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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.

#BeTheForce

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10 tips to retain nutrients while cooking

Young lady chopping vegetables

We try different methods of cooking- boiling, sauteing, frying, grilling etc. Everyone has their own unique way of preparing a particular dish. Isn’t it? We never realize why one is following particular steps for cooking as compared to the other. Ever thought about nutrient losses that might be occurring while cooking?

I thought of writing this blog as I have seen my “cook” cooking in some different ways wherein you will end up losing all nutrients. I am sure many of us might be doing the same unknowingly.

Here are 10 simple tips which will help you retain nutrients while cooking. So that you can ensure highly nutritious food being served to your loved ones.

  1. When peeling the skin of vegetables do peel as thinly as possible. The nutrients in vegetables and fruits are concentrated just below the skin, so peeling before boiling increases the loss of Vitamin C, Folic Acid and other B vitamins. The peels of carrot, radish, gourd and ginger can be scraped instead of peeling. Peel only when absolutely necessary.
  2. Do not cut vegetables into very small cubes as the surface area of vegetable increases that comes in contact with oxygen, destroying more
  3. Don’t soak vegetables in water to prevent discoloration-Almost 40% of water-soluble vitamins and minerals are lost in the water. If you must soak, use up the soaking water to knead the dough, prepare soups and gravies
  4. Salads should be prepared just before serving and should be served in closed dishes to avoid excessive exposure to air.
  5. Do not throw away the excess water drained after boiling rice or vegetables. When preparing cottage cheese, the water left over after curdling (called whey)-is extremely rich in good quality proteins and vitamins and should be used up in preparing gravies, kneading dough or simply had as a refreshing drink after flavouring with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
  6. Do not keep milk open or exposed to light, as a considerable destruction of riboflavin can occur.
  7. It is preferable to cook vegetables in a minimum amount of water keeping the vessel covered and to consume it as soon as possible. Reheating cooked vegetables further destroys vitamins.
  8. Root vegetables should be boiled with skins on and then peeled after boiling. This helps the nutrients to migrate to the centre of the vegetables, helping better retention of its nutrients. Do eat with skin on whenever possible.
  9. Baking soda makes cooking water alkaline and thus helps retain the colour of vegetables as well as speed up the cooking process, BUT it destroys thiamine and vitamin C.
  10. Deep frying and heating for a long time or heating at a high temperature should be avoided during cooking. If food material is heated above 700 C for a long duration, proteins become hard and coagulated. In this form, they are not easily absorbed by the body. Thus, overcooking results in loss of precious nutrients.

Do ensure you try these tips and make your food nutritious. Since Healthy food = Healthy you. These insightful cooking tips empower you to create meals that are not only delicious but also rich in essential nutrients. By adopting a mindful approach to cooking, you can preserve the goodness in every bite, contributing to a healthier and more balanced life. Share your thoughts in the comments below, and find more articles on Nutrition here. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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10 Cooking habits that you need to RECONSIDER!

Ever wondered why people are still at risk for chronic illness despite following a healthy lifestyle? Why does immunity fail to protect the body when the weather changes? Why with growing awareness about fitness, people still fall sick?

There is a number of articles and literature online that broadcast the importance of active life, a nutritious, mostly plant-based diet, daily exercises, weight management, disease prevention, smoking cessation, moderation in alcohol intake etc. Despite the abundance of knowledge about how to live a “healthy” lifestyle, choose “best food” and follow an “active” exercise regime, there haven’t been such significant improvements in the health of the general public. There is something missing which needs to be corrected so as to multiply the goodness of active life and healthy food.

Let me support this with a phrase, “Muscles are built in a gym, but nourished in Kitchens”

Yes! The kitchen is the place where our food first enters before it enters our body. There are some kitchen habits which might be silently killing us. When I chose to highlight this topic, I did not have to look much farther than my own circle to compile a list of common, but avoidable kitchen habits:

  • Dipping tea bags in hot water: Some of the tea bags are made with a variety of plastics. These plastics are generally considered among the safest in terms of leaching potential, but the molecules in these plastic tea bags may still break down and leach out when steeped in boiling water. Tea bags made up of paper may be just as bad, or worse, than the plastic ones because many of them are treated with epichlorohydrin. When this epichlorohydrin comes in contact with water, it hydrolyzes to a compound which has been shown to cause cancer and suppress immune function in animals. Knowing these hazards, your best option would be to opt for loose organic tea.
  • Reusing Cooking oil: Indian cooking is said to be indispensable without cooking oil. Consumption of oil in the right proportion and in the correct manner often doesn’t cause any health issues. Though many people follow this practice regularly, Very few people are aware of the dangerous effects of recycled cooking oil i.e. reheating the used oil. Reusing the oil alters the chemical composition of oil leads to the formation of highly charged free radicals or uncharged molecules with unpaired electrons which can often be These free radicals attach themselves to healthy cells resulting in an increase of bad cholesterol levels and block arteries as well.

