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April 26, 2024 By Vandana Juneja Leave a Comment

Millets: The Super Grain of Summer – Your Ally in Health and Coolness

With summer’s warmth intensifying, it’s time to rethink our dietary choices to ensure we stay vibrant and well-hydrated. Amongst a myriad of nutritional options, millets emerge as a veritable treasure trove of health benefits, rightfully earning their status as the season’s super grain. So let’s embark on an exploratory journey into the realm of millets, our potential partners in beating the heat.

Understanding Millets: The Ancient Grain for Modern Times

Belonging to a family of small-seeded grasses, millets are more than just a culinary choice—they’re a heritage, cultivated as a staple across Asia and Africa for centuries. With a spectrum ranging from pearl and foxtail to finger millet and sorghum, each variety offers a unique burst of flavor and a wealth of nutrition.

The Summer Advantage of Millets: Beyond Just Beating the Heat

Natural Coolants: These humble grains possess natural cooling properties, making them the ideal choice for sultry days. Rich in composition that balances body heat, millets are not just about sustenance; they’re about keeping you naturally cool and preventing the discomfort of heat waves.

Dietary Powerhouses: Don’t let their size fool you; millets are nutritional giants. Packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, they ensure your body receives a holistic blend of nutrients, fortifying your health and vitality.

Guardians of Digestion: With a fiber content that champions digestion, millets can keep the common summer woes of constipation and indigestion at bay. They’re the friends your gut needs when the heat threatens to disrupt your digestive harmony.

Allies in Weight Management: Those on the journey of weight maintenance or reduction will find a loyal ally in millets. Their satiating fiber keeps hunger pangs in check, helping you manage your appetite and caloric intake effortlessly.

A Haven for the Gluten-Sensitive: As gluten intolerance becomes more prevalent, millets rise to the occasion as a stellar gluten-free substitute. They pave the way for culinary diversity, ensuring that dietary restrictions don’t limit the joy of eating.

Revamping Summer Diets with Millets: A Guide to Your Seasonal Well-being

Sorghum Millet (Jowar): A robust grain, jowar is a staple in the culinary world, commonly transformed into hearty rotis and bread. Loaded with nutrients like policosanols, sorghum is a protein and fiber-rich grain that aids in cholesterol management and weight loss. It’s a viable wheat alternative for those with gluten intolerance, offering rich sources of vitamin B1 and essential macro nutrients to boost metabolism.

Sorghum Upma: Soak and grind sorghum, then cook it with onions, tomatoes, green chilies, ginger, and veggies. This gluten-free upma is not only delicious but also nutritionally rich and perfect for a summer meal.

Kodo Millet (Koda or Arke Millet): Renowned for its nutrient density, kodo millet is an excellent alternative to traditional grains like rice and wheat. It’s rich in proteins, fiber, complex carbs, calcium, and polyphenols. Known for its cooling properties, kodo millet is ideal for summer consumption, contributing to lower sugar levels, weight management, and blood pressure control.

Kodo Millet Pulao: Soak the millet, then prepare it with onions, garlic, chili, tomatoes, carrots, peas, and spices. A simple pressure cook delivers a fluffy and aromatic dish ready in under an hour.

Foxtail Millet (Kangni): Foxtail millet is a powerhouse, teeming with complex carbs, proteins, fibers, and a spectrum of vital minerals and vitamins. With its low-fat content and gluten-free attribute, it’s perfect for those with dietary restrictions. Its health benefits are numerous, acting as a brain booster, bone strengthened, energy provider, and beauty enhancer.

Foxtail Millet Dosa Recipe: Begin your journey with a simple and nutritious Foxtail Millet Dosa. Soak foxtail millet, urad dal (black gram), and poha (flattened rice) for 4-6 hours. Grind these into a smooth batter, season with salt, and let it ferment overnight. When ready, heat a skillet, pour the batter thinly and cook until golden brown on each side. Serve this crispy dosa hot with your favorite chutney for a delightful meal.

Finger Millet (Ragi): A staple among health enthusiasts, Finger Millet, or Ragi, is celebrated for its high protein and amino acid content. This gluten-free grain is an excellent substitute for rice or wheat, packed with calcium, iron, and fibre, promoting bone health, aiding digestion, and helping regulate blood sugar levels. Incorporate ragi into your diet through porridge, rotis, and dosas for sustained energy and improved well-being.

