The health benefits and nutritional values of the sugarcane juice

The health benefits and nutritional values of the sugarcane juice.

As raw sugar contains no simple sugars, sugarcane juice has a relatively low glycemic index (the effect a carbohydrate has on blood glucose levels), which keeps the body's metabolism healthy and helps maintain a healthy body weight. Roughly one teaspoon of raw sugar contains only eleven calories. The natural minerals and vitamins found in sugarcane are exceedingly valuable. Phosphorus, calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium

Nutritional Value of Sugarcane Juice:
The juice extracted from sugarcane not only pacifies the palate, but strengthens the body by providing several nutrients.Following are the values for a glass of juice(approx 150ml)

• Magnesium – 2.5 mg
• Calcium – 32.57 mg
• Calories – 111
• Fats – 0.09 g
• Water – 0.19 g
• Ash – 0.66 g
• Carbohydrates – 27.40 g
• Protein – 0.20 g

Source:Nutritive value of indian foods 
http://www.webindia123.com/health/diet/calorie/amount.htm
http://nutrition.indobase.com/articles/sugarcane-juice-nutrition.php
 Health Benefits of Sugarcane Juice:
•As this juice does not contain refined sugar,has low glycemic index, people with diabetes can also drink this juice, but under proper guidence.

•This juice prevents tooth decay, thus it is good for teeth.

•Sugarcane juice cures flu, sore throats and cold.

•This assists in keeping clear flow of urine and enables proper functioning of kidneys.

•The liver capacity weakens while suffering from jaundice. Sugarcane juice strengthens liver.
•Sugarcane juice acts like a mild laxative due to high amounts of potassium. Moreover, it aids in good digestion.

•This is alkaline in nature and hence, fights against breast and prostrate cancer.

•This is a refreshing, sweet and a wonderful substitute for an aerated drink. This benefits the body from gaining unnecessary calories.

•High amounts of carbohydrates aids in refreshing and energizing the body immediately. Glucose furnished to body through the juice is stored in muscles and is burnt for providing instant energy to body.

Go ahead cool yourself with this natural cooler....

 

Sugarcane Juice –the very cooling drink

Sugarcane Juice –the very cooling drink

It may sound completely ridiculous at first, but sugarcane juice is actually good for you. Though it is comprised purely of sugar, it is comprised of the right sugar; that is unrefined sugar.

Sugarcane juice is sugar in its basic form: raw. Raw sugar is naturally good for the body, as it contains nutrients and minerals.

Refined sugar has been stripped of the nutrients and minerals, a process similar to the "bleaching" process of wheat flour. Refined sugar is pure carbohydrate and contains no other nutritional value, and during the refinement picks up unnatural chemicals such as phosphoric acid, sulfur dioxide and formic acid.

Watch out for other health benefits in tomorrows section.

Avoid Spicy food in summer

Avoid Spicy food in summer

 

Digestive problems are common during summer. Few people's appetite decreases, some suffer from dehydration or diarrhea which makes it difficult to deal with digestive problems.

During summer, avoid oily, hot, spicy fried foods with lot of garam masala, chillies, garlic as these foods leads to indigestion and other stomach problems.

To improve digestion and prevent summer digestive problems, have spices or herbs like Coriander, fenugreek, fennel seeds, cardamom, cumin, ginger and parsley in your summer diet.

Some preparations of Indian summer vegetables

Some preparations of Indian summer vegetables 

Apart from the traditional way of cooking the summer vegetables like sabji, thepla, here are a few healthy ways to prepare bottle gourd, tori and tinda, those eternal summer vegetables.

•Make a raita of this, seasoned with cumin, mint leaves and mustard powder. 

•Boil bottle gourd, carrots, tomatoes and a handful of moong or masoor dal. Liquidise it and make a delicious chilled soup.

•Oven-grill tori , dudhi with Italian herbs, olive oil and garlic, and serve on bruschetta (French bread toast). 

•Stir-fry sliced tori, dudhi sliced red and yellow peppers and onions in extra virgin olive oil. Add some bacon or ham if you want a non-vegetarian variation. 

•For a typically Mediterranean dish, scrape and slice the tori; sauté in a frying pan with little butter and fresh dill (sowa greens). 

•Use it in grated form as stuffing for omelette/ pudla along with onions and capsicum.

