Milk vs. Curd: Which is a healthier dairy product?

For all those people who love dairy products, choosing between milk and curd might be a hard choice. A glass of milk might look attractive, but so does a bowl of curd. If you consume milk and curd on a regular basis, you might have thought which one of them is a healthier dairy product. Both milk and curd have their own health benefits which are further explained down below.
 
Milk
There are countless varieties of milk available in the market, starting from full cream, soy milk, single toned to flavored milk and double toned milk. Milk is known to build healthy bones and keep a check on high blood pressure due to the potassium content in it. Here are the nutrient properties present in milk, which will help you compare between milk and curd:

    On an average 250 ml of fat free milk contains 90 calories and 9 gm of protein.
    A fat free cup of milk contains 8% vitamin-B12 and 2% vitamin A.
    A cup of fat free milk has around 12% calcium, 1% sodium, 2% magnesium and 4% potassium.

Curd
Similar to milk, curd too has several variants such as fat free curd, flavored curd etc. With its unique taste and texture, curd can be eaten either along with meals or even separately. Curd is easier to digest as compared to milk and keeps you full for long. Filled with good bacteria, curd helps in cleaning the digestive tract and also keeps infections at bay. Here are its nutrient properties.

    A cup of fat free curd may have over 98 calories and 11 g of protein.
    Being a rich source of Vitamins, a cup of fat free curd contains Vitamins in same quantity as that in milk, which is 8% vitamin-B12 and 2% vitamin A.
    Comparing other properties, a cup of fat free curd has around 8% calcium, 15% sodium, 2% magnesium and 2% potassium.

Milk or Curd?
Though there is not much difference between milk and curd’s nutritional value, curd still has an edge over milk. With its unique properties of keeping gut healthy and preventing infections, curd is also easier to digest as compared to milk. You can make both of them a part of your daily diet, in order to gain more benefits.

People suffering from bloating, constipation, arthritis, asthma should avoid curd and stick to milk. Smaller kids should be given both, milk and curd, as they are at a growing stage and require both the dairy products.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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Milk substitutes that are safe for lactose intolerant people, according to a nutritionist

Best possible substitutes for lactose intolerant people
Lactose intolerance is a digestive disorder caused by the inability to digest lactose, which is the main carbohydrate present in dairy products. According to Food Tolerance Network, about 70% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant and many of them don’t even know it.

Deepti Sherawat, Nutritionist and Lifestyle Expert, tells five best possible substitutes available for lactose intolerant people, especially those who want to avoid milk at any costs:
 
Curd
The digestive disorder sets in because of lack of sufficient amount of an enzyme in our body called lactase which is required to break down lactose (a kind of sugar found in milk and most milk products with minimal presence in curd).

In such cases, it is best to avoid milk and milk products completely. However in some cases that are not too severe, it is safe to have curd as the process of curd fermentation breaks down most amount of lactose present in the milk and converts it into lactate which is much easier to digest as compared to lactose. However, the process of conversion takes time and a mere 6-8 hours of fermentation may not yield highly lactose free curd. Longer you allow the curd to ferment, more lactose free it becomes.
 
Almond and Cashew milk
For those who cannot let go of milk, almond and cashew milk are great substitutes. It is not only low on calories but also provide a good dose of Vitamin E, D and calcium. Its quality of being dairy-free makes it safe for daily consumption, for people with lactose intolerance.
 
Coconut milk
Loaded with benefits, coconut milk is another great substitute for milk. Regular intake of coconut milk can not only prevent anemia and hearts diseases but also maintains the levels of electrolytes in the body. With its anti-inflammatory properties, coconut milk also helps people with joint pain and arthritis. It should be consumed in moderation, as high levels of intake might result in weight gain.
 
Soy milk
Soy milk contains as much protein as cow milk does but is lower in calorie content. It is a good source of potassium and is loaded with vitamins A, B-12, and D. It should be taken once in a while, as regular dosage of soy milk is not advisable.

Disclaimer: Soy contains something known as phytoestrogens that mimic the estrogen hormone in our body and may create hormonal imbalances, especially in women. It is not safe for everyday use, however it’s occasional consumption is fine.

People with a condition of hypothyroidism too should avoid soy as it contains compounds called "goitrogens" that interfere with the uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland. If thyroid is already challenged because of hypothyroidism, intake of soy foods will make it worse.
This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
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The Right Time To Drink Water

After waking up, drink a litre of water slowly sitting down, even if you've not brushed your teeth, as the acids in our stomach are more powerful to take care of  bacteria in our mouth. Of course, when you start drinking water, it is not possible to drink 1 litre, drink as much as you can initially, then slowly increase it. This will help to cleanse your bowels and flush out the toxins from your body.

Before a meal- drink 1 glass of water to dilute the digestive juices and aid digestion.

Before a  shower- It is good to drink a glass of water to lower your blood pressure.

Before going to bed- It is good to drink a glass of water to keep yourself hydrated.

40 minutes after food- It is good to drink warm water to digest the fat from your food.

Drink only when you're thirsty otherwise. 

Always sit down while you drink water.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                                             FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                                                             https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                                       FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com

Stress May Diminish a Woman's Fertility

 Stress may increase a woman's risk of infertility, new research suggests.

