Tapioca Pearls - Good Or Bad for Health

Tapioca pearls are best used as

• alternative to gluten free diets as it the free of glutens
• natural source of resistant starch.  Resistant starch is resistant to digestion.
• Provides lot of edurance energy to restricted diets as tapioca is high in calorie
• Good source of iron
• Good source of manganese – essential trace mineral which helps in carbohydrate, amino acid and cholesterol metabolism
• Low in sodium so ideal for people with high BP, heart disease nad stroke
• Natural source of calcium
• Good source of folate
• Helps in weight gain

The calorie index?

Tapioca is very high in calories. Moreover it is considered as empty calories with minimum or negligible nutritional benefits.

Why does it make you feel 'full' soon?

Tapioca is a natural source of resistant starch. Resistant starch is resistant to digestion. It works as fibre in the digestive system. Thus makes you feel full soon.

How can one maximise on its health benefits: like is it best to have it soaked overnight and then cooked etc?

Soaking overnight gives a soft and smooth texture to the soup or porridge or pudding. Soaking softens the tapioca. If not soaked properly it will be hard and will not release enough starch to make the preparation smooth and thick. But if there is less time then few hours of soaking in hot water will also do the same magic

What is with the new trend of tapioca teas?

As a source of nutrition, tapioca is a nonstarter. Though it is a staple in some native subsistence diets, its only contribution is as a carbohydrate for quick energy. The vitamin and mineral content is very low, and the lack of fiber is so notable that even if you could consume enough tapioca to get some small nutritional benefit, you’d likely become very constipated. We can enjoy boba tea for its sweet, exotic flavor and the chewy tapioca, not because it’s good for us.

The effects of phenols and polyphenols present in tea have been extensively studied and have shown promise against cardiovascular conditions and obesity. But the amount of sugar consumed drinking enough boba tea to get those benefits would not be worth it.

Any caution call: does too much intake spell trouble, how?

Yes too much intake can cause trouble. It is simple carbohydrate loaded with empty calories and with very low or negligible nutrients. It causes rapid weight gain. It can also disturb the sugar level in the body. Tapioca allergy is rare, intolerances to the ingredient have been reported, primarily among those who have celiac disease or other digestive diseases. Improper preparation of the cassava root can result in significant health symptoms when ingested. For example, inadequate cooking, soaking, or fermenting of the cassava root or the cassava peel may result in cyanide poisoning, neurological effects, and goiters.

Some tapioca flours may also contain added sulfite, so not recommended for people with sulphur intolerance.

                                                                                                           

                 ~Dt. Deepalekha Banerjee

Surviving Night Shifts

A moderate part of our population work in shifts or in night shifts. It is quite difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle while working in night shifts. Some of the typical health issues faced by the people working in night shifts are as follows:
·         Irregular appetites
Weight gain or weight loss
·         Gastro intestinal disorders
·         Lack of sleep
·         Emotional distress
·         Lack of concentration

Some possible reasons for these might be :
·         Too much caffeine
·         High fat snacking
·         Infrequent eating during the day
·         Over eating during the night
·         Lack of exercise

Nutritional tips to survive night shifts:
·         Eat small frequent meals as opposed to large heavy meals .
·         Eat more protein & less carbohydrates during your shifts.
·         Avoid sugar and sweetened beverages.
·         Chose healthy snacking options like whole fruits, salads, whole wheat or oats crackers and cookies and yogurt
·         The diet must contain omega-3 fatty acids. This helps in keeping you alert and energetic.
·         Limit caffeine intake.
·         Finish cooking before your shift starts
·         Drink plenty of fluids.
·         Carry in between meals and snacks from house with you to avoid fast food and junk food.
·         Drink good amount of water to stay hydrated and healthy.

Night shifts are not easy. But night shifts should not make your lifestyle unhealthy. As there are excuses to depend on junk foods and fast foods, there are also excuses to remain healthy. Only the cloice being yours. What you choose is actually what matters the most. If you choose to be healthy no one on this earth can detrack you. Your determination, willpower and motif towards life has to be positive to remain healthy. Then only you can change the world into a healthy nutritious world to live in in near future. Keep smiling stay healthy.
                                                                                                       

~Dt. Deepalekha Banerjee

Tips for Eating Out

While maintaining a healthy lifestyle which includes weight loss and even maintaining ideal body weight, EATING OUT seems to a be a BIG problem.

