article on 5 winter fruits helps you. Before you add any of these to your diet, do consult your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian. For more winter tips, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play. 

Eat healthy and #BeTheForce 

February 9, 2021 By Soni Thakur 5 Comments

7 Reasons Why Pulses Are Good For You!

pulses

Pulses have always been an important part of the Indian diet, preferred for their nutritional content of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. There are hundreds of variety of pulses grown, some of the popular ones are – Lentils, Dry Beans, Cowpeas, Chickpea, Tur Dal, Black beans, kidney beans, etc. Moreover, they are very economical and easily available throughout the world.

If Pulse was an abbreviation, it would surely mean:

P – Protein Rich

U – Universally Distributed

L – Low Cost

S – Source of dietary fiber

E – Easily Available

Pulses are often considered to be a poor man’s food because of their low cost and availability and are often neglected for more expensive alternates. While there is nothing wrong with exploring options, why should one ignore such a versatile and rich source of plant protein?

Reasons to Include Pulses in Your Diet

  1. Pulses are good for all age groups irrespective of whether it is fed to babies, a preschooler, an adolescent, an adult or the elderly! Pulses are good for everyone. In adolescents, it helps promote growth and development. In the elderly, it helps in maintaining and replacing the wear and tear of tissues.
  2. They are widely distributed, affordable and reachable for all income groups. Pulses are heart healthy and a good source of vegetarian protein.
  3. They are low in saturated and trans fat, in essence, they help in lowering blood cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and maintain a healthy weight.
  4. Pulses have shown potential in helping to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses such as Diabetes, Cancer and Heart diseases.
  5. They are dried seeds that can be easily stored for a long time with proper care. Hence, reducing food wastage and loss.
  6. Red kidney beans are high in antioxidants and fight inflammation and boost metabolism.
  7. When Cereals are taken with Pulses, it improves the protein quality due to mutual supplementation. Cereals are high in Cysteine and methionine and pulses are high in lysine. 

These reasons are good enough for you to rush to your grocer and pack your kitchen with a variety of pulses! #LevelUp your kitchen cabinet and #BeTheForce! 

We hope this article helps you! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on nutrition, explore Healthy Reads or simply tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.  

February 8, 2021 By Roopa Tandur Leave a Comment

Nutritional Deficiencies That Can Cause Hair Loss

hair loss

Hair is a tough protein made of keratin. The hair bulbs at the base of the hair follicle divide and grow to build the hair shaft. Blood vessels nourish the hair bulb and deliver the hormones that modify hair growth. Hair grows at different rates in different people. Hair loss also happens at different rates in different people for different reasons like heredity, hormonal changes like hypothyroidism, medical condition or side effects of medicines, ageing or even stress. We do shed around 50-200 hair every day and it is perfectly normal. Also, in some situations like post pregnancy in women, when there is more than normal hair loss due to sudden imbalance of calorie intake, which usually gets resolved by itself. Whatever the reason for hair fall, these two small words can be a nightmare for many. Let’s understand what nutritional deficiencies can lead to hair loss!

Which Nutritional Deficiencies Can Cause Hair Loss? 

  1. Vitamin D Deficiency: Vitamin D is very important for hair growth as it stimulates hair follicles and also helps in maintaining thickness of each hair strand. Low levels of vitamin D in the body may cause thinning of hair or slow hair growth. Keratinocytes in skin metabolise vitamin D to keratin – a protein found in hair, skin and nails. Low levels of vitamin D make it difficult for the keratinocytes in hair follicles to regulate hair growth and its shedding. Low levels of vitamin D are associated with higher stress levels which support hair fall. Getting 400-800 IU of vitamin D a day is very important. This can be easily achieved with 10-30 minutes of sun exposure.
  2. Vitamin B7 or Biotin Deficiency: Though biotin deficiency is very rare in people (as biotin is found easily in foods like banana, carrot, egg yolks, legumes, nuts, etc.), it can occur by heredity or in people who consume excessive amounts of alcohol, smoke excessively, people with inflammatory bowel disease or in people who have raw egg whites which contain avidin that blocks absorption of biotin.
  3. Iron Deficiency: When one has iron deficiency, the circulation of haemoglobin is less –  which means less oxygen uptake by the body and slower growth and repair of cells, including cells that stimulate hair growth. When there is less circulating oxygen in the body, the available supply is channelized to vital organs to keep them alive rather than to hair follicles. Without oxygen, hair follicles cease to function properly and eventually fall out. Including foods like whole wheat grains, beans, chickpea, tofu, peas, nuts, raisins, spinach and chicken ensures that you have good iron stores in the body. When you notice more than usual hair in your shower drain or hair brush, it is time to get your haemoglobin levels tested. 
  4. Vitamin C: While vitamin C deficiency is rare as it is easily available in many food items, the common risk factors include poor diet, alcoholism, anorexia, smoking and chronic illness. Vitamin C plays a vital role in the absorption of iron from the intestines which leads to weakness and hair loss. Having citrus fruits like oranges, sweet lime, lemon, strawberry, guava and other foods like sweet potato, chillies, thyme, kale and broccoli on a regular basis, ensures your vitamin levels are maintained on a higher side 
  5. Vitamin E: with its antioxidant properties helps in reducing oxidative stress on the scalp and reduces free radical damage and protects hair cells. Vitamin E helps improve scalp health and hair health. It creates a protective layer on the hair follicles and locks in moisture making it shiny and easy to manage. Vitamin E supports a healthy scalp by protecting the lipid layer and reducing dryness and scaling of the scalp. Food sources of vitamin E include nuts and seeds like almonds and walnuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, wheat germ oil, peanuts, avocado, mango and spinach.

Tips To Reduce Hair Fall  

  • Eat well balanced meals containing protein, complex carbs and healthy fats
  • Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day to aid the digestion and absorption of nutrients from your diet
  • Include healthy snacks in between meals to maintain energy levels
  • Include foods like whole grain cereals, eggs, nuts, leafy vegetables, tofu, legumes, quinoa, beans, avocado, dairy, orange and lime to get all the essential nutrients to support healthy tresses
  • Get good exposure to sunlight so that you maintain your vitamin D levels, if not do supplement it regularly 
  • Maintain scalp and hair hygiene by using a mild shampoo at least 2 times a week
  • Keep stress levels within normal limits 
  • Get good quality sleep and exercise at least 4-5 days a week

We hope this article on nutritional deficiencies that can cause hair loss helps you! For more on hair loss and hair care, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play. 

#BeTheForce 

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