Health and Fitness

Drinking green tea, rather than black, may help you live longer

Green and black tea are among the most popular drinks in the world – but just what are the differences between them?                                                                                                        Despite both coming from the same plant, they have quite contrasting qualities that emerge from the moment they are picked.

Green tea is a richer source of flavanoids, especially tea polyphenols, and these bioactive compounds could be protective against cardiovascular disease. While from the same plant and containing the same amount of caffeine, black tea is processed in a different way from green tea after picking.

Black tea is fully fermented and tea polyphenols might be oxidized into pigments and inactivate during fermentation. Thus green tea tends to be more effective than black tea in anti-oxidation, improving blood lipid profile, and in turn, to be more effective in cardiovascular protection.

Differences in flavours and arona

Black tea tends to be hailed for its full-bodied flavour, while green tea is much lighter.

It is not uncommon for milk to be added to black tea to reduce some of the bitterness and balance out the flavour, but the same can’t be said for green tea.

Words such as grassy and fresh are often used to describe green tea – it’s a perfect summer drink due to its refreshing qualities.

Black tea is more of an everyday choice, as its deep flavours vary quite a lot between the different varieties and it’s a great way to warm up on a cold day.

Gunter Kuhnle, a professor of nutrition and food science, University of Reading in the UK, who was not involved in the study but conducts research into the association between flavanoids and health, said it's not currently known how tea or the compounds found in tea affect health. "The antioxidant effect of polyphenols found in tea has long been assumed to be responsible, but this has been resoundingly disproved in the last decade. Some of the compounds found in tea might have a beneficial effect, but this is currently still under investigation," he told the Science Media Centre (SMC) in London.

As the world's most popular drink after water, tea-drinking habits varied from place to place and the findings might not apply to Western countries, where black tea was a more popular choice often taken with milk or sugar. Tea consumption is part of a cultural heritage, and its health effects might be confounded by other eating and drinking patterns, for example, consumption of other flavanoid-rich food or beverages like coffee. 

Dr. Duane Mellor, a registered dietitian and senior teaching fellow at Aston Medical School, Aston University, said that while green tea is safe and may have benefits, green tea supplements "should be considered carefully as there has been a number of cases of liver damage reported in individuals who have consumed these in large doses.

Health and Fitness

High-Protein Vegetarian Diet

                                                     High protein diet: A 100 gram serving of soya chunks or soya nuggets contain 52.4 grams of protein. Here are some interesting ways of adding it your diet

Protein is an essential macro-nutrient required by almost every part of the body. From muscles to the hair, this macro-nutrient plays a big role in the health of a number of main functions of the body. Including adequate amounts of protein in diet is essential for a healthy body. This is because protein helps repair muscles after wear and tear from physical activity, and retain muscle mass as a person ages. Your protein requirement may differ based on the amount of physical and mental activity you engage in on a daily basis. But everyone needs a minimum amount of this nutrient in their diets. Whether you're a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian, a focus on dietary protein may go a long way in ensuring that you stay healthy. Moreover, maintaining a high-protein diet is essential for weight loss too.

                                                 Even though animal protein is considered the most abundant source of dietary protein,vegetarian diet also has plenty of foods that are good sources of healthy proteins  Healthy proteins are those that are present in foods with low amounts of cholesterol and fats. Soya is one of them and it is consumed in a number of forms. Soya is one of the most popular plant-based proteins and a number of soya products like tofu, soya milk, soya nuggets etc. are also available. The latter is commercially available and is a great way of adding vegetarian protein to your diet

Soya nuggets are also known as textured vegetable protein (TVP) and are de-fatted soy

 flour products made from de-fatted soy flour, which is a by-product of extracting 

soyabean oil. According to the data by United States Department of Agriculture, 100 

grams of soya chunks or soya nuggets contain 52.4 grams of protein. We tell you some 

interesting ways of adding soya chunks to your meals:

1. Soya Rice Dishes

From biryanis to pulao and even Chinese fried rice, cooked soya chunks can be added to numerous rice dishes as meat analogues. Here is soya fried rice recipe that you'd love to try

2. Soya Manchurian

Turn your soya chunks into the delicious Chinese favourite Manchurian. It's a unique way of cooking this vegetarian protein and it packs in a lot of taste as well. Soya Manchurian will be ready a lot of more quickly as you won't have to prepare the Manchurian balls separately.

3. Stir-fried Soya Nuggets

Stir-frying soya nuggets is another very interesting way of cooking this protein. It's an easy and quick-fix meal idea that you will find yourself going back to, again and again. Here's a recipe for soya stir fry that you will love

4. Soya Stuffed Sandwiches

Turn your soya chunks into delicious stuffings for sandwiches and paninis. You can simply cook the nuggets, chop them up and toss them with some sandwich spreads, some delicious and crunchy vegetables like sweet peppers, carrots and cucumbers and use this as sandwich filling.

