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The Power of the Indian Gooseberry

Indian Gooseberry Benefits

In a fast-paced world that rapidly drains us of energy, it is extremely important to be in the best of shape! In that pursuit, we are constantly searching for an elixir that will give us good health with least efforts.

What if we told you that you can have more energy, focus and overall good health? What if that magic elixir exists? More so, what if it is a fruit that you already know?

If you haven’t guessed it already, we are talking about the Indian Gooseberry or as it is popularly known – “Amla”. Since ancient times, it is used to cure various ailments, even if it is something as simple as aiding digestion to something as complex as fighting Diabetes and Heart Disease.

The Indian Gooseberry (Emblica officinalis or phyllanthus emblica) derives its name from the Sanskrit word “Amalaki”. This tree is a native of India and the neighboring South East Asian countries. The fruit is sour in taste but leaves a sweet aftertaste.

Let’s take a look at how it impacts health!

  • Boost Immunity: The Indian Gooseberry is a powerhouse of Vitamin C and A. It greatly increases white blood cells in our body and is an excellent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic. It is like a powerful soldier that shields our body against various foreign toxins.
  • Fights Cancer: It has the potential to restrict the growth of cancer cells by keeping harmful free radicals at bay. The Indian Gooseberry also counter-attacks the side effects of anti-cancer drugs, radiation and chemotherapy.
  • Keeps Diabetes in Check: It helps regulate blood sugar levels in many ways. The chromium present in it is responsible for the pancreas to produce sufficient insulin and the polyphenol keeps the oxidative stress low, thus making the body more responsive to insulin.
  • Good for the Heart: The cardio protective properties of the Indian Gooseberry due to the presence of Vitamin A and C, the chromium and iron help reduce cholesterol, increase HDL (Good cholesterol) and reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) and strengthen the heart muscles.
  • Protects the Eyes: Regular use of the Indian Gooseberry can protect our eyes from cataract and short-sightedness. The impressive carotene content in it can keep night blindness away.
  • Promotes a Healthy Liver: It is diuretic in nature, which means that it increases the volume and frequency of urine and fosters regular bowel movement. It also helps in eliminating toxic metals and the ill effects of excessive medication. Thus, it protects the liver. It also provides relief in the case of urinary tract infection.
  • Fountain of Youth: The Indian Gooseberry supports longevity, helps smoothen wrinkles, fortifies the skin, prevents hair loss and greying and provides lustrous hair. Besides beauty, it is also a brain tonic which promotes clarity of thought and boosts memory.

The Not So Good Part of the Indian Gooseberry! 

Since it is high in ascorbic acid, taking excessive quantities at night may erode the enamel in the teeth just like any other citrus fruit. Since it reduces Diabetes, sugar levels may drop, so keep your doctor informed about it. He may change your medication. Being diuretic, excess amla consumption may cause constipation to a few.

How to Eat the Indian Gooseberry

  • The best way to have it would be raw. You can add rock salt and pepper to kill the sourness
  • Powder and tablets are a convenient way to have it, but to be taken under medical supervision
  • Indian Gooseberry juice either freshly made at home or store bought are great options
  • Chawanprash: a healthy way to include it. 1-2 tsp can be taken daily
  • Amla Murabba: Since it has a good amount of sugar, which acts as a preservative, you can wash off the excess sugar syrup just before eating
  • Eat it as a chutney, pickle or you can even opt for Amla Candies

To put it all in a nutshell, taken in any form, it is a simple yet effective way to good health. It is worth its weight in gold and this information shouldn’t be ignored but passed on to the next generation!

Want to know more about the Indian Gooseberry? Let us know in the comments below! For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Know the health benefits of BUCKWHEAT- A Wonder grain

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All of us in India are familiar with the word ‘Kuttu Ka Atta’, the most preferable cereal during fasts. This is nothing but ‘Buckwheat Flour’. Since childhood, I have enjoyed various tasty dishes made out of Buckwheat Flour but only during fasts. I always wondered why this particular grain is eaten only during fast and not round the year? But, it was only after I took Nutrition as a subject of specialisation that I got my answers.

Buckwheat Flour is very rich in protein and during fasts, except milk or its products, no other protein-rich food is allowed to eat. Only foods rich in carbohydrates and fats are the delicacies to be enjoyed during the time of fast. So to balance the meals with a good blend of Carbohydrate, Protein and Fats and to fulfill the day’s protein requirement, Buckwheat Flour is eaten on fast days.

I sometimes wonder how intelligent our ancestors were who invented all these combinations to be eaten which is being followed by a tradition even today without knowing the reason. MAYBE THEY KNEW!! It is only after so much of scientific research on nutrition since the last two decades that we have got to know the facts of this wonder grain.