But the fact is it is NOT.

If one knows the trick to pick and choose what is right for them, eating out is as entertaining and relaxing as to others.

Tips to pick and choose :

• Before going out for the grand treat have some healthy snack at home.
• Drink a glass of lemon water while brushing through the menu properly
• Skip the hard drinks and sugary drinks
• To start with Soup without cream and fresh salad with dressing on the side. Use the dressing only as much as required.
• Choose the best quality protein – egg white, lean meat, fish, Soya chunks, low fat paneer
• Do not be afraid to ask for the recipe if you cannot understand
• Order grilled, smoked, tandoori items in appetizers basically protein next to soups and salads
• Make healthy swaps like opt for whole grain bread or brown rice instead of white bread or normal rice; avoid cheese puffs, potatoes and deep fried items. Choose stir fried vegetables instead. Instead of creamy cheesy pastas choose wheat pastas with tomato sauce base.
• Don’t miss on dessert. Intead of ice cream or chocolate soufflés choose a small fruit custard or fruit sorbet .
• Add little or no additional salt.
• Look for entrees which say baked, steamed, grilled, broiled, poached or raw
• Enjoy the meal slowly while engaging in a gossip
• Make smart choices at your favourite food joints
• Coffe bar – a regular coffee instead of latte
• Mexican – choose Fajitas made with grilled meat and vegetables or enchiladas filled with chicken or any lean meat and vegetables instead of dishes smothered with cheese, fried chimichangas, refried beans, large bowls of tortilla chips (a few with salsa is fine), pitchers of margaritas 
• Japanese – Choose Sushi made with shrimp, tuna, tofu, or vegetables, sashimi, miso soup, teppanyaki dishes (meat, fish, or vegetables cooked on an iron griddle) instead of Tempura, large platters of sushi rolls (each can be 250 calories or more, and you can easily eat two or three), teriyaki (the sauce can contain a lot of sugar)
• Chinese – choose Stir-fried shrimp, chicken and vegetables, steamed brown rice instead of dishes with thick sweet-and-sour sauces like Kung Pao chicken, large bowls of rice, fried egg rolls, lo mein, breaded or deep-fried foods such as orange beef
• Indian – Choose Tandoori chicken or other foods cooked in a tandoor oven; look for "tikka" or "bhuna" dishes, which aren't covered with heavy sauces. Avoid ordering dishes that come with creamy sauces, naan (Indian breads that are often stuffed with potatoes or coconut and topped with butter), deep-fried samosas
• Italian – Choose Vegetable or seafood antipasto, minestrone soup, fish or chicken dishes served with vegetables, grilled meats. Donot order deep-fried and breaded foods such as veal or eggplant parmesan, creamy sauces such as fettuccine Alfredo, dishes stuffed with cheese such as manicotti and calzones

Enjoy socializing and outside meals. Dieting is not all about restricting and boring. Its just a healthy lifestyle. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 ~ Dt. Deepalekha Banerjee

AGE OF DETOXIFICATION

·         Fat burning Detox water – ingredients used are apple cidar vinegar, lemon juice, apple, cinnamon. Apple cidar vinegar treats acne problems. Lemon add to the flavor and internal cleansing. Apple helps people fill full for longer period of time due to low glycemic index. Cinnamon reduces hunger.

·         Watermelon Mint detox water – Watermelon is a store house for anti-oxidants. Most important one is Lycopene having anti-inflammatory effects. Watermelon is high is potassium which aids in weight loss. Amino acids are also provided to aid in blood flow and cardio vascular well being. Mint soothes the lung and stomach environment.

·         Lemon Mint Detox water – This vibrant potion will appeal greatly to those  donot drink enough water on its own.

·         Lemon Ginger detox water – Llemon provides the internal cleansing & adds on to the flavor. When taken first thing in the morning lemon aids in good digestion throughout the day. Ginger contains shagaols which treats nausea and aids in intestinal wellness. Ginger also contains Gingerol which is a magical detoxifying agent and combats cancer.