•Cook tinda or any other gourd with a mild onion-garlic-ginger gravy; add a little milk along with water and simmer till done. 

•Pan-cook whole tindas, chopped dudhi, turai with browned onion, garlic, tomatoes and a little schezwan sauce sauce to accompany a roast. 

•Stir fry these veg with Chinese herbs — chopped spring onion, ginger-garlic, celery, green chillies and soya bean sauce.

NJOY.......eating these summer veges with a TWIST......

World Malaria Day - 25 April 2014

World Malaria Day, 25 April 2014

Malaria is an communicable disease with is associated with high grade fever with chills. It is an infection, transmitted by the bite of the female mosquito. 

The theme for 2014 and the coming years is: "Invest in the future. Defeat malaria."

Over the last decade, the world has made major progress in the fight against malaria. Since 2000, malaria mortality rates have fallen by more than 25%, and 50 of the 99 countries with ongoing transmission are now on track to meet the 2015 World Health Assembly target of reducing incidence rates by more than 75%.

Symptoms of malaria
Symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shivering, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea may also occur. Malaria may cause anaemia because of the loss of red blood cells.

Protection against Malaria 

Mosquito nets are considered to be beneficial in preventing mosquito bites.

Wearing long  clothing, can also provide protection against mosquito bites.

Using mosquito repellants that are readily available in the market can prevent malaria infection. However these mosquito repellants are widely known to be associated with allergic reactions, especially among sensitive individuals.

Dietary tips
There are no specific dietary suggestions to prevent the malaria infection; however there are certain dietary suggestions that can hasten recovery, especially after a malaria infection.

A clear liquid diet, free of milk, should be made to run for five to seven days, depending on how high a fever the person has. This is followed by a light bland nutrient dense diet like khicdi, daliya, oats, which helps in faster recovery, offering small frequent meals helps especially when the patient has poor appetite.

After this stage, the next stage consists of a balanced diet that still has fruit but now has seeds, grains and nuts and vegetables.

Some of the foods that need to be avoided when a person is trying to recover from malaria include coffee, strong tea, processed and refined foods, sauces, condiments, pickles papads, and sauces, refined sugar, products made with white flour, alcoholic beverages, and all meat products.

However their is something interesting,it has been found that a GOOD DIET CAN CHECK Malaria, Vitamin A, selenium and zinc can  protect especially severe malaria.

Zinc deficiency has also been hypothesized to aggravate malaria because it is required in ensuring good immune response to infectious disease.

Vitamin A improves the absorption of iron in the intestine, thus helping to hasten the process of blood formation required in the  fight  against  anaemia  in  infants  as  well  as  in  pregnant women.

Selenium  is vital to immune system function, low selenium levels can contribute to autoimmune problems.

Though there is yet the need for further researches to optimize the use of vitamin A and other micronutrients in the treatment of malaria, the researchers however recommend to everyone living in malaria endemic region a usual consumption of food sources  of  these  micronutrients.

Indian summer vegetable - CUCUMBER OR KHEERA

Indian summer vegetable

CUCUMBER OR KHEERA

Cucumber is one of the oldest cultivated vegetables.
Cucumber has 96% water content, which helps in keeping the body hydrated and in regulating body temperature.

Cucumber contains a lot of potassium, magnesium and fiber that work effectively for regulating blood pressure.

Digestive disorders like acidity, heartburn, gastritis and even ulcers can be cured by the daily consumption of fresh cucumber juice.

The high water content in cucumber is very effective in flushing away the toxins from the digestive system and hence aid digestion. Thus cucumber acts as a diuretic. Regular intake of cucumber helps to dissolve bladder or kidney stones.

For the cooling effect in this hot summer have atleast one cucumber a day.

Indian summer vegetable - TINDA OR BABY PUMPKIN

Indian summer vegetable

TINDA OR BABY PUMPKIN

Tinda, also called Indian round gourd or apple gourd or Indian Baby Pumpkin, is a squash-like cucurbit grown for its immature fruit, a vegetable especially popular in South Asia.

Tinda" is also called "tindsi" in rajasthan, in Marathi, it is called Dhemase.