Ragi Buttermilk Malt Recipe: For a refreshing drink, try the Ragi Buttermilk Malt. Mix ragi flour with water and cook with mustard seeds, asafoetida (hing), chili, and curry leaves until the mixture thickens. Separately, season buttermilk with salt, combine it with the cooked ragi mixture, bring to a boil, and serve hot. This nutritious malt drink is both comforting and healthy.

Barnyard Millet (Sanwa Rice): Known as Sanwa rice, Barnyard Millet is rich in protein, calcium, iron, and B vitamins. Its low carbohydrate content and gluten-free properties make it an ideal choice for those managing gluten sensitivities, diabetes, or cardiovascular conditions. Barnyard millet is often used as a nutritious rice substitute and is best prepared as porridge to maximize its health benefits.

Barnyard Millet Khichdi Recipe: For a wholesome meal, try Barnyard Millet Khichdi. Rinse and soak barnyard millet and mung dal for 30 minutes. In a cooker, sauté onions, ginger, garlic, and chili. Add tomatoes, turmeric, and salt. Stir in the soaked millet and dal, add water, and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot for a nutritious and comforting dish.

These millet recipes not only offer a variety of health benefits but also introduce new flavors and textures to your diet, making your culinary experience both enjoyable and healthy.

Adding millets to your summer diet brings numerous health advantages and provides tasty, nutritious meals. Whether you aim to stay cool, boost digestion, manage your weight, or just try new recipes, millets are a flexible and healthy option for the warmer months. Dive into the benefits of millets this summer to enrich your nutrition and rejuvenate your body.

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.

#BeTheForce 

December 24, 2018 By Harpreet Kaur 4 Comments

7 Healthy Indian Drinks

There are only so many times you can say, “Just water for me, thanks,” Water is a healthy and safe bet, sure. In fact, it can’t be beaten. No drink can match water, isn’t it? Water is a panacea for many health problems

70 % body is comprised of water. There are innumerable benefits of having water. It promotes weight loss, boosts immunity, increases brain power, prevents hair fall, renders glowing skin, helps in clearing the gut, removes toxins from the body and many more.

So what do you do when you want more options but don’t want to stray from the healthy side of things? Luckily, there are actually several beverages that can do you one favour or another while spicing up your waterlogged palette. 

In this blog, I am going to talk about the healthiest drinks in India. Some of them are my absolute favourites and I include them in my diet throughout the year. Not only these drinks are tasty and easy to make but also offer numerous health benefits

From digestion related problems to skin issues, hair fall issues to serious problems of kidney, liver and heart, these drinks serve as pure nectar for the body.

There are sometimes when we feel like drinking something hot and cool, sweet and salty, morning and evening, summer and winters. I have chosen some most versatile health drinks

The SEVEN health drinks you must try are:

Starting with # 7 RAGI MALT

Ragi Malt Drink

If you are looking for a quick and healthy breakfast, try this one. Considering the nutritional and therapeutic value of Finger millet or Ragi for the human body, it is quite surprising and unfortunate that it is totally absent in most people’s diets today. 2 years ago, I read about it and even heard about the benefits and started having it regularly, since then this drink has been a part of my routine.

Quick Recipe:

  1. Ragi flour 3-4 tsp in a bowl with a little bit water poured in it which should be enough to make a paste of it.
  2. Then boil 1 cup of water and rock salt according to the taste and add ragi paste
  3. Keep stirring it for 2-3 mins, once it cools down to add some lemon juice 1/2 and some curd (50 gms) in it.
  4. Mix it well and your drink is ready, you can even have this in your breakfast when you are running late for work or it is a rescuer for people who have excuses to skip breakfast especially for the weight watchers.

Benefits:

Gluten free

Rich in Fibre

High in Calcium

Amino acids

Minerals

Vitamin D

# 6 Turmeric Milk

Turmeric Milk

We all must have tried it in our childhood or otherwise due to its anti-inflammatory properties but this turmeric milk recipe is quite different especially in winters.

