Busting common myths about fruits

When the weather gets hot outside, all we can think about is a cool drink to lower the temperatures. We feel like eating light meals and end up making our meals fruit-heavy. But this can be a dangerous route to take.
There are several tall tales we hear about fruits, both good and bad. Here is a low-down about everything you need to know, as told by a researcher.
Mix it up

Despite the number of nutrients that fruits have, it is impossible to have a balanced diet by solely eating fruits. We miss out on several nutrients like Vitamin B12. This is why following a fruitarian diet can be dangerous. This kind of diet is like veganism but involves consuming only fruits and cereals.

We need to add cooked food to our diet because we are not like other animals. We need to cook our food to get optimal benefits from it. Our bodies spend lesser time to digest food, so we need to cook it. It can lead to indigestion or else.

What’s the right time to eat fruits?

One very common myth we hear about fruits is that it must be eaten before meals. That way, it is easier to digest and is less fattening. This is completely untrue. Our stomach digests food as it gets, irrespective of the order that we eat it in. It all is broken down so that the nutrients are absorbed by the intestines.

Melons to the rescue

There was a popular saying in ancient Spain that said “Melon in the morning is gold, in the afternoon it’s silver and at night it kills you.” But this is totally untrue. Have a few slices of melons any time during the day to immediately bring down your body temperature. Since it is more than 95 per cent water, it is a good way to hydrate your body in summers as well.

Juice vs fruit

There is a big difference in consuming it in the fruit form and making it in a juice form. When we eat the fruit whole, it has more fibre content than the juice and thus is more beneficial. Extracting juice from it results in decreasing its nutritional value.

When you consume juice instead of the fruit, you also consume more sugar. If you are having the fruit, you will stop at just one orange. But one glass of juice will have 4-5 oranges and additional sugar that went into making the juice.

Detoxifying juices?

As much as brands like to claim it, there is no such thing as a ‘detoxifying juice’.  Its just a marketing gimmick. Your body needs more than just a juice or a smoothie to detoxify itself! It is impossible to remove all the toxins from your body just by drinking juices. 


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

Eating More Rice Could Help Fight Obesity

Eating rice may help prevent obesity, research suggests.

Experts found that people following a Japanese or Asian-style diet based on rice were less likely to be obese than those living in countries where rice consumption was low.

Researchers said low-carbohydrate diets – which limit rice – are a popular weight-loss strategy in developed countries but the effect of rice on obesity has been unclear.

They looked at rice consumption in terms of grams per day per person and calorie intake in 136 countries.

They also looked at data on body mass index (BMI).

In the UK, people were found to consume just 19g of rice a day, below dozens of other countries including Canada, Spain and the US.

The researchers calculated that even a modest increase in rice consumption of 50g per day per person could reduce the worldwide prevalence of obesity by 1% (from 650 million adults to 643.5 million).

The Prof. who led the research, said: “The team observed associations suggest that the obesity rate is low in countries that eat rice as a staple food.

“Therefore, a Japanese food or an Asian-food-style diet based on rice may help prevent obesity.

“Given the rising levels of obesity worldwide, eating more rice should be recommended to protect against obesity even in western countries.”

Giving possible reasons why rice can help, the Prof. said rice was low fat, adding: “It’s possible that the fibre, nutrients and plant compounds found in whole grains may increase feelings of fullness and prevent overeating.”

The authors concluded: “The prevalence of obesity was significantly lower in the countries with higher rice supply even after controlling for lifestyle and socioeconomic indicators.”

Another researcher said: “We have known for centuries that far eastern populations tend to be slimmer than in the west because rice is a staple food, but few obesity specialists may have appreciated why.

“This novel research is the first to hypothesise that we could nail obesity by eating a modest amount more.”

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  

Health Benefits Of Chia Seeds

Who doesn't want to lose weight ( may be just a handful of those blessed with good genes, who never put on weight). But, losing weight is one of the toughest job, as it depends on so many factors- one's genes, hormones and if you've any other health issues. There are many diet plans, but one has to choose what will work for them and try it for 2-3 months to find the result, as there is no magic for the weight to disappear over night. There are few things which do help to lose weight, one of them is chia seeds. 
 Chia seeds are tiny black seeds from the plant Salvia hispanica, which is related to the mint.
Chia seeds were an important food for the Aztecs and Mayans back in the day.
They prized them for their ability to provide sustainable energy. In fact, "chia" is the ancient Mayan word for "strength."
Despite their ancient history as a dietary staple, chia seeds became recognized as a modern-day superfood only recently.

