Influence of Cooking on Nutrients

All the foodstuffs we eat, except fruit and vegetable salads, require some sort of cooking or processing as they cannot be consumed in raw form.  Cooking is a culinary art form that makes the foodstuffs more palatable.  Along with that, cooking also makes the food easily digestible.  However, eating nutritious foods improves your health and energy levels.  But, the way food is cooked has a significant effect on the amount of nutrients in it.  Cooking influences the nutrients in the food items and some of them results in destruction.  Nutrients loss can be induced by several factors such as temperature, cooking time, and cooking method.

Proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals are an essential part of our diet and nutrition.  On the other hand, carbohydrate, however, is not essential but is important for our body.  So, let’s see what happens to them when they undergo the cooking process.

Influences of Cooking on Protein:

On cooking, proteins in food items become hard and coagulate meaning they become firm.  You must have noticed the changes that occur when frying an egg.  The liquid turns solid on heating.  Isn’t it?  Yes, that process is known as coagulation.  Nonetheless, milk protein is unlike any other protein; this is an exceptional case because it does not coagulate.

Proteins are not lost as easily as vitamins and minerals during cooking, but it shrinks and hardens on overcooking, and this makes them indigestible, thus it is important to cook proteins to the right extent.  Overly heated food also affects the nutritive values of proteins.  Overcooking foodstuffs that contain protein can destroy heat-sensitive amino acids, for example, lysine; or make the protein more resistant to digestive enzymes.

Some pulses such as Bengal gram and soybean contain certain substances that inhibit the protein digestion of these foods by the enzyme trypsin (present in our intestines).  During the process of cooking, these trypsin inhibitors are destroyed.  Therefore, it becomes important not to consume these foods raw.  In fact, in several foodstuffs, the digestibility of protein improves as a result of moderate heating as in everyday cooking.

Influences of Cooking on Carbohydrate:

Carbohydrates are not essential but are important nutrients.  They come in a complex (starches and fibers) and in simple (sugars) forms.  When carbohydrates in food items are cooked, there are possibly two changes that occur i.e. gelatinization and caramelization.

Gelatinization is a process when the starch granules in foods absorb water and swell.  This process tends to thicken the soups, curries, stews to which refined flour (maida) paste is added.  It also helps in making chapattis/rotis or in the toasting of bread.  When you add certain carbohydrate food items like flour to liquids, the heat gelatinizes the carbohydrates.  Gelatinization takes place in all the starch-containing food items.

Sugar completely behaves differently.  When table sugar is heated, it forms a syrup and on further cooking, the syrup thickens and changes its color.  This is due to a process called caramelization.  The brown, thick liquid formed is known as caramel which is used in various preparations, for example, cakes and custard.  Normal cooking causes little loss of carbohydrates.

Influences of Cooking on Fats and Oils:

Our bodies need small amounts of 'good fat' to function and to be healthy.  Our usual cooking practices do not affect fats and oils in a substantial way, similarly to carbohydrates, and they are easily available to the body.

Fats and oils both are lipids.  Fats that are solid at room temperature are called as fats whereas fats which are liquids at room temperature are referred to as oils.  The temperature plays a vital role.  One should make sure not to heat fats and oils beyond its smoking point (a smoking/smoke point is the temperature at which fat/oils starts to burn and degrade) and should avoid repeated re-heating of fats because fats get broken down to form certain harmful substances when they are used repeatedly for frying.

Influences of Cooking on Vitamins and Minerals:

Vitamin and mineral loss can also be induced by various factors.  Some vitamins are fairly heat-stable, while others are heat-labile.  The factors other than heat that can destroy (some) vitamins are solubility in water, solubility in fat, exposure to air i.e oxidation, alkaline solutions, exposure to light (UV), storage losses, etc.

The water-soluble vitamins and minerals which are vitamin c, b complex vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, folic acid etc), sodium, potassium, and chloride will be substantially lost if the liquid/water which is used for soaking, washing, and cooking is drained away.  So, throwing away the excessive cooking water also means throwing away the nutrients.  Hence, it is important to use the minimum amount of water or to utilize the liquid used for cooking.

