Bad reputations tend to stick not only to human beings but also to foods. Take peanuts for example. Not too long ago it received, so much of negative press, that many of us ostracised it from our grocery shopping list. Then, researchers discovered that the fat in peanuts, mostly the monounsaturated kind, is extremely good for heart–and for health in general. Geetu Amarnani, Mumbai based dietician and nutritionist uncovers many disease-fighting nutritional facts and health benefits of peanuts. Read in detail to indulge on peanuts on the occasion Lohri, without a measure of guilt. Peanuts are certainly not a dietary evil if eaten appropriately as they are an excellent source of

In India, since time immemorial  jaggery has been consumed as the  purest form of natural sweetener. When it comes to offer sweets to gods, jaggery wins hands down over sugar. There is a good deal of health benefits too associated with jaggery. With jaggery one thing can be acclaimed well that all good things do not come in nice, good looking packages. Counting on the health benefits and the medicinal properties of jaggery this statement truly said. Priya Singh in consultation with expert dietician Geetu Amarnani tells you few interesting facts about jaggery. Also know best kept secrets to use this medicinal food to treat illnesses at home. All you need to do is to read and use the

Cold days, hot meals! Your family will love these easy, comforting winter recipes. Serve these hot and spicy snacks to breeze through cool winters. Read and try. Fry Mushroom This is a great side dish for mushroom lovers who want a hot punch in cool evenings. Ingredients: 3 onions converted in paste, 2 garlic cloves, 10 button mushrooms cut into small pieces, 1/4 teaspoons of red chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoons of garam masala powder, 1/4 teaspoons of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of amchur powder, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, 2-3 cloves, 2-3 cinnamon, 10-12 fennel seeds Method – Mix red chilli powder, turmeric powder, any curry masala powder, garam masala powder in 3

Everyone wants to maintain enough energy and stamina to complete the daily tasks without feeling run down or tired. But what many people don’t realize is that there are many foods you eat can influence your energy and stamina levels and end up looking for some kind of medication or energy drinks. My Health Guardian tells you about one such food that is called the great booster of energy and is also primely related to this season of Lohri, Makarsankartri, bihu and all other new crop celebration eves. It’s Sesame. Delicious, crunchy sesame seeds are the real stamina booster and are widely considered healthful foods. They are high in energy but contain many health benefiting

Here comes the glorious month of December when the occasion of Christmas and New Year calls for celebration. It’s the time, when people indulge, organize parties and prepare mouthwatering delicacies. What could be more delicious than a sumptuous cake? Read the recipes and try these out. We guarantee your family and friends are going to love it. CHOLOLATE CHIP and NUT CAKE Ingredients: 2 ½ cup Flour, 3 teaspoons Baking powder, 1 teaspoon Baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon Salt, 1 cup Butter or margarine, 1 cup sugar, 3 eggs, 1 cup chopped nuts (preferably walnuts), 2 teaspoon sour cream, 1 cup chocolate chips, 1 cup vanilla, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoon cinnamon How to prepare: Preheat the

Diet plays an important role in managing diabetes. A diabetic should focus on greens and along with high quality protein in his diet. Sindhi saag is just perfect and it provides best of the both worlds: nutrition and taste, and it is too easy to cook.  Follow the recipe below. Ingredients 1/2 Kg fresh spinach, 1/2 cup channa daal, 1 potato(small), 1 onion (medium), 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 tsp heeng, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 2 tsp amchoor, 2 tomatoes (small), 2 tbsp vegetable oil, salt to taste Method Soak the channa daal for 1 hour. Place spinach,channa daal, tomatoes,potatoes,onions,turmeric and salt with 2 inches water above the ingredients in a pressure cooker

Kheer is an integral part of Indian cuisine. Ancient Sanskrit texts refer kheer as parmanna. No wonder, it is ever-present in all rituals and is offered to the gods in almost all festivals. The most well known version of kheer is prepared with rice. Sevai or vermicelli too is added to the thickened milk, flavoured with cardamom and saffron, to give it a different twist. Some go ahead and prepare kheer with makhana, bottle gourd, apples and carrots too. However, the skills of a chef is put to real test when he prepares kheer with garlic. The trick of this kheer lies in alum water in which garlic is washed several times, to remove its pungent taste and odour. The  thin slices mimic almond

Anjeer Basundi is a healthy dessert for diabetics of South Indian origin.  Made of figs and skimmed milk it balances nutrition with taste. Figs are great food for a natural diabetic diet. Figs are rich in fiber, which is a crucial ingredient of a diabetic diet. They are also rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron and are a good source of antioxidants which help fight disease. This dessert is also suited for pregnant women. You may swap the sweetener with sugar for the latter. Ingredients 4 cups low fat milk 1 1/2 cups finely chopped fresh anjeer 1/2 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp cornflour dissolved in 1 tbsp low fat milk 1/2 cup low fat khoya 2 tbsp Sugar free For the

Soup is surely the queen of foods! Wondering Why? Warming and nourishing, soup works as a balm for our health, it fortifies the body, soothes sore throats, clears clogged airways, fights off colds, builds strong bones, and has even been rumoured to improve your love life! So, if you like delicious food and want to stay fit and fine, then you will love our new soupy diet. Here comes 4 nutrition-packed soup recipes to savoir your taste buds, content your stomach and keep you healthy. Go soup way! Red Pepper Tomato Soup Ingredients: 4 large red peppers, 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled, 1tsp dried oregano, 4tbsp olive oil, 1 large red onion (peeled and chopped), 6 large tomatoes (peeled and

About 80%- 90% of Vitamin D is gained from sunlight exposure. Most of us know this; but do you also know how important is this ‘D’ factor for our good physical and mental health? My Health Guardian interviews Geetu Amarnani, the expert nutritionist to understand why getting enough vitamin D is absolutely essential to maintain good health. She also informs about the food and supplement that helps to achieve optimal vitamin D levels. Keep reading… ‘D’ is unique among vitamins; because it’s basically a hormone that our body creates naturally from sunshine informs Amarnani. After the skin converts sunlight into vitamin D, or when it is ingested, the kidney and liver convert it