Don't be fooled by the size — these tiny seeds pack a powerful nutritional punch.
A one-ounce (28 grams) serving of chia seeds contains:

• Fiber: 11 grams.
• Protein: 4 grams.
• Fat: 9 grams (5 of which are omega-3s).
• Calcium: 18% of the RDI.
• Manganese: 30% of the RDI.
• Magnesium: 30% of the RDI.
• Phosphorus: 27% of the RDI.
• They also contain a decent amount of zinc, vitamin B3 (niacin), potassium, vitamin B1 (thiamine) and vitamin B2.

This is particularly impressive considering that this is just a single ounce, equaling 28 grams or about two tablespoons. This small amount supplies only 137 calories and one gram of digestible carbohydrate.
Interestingly, if you subtract the fiber — most of which doesn’t end up as usable calories for your body — chia seeds only contain 101 calories per ounce (28 grams).
This makes them one of the world's best sources of several important nutrients, calorie for calorie.
To top things off, chia seeds are a whole-grain food, usually grown organically. Plus, they’re non-GMO and naturally free of gluten.

Chia seeds give much more energy in less calorie which cuts your daily food needs and calories.
Cutting down 500 calories from our daily diet can help you to lose around 1 kg in a week. Means 4 kg in a month, may be you are looking for a big figure like 10 kgs in a month but if you want a permanent solution then it is better to shed slowly and maintain that weight loss, as in some diet plans, once you stop you regain all the lost weight and more.
Chia seeds and Sabja Seeds are different,  Both have different health benefits. But in some ways they are similar, as both look alike, both can be consumed in similar ways and both can be useful for weight loss.

If you want to lose weight with Chia Seeds, then add 1 tsp of soaked chia seed pearls in 1 glass of milk or in lemon honey drink.

• Don’t add sugar to it, you can add little honey, or molasses in place of sugar.
• With this drink best is ti have some fruits.
• Like this you can get lots of energy & Fiber in morning which keeps you full and reduce the calorie intake. At the end of the day you can lose weight easily.                                       One should soak chia seeds over-night and use it in smoothies as a good breakfast drink.

Chia Seeds Are Loaded With Antioxidants

Another area in which chia seeds shine is their high antioxidant content.
These antioxidants protect the sensitive fats in the seeds from going rancid.
Though the benefits of antioxidant supplements are debated, researchers agree that getting antioxidants from foods can have positive health effects .
Most importantly, antioxidants fight the production of free radicals, which can damage cell molecules and contribute to aging and diseases like cancer.antioxidant

Almost All the Carbs in Them Are Fiber

One ounce (28 grams) of chia seeds has 12 grams of carbs. However, 11 of those grams are fibre, which your body doesn’t digest.
Fiber neither raises blood sugar nor requires insulin to be disposed of. Though it belongs to the carbohydrate family, its health effects are drastically different from those of digestible carbs like starch and sugar.
The digestible carb content is only one gram per ounce (28 grams), which is very low. This makes chia a low-carb friendly food.
Because of its high soluble fiber content, chia seeds can absorb up to 10–12 times their weight in water, becoming gel-like and expanding in your stomach .
Theoretically, this should increase fullness, slow absorption of your food and help you automatically eat fewer calories.
Fiber also feeds the friendly bacteria in your intestine, which is important — keeping your gut flora well fed is absolutely crucial for health .
Chia seeds are 40% fiber by weight, making them one of the best sources of fibre in the world.

Chia Seeds Are High in Quality Protein

Chia seeds contain a decent amount of protein.
By weight, they’re about 14% protein, which is very high compared to most plants.
They also have a good balance of essential amino acids, so your body should be able to make use of their protein content .
Protein has various health benefits and is by far the most weight loss friendly dietary nutrient.
A high protein intake lowers appetite and has been shown to reduce obsessive thoughts about food by 60% and the desire for night time snacking by 50% .
Chia seeds really are an excellent protein source — especially for people who eat little or no animal products.