This wonderful cereal is packed with various nutrients providing amazing health benefits

  • As mentioned above, it is very rich in protein as compared to other cereals with a biological value of above 90. This nominates it under ‘first class protein’ category and also due to its essential amino acid profile.
  • It is rich in iron, a nutrient whose deficiency among women is maximum in the world. Other than iron, it also contains good quantities of Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc and Selenium which are needed for building immunity, strong bones, improving blood flow and maintaining the good texture of hair and skin.
  • It contains appreciable amounts of B complex Vitamins like Niacin which is needed for the breakdown of Carbohydrates and Fats.
  • It is loaded with dietary fibre which has a role in improving cholesterol and blood glucose levels.
  • It contains health benefiting antioxidants too like polyphenols which gives protection from Heart Diseases, Diabetes, various types of Cancer and also delays ageing.

But the irony is, the consumption of this amazing cereal is only restricted during fasts. In spite of containing so many health-promoting nutrients, it has not been able to attain the status of a staple food in our country.

A country like India where Diabetes and Obesity have become epidemic and more and more population is getting diagnosed with ‘Metabolic Syndrome’, a condition characterized by a cluster of health conditions such as central obesity, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, high triglyceride levels and low HDL levels. Apart from a sedentary lifestyle and excessive intake of junk food as the main reasons, I think the major culprit is our excessive intake of cereals especially rice which has very high carbohydrate content and less protein content. The habit of eating polished rice further adds to the havoc as polishing takes away all the vitamins and minerals present in rice.

So what, if we replace our rice intake with buckwheat, ‘The Wonderful Grain?’

Buckwheat is beneficial in various health conditions like diabetes, celiac disease, heart disease, anaemia and the list goes on. Buckwheat helps in managing blood glucose levels as it is rich in protein which promotes the synthesis of more insulin in the body. It is a boon for people suffering from celiac disease i.e. gluten intolerance since it does not contain gluten. It is beneficial for heart patients also because of its high antioxidant content. People suffering from anaemia can also be benefited from this cereal due to its high iron content. Buckwheat flour is widely available everywhere and is mostly consumed either as grains or flour.

Hence, after knowing amazing health benefits of buckwheat flour, I am sure you would like to add this cereal to your daily diet and will not only use it during fasts. Generally, everybody thinks that ‘HEALTHY FOOD DOES NOT taste GOOD’. But, I am sure this wonderful cereal would prove this statement wrong with its finger-licking taste.

For tasty recipes made of buckwheat flour, wait for my next blog! Till then HAPPY EATING!!

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Wonder Grain: Rice and its benefits

rice

Rice is the most primitive and staple food in many cultures around the world. Many cuisines have the inclusion of rice to make their meals fuller and tastier. Apart from all this it is an important cereal crop that feeds more than half of the world’s population.

Right from its origin it has been an easy to grow, cook and digestive food grain for everyone. Majority of the cuisines include rice as a main course in many different forms.

But, strangely in the current times most avoid rice as it is considered bad when it comes to health. This is only a myth. If we go back in time rice was one of the most used food item in meals and people consuming it were more healthy, fit and thin as compared to today’s condition of where we find more cases of obesity, big waist size, big belly, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.

Rice is a complex carbohydrate and contains essential amino acids (methionine) that helps in mobilizing the fat from liver and when combined with legume or pulses it becomes a complete protein to provide good muscle growth. Thus, it’s a blessing for vegetarians. Rice when combined with some protein or fiber rich food becomes slow absorbing and hence there is no issue of sudden rise in the blood glucose with it. Diabetics out there,put it back on your plate and relish your taste buds all over again.

Also would like to take this opportunity to clear the myth that “Rice is fatty”, the fact is that Rice is high on carbohydrates and when taken in wrong quantity, combination and timing then it can lead to fat gain, as a result of excess carbohydrates, which the body could not burn.

Listing out some great advantages of this wonder grain:

  • It is an excellent source of Vitamins and Minerals like Niacin, Vitamin D, Calcium, Fiber, Iron, Thiamine and Riboflavin. Thus, it helps in metabolism, immunity and better functioning of organs.
  • Gives you instant energy
  • Light on your stomach to digest thus best to have when sick
  • Best food for high blood pressure.
  • Aids in Digestion
  • Gluten, Sodium & Cholesterol free.
  • Rice abounds in resistant starch, which reaches the bowels in an undigested form. This type of starch stimulates the growth of useful bacteria that help with normal bowel movements.
  • Insoluble rice is very useful in reducing the effects of conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and diarrhea.
  • The starch water from rice is utilised as medication for various skin infections.
  • Rice being high on various vitamins, phyto nutrients and carbohydrates, it becomes the best source of post workout meal for endurance athletes. To replenish their glycogen, help in relieving cramps and overall calming effect to the body. One reason have it in your dinner menu.