·         Cucumber Mint detox water – Cucumber promote an effect of physiological purification. Grape fruit adds on to the sweetness thus energy and that extra zing to the drink. Each sip is tantalizing and tangy.

·         Detoxed Ice tea – Strawberry, lemon, cucumber, honey and a single bag of green tea. Welcome to the detoxification nirvana.

·         Belly slimming detox water – Ingredients used are cucumber, basil & strawberry. Basil curbs human appetites & lowers fluid retention in body. Strawberries speed up digestion and add sweetness to the concoction. Remember this drink has to be consumed extremely icy.

Health issues with prolonged detoxification:

• Fatigue

• Body Odor

• Skin Eruptions/Acne

• Headaches

• Dizziness

• Anxiety/Irritability

• Confusion

• Coughing

• Diarrhea /Foul-Smelling Stool

• Body Aches

• Insomnia

• Sinus Congestion

• Cold/Flu

• Diabetes

• Hypoglycemia

• Heart Disease

• Pregnant or Breastfeeding Women

• Children or Senior Citizens

• Colon Problems (such as IBS, Diverticulitis, Crohn’s or Colon Cancer)

• Anyone with Chronic Kidney or Liver Disease

Usually, these symptoms are the result of toxins being released from fat cells into the bloodstream. As long as not severe, these symptoms typically resolve after the body is able to eliminate the toxins.

Some people are more vulnerable to the hazards of a liver cleanse than others. To be safe, always check with a healthcare provider before beginning any detox program. Those with the following conditions should only approach detoxification under a physician’s assistance.

Stay informed. Stay happy & healthy, stay cared with me 

                                                                                             ~ Dt. Deepalekha Banerjee

                                                                                          

Time for Change

Daily we spend so much time in cooking to provide enjoyment to our family and relatives and also it is a source of source of energy and innovation. But most of us are not aware of some of the bad cooking habits we are practicing daily and those are harmful. How long you want to live with your bad habits? Get rid off them soon after knowing why. Some Bad Cooking habits to get rid off are as follows:

·       Heating oil until it smokes – When oil is heated to the smoke point or reheated repeatedly, it starts to breakdown destroying the oil’s beneficial anti oxidants and forming harmful compounds.

·       Stirring your food too much – It prevents browning which is a flavor booster. It breaks food apart, thus making your meal mushy or lumpy.

·       Rinse your meat before cooking – This gets rid off the slime factor which contaminates the sink with bacteria to cause food bourne illness.

·       Using Non-stick pan on high heat – High temperature may cause the non-stick pans to release PFCs (Perfluorocarbons) in the form of fumes. PFCs are associated with liver damage and developmental problems.

·       Using metal utensils in non-stick pans – This can lead to scratching of the surface of the pan which could to lead to ingestion of the PFCs in the non-stick lining.

·       Overmixing batter – The mechanical action during mixing causes gluten formation in the flour. Thus making baked goods tough.

Now hopefully cooking will become more interesting and enjoyable for many of my readers as they will practice healthy cooking habits in their kitchen and also pass on the same message to others. So let us practice & enjoy HEALTHY COOKING!!

                                                                                     ~ Dt. Deepalekha Banerjee

Let's dream of a Healthy New Year 2016

New Year’s resolutions are a bit like babies: They’re fun to make but extremely difficult to maintain. Though its hard to keep our enthusiasm high in later months, but not impossible to maintain. Only thing you need to remember is that you don’t need to be fit and healthy to start rather you have to start to be fit and healthy. You even don’t need  a new year for change your habbits, you only need the inspiration to keep going in a healthy way. So just make this 1^st January an excuse to start afresh to be healthy and preach to taransform your surrounding to be a healthy world. HOW? Here it comes:

•  Lose weight
•  Cut your stress level
• Exercise more
• Meditate more
• Volunteer to help others
•  Desire less & give more
•  Laugh most of the time
•  Cut on alcohol intake
•  Stay connected and be more social
•  Get more sleep
•  Travel to places you like
•  Quit smoking
•  Eat less ready to eat and processed foods
•  Have more of fresh fruits & vegetables
•  Add anti-oxidants to your daily diet like tomato, ripe papaya, green tea and so on
•  Avoid consumption of saturated fats, trans fats, free sugars and table salt
•  Make your diet more colourful
•  Start using herbs in your dishes
•  Drink more water
•  Change your choices of marketing of groceries
•  Enjoy life and be happy
•  Detox yourselves from old unhealthy habits and change them into healthy ones

Thus the most important thing you need to follow is TALK LESS DO MORE. Wish you all a healthy and nutritious HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016. 

