Dear Pooja,
I am a 33-year-old single woman and lean on the heavier side. I’ve tried numerous diets but the effects taper off after a while. I have heard a lot about gluten and how a gluten-free diet is supposed to work wonders. Could you tell me the advantages of going gluten-free? Are gluten-free foods expensive and available easily in the city? Thank you.
Gluten-free does not only work wonders but it is the only way one can eat and prevent intestinal damage and other autoimmune diseases – but that is only for those with celiac disease or severe gluten intolerance! For those with these conditions eating gluten can be lethal and can cause severe damage to their intestines thus they are forced to follow a gluten-free diet – no other choice. Ask them how difficult it is to eat regular meals at home or at restaurants and how careful they have to be scrutinizing each product label for even minor traces of gluten in it, which can cause them deadly damage.
In the health and diet industry anything can become a rage or trend. Few prominent people follow it and say they do and lo behold half the world is trying it out. Living off gluten is not easy – imagine your daily diet without access to wheat, barley, rye, barley roti, parathas, biscuits, breads, pasta, noodles, couscous, semolina, spelt even ready to eat soups, processed cheese, mayonnaise, ketchup, salad dressing, non-dairy creamers, canned baked beans, icecreams, flavoured coffees, breaded foods, cereals, malt vinegar, beer, vodka and the list can go on. Are you prepared to let go of all these foods just so that your body can let go of some weight? Even if you can for while – any results you get will only be for the time you will stay off them – once you start eating gluten all the effects will be difficult to maintain and all the weight lost will be reversed.
Losing weight is not about deletion, it’s about sustenance. Eat all foods but learn the key in terms of quantities and methods of preparations. Start what you can always maintain (lifestyle) so that the effects you get can also always be maintained and you never have to do another weight loss battle again.
Wholesome in every macro and micro nutrient, eggs are nothing short of a miracle food. Low in calories (77 cal), gloriously rich in proteins (6 gm) and not very high in fat content (5 gm), eggs are good at satisfying the requirement of our body cells. Packed with a lot of goodness, the protein content in eggs is of unmatched quality. Eggs contain all nine essential amino acids that are vital for the normal functioning of the body, but cannot be made by the body and thus, are to be taken in through the food we eat. Also, egg protein is considered as reference protein that can be fully absorbed by the body, without any valuable protein getting lost in translation.
EGG WHITE VS EGG YOLK
More than half of the protein obtained in an egg is found in the egg white along with B vitamins, selenium, vitamin D, and minerals such as zinc, iron and copper. The egg yolk is a source of cholesterol, saturated fats and fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A, D, E and K. The yolk contains all the 5 gm of fat present in an egg, of which 1.5 gm is saturated fat.
THE IDEAL NUMBER
Each medium-sized egg contains approximately 200 mg of cholesterol. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Indians by National Institute of Nutrition, the daily dietary cholesterol intake should be less than 300 mgdl. Thus, a yolk a day covers up a good 23rd of that quota. There has been a lot of speculation over whether the dietary cholesterol content directly influences blood cholesterol levels or not and there are many studies siding both sides of the story. To keep it simple, I would suggest that those who are watching their weight andor have also been asked by the doctor to watch their lipid profiles regularly must learn to go easy on the yellow if they want to get -and stay -fit.
A GOOD TIME TO EAT EGGS
Any time is a great time for the healthy anda! Eat it for breakfast to jumpstart your day and leave your home energised. Or eat it post your workout to help the body in muscle building and repair. Eat it at meal times to balance your proteins with the carbohydrates; eat it at peak hunger times like evenings or late nights to satiate your craving for food and avoid bingeing on unhealthy food.
EGG-LICIOUS RECIPES
Mock Egg White Pizza Ingredients I Egg whites: 2 eggs, Phulkas: 2, Capsicum and tomato (chopped): ½ cup, Onions (chopped): 14 cup, Green chilli (finely chopped): 1, Salt to taste, Oil: 1 tsp Method I Whisk egg whites properly along with green chilli, vegetables and salt. Heat oil in a pan and add the egg whites mixture to it.
Cook till the mixture becomes semi-solid. Place this stuffing between two phulkas and cook on both sides using very little oil. Cook till the phulkas become slightly brown. Cut with the help of pizza cutter into tr angular pieces. Serve hot. Baked Stuffed Eggs Ingredients I Hard boiled eggs: 6, Skimmed milk: 1½ cups, Flour: 2 tbsp, Mushrooms (chopped): ½ cup, Onion (chopped): 1, Capsicum (diced): 1, Salt and pepper to taste, Mixed herbs for seasoning Method I Slice eggs into halves and discard yolks. Mix the flour with the milk and boil it.
Add to it mushrooms, capsicums, onions, salt and pepper. Cook till the mixture thickens. Stuff the egg whites with this white sauce mixture.
Take a baking dish and grease it with a few drops of oil. Arrange the eggs in the dish, sprinkle them with mixed herbs and little black pepper. Bake in the oven for 7-8 min. Serve hot.
Vegetable Soup With Egg Whites Ingredients I Carrot: 1, Mushrooms: 4-5, French beans: 6-7, Baby corn: 2, Water or vegetable stock: 2 cups, Egg whites: 2, Salt and pepper to taste Method I Bring the water or stock to a boil, add the vegetables and cook for 3-4 min. Add salt and pepper to taste. Beat egg whites and drizzle over the soup.