Stock up on fruits, nuts and dry fruits

The aforementioned items are the best non-fuss food. You can always eat a banana or an apple on-the-go. Staying fresh in the morning is important, and fruits provide the energy our body needs. They have immense health benefits as well. Fruits virtually have zero fats. They also contain a plethora of vitamins and minerals. In addition, they contain fibre which helps regulate your digestive system and even keep off uncomfortable situations such as gas.

An alternative to fruits is dry fruits. This works best for those who don’t have the time to frequently buy fruits. Stock up on anjeer (figs), dates, prunes and dry apricots to treat yourself to something sweet every now and then. Not only are you satisfying your sugar cravings in a healthy way, you are also giving your body essential nutrients minus excess calories.

Another excellent snack on-the-go is a handful of nuts. Carry them in your bag or even in your pocket and munch away throughout the day. In fact, keep a small jar or box with a mix of pistachios, cashew nuts, walnuts and almonds in the office, and another one at home so that you never have the urge to reach out for wafers or samosas. Nuts are great in essential fats as well as proteins. The essential fats are great for brain function and maintaining your cholesterol levels.

Sandwiches to your rescue

One needs their fix of vegetables and grains too. One simple and safe solution to this is fixing up a sandwich. They are quick to make, and unless you like it grilled, they require no cooking either. As for grilling, it could be done on a pan, or toast the bread in a toaster before placing sliced onions, cucumbers and tomatoes in between. Sandwiches are a great option if you’re ordering from outside too, but remember to stick to wholegrain bread rather than white bread.

Another great thing to have is hot corn. Nowadays you can get it anywhere, even in shopping malls. It’s easy to make at home too. Simply boil some golden corn (which can be bought at any vendor) and toss in some salt, pepper, red chilli powder and lemon as per your taste.

Potatoes for that complete meal

As an interesting yet easy option you could try is to boil some potatoes, toss in a few veggies and make some mashed potatoes. This works well for a quick fix. Potatoes will keep you full, but remember to add vegetables so that your meal is nutritionally complete. Jacket potato (potatoes boiled with the skin still intact) with vegetables is a great option if you’re eating out! It is a whole meal by itself. The bright side to this diet is that you can avoid those white flour laden rotis, bread and pasta. If the idea of plain potatoes doesn’t sound appealing, you could try sweet potatoes or any other veggie from the same family. Packed with essential nutrients like beta-carotene, they’re all great.

Rice can be good for you

Rice is a good and easy option as well. Very easy to cook, it is complemented very well with daal. Just add water and put in the pressure cooker. Making daal is fairly easy and can be cooked along with rice. Boiling the mix with some spices gives it that instant homely feel. If you want to make your life easier, simply mix the daal to the rice and boil, to make a delicious khichdi.

Choose the right ready-to-eat meals

 For those of you who are rushed for time, there are easier options out there, like ready-to-eat meals. Just because they are quick to make, does not mean they are unhealthy. An excellent option is ready-to-eat oats (which comes with desi versions like masala oats). They are high in fibre and quick to make. Oats are not only nutritious, they are a great replacement for other boring grains. Try adding them to other foods like upma and uttapams for that extra punch of nutrition.  

Choose right when you eat out

Having a meal at a restaurant does not mean you have to eat unhealthily. A great way to ensure you stick to your diet is to order a salad before your meal. This will keep you full for longer and help you eat less during the meal. Switch to salted fresh lime soda instead of colas or other soft drinks. Cut down on alcohol, your liver will thank you. Grilled and stir fried vegetables are also delicious, and they supply you with nutrients and fibre too. And finally cut down on caffeine and switch to green tea instead.

Factor in some time to exercise regularly. If you find going to the gym boring, go for a jog or invest some time in any sport you might like. Remember, staying fit is the best way to staying healthy. Think of it this way, the healthier you stay the lesser sick leave you are likely to take.