For further information kindly visit my website - http://360degreenutricare.zest.md

                                                                                                           ~ Dt. Deepalekha Banerjee

Break the Fast = BREAKFAST

People around the globe has become very health conscious now a days. Being in shape is most important. To achieve the same, eating a proper heavy healthy breakfast is of utmost importance. Majority of the population try to skip breakfast to lose weight. This gives a short term result. But in long term you may become a victim of diseases like

·         High sugar

·         High cholesterol

·         High blood pressure

·         Heart diseases

·         Obesity

So why Breaking the long night fast in the morning through breakfast is important is as follows:

·         It helps in building you memory. It sharpens your short term memory. It increases the concentration levels and it can also make us happier by improving the mood and lowering the stress levels.

·         Your daily diet must contain 20%-35% of the calories from breakfast as your GDA(Guideline daily allowance). This provides essential nutrients like calcium, iron, B vitamins, protein and fibre. Fuelling up your body with these essential nutrients is at top priority every morning for better output. If these nutrients are not provided in breakfast, they are less likely to get compensated later in the day.

·         Breakfast helps in controlling the weight. If you have a heavy healthy breakfast you are less likely to feel hungry until 3 hours. Otherwise you are prone to gobble in high calorie, fattening snacks before lunch and end up in putting on unnecessary weight.

·         It protects your heart.

·         It lowers the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

·         It enhances your immune system.

MOTIVATED TO START YOUR DAY WITH A HEALTHY BREAKFST PLATE??

How to make your breakfast healthy:

·         Take your breakfast plate and split it into three. One third should be filled with a protein-based food, a quarter with starchy carbohydrates and the remaining third with a variety of fresh fruit and vegies.

·         Fruits - For a wide range of vitamins, antioxidants and fibre, aim to eat a minimum of two serves of fruit a day.

·         Protein – One or two poached egg or egg white, toned milk, unsweetened yogurt, tofu or paneer can make your breakfast healthy and filling. The proteins have a blood sugar balancing effect on your body which prevents you to crave for the sweetened snacks in the mid morning.

·         Carbohydrates -After the night's fast, quality complex carbohydrates give us the energy we need to start the day. Avoid high-glycaemic index (GI) refined carbohydrates such as sugary cereals and white toast. Instead, choose minimally processed foods that raise blood-sugar levels gradually and give you more energy for longer. Try one or two pieces of wholegrain bread or half to three-quarters of a cup of porridge or cereals made from oats, quinoa, amaranth or buckwheat. 

·         Veggies – These provide the sufficient amount of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibres to boost up the body’s digestive system.

·         Fats - A satisfying breakfast should also include some good fat. Sprinkling ground flaxseed into a smoothie or bowl of cereal will turn your breakfast into a gold mine of omega-3 fatty acids; just two tablespoons contains more than 100% of your recommended daily intake for those heart-healthy fats. Flaxseed, which has a nutty flavor, also is rich in fiber and lignan, an antioxidant that's been shown to protect against breast cancer.

·         Chose Green Tea instead of normal tea to boost up the anti oxidants in your body

·         Substitute fruit juice with fresh fruits preferably with skin.

·         Go for low glycemic index foods rather than high ones.

Thus SALUTING the most important meal of the day – The BREAKFAST. Include this meal in your daily schedule to see the magical improvements in your mood, immune system, memory and energy level. Henceforth enjoy a heavy healthy breakfast and that is most important care of yours you can take. This care will show a long term effect not only from outside but also from within. Hence it is the ultimate care one can take for his or her wellbeing.