Steaming, pressure cooking, boiling roots, and tubes with their skins limit cooking losses.  This secures the nutrients.  Cutting and peeling affect the amount of losses.  Cooking does not reduce the amounts of most of the minerals in food items which includes calcium, magnesium, sodium, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorus, iodine, manganese, chromium, and selenium.

    Related Post:  Enhancing The Nutritional Value Of Foods     

There are some vitamins which are heat labile.  These are vitamin c, thiamine, vitamin B 12, and folate, they are easily destroyed on excess heating.  The vitamin C is easily oxidized on exposure to air.  Vitamin A is also prone to oxidization.  These oxidized forms are of no use to the body.  Therefore, one should make sure not to peel vegetables or fruits much before use and should not cut them into small sized pieces because each piece will come in contact with air, get oxidized therefore destroying the vitamins.

Many people add sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) when cooking pulses.  You must be aware that adding soda to the pot fasten cooking process, making cooking easier, but do you know that it also knocks out the thiamine and riboflavin?  Yes, this is absolutely true that thiamine and riboflavin are easily destroyed in the presence of soda which is alkaline.  On the other hand, an acidic medium (for e.g. tomatoes, tamarind) preserves vitamins.

On a different note, fat-soluble vitamins are a class apart.  They are not influenced to any great amount by cooking in water.  Although, during roasting or shallow frying vitamin A is lost in significant amounts.  In deep frying cooking time is short and losses tend to be less.

You can preserve vitamins in foods by utilizing your foods when they are fresh, using steaming in preference to boiling, and by avoiding excessively long cooking times.

Lakme Insta Liner Review

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all are in the best state of your health.

When you interact with someone, the first thing that comes in contact is your eyes, so it should be accentuated.  Isn’t it?  After-all beautiful eyes have the propensity to cast a magic spell on to the observer and drawing the eye-lines will make your eyes more attractive and add extra beauty to your facial look.  So if you desire to express yourself with your eyes then liners are just for you.

Today, I am going to review one of my all-time favorite liquid eyeliners from Lakme, a brand that needs no introduction.  Lakme is one of those brands that have never failed to impress us with its good quality products.  I like trying different kinds of eyeliners always, but Lakme eyeliner is the product that I am using for years and you can always find it in my vanity.  So I just thought to share my experience with the product.

Let’s get right into the review.

Product Description:

What it claims?

The company claims that Lakme Insta Liner is water-resistant eyeliner.

How it is used?

It is easy to use.  Swipe the liner brush over your upper eyelids closer to the lashes to get your desired look.  You can use it to create an ultra-fine lashline definition, a feline flick, or a dramatic look.

Composition:

I wonder how the brands like “Lakme” miss this part.  Yeah, this product does not contain any list of ingredients in it.

First Look:

The product comes handy in a tiny nail polish kind of thick glass bottle with a screw cap that has a thin applicator brush, with a smooth tip, attached to it.  The bottle is transparent and the color of the cap is sleek peach.  The packaging of the product has remained the same ever since it has been introduced in the beauty market and it is convenient for travel purposes.

    Related Post:  L’Oreal Paris Kajal Magique - Supreme Black Review     

Texture and Consistency:

The consistency of this product is well which is neither too thin nor thick and is light in weight.  The texture of the liner is very smooth hence it glides on eyelids smoothly.

Pigmentation:

The liner is deep black in color and one stroke is enough to get that dark black color.  This is perfect for everyday use.

My Take:

My personal opinion is that this product is absolutely amazing.  This eyeliner not only makes my eyes pop immediately but also gives a dramatic vibe to my eyes and makes me stand out as well.  I tried a number of different eyeliners from other brands, but I always come back to this product simply because it is smooth, pigmented, smudge-free, and pocket-friendly, and what else a person wants?  The applicator brush that comes with the product is precise enough to draw lines over my eyelids in an even stroke and I use this to create various looks.  Though one should check the brush while purchasing this liner because sometimes the brush bristles are uneven which doesn’t help in precise application.

