Nutrition

3 Desi Dishes You Didn’t Know Were Keto-Friendly

The keto diet might be strict with carbs, but it’s generous when it comes to flavors! There are tons of simple and tasty keto (Indian) recipes. On this blog, check out some of our most popular keto meals for inspiration:

Palak Paneer

Palak, or spinach, is a low-carb superfood. The combination of Palak with Paneer, is a delicious desi combo that makes it a perfect meal if you are following a keto diet.

Sarso Ka Saag

Sarso ka saag- cooked with mustard, another low-carb ingredient with a variety of spices makes it delicious. A 100-gm of raw sarso has a mere 4.7 gm of carbs. Adding a little bit of ghee to your saag/curry, add some good fats to it and make it keto-friendly.

South India Veg Sabji

Marinating (low-carb) veggies in this spicy tomato pureé gets you a tender and juicy dish that can easily hold its own as a main. It’s substantial enough to fill you up for lunch or to be eaten over eggs with breakfast—you won’t even miss the grains.

From North to South Indian dishes, this list of keto-licious foods is sure to spice up your home-cooking while keeping you centered to your diet plan.

References: https://greatist.com/eat/indian-recipes-for-the-keto-diet

4 Ways To Add Apples In Your Diet!

The humble, sweet apple is much more than just a tasty snack. It’s rich with great nutrients like vitamin C, potassium, pectin and fibre that help avoid colds and hypertension while keeping your gut healthy. Here are four ways you can incorporate this wonder fruit in your diet!

Apple Salad

Toss sliced apples, walnuts, avocados, lettuce, and spinach in a bowl. Add a light dressing like balsamic vinaigrette and a little honey and mix well. Add any other fruits or veggies you like to this yummy salad!

Apple Jam

Boil 1 kg of peeled and diced apples for 10 minutes and drain them through a muslin cloth. Stir the apples with honey, lemon juice, cinnamon and a little chilli in a pan and reduce the mixture till it becomes a yummy jam!

Apple Smoothie

This one’s real easy – just add apples and any other fruit or vegetable like spinach, ginger or even broccoli with a little yoghurt and blend away!

Apple Sauce

Boil peeled and diced apples with water, lemon juice, honey and cinnamon for about 25 minutes. Puree this mixture and you’ve got amazing applesauce that goes with anything – from your morning oats or evening crackers!

Not everyone’s an apple fanatic, but don’t let that stop you from including it into your diet. Try out some of these recipes and see what works for you! If you’ve heard of any other unique apple recipes, comment below and let us know!

3 detox recipes to kick-start your metabolism

An essential part of maintaining your healthy habits is stimulating your metabolism by helping it process nutrients and meal components.

Here are 3 very easy and effective detox recipes for you to boost your metabolism.

Lemon & Mint Detox Water

This detox water is perfect for enjoying as the first thing in the morning!

Ingredients:

8 ounces of drinking water (room temperature)
Juice of half a lemon
Three whole mint leaves

Recipe:

Put all the ingredients into a pretty glass, stir and drink up!

Morning Green Smoothie

Have this tasty drink for a light breakfast or a satisfying snack!

Ingredients:

3 ice cubes
1 cup green tea
300 grams of low-fat yoghurt
2 cups stemmed and chopped spinach
1 medium apple – cored and chopped
1 cup of pomegranate
1/4 avocado, chopped
1/2-inch fresh ginger, peeled (optional)

Recipe:

Blitz all the ingredients in a blender and you’re good to go!

Delicious Detox Salad

This truly delicious salad is a great appetizer and Instagram worthy!

Ingredients:

You can use just about any base ingredients in this salad including fresh greens, veggies, or herbs. We like to use a good mix of

Finely chopped cabbage, spinach or kale, broccoli and carrots
Half an onion
A handful of toasted almonds
A spoon of any salad dressing of your choice

Recipe:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and you are certain to gobble it up all at once!

These are the best ways for you to keep your healthy journey on track. If you know more interesting and yummy detox recipes, please comment below and let us know!

6 Ways to Curb Emotional Eating

Had a bad day at work? Is parenting getting extra stressful?

Don’t worry – you know that reaching for that tub of ice cream and settling in with your favourite Netflix series will do the trick. Right?

Wrong!

We all know that eating junk food will do us more harm in the long run, but we still cave in when our emotions take a hit.

So how can we control these cravings? Let’s look at a few effective tricks:

1. Write a new grocery list.
Swap some items in your grocery list with healthier options. You can’t binge if there is no junk in the house. So, let’s start with the obvious and cut down on the temptations.