Since it is moisture-filled it keeps your body cool and healthy. It is a type of vegetable with very less calories and almost 94% water. It is beneficial for the stomach problems which mostly occurs in summer like acidity, diarrhea,by increasing water absorption and their by relieving stomach acidity.

It is very mild and soothing vegetable for intestinal tract.It is also very effective in urinary tract infections.Also A bowl of cooked tinda is useful to cure light fever.

Indian summer vegetable - AMARANTH LEAVES

Indian summer vegetable - AMARANTH LEAVES

Amaranth leaves a green leafy vegetable as well as its lovely red version, are typical of summer, and is very much nutritious.

Also Known as chinese spinach, cow pea leaves, Chawli ka Patta, Chawli Bhaji. It is the richest source of Vitamins A, B6, and C. It is also a wonderful cooling vegetable that can really help you fight the hot summer months. It helps cure respiratory disorders and diseases like Malaria.

Drinking fresh juice along with honey can cure you from asthma, and tuberculosis. Just make sure that you wash it properly with plenty of water, before you cook it. Chop and sauté with green chillies and garlic; it tastes delicious with rice or rotis.

Indian summer vegetable - PUMPKIN (KADDU)

Indian summer vegetable - PUMPKIN (KADDU)

Pumpkin is a storehouse of many anti-oxidant vitamins such as vitamin-A, vitamin-C and vitamin-E and also has flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants like leutin, xanthins and carotenes. Research shows that people who eat a diet rich in ANTIOXIDANTS are less likely to develop certain cancers.

Pumpkin is said to be cooling, diuretic and is good for curing improper digestion and eliminating intestinal worms from the digestive system. Pumpkin contains potassium and fiber. It also controls blood pressure and sugar. It helps in curing skin diseases. It is thought to regulate blood sugar levels and help stimulate the pancreas — thus diabetics are advised to eat pumpkin.

Indian summer vegetable - SNAKE GOURD (CHICHINDA, PADVAL)

Indian summer vegetable - SNAKE GOURD (CHICHINDA, PADVAL)

The snake gourd (chichinda, padval), also known as Chinese cucumber.

Snake gourd is a natural antibiotic, expectorant, and laxative. It can disperse phlegm, remove pus, expel toxic matter and is anti-inflammatory. It creates a cooling effect in the body. It is useful in correcting disorders, processes of nutrition and it restores the normal function of the system. Snake gourd helps stimulate the production of body fluids, relieving dryness. The plant is particularly useful in checking night sweating during the active phase of tuberculosis of the lungs.

Snake gourd is the best household remedy for heart problems. The juice of the fresh leaves is useful in heart disorders like palpitation and pain in the heart on physical exertion.

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Indian summer vegetable - RIDGED GOURD (TORI, TURAI)

Indian summer vegetable

RIDGED GOURD (TORI, TURAI)

Ridged gourd- It is also known by other names such as loofah, luffa, turai, turiya, tori etc.

It helps in purifying blood, lower the sugar level of the blood and it is good for stomach. We can also drink the juice of tori in the morning which will help you to protect from infections

Indian summer vegetable - BITTER GOURD (KARELA)

Indian summer vegetable - BITTER GOURD (KARELA)

Children might pull a long face at the mention of bitter gourd or karela, but as one grows older, ones cultivates a taste for the bitter.

Karela's bitter taste is generally attributed to the quinine it contains. Cooked bitter gourd stimulates the appetite, cleanses the liver, purifies the blood, and provides many other benefits.

It is established cure for boils, rashes, fungal infections and ring-worm. It also helps control hypertension and diabetes, and generally increases immunity.

Bitter gourd has phenolic compounds that reduce glucose release during carbohydrate digestion. Thus, it has a hypoglycemic effect and is good for diabetes.

Indian summer vegetable - ASH GOURD

Indian summer vegetable - ASH GOURD

Ash gourd also known as white gourd, white pumpkin, wax gourd or petha . It keeps your body cool and healthy. Contains almost 96% water It protects you from heat stroke.

Ash-gourd is loaded with nutrients. It's an excellent source of vitamin B1 (thiamine), a good source of vitamin B3 (niacin). Its high potassium content makes this a good vegetable for maintaining a healthy blood pressure.

Ash-gourd is also useful in treating respiratory disorders like asthma, blood-related diseases, and urinary diseases like kidney stones.