Apart from these, you can add cooked soya chunks to your vegetarian curries and dry vegetable preparations as well. However, people who suffer from soy allergies must avoid the use of this food product.

Helth and Fitness

Benefits of eating pine nuts

While all of us are mostly aware of the health benefits of eating beetroots during winters, not many people are aware of the other wintery food that is also very nutritious- pine nuts. Also known as chilgoza in Hindi, pine nuts are loaded with essential vitamins and minerals.

                 Here are some benefits of eating pine nuts during winters:

1. Regulates mood: These nuts are loaded with magnesium, which helps keep winter blues and depressive moods away.

2. Regulates blood sugar levels: The presence of unsaturated fatty acids in pine nuts makes it great for the heart, as well as for regulating blood sugar levels.

3. Keeps you alert: Pine nuts are rich in iron, which keeps the brain alert and drives away sluggishness during winters.

4. Boosts skin health: Pine nuts are replete with healthy fats and antioxidants, which are both important for boosting skin health and slowing down skin-ageing.

Pine nuts are however, extremely high in calories- a 100 gm of the nutty seeds pack as many as 673 calories (as per USDA data). So make sure you only eat a few pine nuts in a day

Health and Fitness

Carrot For Weight Loss

Are you someone who is struggling to lose weight and find it difficult to keep up to your fitness regime? If yes, then fret not as you are not alone. Health experts and nutritionists always recommend exercising regularly and hitting gym for at least four days in a week. Well, there's no denying the fact that physical workout plays a very important role in keeping us fit and active; however, our diet plays an equally important role in doing that. Eating foods that are rich in protein and fibre and low in carbs and fat may help in achieving our weight loss goals. But adding more seasonal vegetables to our platters may also do wonders. One such vegetable is carrots. This juicy, crunchy veggie is a good source of both soluble and insoluble fibre, which is good for weight loss. Fibre takes long to digest and promotes a feeling of fullness, further preventing us from relying on other fattening foods. Moreover, carrot is naturally low in calories and full of nutrients. Health Practitioner, Nutritionist and certified Macrobiotic, Shilpa Arora ND recommends adding carrots in diet to lose weight in a healthy way. She says, "Carrots are extremely low in calories and can be easily added to your weight loss diet. A cup of carrot sticks contains 50 calories, which is almost 3-4% of our daily caloric intake.

      These two recipes that may help you keep in shape


 Carrot soup- According to the book 'Healing Foods' by DK Publishing House, carrots are brimming with fibres that are known to aid healthy weight management. "High fibre content promotes a feeling of fullness and aids bowel regularity," notes the book. Fibre takes time to digest, keeping you full for a longer time. This carrot soup recipe is not just low in calories but also packed with all the essential nutrients that are important for a healthy body. Toss some more nutrient-dense veggies like mushrooms and broccoli to your carrot soup to increase its nutritional value.

Carrot and cashew coleslaw- There is no denying the fact that salads are one of the healthiest dishes that can be added to any weight loss diet. They are not only low in calories, but also quite rich in the fibre content. Carrot and cashew coleslaw is a low calories salad recipe that you can include in your weight loss diet, without compromising on taste and flavour. But make sure you select the dressing carefully. According to Dr. Shikha Sharma's book '101 Weight Loss Tips', "...salads with a plain dressing of lemon juice, olive oil or vinegar and salt are diet-friendly. But dressings like mayonnaise, white sauce, French dressing and Italian dressing have high-fat content and do not classify as diet food

Health and fitness

Ketogenic diet 

The Ketogenic diet, popularly called the keto diet, is a low-carb, high-fat diet which is extremely popular for weight loss. It is also known for its benefits against diabetes and cancer. It works on the principle of ketosis, which is a metabolic state. The diet cuts carbs and increases the intake of fats through diet. The body uses this fat for energy and burns it, leading to weight loss.

                  There are certain foods that you can include in your diet when you are on a Keto diet. These foods are low on carbohydrates and high on fats and therefore perfect for your keto diet. There are also certain foods and beverages that you should absolutely avoid in order to make sure your keto diet works well.

 Cheese- One reason a lot of people love a ketogenic diet is that they can have cheese, which is low on carbs, high on fat, and extremely nutritious. Though rich in saturated fats, it is proven to not lead to any health risks related to the heart and is also proven to be helpful in building muscle mass and strength.

Eggs- Eggs are low on carbs and high on protein and therefore a great food item to include in your diet for keto and weight loss. Eggs keep you full, reduce blood sugar, and are extremely versatile and easy to make. Though the egg yolk contains cholesterol, eggs are known to modify the shape of LDL (bad cholesterol) to reduce heart conditions

.