This product has the right consistency and it really lasts me for quite a long.  The pigmentation of the product is well.  I don’t need to layer up the product over my eyelids to get the deep black color.  One stroke can do it well without cracks.  The liner is glossy when applied, but it gives matte finish as soon as it dries out.  I have to say that it takes a little longer to dry out, but I am okay with it.  The staying power of this liner is quite good.  It stays all day long and does not fade.  The formula of this product makes it smudge-proof.  As the company claims, it is slightly water-resistant and by that I mean if I get in contact with water in any case and if I rub my eyelids then it gets off, so I make sure not to rub or touch my eyelids if my eyes get in contact with water.  Overall, this is a great product.  I would say I am in love with this liner.

Pros of Lakme Insta Liner:

• Smudge-proof.
• Travel-friendly.
• Easily available.
• Decently priced.
• Easy to wipe off.
• Easy application.
• Deep black color.
• Feels very light on eyes.
• Stays on for really long.
• Define the outlines well.
• Does not flake after drying.
• Gives matte finish after drying.
• Convenient applicator brush.
• Water-resistant to some extent.
• Perfect eyeliner for daily wear.

Cons of Lakme Insta Liner:

• Price is missing.
• The ingredient list is missing.
• Takes little long to dry.
• Stings a bit if it gets in contact with eyes.

Will I purchase it again?

Yes for sure! It is one of my favorite liquid eyeliner which is economical and a quality product overall.

Will I recommend it?

Yes, I will.  If you are looking for a quality product for daily use at an affordable price then this eyeliner is perfect for you.  You can buy it from here.  Also, this is one of the best eyeliners for makeup beginners out there.  I’ll definitely recommend this product to all the beauties out there.  So, go and grab it for yourself.

Price:

It retails for Rs. 110 for 9 mL.

Shelf Life:

Thirty months.

Stay Blessed, Be Happy..!! :-)

Preeti

L’Oreal Paris Kajal Magique - Supreme Black Review

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all are having a great time.

They say that "eyes are the window to the soul" and thus everyone tries to dress up their window best with eyewear (spectacles, sunglasses, and contact lenses) and/or makeup products.  If you ask women about the one makeup product that they love the most to use, the most common answer you will get to hear is the “kajal (kohl).”  After all, "eyes speak louder than the words", so they should be emphasized. Isn’t it?

I myself an avid Kajal lover and it is a staple to my makeup routine.  If I won’t wear it a single day, people start asking me “have you cried?” “is there something wrong with you?” and some other questions alike.  I have been using Kajal for almost 14 years now and thus I would say it is my calling card.  I’ve used various brands so far and some of them include Attitude by Amway, Lakme Eyeconic, Maybelline Colossal, Elle 18 Eye Drama, Lotus, VLCC, etc.  I was looking for another brand of Kajal to try hence I’ve recently opted for L’Oreal Paris Kajal Magique - Supreme Black and today I am going to review this product from L’Oreal, a very well-known brand since ages.

Let’s get right into the review.

Product Description:

What it claims?

The company claims it gives a deep black and precise line to create an elegant look.  The new generation formula is powered with mineral pigments for deep intense color.  This is smudge-proof and waterproof.

How it is used?

It is easy to use.  Draw a precise stroke along your waterline.  Add a stroke on the upper lid to complete the look.

Composition:

The full list of ingredients is not mentioned in the product, but yeah it is enriched with Vitamin E, Cocoa Butter, Olive Oil Esters and Vitamin C Derivative.

First Look:

I absolutely adore the packaging of this product.  This Kajal pen comes sealed in a pink and black colored cardboard like packaging with a plastic case.  The same color theme is followed by the actual pen as well that makes the pen look attractive.  It is retractable and the cap shuts pretty tightly.  The packaging is sleek and smart; user-friendly, and easy to travel with.

    Related Post:  Lakme Insta Liner Review     

Texture:

I won’t say it totally creamy, but the product really has a “slightly creamy” texture, hence it glides on eyes smoothly without tugging or pulling.

Pigmentation:

The most important thing that matters about the Kajal is its pigmentation and this product doesn’t deliver that.  It has dark black pigmentation, but it is not “Supreme black” as it claims.  I have used more black ones than this.  You have to swipe it 3-4 times to get the intense black color.