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Want to lose weight and still eat rice? Just switch to brown rice instead of white. Apart from being more nutritious, it also has fat-burning properties.

What is brown rice? How is it different from white rice?

It is just normal rice but with all the nutrients still intact. The reason brown rice has many more nutrients than regular white rice is due to the fact that brown rice has only the outer layer, called the hull(husk), removed while white rice has been refined for convenience removing several nutritious layers—therefore losing all nutrients.

The next time you feel sluggish reach for brown rice. It has several health benefits:

• Brown rice has more than 80% of your daily value of manganese, which gives you energy from both carbohydrates and proteins.
• Manganese also helps synthesize fatty acids, which keeps your nervous system in working order.
• The fiber in brown rice produces the best health benefit of all – fat burning! In addition to requiring more energy to break it down, the fiber in brown rice helps satisfy your appetite and therefore decreases your chances of overeating. That is the equation for fat loss – eat less and burn more!
• The fiber and selenium found in brown rice can also reduce your risk of many types of cancer, which is a health benefit we could all use. Finally, oils found in brown rice can help lower cholesterol, which according to research, we eat too much of already.

Tempted? Want to incorporate brown rice in your diet. Here are a few ways:

The first thing you should do, if you are considering brown rice , is to look for brown versions of your favorite grains. Popular styles such as basmati, jasmine and sushi rice all come in brown variations.

• Cooking brown rice follows the same principles as white rice, the only exception being it has to be soaked for two hours prior to cooking. Soaking softens the hull and makes it easier to cook.
• Add your favorite vegetables or meat to your portion of brown rice and it is a good substitute for the white version.

See how easy it is to enjoy the health benefits of brown rice? Fat burning foods aren’t difficult to find or incorporate into your diet, after all!

Preparation Time: 10 mins.

Cooking Time: 10 mins.
Makes 6 rotis. 

Ingredients

Method

You are what you eat - an often heard but sporadically followed wisdom. A healthy body is the core foundation of an active mind and balanced emotional life. Amongst the factors that impact our physical health none is greater than food. Food gives us energy, strength and immunity - nourishes our body – to maintain all its miraculous systems in working order. 

Most US-based health information offers food choices that are not relevant in the Indian context. For example, blueberries and broccoli – both superfoods – are unfamiliar, unavailable or expensive for the average person in India. The best chance we have to adhering to healthy food choices is to find familiar, easily available and inexpensive foods that provide multiple health benefits.

Redirecting the food path

The environment today and our lifestyle choices, personal and professional, have us living at the mercy of our senses. Across socioeconomic groups, we eat not what is nourishing but what is readily available, cheaper, attractively packaged, and tasty – usually salty or sugary and creamy or fried. At different points in our lives attempts are made to follow the healthy diet path – mothers cajole or force, peers inspire, spouses coax and finally doctors dictate to us. However, most of us manage to escape the healthy diet road to cruise along the deliciously easy, fast, and (not always) cheap food highway.

Over the days and years malnourishment catches up in diverse forms of physical, mental and emotional disorders. So how do we correct the course? Ideally, we should abandon all unhealthy food and adopt an all-purpose healthy diet – easier said than done. Well, we begin by adding a few consistent good food habits to our daily meals – select a few food items that offer the body more than calories (energy), are readily available, affordable and easy to consume. Energy may be enough fuel for the body to keep going but the body needs carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber to function optimally.

Fruits and vegetables give us vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber

The positives of a daily diet of fruits and vegetables overshadow any possible risks of pesticide exposure. Fruits and vegetables are critical sources of essential nutrients such as vitamin A (vision), vitamin B complex (metabolism), vitamin C (antioxidant, metabolism), vitamin K (blood clotting), iron (oxygen-carrier in blood), calcium (metabolism, teeth, bones), potassium (bones), manganese (bones), magnesium (metabolism), phosphorus (metabolism, teeth, bones) and zinc (immunity). They are also an excellent source of fiber (digestion) and antioxidants (disease prevention). Natural antioxidants are potent remedies to control environment and lifestyle induced illness – cancer, allergies, aging, heart, metabolic and brain disorders.