Storing the used oil for a longer period of time encourages bacterial growth due to the presence of leftover food particles present in the oil, can lead to fatal food poisoning. Best possible solution to avoid hazards of reusing oil would be using less amount of oil for frying or choosing shallow/stir frying over deep frying to avoid wastage of oil.

  • Overheating cooking oil: Oils can withstand varying levels of heat, for some type of oils the threshold for heat tolerance is lower and for some, it’s higher. Normally, a heated cooking oil is considered unsafe when it reaches its smoking point i,e, the temperature at which it begins to chemically break down and smoke continuously. At this point, the fat molecules break down into glycerol and free fatty acids, and the glycerol breaks down further to produce toxic fumes and free radicals.This also leads to loss of the antioxidants present in the oil. So it’s wise to pick up oil with better smoke value if you intend to use for cooking and not dressing.
  • Using non-stick pans on high temperature: Almost everyone owns a non-stick Teflon-coated pan. It may be more convenient and easier to clean but, cooking in it on high temperatures can cause the “Teflon flu.” This illness is characterized by flu-like symptoms such as headaches, chills, backaches, and a temperature ranging between 100°F and 104°F. High temperatures cause the non-stick lining to release PFCs (Perfluorocarbons) in the form of fumes. PFCs can cause liver damage and also developmental problems. Also, the chemicals used to make this non-stick substance include ammonium perfluorooctanoate which has been linked to cancer, organ damage and other negative health effects (animal studies).
  • Using metal ladles on non-stick vessels: Using metal utensils to stir on a nonstick pan is not a good idea. You can unknowingly/unintentionally scratch the surface of the pan, which could lead you to ingest the PFCs in the nonstick lining. Use wooden or heat-safe rubber utensils when using a non-stick pan to avoid any scraping.
  • Using regular utensils in the microwave: Radiation from microwaves has not been proven to be particularly dangerous in itself, providing that the appliance is in good working order. Rather, the danger lies in the types of containers we microwave our food in. Certain compounds used to make rigid plastic more pliable may act as endocrine disrupters. They may mimic or compete with human hormones, which could affect fertility or cancer risk. It is best to avoid microwaving plastic containers that aren’t specifically designed for microwave use.
  • Poor ventilation: Without appropriate ventilation, indoor air quality can suffer and cause serious health problems. The pollutants which degrade air quality comes from cooking burners especially gas burners and have an effect on the respiratory and cardiovascular system as they can enter the bloodstream and reduce oxygen delivery to the body’s organs and tissues. Fine particles are produced essentially by volatilizing dust by both gas and electric burners during cooking. They are potentially very harmful because they can enter the lungs, bloodstream or other tissues. Decreasing this indoor pollution is to make sure pollutants vents to the outdoors else they will simply recirculate in the kitchen. If having a hood/ exhaust fan is not possible, opening a window while cooking does help.
  • Keeping water pans open: It’s not new that epidemic of waterborne disease is so widespread and easy to acquire. People who don’t own water purifier often have the sense to boil water before consumption. One cannot fill the drinking pots with hot water so people usually keep hot water pans (often uncovered) at room temperature. While water is getting cooled and getting ready to be transferred in pots, it gets attracted by dust and particles present in the air. The chances of water contamination increase if air microflora is high. The safe way to deal with this is to invest in water purifier or perhaps cover the pans with lid and strain water with muslin cloth before transferring to pots.
  • Cleaning vegetables and fruits: Every homemaker knows the importance of washing fruits and vegetables once before consuming. Having said that most of homemakers/chef clean them superficially i.e cleaning under running water for 1-2 mins and keep it open to air dry. Does this really wash off the chemicals and pesticides? Well, No! It doesn’t. There are numerous options to clean them correctly. Soaking them in 10 % White vinegar + 90 % water solution for 15-20 mins; Soaking them in 2% salt solution or washing them in cold water helps to wash off most of the pesticides, chemicals as well as dirt present on the surface. It is worthwhile to invest some time in washing and cleaning your food, as you don’t want to end up consuming a portion of toxins with your meals!
  • Using Aluminium foil to pack hot food: High levels of Aluminium has been found in the food cooked, reheated and cooled in aluminium foil. This is alarming knowing the fact that high levels of Aluminum which accumulates in the body causes hypercalcemia (More calcium in the blood), weakens bone mineral density and hence causes Osteoporosis later in life. However, use of Aluminum foil has been found safe to wrap cold food as aluminium doesn’t leach out. As an alternative to cook/store hot food, Parchment paper/wax paper can be used respectively.