My Take:

It’s been a while now that I am using this product and my experience is fine.  This product needs layering up, around 3-4 strokes to get that deep black color so I am quite disappointed with the pigmentation part.  I mean I want to love it, but I just don't for this particular reason.  On the other hand, I would say that the formula is smooth so I don’t need to tug my eyes to apply it.  On my lash-line, its stays smudge-free for 7+ hours and on the waterline it stays well for about 6-7 hours, after that it starts fading off.  Once the kajal gets set, it doesn’t budge from its place so yeah it is smudge-free to a certain extent, but not up to 12 hours as the company claims.

It comes in a retractable twist-up style packaging which makes it comfortable to use and thus there is no product wastage due to sharpening.  It contains some really good ingredients such as Vitamin E, Cocoa Butter, Olive Oil Esters and Vitamin C derivative which take care of my eyes.  It does not cause any irritation to my eyes and does not lead to watery eyes.  The formula of this product is suitable for everyone including the contact lens wearers and yeah it is waterproof.  Overall, this is a nice product and I am satisfied with it.

Pros of L’Oreal Paris Kajal Magique - Supreme Black:

• Waterproof.
• Non-transfer.
• Glides smoothly.
• Travel-friendly.
• Decently priced.
• Easily available.
• Gives matte finish.
• Does not tug the eyes.
• Does not smudge soon.
• Retractable packaging.
• Ophthalmologically tested.
• Can also be used as eyeliner.
• Suitable for contact lens wearers.
• Does not irritate or sting my eyes.
• Contains good ingredients like olive oil, Vitamin E etc. which cares for eyes.

Cons of L’Oreal Paris Kajal Magique - Supreme Black:

• Moderate pigmentation.
• Needs building up for “supreme black.”
• Does not stay smudge free for “12 hours” as claimed.
• Does not have detailed ingredient list anywhere.

Will I purchase it again?

Well, I am satisfied with the product, but I am not looking forward to purchasing it again.

Will I recommend it?

I will recommend this to those who do not want deep black color as other parts of the kajal is quite fine.  But yeah, I won’t recommend this to them who are looking for an intense black color because there are other options available in the market which are jet black in pigmentation in the same price bracket.

Price:

It retails for Rs. 290 for 0.35 g.

Shelf Life:

Two years.

Stay Blessed, Be Happy..!! :-)

Preeti

Inner Conflict: What Caused me to Live in Fear

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all are in the pink of your health like me.  I am so thankful to God for this beautiful life he has given and for all the many blessing in my life.  Though my life was not always beautiful; it was filled with dark moments sometimes.  Life has given different kinds of experiences so far. You know, some experiences don't end the day they happen. They stay with us quietly, shaping our thoughts, our fears, and sometimes even our identity. This is one of those stories.

I was very young (just 12) when I was sexually abused by someone known to my family.  It took me almost 6-7 years to tell anyone what I had been through.

Back then, we used to have water problems often as most of us have not had water connections except the NMC one.  One day we had lack of water at home and we needed to fill it from somewhere.  So I went to the neighbor’s house with my aunt (we have a joint family) to fill the water.  Colony’s other people were also there who had come to fill the water along with that uncle.  A man who used to live in our neighborhood and I used to refer him as an uncle.

I was waiting for my turn and he was just standing behind me with his both hands on my shoulder.  I let him keep his hands on my shoulder because I used to treat him as my uncle only.  But who knew what his intentions were!  Suddenly, he did something that was so strange to me and I was just stumped for a moment.  Then, I twitched his hands back and ran away towards my home.  Everyone was so busy in filling the water that no one has noticed what had happened.

After that incident, I lived in a constant fear.  I had to deal with different emotions that came to the surface.  I was scared about what I would do to him if I saw him again.  That uncle used to visit our home on occasions and like every other parent, my parents used to ask me to greet him.  At times, I used to manage to greet him in any way and other times I did not.  Instead, I used to neglect him and used to run away from there.