Chia Seeds Are High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Like flaxseeds, chia seeds are very high in omega-3 fatty acids.
In fact, chia seeds contain more omega 3s than salmon, gram for gram.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that the omega-3s in them are mostly ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), which is not as beneficial as you may think.
ALA needs to be converted into the active forms eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) before your body can use it.
Unfortunately, humans are inefficient at converting ALA into these active forms.
Therefore, plant omega-3s tend to be vastly inferior to animal sources like fish oil .
Studies have shown that chia seeds — especially if they’re milled — can increase blood levels of ALA and EPA but not DHA.
This can be a problem.
Because they don't supply any DHA, which is the most important omega-3 fat, most experts consider chia seeds a lower-quality omega-3 source.
To get the DHA your body and brain needs, either eat fatty fish regularly or take fish oil or — if you are vegan or vegetarian — a plant-sourced DHA supplement.

Chia Seeds May Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease

Given that chia seeds are high in fiber, protein and omega-3s, they may reduce your risk of heart disease.
Their benefits have been examined in several studies, but the results have been inconclusive.
Rat studies have shown that chia seeds can lower certain risk factors, including triglycerides, inflammation, insulin resistance and belly fat. They may also raise “good “ HDL cholesterol .
However, one human study did not detect any improvements in risk factors .
A few studies show that chia seeds significantly reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension, which is a strong risk factor for heart disease .
Overall, it’s possible that chia seeds may benefit heart health, but they probably won't have a major effect unless accompanied by other beneficial lifestyle and dietary changes.

They’re High in Many Important Bone Nutrients

Chia seeds are high in several nutrients that are important for bone health.
This includes calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and protein.
The calcium content is particularly impressive — 18% of the RDI in a single ounce (28 grams).
Gram for gram, this is higher than most dairy products. As a result, chia seeds may be considered an excellent source of calcium for people who don't eat dairy.
However, chia seeds also contain phytic acid, which reduces calcium absorption to some extent.

Chia Seeds May Reduce Blood Sugar Levels

High fasting blood sugar levels are a typical symptom of untreated type 2 diabetes.
Consistently high fasting blood sugar levels are associated with an increased risk of several chronic diseases, including heart disease .
But temporary spikes in blood sugar levels after meals may also have adverse health effects when they’re excessively high on a regular basis .
Animal studies have found that chia seeds may improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control, stabilizing blood sugar levels after meals .
A few human studies support this by showing that eating bread that contains chia seeds lowers the post-meal rise in blood sugar compared to bread that doesn’t include any chia .

They May Reduce Chronic Inflammation

Inflammation is your body’s normal response to infection or injury. Red and swollen skin is a typical example.
Although inflammation helps your body heal and fight off bacteria, viruses and other infectious agents, it can sometimes cause harm.
This mainly applies to chronic inflammation, which is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and cancer.
Chronic inflammation often doesn’t have any visible signs, but can be assessed by measuring inflammatory markers in your blood.
Various unhealthy lifestyle habits increase your risk of chronic inflammation, including smoking, lack of exercise or a poor diet.
On the other hand, certain healthy foods may reduce the blood levels of inflammatory markers.
One 3-month study in 20 people with diabetes showed that eating 37 grams of chia seeds daily reduced the inflammatory marker hs-CRP by 40%. In contrast, those who got wheat bran didn’t experience a significant benefit.
Other studies on chia seeds have failed to detect any significant effects on inflammatory markers.

Chia Seeds Are Easy to Incorporate Into Your Diet

Chia seeds are incredibly easy to incorporate into your diet.
The seeds themselves taste rather bland, so you can add them to pretty much anything.
They also don't need to be ground like flax seeds, which makes them much easier to prepare.
They can be eaten raw, soaked in juice, added to porridge, pudding, smoothies or added to baked goods.
You can also sprinkle them on top of cereal, yogurt, vegetables or rice dishes.
Because of their ability to absorb both water and fat, they can be used to thicken sauces and as egg substitutes in recipes.
They can also be mixed with water and turned into a gel.
Adding chia seeds to recipes will dramatically boost their nutritional value.
They do also seem to be well tolerated, but if you're not used to eating a lot of fiber, then there is a possibility of digestive side effects if you eat too much at a time.
A common dosage recommendation is 20 grams (about 1.5 tablespoons) of chia seeds, twice per day.