Recipe:

  1. 1 glass of milk to boil (200gms)
  2. On boiling it add ½ tsp of turmeric
  3. Add a pinch of black pepper and ¼ tsp of Cow Ghee
  4. Let it boil with all these ingredients

Turmeric has antibacterial and viral properties and is considered a super herb since ancient times. The purpose of adding Black pepper helps in absorbing the turmeric in the body. The combination of ghee+ milk= pre nectar (acts as a panacea for many health problems) keep infections at bay this winter. Have it before 1 hour of going to bed.

Benefits

*Excellent Body detoxifier

*Blood purifier

*Cleanses Blood vessels

*Flushes out the toxins

*Kills Cancer cells

*Anti-ageing

*Improves Skin Tone

# 5 Buttermilk or Chaas

ButterMilk

Do you feel bloated after having heavy or spicy meals or feel thirsty through the day? Then it’s a must-have for people with weak digestion made in a traditional way. It helps you getting relief from all digestive and stomach related issues

Authentic recipe:

  1. In a blender add coriander leaves, mint leaves some ginger, curd, a pinch of asafoetida, rock salt, black salt and water.
  2. Blend them all
  3. Next step is flame 1tsp of ghee and add few cumin seeds in it and 1-2 curry leaves
  4. Let them splutter and later pour it on buttermilk and enjoy!

Benefits

* Rich in Vit B and Calcium

* Probiotics

* Try having this buttermilk post lunch for maximum benefit

#4 Lemon Honey Water

lemonhoneywater

One of the most popular drinks amongst the weight watchers and an excellent detoxifier. Some people complain that it causes a sore throat and acidity and is not that effective too. Which can be due to some common mistakes that people make while preparing it

Mistake 1> putting too much water and just 1 lemon to avoid acidity and increase water intake

Mistake 2 >Putting honey in hot water which may act against your body

To reap the maximum results out of it drink it early morning on empty stomach to see the miraculous results

Recipe:

  1. 200 ml lukewarm water, mix the juice of 1 lemon and 1tbsp honey
  2. Do not gulp it, gradually sip it down and finish it

Benefits

  • The citric acid in Lemon flushes out the toxins
  • Clears skin
  • Shrinks fat cells
  • Aids digestion
  • Detoxifies the body
  • Cleanses the blood
  • Boosts immunity

#3 Coconut water

Fresh_coconut_water

This is a natural energy drink detoxifies the body. Ideally, the right time to drink it before 12 noon for max benefit. And, even after an intensive workout session to hydrate our body. As it is a great mother nature’s Sports drink

Benefits:

  • Biologically pure
  • Has potassium equal to 4 bananas
  • Perfect electrolyte balance
  • Prevents hypertension

# 2 Sugarcane juice

Sugarcane Juice

It is an answer to people who have sweet tooth and crave for something sweet to drink especially in summers. It is the tastiest and healthiest of many juices, not only low in Glycaemic index is recommended to diabetics as well. It is a super juice among all other fruit juices. It is rich in nutrients as well. Adding ginger and mint to it will even more improve your digestion!

Benefits

  • Rich in iron, calcium, phosphorus, antioxidants
  • It cures a Common cold and boosts immunity
  • Fights fever and other infections too
  • Boosts energy
  • Strengthens liver
  • Relieves constipation
  • Removes Bad breath and Tooth Decay

#1 Carrot Milk

carrot milkIt’s a number one drink to try especially in winters and it’s already around. It works as a natural health supplement which can be taken from children to adults to old age

Recipe:

  1. 1 Medium sized grated carrot
  2. Half boil the carrot in a half cup of water
  3. Post that adds 200ml of milk in it
  4. Let the water evaporate and we would have a powerful health supplement ready

Benefits

  • Improves eyesight especially for people who work in front of gadgets for long hours
  • Relief from dark circles
  • For glowing skin
  • Increases strength
  • Clears vitamin deficiencies

Have it at least 2-3 times a week, if you want you can have it every day, anytime

If you wish to sweeten it, you can some jaggery powder or some honey

Honourable Mention:

Whenever you feel like drinking something Drink water! The best way is to keep it in a copper vessel on a wooden surface and keep it overnight and drink first thing in the morning and don’t pour it in other utensil and drink it straight from the copper vessel to multiply the nutrients in it.

I believe all the above drinks are very convenient and can be added in our fast-paced busy lives, as looking good is not enough- feeling good is what matters.

 

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