That tended to question my parents on my behaviors that “it’s rude” and it should not be done.  This was the thing that not even my family understood and it was not actually their fault, what they could have done.  They did not even know what I was facing and from what situation I was going through.

Looking back, it feels like I lost a part of my childhood that day.  It was the incident that impacted my life in certain ways.  As I grew older, I stopped going out alone; be it school, tuition classes, shopping, hangouts, you name it.  I used to hesitate to go alone anywhere.  I began to develop self-destructive behaviors and had low self-esteem.  At times, I used to hit my siblings and cousins too.

Looking back today, I understand that my anger, low self-esteem, and fear weren't random. They were my mind's way of coping with something I didn't yet know how to process. When a child is suffering from an abuse, this is common.  Children suffering abuse develops a range of self-destructive, maladaptive, and antisocial behaviors.  And the same has happened to me.  In fact, I became aggressive in nature since then.  When someone doesn’t understand my thoughts and words I still became aggressive at times.

    Related Post:  Silver Lining On The Dark Clouds     

My school journey was not easy at all.  I fought with my inner battle inside all alone!  As I started my college, even though many things had changed over the years, I still had low self-esteem, fear of going out alone, etc.  And you might agree with me that “no one would like to live that way,” I too didn't want to.

I knew I had to do something about this.  I focused on keeping my fear at bay; I fought with my different emotions.  I started with small things and did hard struggle to kick those things off.  Holding in everything was such an effort so I decided to share this incident with someone and I shared this for the very first time with my sister.  As I started narrating the story to her, I burst into tears and believe me I actually felt a lot better after that, after sharing my memoir with her.

Healing doesn't erase the past. It teaches us that our past doesn't get to decide our future. And now, I can happily say my hard work paid me off.  Over the years I have learned to love myself.  I am far more confident in who I am now.  I love being me, “Mai apni favorite hoon.”

My message to anyone out there who has experienced something similar is:

• Just don’t keep it to yourself.  Speak up about it because speaking and talking about our experiences helps us to make sense of our feelings and
• Never give up because scars can heal, and life can get better.  Mine has.  It may take time, but you can heal no matter what you have been through.

Don’t forget -- “You are stronger than you think!”

Stay Blessed, Be Happy...!! :-)

Preeti

Dealing with Chronic Pain

Guest post by Sara Russell, Ph.D., NTP

I have a hereditary connective tissue disorder which causes chronic pain across the body. Musculoskeletal pain due to tight muscles and unstable joints, joints which partially dislocate during sleep when my body is relaxed, and which partially dislocate at times during the day when I do things as simple as taking a step, putting on my backpack, carrying food to the table, typing at the computer, sneezing, turning my neck ever so slightly. Head pain due to excessive vasodilation. Gastrointestinal pain at times just from eating. Excruciating foot pain when I walk. (Do you remember fairy tale of the Little Mermaid, who feels pain with every step she takes once she is transformed into a human?)

I am used to a baseline level of pain that is probably much higher than what the average person. At the same time, I know what it means to feel pushed over the edge with pain, once you cross the threshold of your ultimate pain tolerance. It is definitely not fun.

Before I go on, I want to say that I’m sharing my experience in the hopes that it will help others with chronic pain, and help those without chronic pain understand and support us more. I also understand that what helps me may not be the same as what helps you, so please don’t feel in any way judged if you're doing something different!

I don’t take pain medication on a regular basis. I would hate to become addicted to pain medication. I do keep some prescription anti-inflammatory medication on hand to use in those situations when the pain is beyond unbearable.

But for the most part, I have come to appreciate the importance of addressing my pain through rest, an adaptation of daily activities, regular physical therapy, careful exercise, and mindfulness. I have come to accept and understand that while I have come a long way in reducing some sources of pain by adapting my nutrition and lifestyle, there is some pain that I can’t erase.

Indeed, in today’s world, we are conditioned to fear pain, to hate pain and to seek to erase and eradicate it at all costs. In addition to the known risks of addiction, I would hesitate to medicate my pain with narcotic medications because they may increase my risk of injury making me less alert and less aware of my body. Additionally, narcotic pain medication can impair digestive motility, which in my case is already slow due to poor connective tissue function.

