eating – Nourish Genie

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Your nutritional horoscope

March 11, 2019 No Comments

This Women’s Day, as you gear up to receive a surprise breakfast fit for a queen or a hastily ordered bouquet of flowers, spend some time on your horoscope.Not on issues that are personal or professional but on those that are nutritional. Although I’m not a soothsayer or savant, I can quite comfortably predict your nutritional future this year.Without knowing you or meeting you, I can safely predict that this year most of you will…

Feel the need to clean the plates

Of course, I don’t mean getting down and dirty -or is it clean? -with soap and water but eating leftovers. Beware of this obsessive need to “prevent waste“ as you eat that last half-roti or those few spoonfuls of rice just so that you’re satisfied that all the food is finished. If you continue to do so, you may be looking at a possible 4-5 kilos of weight gain in a year. The math is simple: let’s assume that the extra intake of leftover dinner and or dessert adds up to about 100 extra calories per day, if you are not able to burn it off. If you do this everyday, it totals up to 36,500 un burned calories a year. It takes 3,500 calories to gain a pound of weight, which is about 10 pounds or about 4-5 kilos of weight gained in a year. Quite simply, waste makes waist.

Eating to prevent wastage doesn’t always guarantee weight gain. But if you are struggling to lose those last few kilos, and not realising where things are going wrong, now you do. Maybe it’s time to let the leftovers be. If you cannot finish what’s on your plate, it’s not your problem it’s the dust bin’s or the fridge’s.

Feel the need to be kind

I also predict that this year many of you reading this will have an inability to say “No“.The social pressure to eat can be held responsible for you going for that second helping of dessert just because your host insisted. Or be cause of people around you who encourage you to eat unhealthy foods when you’re on a diet. Just say `no’.

Feel the need to think of others all the time

Be a little selfish this year. You need to do what it takes to be more energetic, eat healthier, sleep well, and sleep on time. Because you cannot provide from an empty cup. To take care of others, you first need to take care of yourself.

Chase away approaches to nutrition that are bad for you. If you do, I can predict a healthy, nutritious year with a body that will love you for it. Happy Women’s Day.

In Bombay Times - Ask the expert

Veto the Keto

March 5, 2019 No Comments

Ketogenic diets, that have become the Champagne of diets, have no fiz

If the next conversation you have steers towards losing weight or going on a diet, chances are it will quickly take a sharp turn into more murky waters: ketogenic diet. It’s the most popular diet right now. My clients ask about keto, celebrities whisper about it, and there are many who have already tried it. This piece talks about why you should run in the opposite direction when anyone mentions keto. And keep running. Having said that, run anyway. Exercise is good for you.

What is a keto diet?

Ketogenic diets are high in fat, adequate in protein and low absent in carb, the principle being that a diet on low carb intake will automatically turn to fat as the energy source for your body, i.e., fat won’t be stored but work as fuel.

It’s like this: Carbohydrates in food are converted into glucose, and glucose in turn, gives us energy to perform our numerous daily functions. However, in Ketogenic diets, the theory is that since there is very little carbon intake, the liver converts fat into both ketones and fatty acids. The ketone bodies, in turn, replace glucose as an energy source, which then fuels the body. Theoretically, at least.

Sounds alright, you think. And easy to follow. What’s not to like about high-fat foods? I mean butter chicken every night doesn’t sound bad, does it?
Or fried pakora’s…Well, sorry to burst your kulcha, but if it’s too good to be true, it always is. Here’s why.

Too good to be true?

First up, these diets are composed of 70-80% fat. Considering that the recommended dietary intake of fat shouldn’t exceed 5-10%, what you are essentially doing is immediately increasing your risk of contracting high-fat conditions. On diets like these, high cholesterol is also a possible fallout. But that is nothing compared to the following possible side effects associated with high-fat diets: Fatty deposits on the liver, excessive thirst, tachycardia (rapid heartbeat), fatigue, confusion, light-headness, shakiness, sweating and chills. This could also be due to the fact that many ketogenic diets online don’t always tell you which kinds of fats to use. Fats can be good: Polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, Omega-3 fatty acids, and bad: Trans fats, saturated fats. Needless to say, you need good fats.

In addition, women may In addition, women may also experience disruption of periods, called amino . In children, these diets have been linked to kidney stones, stunted growth, and bone fractures (the latter two related to reduced Insulin Growth Factor 1).

Why veto the keto?

Second, ketogenic diets were designed for epileptic patients, primarily; which meant that the diet was created in response to a medical condition. In the absence of a problem that needs an intervention like a keto diet, are you not better off with a balanced diet? Health, like nutrition, is all about balance.