Too much of anything is not good, so do eat your rice but at timings & combinations which will help you burn it all.

Best time: Morning, Lunch, Post workout, Sick, Dinner (Combine it with a protein or fiber rich food to get the best taste and results).

Another question that often comes to me from my clients is which rice to have? Will give you more info on types of rice in the next blog. For now, opt for the white rice, husk removed and hand polished. As all of this retains the necessary nutrients in the white rice. We hope this article helps you. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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5 accompaniments to avoid to keep you healthy and to lose weight

I am a foodie! Being a Marwari, our meals are not simple staple food and contains lot of accompaniments along with basic roti, vegetables (sabzi), dal (lentils) and rice. In my quest for personal fitness and wanting to lose weight, I initially struggled for few months. I kept wondering why am I not losing weight in spite of eating at regular intervals, not cheating, not eating out, limiting high fat food intake, proper exercise routine, good 8 hours sleep and also resorting to meditation to remain stress free ?

These questions kept lingering in my thoughts and one fine day my health expert analyzed my routine, my diet and figured that there were few dishes that I should be avoiding or limiting my intake on if I need to lose or maintain my weight. That’s when I found the solution and achieved the best results on this journey!

I would like to share with you all about the most common 5 side dishes that people love, but, should be avoided or have it once in a while if you are on weight loss journey.

(1) Papad

Ahh!! That crunchy crispy papad.

Rice and dal seem like an incomplete meal without Papad on the side. Papads can be deep fried–extremely unhealthy – or roasted – which is equally unhealthy! They can be made from rice, flour, potatoes or chickpeas and are mixed with a variety of spices, salt, and oil. An uncontrolled serving of Papad can amp your calorie intake and exceed your daily budget. The increase in sodium can lead to water retention, bloating, and constant thirst and may even cause an increase in one’s blood pressure. Since, most of them consume more Papad in one sitting it may lead to acidity, and digestive problems too. When fried using same oil many times, the reused oil becomes transfat leading to cardiac issues and high cholesterol. When dry roasted, acrylamide is formed due to the presence of sodium benzoate. So, be mindful.

(2) Pickles

A spoonful of pickle can spice up any meal. In fact I have seen people can take their meal only with pickles without any veggies sometimes. It works well with curd rice; adds a punch to Potato Breads (Aloo Paranthas), and makes Theplas (Breads made of various grains) the best dish to snack on! Pickles stand out as flavorful, low-calorie vegetables and is high in vitamin K. However, pickles are loaded with calories because of the oil they are preserved in and their nutrition content is almost zero, as the vegetables and fruits are minced and dried, which takes away the nutritional value. Like Papads, they are high in sodium due to the use of excessive salt for preservatives which might lead to hypertension if taken in excess. So Again the same funda…Eat in limit!

 (3) Salad dressings  

Salad…salad and just salads!!! Most of the weight loss dieters say they are on some kind of only salads diet! But, still not losing weight?

If you think having salads at the start of your meal will help you eat one less parantha, then go ahead and have a bowl. But, this salad helps only if it is not loaded with high-calorie dressings. Adding dressing to a salad can make the calorie content soar. Dressings such as Thousand Islands and Mayonnaise are loaded with calories, most of them fat. Stick to olive oil, lemon or low-fat yogurt instead!

(4) Soups

Salads are mostly accompanied with bowl of soup. And, one is right in thinking that a soup can be a healthy meal. It can fill your stomach and make you go less on other carbohydrate foods. But, if the soup is loaded with toppings such as cheese, cream, and croutons, it’s far from being healthy. Stick to clear soup with pieces of veggies and meats; shun all cream-based soups. And never pick up the soup sticks or dinner rolls that accompany your soup in a restaurant. That’s another side you don’t need! Go for more of homemade soups without any corn flour and also avoid packaged one as they are also high in sodium being added as preservative. Rather you can add oats flour as thickening agent. You can also opt for healthy cold soups.

(5) Boondi Raita

This curd based mixture is a hot favourite with most of us. Curd is high in protein, calcium, probiotic and the perfectly aid in digestion. It’s good to have curd daily for a healthy gut. The problem begins when you add fried snack to it. Boondi is nothing but fried globules of chickpea flour. The addition makes it a high-caloric food. When fried in reused oil, it becomes transfat and thus may lead to heart issues. So you can opt for veggies in curd or spinach, cabbage, pomegranate, carrot, cucumber, onion and the likes instead of a friend snack in curd.

So be mindful with all these above foods and get fitter and healthier.

We hope this article helps you make informed choices for your weight loss journey. Have any tips on healthier accompaniments? Share them with us in the comments below. For more guidance on nutrition and weight management, explore Healthy Reads or consult a certified expert through GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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