    Related Post:  Silver Lining On The Dark Clouds     

I live in a world where others around me can’t see or imagine my pain, and where my pain sometimes stops me from functioning properly. I am also good at masking my pain in order to function as well as possible.

It’s not my fault that my body struggles with a disorder that causes injury and pain. But it is my responsibility to do what I can to live as well as possible with the body I have.

This means working constantly on four main areas:

Doing what I can to improve the areas that are improvable.

For me, a nutrient-dense diet that focuses on properly prepared real food is really important. I have difficulty assimilating nutrients, so quality and digestibility is definitely more important than quantity!

I also am careful to stay well-hydrated and maintain good electrolyte balance.

I have regular physical therapy sessions with a good physical therapist and do my physical therapy exercises daily. The regularity is so incredibly important!

Staying physically active while avoiding/limiting situations that put me at unnecessary risk of injury

This is a difficult balance to strike because over-limiting activities from fear of getting hurt comes with its own set of problems! The challenge is staying active while staying reasonably safe at the same time. For me, this means choosing daily physical activities that I enjoy, adjusting the duration, frequency, and intensity of the activity depending on what I have going on.

The more I like and look forward to a specific type of physical activity, the more motivated I am to stay active in spite of fatigue and accidental injuries. For example, I love walking in the woods and observing nature’s beauty far more than I do going to the gym. The more conditioned I am, the better my overall quality of life. So exercise is definitely a priority for me!

I avoid contact sports and high-impact sports, after experiencing injuries in martial arts classes and the high hurdles. But I do enjoy doing gentle yoga and riding my bike on non-strenuous trails.

Using medications sparingly for beyond-unbearable situations

This point is fairly self-explanatory, keeping in mind that what constitutes unbearable levels of pain is pretty subjective. I don’t take pain medication to turn off the pain, but do take it on those occasions when I experience pain so severe that I can’t think or move.

Accepting the rest and really appreciating everything in my life that is positive!

Does it annoy you when you’re having a bad day or struggling through a complex problem, and a loved one tells you that it could be worse or that everything happens for a reason? Me too! But as silly as it may sound when I make it a point of noticing what I am able to do, or days when my pain level is low and I don’t wake up feeling disjointed, that gives me something to celebrate. And I leverage every little celebration in my quest to have the best day I can, one day at a time!

About the Author

Sara is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner who frequently blogs about nutrition and health in addition to running a nutritional therapy practice where she specializes in supporting clients with complex health cases. You can learn more about Sara’s work and read her blog at http://buildnurturerestore.com.

Blog:  Build Nurture Restore

A Valentine’s Day – Sublime or Vile?

Roses are red…but they also come in different colors, be it pink, white, yellow, peach, and blue varieties.

Violets are blue…but they are closer to purple too, isn’t it?

Sugar is sweet…yeah, but it will make you diabetic.

Okay, so a day devoted to love sure does take a lot of heat.  There are number of haters worldwide especially in India when it comes to St. Valentine’s Week/Day.  They have a very unpleasant image about Valentine’s Week/Day; pampering the loved one with flowers, cards, gifts, fancy dinner date etc.  But no, it doesn’t always have to involve all of such things to celebrate Valentine’s Week/Day and that’s what I feel; it’s just about expressing love towards each other.

Now, many will tend to question my aforementioned statement that why only one specific day to express love?  Why can’t people express love throughout the year?  So on this I would like to say why we Indians need only one particular day to celebrate the brother-sister bond called “Raksha Bandhan,” there are other days such as friendship day, women’s day, mother’s day, father’s day, and people celebrate it with a whole lot of zeal without any controversy; except few because they always have something to complain about.

Of course, we don’t need any particular day to celebrate any bond on the earth.  But if there are days, then there is nothing wrong in celebrating them, there is nothing wrong in letting your dear ones know that they are loved, appreciated and what they mean to you.  In fact it’s just another way to have fun, just another way to take out time and do some extra special things that we usually don’t do and even can’t do on regular basis because of the fact that we all are busy, with a lot of stress, worries, preoccupations, and developments taking up our headspace.  There is so much of pressure and monotony in everyone's life that once in a while we all want to escape from it, isn’t it?.  And what’s the better way to do so other than celebrating festivals?