Watch out next in the Series is bitter gourd (karela)

Indian summer vegetable - Dudhi (bottle gourd)

 Indian summer vegetable

Dudhi (bottle gourd)

As bottle gourd is mostly made of water, it prevents you from heat and is also beneficial for the stomach problems like acidity, which mostly occurs in summer. It is very beneficial for diabetics and people with digestive disorders. Sometimes in summer we get skin rashes so the paste of bottle gourd helps cure skin rashes.

Bottle Gourd prevents excessive loss of sodium, quenches thirst and helps in preventing fatigue.

All about Indian summer vegetables

      All about Indian summer vegetables

Indian summer vegetables includes those vegetables that are traditionaly available between the months of April and June. Though, sceintific prgress has made it possible to grow these vegetables all year through, they are at their nutritional best during the summer season. They also suit are constiution during those months.

The typical Indian summer vegetable is soft-skinned, soft-fleshed and moisture-filled, and perfectly suited for hot climates. A thumb rule is that all vegetables that grow on creepers can be classified as summer vegetables.

The gourd family is a vast group of Indian summer vegetables, the most commonly available vegetable is bottle gourd (ghia, doodhi), bitter gourd (karela), ridged gourd (tori), snake gourd (chichinda), ash gourd (petha) and wax gourd (padval), parmal,Kundru (Coccinia Indica),pumpkin (kaddu).

Tinda or baby squash is another common summer vegetable, especially in North India, as also the ladyfinger, okra or bhindi, which is available throughout the warmer months. The cucumber is a cooling, juicy summer vegetable that is had raw. Among leafy vegetables, choulai saag (amaranth greens), as well as its lovely red version, are typical of summer. Tender green mangoes, another popular summer offering, is full of Vitamin C, and are cooked in various ways. 

Watch out for the benefits of each of these veges soon........

Recipe for fast - Samak ke chawal

                                            Samak ke chawal

This is one of the healthy food recipe which u can enjoy even if u are not fasting. It will take maximum of fifteen minutes in preparing this dish and you wont feel hungry for 3-4 hours at least.
Here goes the spicy rice recipe

Ingredients:-
Serves - 2-3
1/2 cup of samo rice(Samak ki chawal/samak rice)
1tsp ghee
2 chopped green chillies
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp kala namak(rock salt)
1 or 2 boiled potato (diced)
1.small cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 black cardamom
half cup roasted peanuts(Grind them in a mixer for few seconds)
4-5 curry leaves
Coriander leaves for garnishing
 
Method :-
Step1. Take a pan and add ghee in it.Add cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaf, cardamoms and cinnamon.Stir till u start getting the aroma.
Step2 - Add in curry leaves, peanuts, potato and rice.
Step3 – Add salt, black pepper powder and 2 cups of water.
Step4 – Lower the flame and simmer for about 15 minutes or till whole of the water is absorbed.If you think that rice is not cooked properly than add more water and cook for a while.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve it hot .If you are serving it to kids then drop a 1tsp of ghee above it.

Gudi Padwa - Puran poli - Healthy??? Or Unhealthy???

Gudi Padwa - Puran poli - Healthy??? Or Unhealthy???

Gudi Padwa is around the corner, this festive season is incomplete without puran poli right. Puran poli is a classic Maharashtrian delicacy. It is a pan-griddled sweet bread stuffed with split yellow gram(channa dal) or red gram (toovar/arhar dal). 

It has various regional names like paruppu poli in Tamil, Holige or obbattu in Kannada, ubbati in Konkani. The taste also varies from region to region. It is sweet and is circular like a parantha. It is a festive dessert. The stuffing is called puran and the parantha-like bread is called as poli.


But..hold on if you think puran poli is bad think again every food has its merit and demerits, the key is to maintain moderation. 

Puran poli is supposed to be a high cal food, right... it is upto you to make it healthy, use whole wheat flour instead of maida, use ghee sparingly.

Lets look at its merit

Puran poli made with whole wheat flour is rich in complex carbs, fibre, gives B complex vitamins, certain minerals. Dals as we all know gives give good amount of protein, what you all will be surprised to know is that this combination of cereal ie wheat flour and protein from dals will provide you with good quality protein, which can be compared to egg which is considered as high biological value with almost 100% bioavailability i.e of excellent quality.This combination provides all the required amino acids which are building blocks of protein.