Last, and definitely not the least, the fact that these diets actually activate ketone production -enough, at least, to be a primary source of energy -is in itself doubtful. It may work for some, but not for others. And even if it does work, your body composition will change, and you will be left with a higher fat to muscle ratio. Which means that when you get back to regular eating, for how long can you go without carbs? Your metabolism will be less efficient because of the higher fat content due to the fact that muscle burns more calories, at rest, than fat.

You will wind up gaining more weight. It may work, therefore, in the short term, but definitely not in the long.

Why risk plugging your arteries, adding to your visceral fat (the precursor to many metabolic diseases) or adding to your abdominal fat when keeping it simple is all you need? It is something to think about.

In Bombay Times - Ask the expert

Love thyself

February 22, 2019 No Comments

CELEBRATE THE VALENTINE MONTH BY GIFTING YOURSELF SELF-CARE

This year, instead of writing about how to celebrate the love month with your beloved (could be a partner, parent, friend or even a dog). I am going to instead talk about how to love the one person closest to you. Yourself. Corny, yes. Unnecessary , no. Many women treat their bodies —– and their heart, kidney, liver, and lungs —– with little semblance of self-love. Most are so busy putting the needs of other people — their spouses, careers, kids —- before themselves that they forgot they are equally deserving of the attention. Shower a bit of love on yourself by:

EATING SMART

This seems hard when life is overwhelming but it’s surprisingly easy to balance indulgences with healthfulness. Instead of overloading your system, take care of yourself by eating at home most of the week, and practising portion control when you’re out. Nourish yourself with good quality carbs (including vegetables and fruits), protein (lean meats, quinoa, dal, egg and seafood) and unsaturated fats so that you get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals. And avoid things that come in boxes, packets or tins.

EATING FREQUENTLY

Gift yourself better metabolism by eating every two hours. Did you know that apart from walking, jogging or even breathing, digestion is a calorie-burning activity? By breaking up four main meals (breakfast, lunch, teatime snacks, dinner) into eight small meals (two hours apart), your body burns some of the calories as you eat them, putting your body constantly in the ‘gym’.

EXERCISING

Exercise is one of the best way to show yourself you care. Try exercising for an hour a day: walking, jogging, or even aerobic dance, coupled with light weight training. You could break up the hours into 20 or 30 minute blocks in the day.

HYDRATING

Keeping the body hydrated helps the heart more easily pumps blood through the blood vessels to the muscles. And, it helps the muscles work efficiently. Hydrate your life by drinking water because it helps in the daily functioning of your body, which helps in maintaining its equilibrium.

GETTING YOUR DAILY DOSE OF ANTIOXIDANTS

You can do this by drinking a glass of vegetables juice every day. Blend three different raw vegetables in a mixie (not a juicer), add half of pulp to a glass, top with water and season. Drink immediately to enjoy a host of wonderful antioxidants that flush out your system of toxins. You’d be doing your body — and your life — a great service.

In Articles to munch on

How To Reduce Blood Pressure

February 2, 2019 No Comments

Ah, blood pressure, and those tiny pills that you take from those tiny boxes to battle a not-so-tiny problem. Of all the diseases that nutrition can help with, high BP is the one of the most responsive. Do it right and you can significantly reduce, delay or completely eliminate the need for medication.

The most obvious and significant way to do this would be to lose weight. There is a strong correlation between a decrease in weight and a decrease in blood pressure. While healthy weight loss and its methodologies have been consistently outlined in these pages, why not…

EAT A HEALTHY HYPERTENSIVE HEALING DIET

A diet high in whole grains, fruits, veggies, and low in saturated fats and cholesterol, has been known to lower your BP by up to 14 mm Hg. This particular combination known as the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is geared towards managing the condition and reducing weight, thereby killing two hypertensive birds with one stone. While you are including more of the above in your diet, don’t forget to…

BOOST POTASSIUM

Potassium works to lower the impact of sodium on blood pressure. Fruits (plums, musk melons, banana) and veggies (spinach, avocado, mushroom) are great sources of this mineral, and are better than supplements as an overdose of potassium from natural sources is rare. You also have to remember to…

REDUCE SODIUM

Even a minimal reduction in sodium duction in sodium can lower your BP by 2-8 mm Hg. While the maximum grammage of sodium will be indicated by your doctor, it still lurks in shadowy corners of the foods we sometimes eat, especially in processed foods. Only small amounts of sodium are found in natural foods. Processed foods are sometimes loaded with it. It’s best to avoid processed foods as much as possible if you are a BP patient. While you are at it…

READ YOUR FOOD LABELS

Monitor sodium intake, saturated fats and cholesterol, among other things. Read the fine print; it could be crucial to your health.