While concluding this eye-opener topic, I would like to make it a point that despite the risks associated with many cooking methods, you don’t have to start eating all your food raw. Simply take small steps to avoid these cooking dangers.

Many little changes can go a long way in terms of improving your health and preventing illness.Many of the above-mentioned habits don’t pose an immediate danger to your health, but long-term use and a combination (with other lifestyle factors) might lead to problems later on in life.

So the take-home message is “Don’t overreact, just be mindful of the habits, Now is the time to understand and adapt ourselves to healthy cooking habits along with making healthy meal choices”

#BeTheForce

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Benefits of Fennel Seeds (Part 2)

Benefits of Fennel Seeds 2In my previous blog, we talked about the amazing Benefits of Fennel Seed Water. In this blog, I am going to tell you about different ways of using Fennel Seeds for good digestion, eyes, hair and skin.

Fennel Seeds contain many useful, active ingredients such as:

  • Anethole: This is the main active ingredient of Fennel. It is antimicrobial (kills germs), mimics estrogen, and increases prolactin
  • Flavonoids like Quercetin and Apigenin: These are antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory
  • Phenolic compounds such as Rosmarinic Acid and Chlorogenic Acids: These are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
  • Terpenes such as Fenchone and Limonene, which improve wound healing
  • Water-soluble vitamins like Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C), Thiamine(vitamin B1), Riboflavin (vitamin b2), Niacin (vitamin B3), and Pyridoxine (vitamin B6)
  • Fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, E, and K
  • Trace minerals and other elements like Aluminum, Barium, Calcium, Cadmium, Cobalt, Chromium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Nickel, Lead, Strontium, and Zinc
  • Essential Amino Acids like Leucine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, and Tryptophan
  • Dietary Fiber

Uses of Fennel Seeds:

a) Fennel Seeds after Meals: If you have acidity, indigestion problem, take ½ tsp of fennel seeds after meals. It helps in digesting food and reducing acidity.

b) Fennel Seeds Paste for Puffy Eyes: Make a paste by mixing Fennel Seeds Powder with cold water. Apply the paste under your eyes and wait for 5-7 minutes. Rinse with cold water and you’ll notice the difference immediately.

c) Fennel Seeds Paste for Acne: Make a paste of Fennel Seeds powder, Honey and Yoghurt. Apply the paste on the affected areas and let it sit for a good 10-15 minutes. Next, rinse with cold water.

d) Fennel Seeds Water for Hair Fall: Boil some water with a few spoons of Fennel Seeds in it. Once boiled, strain the water and let it cool down. Next, rinse your hair thoroughly with the water. Repeat this twice a week for quick results.

e) Fennel Seeds Paste to Hydrate Itchy Scalp: Make a paste of Fennel Seeds Powder with Yoghurt and apply the paste evenly on your scalp. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes before rinsing it off.

f) Fennel Seeds & Oatmeal Anti-Aging Mask: Take 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds, 2 tablespoons of oatmeal, and 1/4 cup of boiled water and mix well. Apply this mask on your face and leave it on for 20 minutes.

g) Fennel Seeds as Mouth-Freshener: Roast Fennel Seeds with equal quantities of Fenugreek and store it in a jar. Use this mix as a mouth-freshener. This mix can be used as a replacement for your sugar cravings – extremely helpful for Diabetics.

h) Fennel Seeds Toner for Puffy Eyes: Take 2 tsp of Fennel Seeds and  ¼ cup of hot water, combine them and let the mixture steep for 10 minutes, strain and pour in an airtight container , keep refrigerated for up to one week .

i) Fennel Seeds to Improve Eyesight: Take 100gm each of Fennel Seeds, Almonds, Rock Sugar and grind them well in a mixer.  Have 10gm of this mixture every night before bedtime you will notice your eyesight getting better.

How to Store:
Store dry Fennel Seeds as you do in case of other seeds. Place whole seeds in a clean, air-seal container and store in a cool, humid-free and dark place. Ground and powdered Fennel Seeds should be stored in the refrigerator in airtight containers and should be used sooner since it loses flavor quickly due to evaporation of its essential oils.
I hope these suggestions are useful to you and will help you utilize this versatile seeds better.

How do you use Fennel Seeds? 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.

#BeTheForce

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