Futher it has lot of jaggery which contains iron, cacium, potassium, phosphorus, it is releases energy slowly, as it is digested slower than sugar. Further Jaggery also aids in digestion, as jaggery breaks and becomes alkaline in the digestive system.

Addition of Green cardamom powder , saffron, nutmeg powder, mace (javantri) powder which have essential volatile oils,boosts digestion and are antispasmodic, carminative, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial.

  

Go ahead and enjoy this festive delicacy…but keep it as festive delicacy and do not gorge on it, it is to be enjoyed only during festival season.

            ENJOY GUDI PADWA WITH PURAN POLI

Checklist to analyse your health status!!!

Checklist to analyse your Health status !!!

"Good health adds life to years", here is a checklist which will help you in analysizing how healthy you are!!!

1.Climb up to the 2^nd floor of your building and then check your rate of heart beat. 

If your beat is high and you are unable to catch your breath even after 2 minutes of deep breathing, your level of cardiovascular fitness is low.

2. Ask yourself when was the last time you ate a fruit.

  

3. Are potatoes the only vegetables in your house???

4. How much alcohol do you drink? Keep an eye on the amount and have a regular kidney check up.

5. If  you have a family history of diabetes, a annual blood sugar and insulin check is a must after the age of 26yrs.

6. If you lead a sedentary life regular blood pressure and lipid profile check up is needed.

7. If you are a frequent(>2 times a week) non-veg eater annual uric acid and lipid profile is a must.

8. Menopausal women, make sure you have an annual pap test (for cancer), mammography & bone density test for osteoporosis.

9. For young mother haemoglobin and calcium check ups will help control health problems after delivery.

10. Maintain a food dairy. Check things like how much sugar you consume in a day, how often you eat fried foods.

11. If you are unable to get enough sleep for more than a month, your body will be less able to regenerate itself and you will be more likely to suffer from breakdown

The best way to manage your health is to have a full annual check up done and also pay attention to signals your body sends.

World Health Day 7th april 2014 - The Mantra to a Healthy life

World Health Day 7th april 2014

The Mantra to a Healthy life

The Mantra to a Healthy life 

Eat healthy

Be active

Maintain a healthy weight

Manage stress.

Understanding Blood Pressure Readings – Know your Numbers

Understanding Blood Pressure Readings  Know your Numbers

 

Do you know what your blood pressure is and what it means?

If  you answer “no,” and might be wondering why you need to know that…..Right, then please read on and do get your BP checked.

Blood pressure refers to how much force your blood is putting on the walls of the arteries in your body. When there is a large amount of force on the walls of your arteries it is called high blood pressure, or hypertension. High blood pressure or hypertension is a disease and is often called the “silent killer” because symptoms are often not felt or noticed by the person who has the disease.

It is very important for you to know what your blood pressure is so that you can take action to keep yourself healthy.

For now, concentrate on what your blood pressure is, and in what category your reading places you.

NORMAL BP

Starting at age 20, the American Heart Association recommends a blood pressure screening at your regular healthcare visit or once every 2 years. A normal systolic pressure is less than 120, and a normal diastolic pressure is less than 80. What this means is that a normal blood pressure would be anything less than 120/80. If even one of your numbers is higher than what is considered normal, you should think about making some lifestyle changes.

PRE HYPERTENSION 

If your blood pressure is between 120/80 mmHg and 139/89 mmHg, then you have prehypertension. This means that you don't have high blood pressure now but are likely to develop it in the future. You can take steps to prevent high blood pressure by adopting a healthy lifestyle. However check it at least every year or more often as your doctor suggests.

HIGH BP  

If your blood pressure reading is higher than normal, a single high reading does not necessarily mean that you have high blood pressure. However, if readings stay at 140/90 mm Hg or above over time, your doctor will likely want you to begin a treatment program. Such a program almost always includes lifestyle changes and often prescription medication.

HYPERTENSIVE CRISIS
If, while monitoring your blood pressure, you get a systolic reading of 180 mm Hg or higher or a diastolic reading of 110 mm HG or higher, you should seek immediate emergency medical treatment for a hypertensive crisis or have someone drive you to the hospital right away.

Take care Get your blood pressure mointored regularly.