The authors of the study wanted to investigate the relationship between stress and infertility. So they looked at levels of an enzyme linked with stress in the saliva of women who were trying to get pregnant.

They also tracked the women's ability to conceive over a 12-month period.

"Women with higher levels of the stress biomarker had a two-fold increased risk of infertility," said study author Courtney Lynch. The enzyme they measured is called salivary alpha-amylase.

"Alpha-amylase is an enzyme that is secreted into the mouth that helps the body start to digest carbohydrates," said Lynch, director of reproductive epidemiology at the Ohio State University College of Medicine. "It is also linked to the fight-or-flight part of the stress system."

For the study, Lynch and her colleagues collected data from about 500 couples who were recruited from targeted counties in Texas and Michigan.

"We tried to find couples who were just starting to try to get pregnant," Lynch said. "We sent a nursing team out to their houses who did interviews and trained the women how to use saliva-collection kits."

The women took saliva samples twice -- at the start of the study and again after they'd had their first menstrual period during the study time frame. For most, that was about a month into the study, Lynch said. Since alpha-amylase can be affected by alcohol, tobacco and caffeine consumption, the researchers asked the women to take their saliva samples right after waking up in the morning.

The researchers followed the couples for up to 12 months, collecting information on whether they'd conceived.

Of the approximately 400 couples who completed the study, 87 percent of the women became pregnant. After adjusting for age, race, income and the use of alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes, the researchers found that the women with the highest alpha-amylase levels had a 29 percent lower probability of pregnancy compared to the women who had the lowest levels of the enzyme.

The study results were published in the March 24 issue of the journal Human Reproduction.

Lynch said it's important to be clear that the results do not suggest that stress alone is the reason a woman can't get pregnant.

"The message is not that everyone should go enroll in yoga tomorrow," she said. "The message is that if you've tried for five or six months and you aren't getting anywhere, maybe you should look at your lifestyle and think about whether or not stress might be a problem for you. And if it is, you might want to consider a stress-management program."

The authors said this is the first U.S. study to show a possible association between a stress indicator and how long it takes a woman to become pregnant.

Dr. Suleena Kansal Kalra is a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at the University of Pennsylvania. She called the new research "a great first step -- it's presenting a way to measure [indicators] of stress."

"Part of the challenge is that we don't have validated [indicators] of stress hormones or validated questionnaires that measure stress, so the next step is that we really need to start validating some of these tools," said Kalra, who was not involved with the new research. "Ultimately, we want to know how we can measure stress, and then, can we intervene?"

Exactly how stress affects fertility is not well understood, Lynch said. The study's authors said the women in the group with higher levels of the stress-related enzyme had sex about as often as those in the low-level group, so frequency of intercourse did not play a role.

Kalra said some women stop ovulating during stressful times, while others conceive in high-stress environments.

Lynch said the researchers have also collected data on men but have not yet analyzed it, so it's not yet clear how much a man's stress might influence a couple's fertility.

Women struggling with infertility who have stressful lifestyles should not blame themselves, Lynch said. "I don't want women to see this in the news and say, 'It's my fault I'm not pregnant,'" she said. "We know stress is not the major indicator of whether or not you're going to get pregnant."

"Age is the No. 1 factor linked to the inability to conceive. Mother Nature is cruel and unfair. All our success rates are better in women under 35," Lynch said. "That does not mean every woman in her late 30s is going to be infertile, but age is the greatest predictor of success."

Lynch said cigarette smoking is "absolutely associated with a decrease in the ability to become pregnant," and obesity is beginning to be looked at as well.

Kalra is launching a fertility wellness program this spring at Penn that will combine yoga, meditation, nutrition counseling and a psychologist-led support group to help women who are hoping to become pregnant.

"Not being able to start your family when you're ready to do so can create a lot of stress for couples, particularly women," Kalra said.

"I'm not sure stress is an underlying cause of infertility, and I often find it counterproductive to tell women if they're a little less stressed they would become pregnant," she said. "We don't know if that's true. I generally say, 'I want you to feel as good as possible when you're embarking on the journey to have a family.' 

ps- this is only for information, always consult you physician before having any particular food/ medication/exercise/other remedies.

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http://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/

for info about knee replacement, you can view my blog-

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for crochet designs

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RADISH FOR WEIGHT LOSS ?

It's crunchy, its filing and just 19 calories per cup! This makes radish an astral weight loss food. It is rich in potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. with high water content, they are great hydrating foods. With a lot of fibre packed in this humble vegetable, it keeps you full for a longer time.

Radish can be easily tossed in a salad, baked or even used with other veggies as a side dish.

Radish, particularly when eaten raw is low in calories but can be filling.

A half cup of radish contains 1 g of fiber, which is important for weight loss. It helps you lower your cholesterol and increases your fibre intake aiding in weight loss.

Radish has a low glycemic index. The glycemic index of a food is based on how long it takes to break down and digest in the body. If a food has high glycemic index that means it will digest quickly and cause an increase in blood sugar after meal.

Added benefits of Radish
- Good for teeth, gums, nerves, hair and nails.
- Relieves constipation
- Good for diabetics just like cucumber and bitter gourd