Some Indians would still say western people don’t celebrate our festivals then why should we? So let me tell you guys, there are people in western countries who celebrate our festivals too, for eg Diwali.  And recently the state of Virginia has declared Pongal day (an Indian festival, also known as Makar Sankranti) as a state holiday there on 14th January.

And then there comes the cultural part.  People say that Valentine’s Week/Day is a part of western culture and not ours.  I agree people can have their own opinions about everything, but why they tend to be partial? Indians wear jeans, t-shirts, tops, shorts etc, which are all part of western culture and not ours then why you have adopted it?  People really have inconsistent hypocrisy.  In fact, in some states of India, the note of caution is being raised; right-wing groups vowed to stop people from celebrating Valentine's Week/Day, saying it is against our culture.  The group, in some cities, has warned that if boys and girls caught courting in public, they risk being forced to marry.  Those groups are nothing, but a bunch of hypocrites doing nothing good for the society.  I don't really know what this so-called moral police are up to.  Nobody is sort of getting amoral in these places.  We all have a right to enjoy our lives.  We all have a right to live our lives in our own way. It is a free country.

Just because the concept of the festival called “Valentine’s Week/Day” doesn’t have its foundation stone in India, does not imply that it has to be absolutely inappropriate and incorrect in moral.  You should learn to respect every culture and religion; you should understand and take up goodness from every sphere of life.  If you can’t praise and respect anyone’s culture, don’t say anything wrong about it at least.  No one has the right to say anything wrong about anyone’s culture.  Every culture is beautiful in its own way.  Isn’t it?

In spite of all the aforementioned things, there are people who love to celebrate the day devoted to love and yeah I am one of them.  I feel it’s a nice concept of having some quality time together.  Everyone is not open to express themselves easily and this day gives them the perfect excuse to show that they care.  Of course, your relationship should not need to hinge on this day, but it should be a day that your relationship can cherish and continue to move forward as it does the other 364 days of the year.

So yeah for me it’s a “sublime.”  Whether you’re single or in a relationship, Valentine’s Week/Day has different ways of pulling at your heartstrings.  Wishing you all a very Happy Valentine’s Week/Day.  Shower your love to your special one, your family, and your near and dear ones

What do you think about Valentine’s day? Is it Sublime or Vile? Let me know your inputs in the comment section below.

Stay Blessed, Be Happy..!! :-)

Preeti

Enhancing The Nutritional Value Of Foods

Sometimes we don't see the forest for the trees.  And the nutrition field is no exception to this.  When it comes to healthy eating, you know how important it is to eat well-balanced meals and foods high in nutrients values.  With increasing world population and limited food resources, it’s really important for you to get maximum nutritional value out of every bit of food you buy.  And you can achieve this by improving the nutritive quality of foods by preventing or reducing the loss of nutrients in food preparations and by avoiding wastage of food.  By enhancing the nutritional values in food, you can meet the nutritional requirements of the body and can prevent deficiency diseases in the body.

So, how can you do that?  There are a few ways to get the maximum nutritional values from your foods and that are germination, fermentation, food synergy, and food fortification.  You might be already familiar with these terms, let’s talk about how you can enhance the nutrients present in a food by each of these methods.

Germination:

Germination, also known as sprouting, is an effective traditional, non-thermal process that enhances the nutritional values of cereals and legumes/pulses by increasing nutrient digestibility, minimizing the activities or levels of antinutritional substances, reducing the gluten contents, improving the contents of free amino acids and available carbohydrate, and boosting the functional properties.

The foods that can be germinated are all seeds which can be eaten raw, steamed or cooked completely.  Many kinds of seeds such as grains, beans, and grasses are used for sprouting.  As you know, the process of sprouting involves soaking the grain or pulse in water and then wrapping them in a damp paper towel or cloth.  In two or three days the grains germinate and the sprout grows.  The time and water which each pulse or grain needs for soaking and sprouting is different.  Normally 8-12 hours are needed for soaking and one to two days for sprouting.