LIMIT THE ALCOHOL

If you limit your alcohol intake, you’ll reduce your BP by 2-4 mm Hg. But this phenomenon could be altogether reversed if you drink too much: by that I mean no more than 350 ml of beer, about 145 ml of wine or about 30 ml of 80 proof liquor per day. And since we are on the subject of alcohol, please…

QUIT SMOKING

There’s absolutely nothing to benefit from here. Even one cigarette can increase your BP for minutes after you have finished. And if you are a coffee-and-cigarette lover, you’ll also have to…

WATCH YOUR CAFFEINE

While the effect of caffeine on BP is questionable, there’s still a link. The best way would be to check your BP within 30 minutes of drinking caffeine. If your BP has increased by 5-10 mm Hg, you may be sensitive to caffeine.

Lastly, while it’s not strictly nutritional advice…

DON’T FORGET TO EXERCISE

Working out for about 30 minutes every day can bring down your BP by an additional 4-9 mm Hg. Cardiovascular exercises work best walking, jogging, cycling, dancing or swimming.

In Articles to munch on

Grazing on the go

January 24, 2019 No Comments

Compact, high-value, low-calorie snacks

If you’ve been reading my columns, you would now know that eating every two hours is the backbone of my nutritional philosophy – it is a guaranteed way to jump start your metabolism, lose weight and keep it off. Four healthy main meals (breakfast, lunch, teatime and dinner) and four fillers in between these meals is the goal, and it has given my clients long-lasting and consistent results over the last 15 years. Whether or not this is something you follow, there will always be a universal need for meals between meals. Healthy, nourishing fillers that not only keep hunger at arm’s length but also pre-empt that unplanned late-morning or early-evening bingeing on muffins, cupcakes, and samosas, and other foods you hadn’t set out to eat.

EASY SNACKING

Here are some tried-and-tested filler options:

Fruit: Cut in pieces in an airtight box for convenience but whole is preferred.
Chana: Can stay in your bag for days without a problem.
Kurmura: By itself or lightly roasted with turmeric, salt and curry leaves in a tiny amount of oil.
Nourishables: Click here to shop your pack.
Diet khakra: The smaller the size, the easier it is to handle.
Carrot/cucumber sticks: This could also be accompanied by a dollop of hung curd dip. Made with skimmed curds, of course.
Sandwich (four pieces): Cut a low-fat sandwich into four pieces, eating two at a time.
Stuffed roti/thepla: Use buttermilk, not water, for the dough.
Dry fruit: Almonds, pistachios, walnuts, raisins, dates.
Roasted makhanas (homemade): Don’t be fooled by the commercially available ones. The masala sticks to them simply because they are loaded with oil.
Popcorn: Homemade, not the microwavable one, which may be preserved in larde or trans fat.
Dry roasted sprouts:You can make this fun with onions, sliced green chilli, tomatoes and a slice of lime.

THINKING INSIDE THE BOX

You can also come up with your own fillers based on the examples above. What are the hallmarks of a good filler? Foods that are low in calories, low in fat, help stave off cravings and add some nutritional value to your body. It’s also better if they are easy to carry, dry, and can be eaten without making a mess. But not all healthy snacks are created equal. For example, some store-bought energy bars may not be high in calories but will be high in sugars, which make you want to eat more sugar. They may not necessarily add too much nutritional value either. Do read the labels before venturing into the land of commercially available diet snacks. Not all are bad but you must know what you are getting into. Happy snacking.

In Articles to munch on

Work on your WILLPOWER

January 23, 2019 No Comments

Willpower is probably one of weight loss most misunderstood components. From high-calorie eating and a couch-potato life, many expect that the couch will be replaced by the treadmill, the high-fat diet by a low-fat one, desserts will be effortlessly refused and cocktails will be painlessly brushed aside for a glass of water. The truth is that willpower is a muscle. And the more you use this muscle, the stronger it becomes:

SPEED BUMPS ALONG THE WAY

When starting a new diet or exercise regime, expect to face difficulties. Expect to find it hard to refuse that last cupcake. Expect to find it hard to wake up in time for exercise. Try not to have an all-or-nothing approach where one blip on a diet means you’ll be eating unhealthily for the rest of the day. If you slip and you will dust off your mistake, and reset your diet.

MAKE IT EASIER

You can also do things that don’t test your willpower. Eat at home before parties to avoid bingeing on food, stay away from people who encourage you to break your diet and visualise yourself enjoying social occasions by focusing on the conversation, not the food. You can also take a healthy salad/dish with you to parties if your host permits and slowly partake of that, eating less of the others. And cut all junk food from the house. You won’t need to resist temptation if there is no temptation to resist.

