Nutrition Archives

June 11, 2021 By Smruti Bhat Leave a Comment

What’s Healthier: Coconut, Wheat or Almond Flour?

If staying home to protect yourself from the ongoing pandemic has probed you to take a closer look at your pantry, then we’re sure about now, you’re reconsidering your flour choices. When we talk about flour, most of us think about “wheat flour” as it is a kitchen staple. It is the flour that we have been having since ages to make chapatis. But, there can be plenty of other reasons that would want you to switch from wheat flour to coconut or almond flour. Maybe you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance or just want to switch to a healthier alternative given the current scenario. So, we have listed a few differences between these three flours to make it easier for you to choose between coconut, wheat or almond flour!

Nutritional Take On Coconut, Wheat & Almond Flour

Nutrition	Coconut	Almond	Wheat
Calories	480	580	366
Carbs	59g	20g	76g
Protein	18g	21g	9.7g
Fat	15g	12g	1.5g
Fiber	38g	12g	12g

Coconut Flour

Health benefits of coconut flour: Coconut flour is gluten-free. It has a good moisture absorbing capacity and helps to give a good crumbly and dry texture to the baked goods. But, it has a higher content of phytic acid which leads to low nutrient absorption. Also, it has antioxidants and antimicrobial properties that support a healthy metabolism.
Cooking with coconut flour: Coconut flour is a versatile flour used in gluten-free and paleo baking. It can be used to prepare bread, muffins, cookies and cake. As it has a drying effect, it can be counteracted by using eggs while baking. The egg yolk provides moisture, whereas egg white offers structure to the baked goods.

Almond Flour

Health benefits of almond flour: Almond flour is incredibly healthy but contains more fat and calories. This makes this nutrient dense flour the best choice for a keto diet. It provides good vitamin E content which is a powerful antioxidant and magnesium that helps improve blood sugar levels.
Cooking with almond flour: Almond flour is commonly used in the preparation of pancakes, cakes, muffins and cookies. Other than baking, this flour combined with egg can be used to coat vegetables or meat and thereafter, bake or fry them. As it is free of gluten, it can be mixed with wheat flour to make pizza dough, pasta or bread.

Wheat Flour

Health benefits of wheat flour: Wheat flour is rich in fiber, minerals and protein. But it has gluten that makes it inappropriate for people who have gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Phytic acid in wheat flour is higher which reduces the nutrient absorption.
Cooking with wheat flour: Wheat flour can be used in making rotis, puris, ladoos and even quick breads, cookies and cakes.

Summing It Up

Although as Indians, wheat flour is functional in our regular diet, we can definitely opt for almond and coconut flour as well. All the above-mentioned flours are healthy in their own ways and can be used together to reap nutritional benefits. So the choice between coconut, wheat or almond flour is solely based on what you want to prepare and what you’re looking for.

If you’re still unable to come to a decision on whether you should opt for coconut, wheat or almond flour, you can reach out to your GOQii Coach by subscribing to personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/wssu

Your GOQii Coach can take a look at your habits, goals and let you know what would work best for you! For more articles on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads!

#BeTheForce!

June 4, 2021 By Seema Mukund Leave a Comment

How Cardamom Can Help You Fight Hypertension!

Cardamom, also known as the ‘Queen of Spices’, is a strong aromatic spice used in some traditional recipes in India and also some exotic dishes. This is not only used in cooking, but also has therapeutic value. This green pod is commonly grown in the mountainous regions of India and some countries in Asia. It usually comes in 2 varieties, Green (used for sweets and desserts) and Black (used for preparing garam masala). This minty, earthy spice is commonly known as ‘Elaichi” in North India and ‘Yelakki” in South India.

It is consumed in the following forms:

As pods with seeds inside
Ground powder
Essential Oil
Capsule (herbal supplement)

How Does Cardamom Help Fight Against Hypertension?

There are many studies conducted so far that have suggested that Cardamom supplementation will help in controlling blood pressure.