A number of health and nutritional benefits can be obtained from this process which includes high levels of dietary fibers, proteins, B complex vitamins, and vitamin c.  Dry grains and pulses usually do not contain vitamin C, but when they are allowed to germinate, vitamin c is formed in the grain and in the growing sprout.  Sprouts are more nutritious than its older counterparts of itself i.e. the seeds.  Due to the significant outcome of germination, sprouted pulses and grains are extensively accepted as functional foods.  This is one of the best ways to extract the maximum nutrients from a food item at no additional cost.  Sprouts are really a living food and are the genuine stars of the vegetable world.

Fermentation:

Natural fermentation in food takes place when environmental situations permit interaction between microorganisms and the food substance.  The process of fermentation stimulates the multiplication of specific microorganisms, which are beneficial to our body, and their metabolic activity in food.  Fermentation breaks down the indigestible compounds into smaller parts, making the structures more pervious to the cooking water as well as to our digestive juices.

Fermented foods are often more nutrient-rich than the unfermented versions of themselves because the microorganisms not only break-down more complex compounds, but they also synthesize various complex vitamins such as vitamin c, vitamin b12, and riboflavin.  Along with that, fermented foods also help in keeping our guts optimally healthy as it contains beneficial probiotics.  Fermented foods, especially dairy foods, contain specific strains of bacteria that stimulate the health of your digestive tract.

A wide range of fermented food products is made use of by people of different countries all around the world.  Some of them are yogurt, curds, butter, buttermilk, pickles, cheese, cream cheese, coffee beans, idli, and dhokla, all these are made with the help of lactic acid bacteria; dosa (an Indian food) which is made by bacteria alone or in combination with yeasts; vinegar which is made by bacteria producing acetic acid; cocoa which is made by yeast along with acetic acid producing bacteria.

As we need a healthy balance of microorganisms in our bodies, fermented foods are just excellent.  So, include a variety of your favorite fermented foods in your diet to get the maximum nutrients from a food and to keep your guts healthy.

Food Synergy:

Sometimes we get so focused on the health benefits of a specific phytochemical or vitamin that we often miss that “different elements in a single food can work together to benefit our health, and so can elements in different foods that are eaten together.”  The pairing of foods from different food groups is the easiest way of getting all nutrients.  Food synergy is the concept that involves combining of foods together to increase their health effects and these healthy foods pairings help our body maximize its nutrient intake.

For good health, it's really very important to eat a variety of foods.  So if you want to make your meal healthier, try eating whole grains, legumes, nuts, vegetables, and fruit; these are the great examples of foods in the natural form that are rich in a combination of important minerals, vitamins, proteins, fiber, antioxidants, and more.  Some of the Indian traditional dishes like khichadi, rice-dal, dal-roti/chapati, puran-poli, appe, idli-sambhar, upma-sambhar, tamarind rice, are a few examples of such nutritionally beneficial foods combinations.  The combination of a variety of foods ensures a better availability of nutrients and it is another best way to enhance maximum nutrients from a food.

Food Fortification:

Food fortification, also known as food enrichment, is a method to add nutrients to a particular food item at higher levels than what the original food provides.  Nutrients selected to be fortified are those that are probably to run into short supply because of either dietary habits or prejudices, or due to the lack of ability of the people to buy foods that contain them, or because the foods that are assumed to contain them do not do so in a certain area.  Other criteria for selection are to be able to mix a nutrient with a food item without affecting its acceptability, and the all in all cost of such fortification.  Food items chosen for fortification are those that are consumed by the widest cross-section of the community.  Common examples of fortification include adding iron and/or zinc to wheat flour, iodine in common salt, vitamins A and D in hydrogenated fats, vitamin C to fruit drinks and so on.

The nutritional qualities of food are almost always altered by the type of processing it undergoes and you can indeed expect to see dramatic changes in your overall health by introducing these processes of food enhancing into your daily meal plan.  So, if you’ve already been doing these things, it’s great.  If not, then include these methods to enhance the nutritive values of your meal and make your meal even healthier.

Stay Blessed, Be Happy...!! :-)

Preeti