Caution

Chia seeds are not only rich in nutrients, omega-3 fat, antioxidants and fiber but also easy to prepare. People commonly add them to their porridge or smoothies.
Studies suggest that they have various health benefits, ranging from weight loss to reduced inflammation.
If you don’t eat chia seeds already, you should definitely consider adding them to your diet. They’re among the few super-foods worthy to be so-called.

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

Antidote for Junk Food !

In today's fast life, sadly we've become more dependent on junk food, more for convenience, also for taste among younger generation, though we all know that junk food must be avoided ! Isn't it sad, knowing well that it is bad for health, people still love eating junk food. Well, I may call these foods as sort of anti-dote for the junk food( may be to slightly off-set its negative values) !.

When we take enough precaution after eating those mouth-watering junk food, we can slightly overcome its bad effects. You all know that junk food has more sodium, fat, so what best can one do-

1) Drink plenty of water- as junk food may make you feel dehydrated due to its high sodium content, which creates an imbalance of electrolytes in our bodies. When we drink more water, it helps to flush out the toxins and helps you feel well hydrated. Have water in every form- plain water, eat those fruits and vegetables which are high in water content( like watermelon, melons, cucumber).

2) Eat more fibre- We all know that fibre is very important as one it gives a feeling of satiety to our food and secondly helps our digestion, thus it helps to expel the junk food faster from our system. Eat more fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains and legumes, which are all high in fibre.

3) Eat ginger, ajwain ( carom seeds), saunf ( fennel seeds)- all of which helps to digest the food better. Ginger also helps to reduce the inflammation caused by the junk food in our digestive tract. So, you can have some ginger tea, ginger candy, or simply grate some ginger, mix with molasses and chew. You can have saunf, which again aids digestion, ajwain helps to get rid of gas. Ginger also helps for regulating our blood pressure, hence good for heart health.

4) Green Tea- We all know that junk food has loads of calories, which makes us gain weight. Green tea has antioxidant properties that can negate some of the ill effects of junk food. It also helps lower bad cholesterol levels.

Above all, it is always good to fast one day of the week, may be that day should be after one has had junk food, as fasting helps to release the toxins from the body and by fasting, we're also making sure that we try to maintain our calories. 

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

Lifestyle change can prevent thousands of cancer cases

Getting rid of smoking tobacco, exercising and shedding weight may be key lifestyle behaviours that can cut down thousands of cancer cases a week, say researchers, including one of Indian-origin.
The other major preventable lifestyle behaviours include drinking alcohol, reducing exposure to ultra-violet (UV) radiation, air pollution and eating good amount of fibre. 
Following these can prevent nearly four in 10 cancer cases in the country, says a non-profit organisation in a paper published.
The study showed that more than one in 20 cancer cases could be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight.
"Leading a healthy life doesn't guarantee that a person won't get cancer, but it can stack the odds in your favour. These figures show that we each can take positive steps to help reduce our individual risk of the disease," said the chief executive of the Cancer Research.
According to the World Health Organisation, cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, and is responsible for 8.8 million deaths in 2015. Globally, nearly one in six deaths is due to cancer.
The latest figures, calculated from 2015 cancer data, showed that tobacco smoke caused around 32,200 cases of cancer in men (17.7 per cent of all male cancer cases) and around 22,000 (12.4 per cent) in women in the UK. 
Around 22,800 (6.3 per cent) cases of cancers including bowel, breast, womb and kidney, a year are down to being overweight or obese. 
"The research clearly demonstrates the impact of smoking and obesity on cancer risk. Prevention is the most cost-effective way of beating cancer," the researcher said.
"Obesity is a huge health threat right now, and it will only get worse if nothing is done. Banning junk food TV adverts before the 9 p.m.  watershed is an important part of the comprehensive approach needed," said one of the researcher.
In addition, overexposure to UV radiation from the sun and sunbeds causes around 13,600 cases of melanoma skin cancer a year, while drinking alcohol, eating too little fibre caused around 11,900 and 11,700 cases respectively.
Outdoor air pollution was responsible for around 3,600 lung cancer cases a year.

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://my crochet creations.blogspot.com/