Take five, or more, daily

We list some foods that, when eaten regularly, will enhance your health and well-being. Besides health benefits, the food choices are based on year-round availability, relative affordability, and easy mode of consuming. Plus, they are low in saturated fat, sodium and calories with zero cholesterol.

Bananas, an ideal snack, are an excellent source of instant energy (105 calories), vitamins B6 and C, fiber, potassium and manganese. They require no preparation, just peel and eat the fruit. Make a sliced banana chaat with sprinkled chilli powder or blend the peeled fruit with milk for a protein-filled fruit smoothie.

Lemons, a permanent feature of detox diets, are a good source of fiber (if eaten whole), iron, potassium, vitamins B6 and C. Making lemonade out of lemons takes onlly a few minutes – wash lemons, slice into half, squeeze juice into a glass of water, and add sugar plus dash of salt or pepper. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is a zesty salad dressing or main dish garnish. Grow a container lemon tree in your balcony!

Beetroots, historically used as detoxifier and blood purifier, are noteworthy for vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, fiber and especially manganese. Slice, chop, grate or quarter peeled beetroots and cover with water plus lid to boil (10 minutes). Eat with salt, chaat masala or lemon juice with or without other vegetables. Slices can be grilled or used as sandwich fillings.

Cabbage, a curative powerhouse, offers abundant folate (brain development), manganese, fiber and vitamins B2, B6, C, and K. At 22 calories/cup, cabbage is included in many detox diets. Discard outer layers to lessen dirt and pesticide. Slice the cabbage, cook covered (10 minutes) with minimal water, sprinkle with spices or lemon dressing and enjoy. Alternatively, steam cabbage leaves in a covered vessel (3-5 minutes) to use as sandwich topping or make appetizer rolls with leftovers.

Carrots are an antioxidant-rich, invaluable source of vitamin A and fiber with only 30 calories/carrot. Great on-the-go snacks – peel, wash and eat raw. Slice, chop or grate them for a speedy salad or main dish sautéed with seasoning. Pureed carrots with ginger make a flavourful soup.

Spinach is a panacea of minerals and vitamins with negligible calories. Its offerings include iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, fiber and vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and C. Further virtues include niacin (blood, brain and skin health) and zinc. Wash spinach leaves thoroughly, toss in a handful walnuts or almonds, add lemon juice or chilli sauce for a healthy salad. Boil and blend with curd for a dip or sauté with seasoning for a main dish.

Peas and Beans are high protein and fiber foods

Green peas, a noteworthy protein source (8.6g), are available in frozen form year-round. A cup of peas, at 135 calories, has high fiber, manganese and vitamin C plus magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, vitamins A, B1, B6, and K. Frozen green peas are a quick and easy ingredient for a boiled salad or sautéed main dish. Peas, tofu and rice with seasoning create a delicious high-protein pulao.

Mung beans are a superb source of protein (14.2g) and fiber for only 212 calories/cup. They have appreciable amounts of magnesium and vitamin B1. Rinse mung beans before boiling in a pressure cooker (10 minutes). Add seasoning and eat with rice or puree to prepare a soup. Otherwise, cook mung beans and rice together to prepare khichdi – easy to digest, nutritious meal – suitable for all especially children or elderly.

Herbs and Spices in small doses go a long way in fortifying us against disease

Turmeric and ginger (fresh or powder) are a must-have – in cooked food or blended drinks. Turmeric provides antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant super-value while ginger has painkiller, digestive, decongestant and anti-inflammatory powers. Coriander and mint add aromatic natural flavours to all meals.

There are many such super-foods offering multiple health benefits – eat them daily in a way that preserves the food’s nutrients and discover better health for yourself. 

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