LIGHT AT THE OTHER END

After building your willpower, you will find it is easier to say no. Over time, you will realise that you don’t miss the foods that you had worked so hard to avoid. This may take weeks, or even months for some, but once your on the other side, chances are you find it as difficult to get back to your old lifestyle as you had found adjusting to your new one.

In Articles to munch on

Vegging out

October 3, 2018 No Comments

A meat lovers guide to eating greens

There are fewer things more depressing to meat lovers than a pure vegetarian buffet or party. The heart sinks, the mood flattens and the smile sags but they dutifully pile their plates not to offend their host. They may try and make conversation but their minds are clearly somewhere else… on a bed of cold cuts, maybe, or a juicy meat patty sandwiched in a delightful sesame bun. I exaggerate but not much. It is hard for committed meatheads to even look in the direction of vegetarian dishes. If this sounds familiar, you may want to keep reading.

Vegetables are crucial for well-being. In fact, your body cannot function without a decent daily dose of vegetables because that is where your vitamins and minerals come from. If you have been feeling unwell or falling sick frequently, think about your intake of veggies. Vegetables are also complex carbohydrates they have the dual benefit of helping with digestion and keeping your stomach full, all of which help brilliantly with weight loss.

AS SIDES

Pair your Chinese dish with a side of Chinese greens or have a portion of healthy cooked potatoes with your next tandoori trek. Or a salad to round off a grilled fish. Side dishes are a wonderful complement to your non-vegetarian hero dish that will balance both taste and nutrients. A win-win, basically.

AS GARNISH

Can it really kill the appetite if you chop some coriander and sprinkle it on your chicken? Or add cucumber/tomato to your plate? Garnishes are a seamless way to integrate veggies and herbs and, by association, vitamins and minerals.

AS A SECRET INGREDIENT

Vegetables can be the hidden ingredient in the construction of many dishes. Chicken soups can be thickened with potatoes instead of cornstarch, or meat curries could have more vegetables swimming in them. Bite an accidental broccoli along your journey to your meat destination? Good for you.

AS VEGETABLE JUICE

A vegetable juice is the best habit anyone can acquire. It is a glass of antioxidant glory, easy to make, cheap to invest in and quick to drink. Blitz three different raw vegetables in a mixie (not a juicer) and pour the pulpy mixture into a glass (this should be about half a glasss worth, so use the veggies accordingly). Top off with water and add salt, rock salt, pepper, lime or anything you feel will enhance the taste. Drink up immediately (the benefits gets lost you leave it too long) and enjoy. Do this once a day, every day, and see how your body starts to slowly transform for the better.

In Articles to munch on

Rice is nice

August 28, 2018 No Comments

Your guide to eating white rice for weight loss and health

There are fewer foods that in still more fear in my clients’ hearts than rice. Or more specifically, white rice. This humble cereal has become a dietary force that few dieters want to reckon with – so many skip rice entirely in their efforts to lose weight or reach their health goals.

While the nutritional benefits of brown rice have been discussed to death, the problem is that it’s relatively costly and not commonly available, like white rice. Also, brown rice has a fairly distinctive taste, which may not always marry well with dishes which work so well with its whiter cousin. That’s why this piece is my effort to tell you why not to be a (white) cereal killer.

To start with, all the rumours you have heard about white rice are true. Yes, it has a higher glycaemic index (GI), which means that it gets converted into glucose very quickly by your body and can spike blood sugar levels. Result? Bad for both diabetics and dieters. It is also a starchy food (starch is part of the glucose family), which again can be fattening and disturb — or even reverse — weight loss efforts. All true.

But to that I say, white rice is only a problem if you don’t cook it or eat it in the way it should be eaten. And yes, there is a way. Or more than one way to have your rice and eat it too:

BOIL WHITE RICE, DON’T PRESSURE COOK IT

Cooking rice in a pressure cooker means that the starch will remain in the rice and not be released in the water. The same holds true with rice cookers. To remove the starch, boil it and drain the rice water.

ADD VEGETABLES TO LOWER ITS GI

Did you know that high GI food can become low GI foods? In the case of rice, this is done by simply changing the composition of the rice and adding vegetables to it. The vegetables take more time for your body to process, and this slows down the rice’s ability to quickly convert into glucose.

PORTION IT OUT

For dieters and diabetics, one medium size bowl a day is the serving size I recommend. Diabetics need to be doubly sure that all water is completely drained before eating it.