2. Face your problems
The next time you’re feeling stressed, ask yourself what the problem is and how to address it, rather than reaching for your comfort food. Focus on being a better and more productive person tomorrow.

3. Keep yourself active
Do some form of exercise whenever you get time – go for a walk, climb up the stairs instead of taking the elevator – even the smallest things add up! The chemicals released in your brain when you exercise make you feel happier and will help you get a mood lift.

4. Focus on the positives
Count your little successes to make you feel better. Give positive changes more attention by believing in encouragement and not criticism.
For example, praise yourself for not taking that extra cookie.

5. Make plans with your loved ones
Call up your friends and laugh your stress away! The people you love will help you make a bigger difference in your life than you would do for yourself.

6. Take Support
If nothing works and you still can’t stop binging on unhealthy food, seek support. Sign up for professional help if you are shifting from moderate to severe emotional eating.

It may seem a little difficult to keep up in the beginning, but changing your emotional and binge eating habits is a process. Backsliding may happen, so acknowledge it when it does and use it as a reason to start again.

5 Health Benefits of Red Wine

We’ve all heard that a glass of wine here and there is great for you, but how exactly does it contribute to your well-being? Before we talk about health benefits, let’s talk ‘pour-size’. The recommended intake for red wine is between 1-1.5 glasses a day for women and 1-2 glasses a day for men.

Now that we got that figured out, let’s move on to the fun part. So, pour yourself a glass, and take a look at 5 ways wine can benefit your health.

Lowers risk of stroke

Wine acts as a natural blood thinner, breaking up any blood clots that can lead to a stroke.

Increases bone density

Red wine contains high levels of silicon, which is proven to improve bone mineral density.

Lowers bad cholesterol

Resveratrol, a compound in red wine that has antioxidant properties decreases LDL – bad cholesterol and increases HDL – good cholesterol.

Improves cognitive function

Drinking the recommended portion of wine can also improve brain function. Recent studies show that low levels of alcohol can decrease inflammation and help the brain clear away different toxins.

Reduces risk of colon cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer

Resveratrol, found in red wine, not only fights against heart disease but also against certain cancerous cells.

So, toast to your health & enjoy your wine in moderation!

Can’t stop eating? Ask yourself these tough questions!

Sometimes images of food or, worse, the smell of food can trigger the desire to eat. All of these triggers can easily lead to overeating — and as a result, weight gain. If you tend to overeat, there is one real solution to this – get to the root of the problem. You can start by asking yourself these 3 questions:

Why do you want to eat less?

Start with self-introspection, and ask yourself why you really want to eat less. Only if you have a good reason, will you build a plan and stick to it. If you’re making a change just for the sake of a diet, the results are not going to last long-term.

Am I really hungry?

Let your hunger guide your eating habits. Your body knows when you need energy, and when you’re satiated. Leave at least a 20-min gap between servings to make sure your body has enough time to let you know whether you’ve eaten enough or not.

Are you eating the right kinds of food?

Eating foods that are rich in fibre will help you control overeating. Adding more protein and vegetables to your meal will help you control portion sizes. After you’ve had these, you can add starch based on necessity.

So next time you tell yourself you really need to stop overeating, make the change! Start by getting to the root of your problem, and address them to make a change that lasts!

References:

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/03/why-we-keep-overeating-and-what-we-can-do-about-it/253906/

World Nutella Day! Here are a few guilt-free recipes to indulge in!

February 5th is celebrated as World Nutella Day! For Nutella lovers, the only question is: How can we enjoy this delicious product without completely ruining our diet plans?

Here are 2 delicious recipes that combine Nutella with healthier options!

#Recipe 1

Nutella stuffed pancakes- Serves 6

Ingredients

2/3 cup Nutella, 1 1/2 cups flour, 3 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, Pinch of salt, 1 egg, 1 cup + 2 Tbsp. milk, 1 tsp. vanilla extract,

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 361, Protein: 7 grams, Carbs: 54 grams, Fat: 13 grams

Instructions

Mix all dry ingredients first.
Beat the milk, melted butter and egg together in a blender.
Add the dry ingredients, beat some more.
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ones and mix, always beating.
In a hot pan, add the oil and a spoonful of batter.
In the center, add a spoonful of Nutella and cover with a little more pancake batter.
Turn and brown the other side
Serve warm with sliced strawberries, if using. You could also serve with cream.