Its natural phytonutrients have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It increases the dilation of blood vessels and helps in easy flow of blood through the arteries, which in turn increases blood circulation and helps control blood pressure.
Another probable reason is that it acts like a natural diuretic, a substance that promotes urination to remove water that builds up in the body and controls the sodium and potassium levels that elevate the blood pressure.
Cardamom essential oil is magical! It has a refreshing and soothing fragrance that helps elevate mood. It reduces anxiety and depression and produces a calming effect. This reduces stress induced blood pressure.
It is also rich in fiber, helps to control cholesterol and in turn, controls blood pressure.

How Can You Incorporate It In Your Food?

Cardamom is very versatile. It is usually added in teas, milk, milkshakes, deserts and is also used as a mouth freshener. The calorific content, fat percentage of the foods should be taken into account while including it for reducing blood pressure. (You may consult your GOQii Coach for it).

Some other methods that can be used to control blood pressure using Cardamom are:

Add a pinch of cardamom in 1 glass of warm water and have in the morning
Crush 1 cardamom and brew with Tea/ coffee
Add ¼ tsp of cardamom powder to breakfast cereals like oats and muesli
Sprinkle fresh cardamom powder on top of salads
Chew on 1 Elaichi seeds for 5 minutes after every meal
You can mix cardamom powder with 1 cup curd/buttermilk and have it along with your meal or as a mid-morning snack
As a natural detox: ½ lemon + ½ tsp cardamom powder + salt in 1 glass water
Cardamom oil is used in aromatherapy: As a diffuser, in a massage blend oil

We hope this article helps you! For more on nutrition and controlling lifestyle diseases, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play. To get these nutrition tips directly from your GOQii Coach, subscribe to personalized coaching now: https://goqiiapp.page.link/wssu

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May 20, 2021 By Neha Goyal 1 Comment

3 Best Vitamins To Boost Immunity

With cases rising rapidly and there being no definite cure for COVID-19, it is important for us to take preventive measures and build our immunity. The food we eat determines our overall health and immunity. Immunity being our body’s first line of defense is much more needed now than ever. While a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle is the need of the hour, few nutrients play a very special role when it comes to boosting our immunity. Among different nutrients, today we will discuss the most potent vitamins to boost immunity.

Essential Vitamins To Boost Immunity

1. Vitamin C

Also known as ascorbic acid, Vitamin C is water-soluble. It helps kick start the action of our immune system by encouraging the production of lymphocytes & phagocytes, thus, helping the body protect itself from infections. The body cannot store this vitamin and being water-soluble, it’s easily lost through bodily fluids. Hence, it is important to consume foods rich in Vitamin C on a daily basis. Being heat sensitive, this vitamin is destroyed on heating, so it is better to get it from raw foods.

Food sources: Citrus fruits, kiwi, strawberry, amla, papaya, bell peppers, leafy greens, broccoli, black currants & tomato.

2. Vitamin D:

This is definitely one of the most essential vitamins to boost immunity. It is fat-soluble and hence, can be stored in our fat cells. Which means that your body can mobilize its own reserves if your daily intake falters temporarily. Deficiency of this vitamin is highly associated with increased susceptibility to infections. Not widely available in vegetarian foods, it is hard to get enough of it. For most people, the best way to take this vitamin is through supplements.

Food sources: Cod liver oil, salmon, tuna, fortified orange juice, fortified cereals, egg yolk, dairy and plant milk fortified with Vit D, Sardines, swordfish and certain mushrooms.

3. Vitamin E:

This fat-soluble vitamin is a potent antioxidant and helps reduce cell-damaging oxidative stress in our body. It has the ability to modulate immune functions at the cellular level which usually decreases with age. It helps in the rapid increase of the infection-fighting cells and boosts their infection-fighting capacity too.

Food sources: Sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, vegetable oils, spinach, broccoli, avocados, wheat germ oil, hazelnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds

PLEASE NOTE: Though these vitamins play a crucial role in the functioning of our immune system, a balanced diet and attention to other aspects of good health like exercise, sleep and staying stress-free is also very important. You must take most of your nutrition from natural foods as much as possible rather than being dependent on supplements. Before you switch to any foods you have not consumed before, please consult your doctor or nutritionist in case you have any allergies.

