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

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

Historical records tell us that fasting has been used for health recovery for thousands of years. Hippocrates, Socrates, and Plato all recommended fasting for health recovery. The Bible tells us that Moses and Jesus fasted for 40 days for spiritual renewal. Mahatma Gandhi fasted for 21 days to promote respect and compassion between people with different religions. Recently Anna Hazare fasted for 12 days. Does fasting aid in detoxification? How it benefits your health? Priya Singh puts together answers to all such queries. Keep reading…. Fasting improves blood flow or circulation and the body’s capacity to eliminate unwanted garbage. Dr Rajneesh Jain, Consultant Cardiology, Ganga

What and when you eat has a great affect on your mood, energy and overall wellbeing; we all know this. But, still there are dietary questions that grapple us most of the time while selecting our platter. Those are not big enough to warrant a consultation with the expert, yet relevant enough, as they have been on back of our mind for quite some time. My Health Guardian compiles a list of 8 most basic yet highly misunderstood questions and sought answers from the experts. Read to clear all your myths… When to have fruits? Ideally, you should have a fruit before your morning cuppa. Fruits are complex carbohydrates and they help raise your blood sugar levels gently, thereby starting

The way you start your morning actually impacts the whole flavour of your rest of the day. Sipping a warm cup of tea early morning is a soothing activity that will help you prepare for the day ahead and feel nurtured. But again we get confused is tea good for our health? And if yes, then which tea is good tea? Black, Green or Milk tea is the question that hits our mind. Keep your worries aside as My Health Guardian jots down 10 health benefits of your morning cuppa. 1. Tea (all types) is loaded with antioxidants, so it’s a delicious and healthy lifestyle choice. The antioxidants present in tea helps to protect your body from the ravages of aging and the effects of pollution. 2. Drinking

Do you always get confused about how to order healthier meals at restaurant? Or, at times, feel challenged by the supersized portions served in restaurants; with no clue to handle it right way? No doubt we all face such hurdles when the question of eating out healthy at restaurants comes. But then, just a few changes in your dining picks will quickly let you get over these hurdles. My Health Guardian puts together some easy-to-implement strategies to eat fewer calories and fat, and more of healthy bites while dining out. Be a smart diner with these 7 eating out tips. Remember these tricks: No matter where you’re eating, practice eating small portions. Order an appetizer as a main

ARE YOU A HEALTH CONSCIOUS SHOPPER and a foodie too, and easily get tempted by packaging that proclaims something yummy-looking as ‘low in fat or sugar’? But, before you make that buy, you need to read the label carefully. Jyoti Arora, Group Team Leader, Diet and Nutrition, Artemis Health Institute explains the need for it. If you are what you eat, then food labels are your guide in making the right choice, says Arora. Food labels enlist the ingredients on the package of a product, which allows the buyer to compare the nutritive value and make an informed decision. She explains, “For example, someone with high blood pressure who needs to watch salt (sodium) intake may have a choice

Most of us have food allergies! If you too suffer from strange symptoms like get itchy, break out in hives, swell up or actually vomit after eating certain type of foods, then hurry to consult a specialist! You could be suffering from  food allergy, tells Dr Sushila Kataria, Internal Medicine, Medanta – the- Medicity. Read to know more on two most common food intolerance and allergies among Indians. When a person has an ‘egg’ allergy, they react to the proteins in egg whites, while some cannot tolerate proteins in the yolk because their body mistakenly considers these as harmful germs or bacteria. If they eat any food that contains eggs, the immune system of their body

Curd at night? Fruits post lunch? Sour foods during periods? Find out if there is science behind these norms or whether we are simply perpetuating the myths that we grew up with. What should you eat and when? There is a whole lot of facts and fiction floating around simultaneously on the subject. All of us do have our share of myths that we blindly believe in. We ask Shachi Sohal, Nutrition Expert at Dr. BLK Memorial Hospital and Dr. S.V. Tripathi, Consultant Ayurveda at Moolchand Ayurveda Hospital on the subject to get a clear-cut picture. Read what experts have to say. 1. CLAIM: Eating yoghurt at night can cause cold, arthritic pains. Nutrition Expert: To set the facts right common cold