#Recipe 2

Nutella overnight oats- Serves 1

Ingredients

1/3 cup oats, 1/3 cup milk , 1/3 cup yogurt, ½ tbsp chia seeds, 1 tbsp homemade nutella, 1 tbsp cocoa, 1-2 tsp dates syrup/ maple syrup/ honey

Nutrition facts-
Calories: 320, Protein: 16 grams, Carbs: 44 grams, Fat: 11 grams

Instructions:
Mix together the oats, cocoa, nutella and chia seeds then add in the rest of the ingredients. Store in an air tight container/jar and leave in the fridge to chill overnight.

Enjoy!

Have any other healthy nutella recipes to share? Comment below, and let us know!

Health Benefits of Onions

Onions are best known for two things: causing bad breath and tears. Right? Well, did you also know that they are important for health and offer unique benefits?

In fact, medicinal properties of onions have been recognized since ancient times when they were used to treat ailments like headaches, heart disease and mouth sores. Let’s take a closer look at why onions are so popular despite making you cry!

Good for the heart
Onions have strong anti-inflammatory properties that also can help reduce high blood pressure and prevent formation of blood clots.
Contain cancer-fighting compounds
Eating vegetables of the Allium genus such as garlic and onions can offer protection against certain cancers, including stomach and colorectal.
Helps control blood sugar
Research suggests that onions may have a hypoglycemic effect for people with diabetes, and can therefore potentially help people control their blood sugar.
Good for digestive health
Onions are a rich source of fiber and prebiotics, which are necessary for optimal gut health and can ease the digestion process.
Prevents tooth decay
Raw onions may make our breath stink, but they can actually improve our oral health? Simply chewing a raw onion can strengthen teeth and eliminate bacteria that causes tooth decay.

The health benefits related to onions are quite impressive. What’s more, they’re versatile and can be used to flavor of any savory dish. So add more onions to your diet because an onion a day can also keep a doctor away!

Diet for Hypothyroidism- What to eat, what to avoid

We have touched upon the basics of Hypothyroidism and oils that can treat its symptoms; in our previous article – http://www.sliceofhealth.in/essential-oils-for-your-thyroid-hormones/.

In this article we will be listing down the good and bad foods for hypothyroidism. So, let’s find out what these are:

Foods to avoid:

Avoid eating processed foods, as they usually contain more calories. Here is a list of foods you should avoid completely:

Millet: All varieties
Highly processed foods: Hot dogs, cakes, cookies, chocolates, chips
Supplements: Selenium and iodine supplements should be avoided unless prescribed by a health professional.

Foods to eat in moderation:

These foods have goitrogens or are known irritants if eaten in large amounts.

Soy foods: Tofu, beans, soy milk, etc.
Cruciferous vegetables: Broccoli, kale, spinach, cabbage, etc.
Certain fruits: Peaches, pears and strawberries.
Beverages: Coffee, green tea and alcohol
Foods that contain Gluten: Bread, pasta, cereals, beer, etc.

Foods to eat:

There are plenty of food options for people with hypothyroidism, including the following in your diet:

Meats: All meats, including lamb, beef, chicken, etc.
Fish: All seafood, including salmon, tuna, shrimp, etc.
Vegetables: All vegetables are fine to eat. Cruciferous vegetables can be consumed in moderate amounts.
Fruits: Include berries, bananas, oranges, etc.
Gluten-free grains and seeds
Dairy: Dairy products including milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.
Beverages: Water and other non-caffeinated beverages.

Bottom line:

Following a thyroid friendly diet and maintaining healthy weight can go a long way and help you minimize the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Reference:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/hypothyroidism-diet

Why sitting down for meals is good for you?

Sometimes we get caught up in our work that we barely make time to sit down and eat. The result – we end up eating at our desk at work or grabbing a coffee while driving or glancing though our Facebook news feed.

But why is that such a bad thing? Let us investigate the effects of eating while standing up and we will also tell you why actually sitting down for meals is best.

Standing may lead to over-eating

Eating while standing up may increase the speed at which you are eating. Many of us would tend to overeat and consume more calories. The few extra calories we burn while standing probably won’t be enough to compensate.

Your body posture’s effect on digestion

Your posture has influence over how quickly the food gets digested. Digestion is slowest when you’re lying down and quickest when you’re standing up and moving. However, make sure you sit down and eat your meal and then get moving.

Why should we sit down for a meal?

Distancing yourself from distractions and focusing all your senses on the meal can promote mindfulness.
Sitting down for a meal ensures proper supply of blood to the digestive system.
The nutrients get absorbed by the blood once the food is digested

Bottomline

Sitting down for a meal with a calm and stress-free mind is essential . So start enjoying your meal wholeheartedly as it has a positive effect on the entire body.

Reference:
https://fit.thequint.com/fit/effect-of-posture-on-digestion-sitting-and-eating-importance

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