We hope this article helps you. For more tips and to know more about foods and vitamins to boost immunity, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to live sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

To get more immunity boosting tips, ask our GOQii Coaches by subscribing to GOQii now: https://goqiiapp.page.link/wssu

Stay home, eat healthy and #BeTheForce

May 3, 2021 By Aruna Bhatia Leave a Comment

What Should You Eat If You Get Infected By COVID-19?

We are going through a very tough time with everyday monster surges in COVID-19 cases all over the country, excluding a few districts. It almost seems like each and every household has one or more members down with this infection. Thankfully, we have a good number of people getting well too! Food plays a key role in any form of recovery. So which kind of food should a person infected with COVID-19 eat?

A Balanced Diet Is Key To COVID-19 Recovery

Each day, the combination of food should include:

Whole Grains: Millets, oats, wheat, brown rice, white rice, all this as roti, khichdi, upama, Pulao, Daliya, Chilla etc.
Proteins: Eggs, Lentils, Legumes, Dairy Products, Soy Products, can be taken as besan cheela, Dal Soup, Sprouts Chat, Moong dal Khichdi, Paneer Bhurji, Omelette, Dosa, chickpea bowl, rajma, etc.
Fats: Good fats have anti-inflammatory acids like omega 3 fatty acids. So include flax seeds oils, extra virgin olive oils and safflower oil. Good fats can also be added from almonds, avocado, laddu with a mix of nuts, white sesame seeds, kalonji, ajwain all roasted in desi ghee helps provide essential minerals like zinc and magnesium for fast recovery.
Fiber: Fresh fruits and vegetables are great sources of dietary fibers, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. So try to include two fruits a day, along with 2-3 cups of vegetables. This requirement can be met by adding soups mashed vegetables and fruits as small mid meals.

Apart from these main macros, here are a few things you need to consider:

2-3 liters of water should be included daily as infections dehydrate the body. Infused water, coconut water, water with honey can help meet the requirement.
Immunity boosters like a herbal concoction, turmeric milk, soups and broth should be included at least one or two times a day.
As far as possible, make sure that all fruits, vegetables are fresh and meals are home cooked.
Always eat small and frequent meals as the body will not tolerate big meals at a time.
Avoid alcohol as it is highly dehydrating and may inhibit your immune system.
Limit salt and sugar
Avoid packaged processed food.

Given all the dietary guidelines, a question may still come up as to how to manage adequate calorie intake when the infection has robbed you of your taste buds and sense of smell.

Try adding lemon juice or vinegar in food, soups and water. The flavor of acids from them comes through even when smell or taste is impaired.
Try going a bit heavy on spices like cinnamon, black pepper, cumin, garlic and ginger, which could add flavor back to food.

To make things a bit more clear, here is a sample diet chart, although it will be more customized as per symptoms.

Early morning: 5 to 6 soaked almonds, two dates and lukewarm lemon cinnamon water or tulsi lemon honey water.
Breakfast: Besan cheela or moong dal cheela or stuffed omelette sandwich or paneer paratha or idli sambar or vegetable uttapam with coconut chutney.
Mid meal: Coconut water or any one fruit with one tsp mix seeds
Lunch: Rice with dal and subzi or Ajwain roti with rajma and any green leafy vegetable
Evening: Any herbal concoction (kadha or green tea) and chana/ sprouts/ sweet potato chat and any one fruit
Pre dinner: mix veg soup or moong dal soup or chicken broth or boiled egg
Dinner: Khichdi or vegetable daliya or oats cheela or oats with milk or Garlic roti with any dal and mixed veg
Post dinner: One cup milk with turmeric and pinch of black pepper

We hope this article helps you manage COVID-19 infection and recover quickly. For more information, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by exprts on GOQii Play.

For more expert guidance, subscribe to GOQii or download the app here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/wssu

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