Cottage cheese- or vegetarians, one of the best options for a keto diet is cottage cheese or paneer. Pan fried cottage cheese cubes with a sprinkle of masala over them can not only keep you full but also provide you with the right nutrient balance for a keto diet. Cottage cheese is high in protein and contains very fewer carbs

Greek yoghurt- You can eat this as a dessert because most desserts are off the table when it comes to the keto diet. Rich in proteins and low on carbs, greek yoghurt can be mixed with cheese, cottage cheese or eggs, or had as a standalone snack or dessert with some natural sweetener.

Butter- Another reason the keto diet seems to be doable is the permission to use butter. Butter has fats but no carbs, and therefore makes for a good oil for cooking. You can also use coconut oil or olive oil for the same as they are also very low on carbohydrates

Dark chocolate- dark chocolate can be a great food item to include in your keto diet as they are delicious, very healthy, aid weight loss, and are very rich in antioxidants. Dark chocolate keeps the heart healthy, and also helps in detoxifying the body.

Health and Fitness

Top 15 Foods for Muscle Building:-

Today almost everyone wants to increase their muscle size due to fitness trend so that i am going to tell you about natural foods which help you to consume protein. While your gym instructor may tell you that using supplements will help you in body building, experts believe otherwise. Supplements available in the market may be helpful, but until you’re nourished internally, no foreign food will help you. Hence, before buying them, it is important to first consume energy from natural resources. 

1- Eggs:  Breakfast should be made compulsory every day. Do not over do it. Stick to consuming 1-2 eggs. See the difference in your energy levels. The protein content in every egg is 6 to 8 grams. Other than this, eggs are also rich in vitamins, zinc, iron and calcium.

2- Chicken breast: Chicken breast is the most worked muscle, hence it is also the healthiest. It is packed with 30 grams of protein in every 100 grams of chicken breast. Consuming this every day for either lunch or dinner can make a huge difference.

3- Oats: The low in calorie in food, oats are a good combination of carbs, fiber, proteins, minerals and vitamins. Oats can be consumed in various forms: with milk or water, cooked in the form of rotis or included in your salads.

4- Spinach: Spinach contains phytoecdysteroids, which aid in increasing muscle growth upto 20 percent according to a research at Rutgers University in 2008. Leafy vegetables help a great deal if you are trying to build muscles and lose fat as they are packed with antioxidants.

 5- Sweet potato:  Sweet potatoes are an under-rated vegetable that need to be considered as a part of healthy diets. This is because they contain fewer carbs than a medium potato, 23 grams. Sweet potatoes are also good sources of vitamin A,  potassium, riboflavin, copper, pantothenic acid and folic acid. All these help in replenishing energy and even boost the muscle building process.

 6- Broccoli: Broccoli is a good source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Include broccoli in your salad to make the most of this green vegetabl

7- Brown rice: Brown rice contains complex carbohydrates which our body works to break down and consequently boosts our metabolism and burns more calories. This is a great source of carb post workout and is ideal for consumption with any salad or main dish.

8- Cottage cheese: Cottage cheese is a rich source of protein as it contains 28 grams in every cup. Cottage cheese makes us feel fuller for a longer time as the protein breaks down slowly. Including this in your salad, sandwiches or even subzi will be beneficial for you.

9- Chocolate milk: Yes, you read that right. According to a study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, it was found that chocolate milk is as effective as any sports drink in increasing the total exercise output and even delays exhaustion. This means that when you start exercising, your body will not get tired quickly and will have more stamina.

10- Banana: The most popular choice for many body builders, we cannot take banana out of the list. This is because banana contains three types of sugars: Fructose, sucrose, and glucose. These sugars are of prime importance pre-and post workout and training. Bananas do not contain fat and are cholesterol free along with being nutrient dense, making them the perfect pre-and post workout snack.

11-Papaya: Papayas contains papain which are responsible for breaking down dietary protein intro easily absorbable compounds. Papayas can be consumed as a pre-workout fruit and also during the day. You can also have it in the form of a smoothie with honey.

12- Olive oil:  Olive oil contains monounsaturated fat. This fat prevents in muscle breakdown and joints. Other than this, olive oil also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which promote heart health. Olive oil also have anti-inflammatory properties which help with muscle pain and aids recovery as well

13- Whey protein: Whey protein is the purest form of protein and hence our body absorbs it faster than any other form post- workout. This is the watery portion of milk that separates from the curd during the process of making cheese. This is a highly digestible form of protein.

14- Water: Nutrients need fluids to travel to all parts of your body. Water is the best way to hydrate your body. Muscle building is a difficult process and requires the purest form of hydration. Hydration will increase strength, energy levels and aid digestion. The muscle tissue in our body is 75 percent water and needs to be fuelled properly.

15- Lentils and chickpeas: If you are a vegetarian trying to achieve muscle building, lentils and chickpeas are essential for you. This is because they contain proteins which your meat eating counter parts get from non-vegetarian sources.