White rice is yummy, and is the base for many dishes – not only in Indian cooking but many other cuisines, both regional and international. It’s tasty and versatile and can be a health companion, making you look forward to your meals instead of dreading them. Why give it up if you don’t have to?

In Articles to munch on

Coco-nuts

July 17, 2018 No Comments

It’s the question I’m often asked: How nuts can we go about coconut? Okay, I’m paraphrasing, but most of my clients indeed want to know how they can integrate coconut healthfully into their daily diet. Its reputation as a high-fat food has indeed preceded it, but coconut is so much more than its calorie count…

Builds Immunity

There are good fats in coconut — like caprylic, capric and lauric fatty acids — that provide antiviral, antibacterial and antiprotozoal functions, all of which build your immunity. In addition, there is also something called monolaurin (present in coconut fat) that gives viruses a knock-out punch.

Rich Mineral Source

Coconut is also loaded with minerals, all of which do wonderful things for your body’s regular functioning. Minerals in coconut include manganese, copper, selenium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc. That makes this food a veritable bounty of goodness.

Reduces BP

Raw coconut is high in fibre, which gives it its ability to lower blood pressure. Never a bad thing, no matter what your health profile is.

Better Bowel Movements

Foods high in fibre ensure regular and smoother bowel movements, which, of course, reduce the incidence of constipation and bloating.
Having said that, coconut is also a source of saturated fats, which is a bad fat. It cannot be denied that per cup, raw coconut contains almost 24 gm of saturated fat alone, the intake of which should be limited if weight management is a goal.

Considering that adults should have anywhere between 10 and 20 gm of fats a day (depending on their body composition and weight loss needs), how do you eat coconut healthfully without tipping the scales? You can, if you:

1. Avoid it during weight loss phases

Given its high saturated fat content, I would recommend avoiding/limiting it during your weight loss phase. You can always come back to it in your weight maintenance period. The same goes for coconut oil.
2. Moderate its intake

If weight loss is not your goal, a good estimate would be to consume 30-50 gm of raw coconut per week, once a week. You can integrate this in anything to include curries, chutneys, pastes, and even healthy desserts.

3. Use fresh, grated raw coconut

The best source of coconut is freshly grated from the coconut you bought recently, preferably that day. This ensures that all its vital nutrients remain intact, and its numerous health benefits can be passed on to you.

4. Avoid coconut milk

Coconut milk is high in fat, and most cooks underestimate how much actually needs to be used when putting it in a dish. Try and avoid it as much as possible.

5. Avoid processed and pre-packaged coconut

And definitely avoid desiccated coconut, pre-packed shredded coconut, pre-packaged coconut milk, and any coconut that does not come in its natural, brown, nutty, hard casing. You want the taste of this widely-available wonderful food, yes, but why sacrifice its glorious benefits?

In Articles to munch on

Eat complete

July 7, 2018 No Comments

You are in a post-lunch meeting. But all you can think about is how much nicer it would be to be at home, tucked in bed.You find yourself nodding off at the precise moment, the boss looks in your direction and you wonder why it keeps happening.

There’s a term for it: Post-lunch slump.

The reason for this lethargy could be what you are eating and how you are eating it. To combat this, how about changing the way you do both? You have probably heard of power walking, power dressing and power naps. But have you ever heard about power eating? I like to define it as using food to get the most efficient workday possible. The key to understanding this concept is to recognise that your energy level is closely tied to your blood sugar levels.The more unstable it is, the greater the spikes and crashes, and the more exhausted you feel. Eating right and eating frequently can combat this.

EAT SLOW

First, eat slow-release sugars. Every single little thing you eat gets converted by your body into glucose i.e. sugar, be it a sandwich, sprouted salad or even vegetable juice.Some sources of sugar are simple carbohydrates like pastries, sugary drinks and dessert that spike your blood sugar levels only to send them crashing down later. Which is why eating these foods feels great at first but then start making you feel run-down. Instead of simple, go for complex carbohydrates. They are slow-release sugars that take time to get converted into glucose, making the effect gentler on your body and providing you with steady streams of energy through the day. Sources of complex carbs are green veggies, whole-grain foods like pasta and oatmeal, beans, dals, peas and starchy vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes.

EAT TWO

Second, eat every two hours. Eating every two hours helps to keep your sugar levels stable. Instead of eating three big meals through the day, why not break it up into six or eight smaller meals? Smaller quantities will provide a regular and sustained burst of energy that will keep you alert and competitive through the day.

EAT LOW

Third, avoid fatty and rich foods. Rich, heavy foods make you feel sluggish and lethargic. Even if the boss is whipping out his expense card to take you out, try and limit fatty foods by exhibiting portion control. Your body -and your job -will thank you for it.