5+ A Day - Guest Post

Team shopHealthy.in would like to wish our customers, readers and well wishers a very happy and safe festival season! On this lovely Diwali festival full of lights and colour, what better way to remind people to fill their dinner plates with colour as well! Here's another guest post from Simran who had brought the yummy oatmeal and walnut cookies recipe to us last time around to give you inspiration and ideas on how to fill your food world with colour!

Simran writes:

Over the last few years, we (me and my family) have become conscious of what we have been eating. Its partly because of the need to eat healthy to stay fit in the long run and because of the increased awareness of what goes into the food we eat - at home and outside!

Do you know about 5+ A Day? It is the target of fruit and vegetable serves that you and your family should enjoy every day. The ideal target is 2 serves of fruit and 3 serves of vegetables.

But to make it well rounded you should try and select your 5 serves from each of the 5 major colour groups!

Fruits and veggies have a lot of nutrients and phytochemicals (pronounced fight-o-chemicals) that everyone needs for good health. Phytochemicals are also responsible for the bright colours in all the different fruits and veggies. There are 5 major colour groups. The main aim of eating the 'colour way' is to encourage eating from as many colours of the rainbow as possible!

Veggies for Pasta

Here are some examples to give you an idea of the 5 colour groups:

Red: Strawberries, tomato, red apples, red onions, red pepper, red skinned potato, red cabbage

Orange/Yellow: Carrot, sweet potato, pumpkin, melon, sweet corn, squash

White: Cauliflower, banana, pear, garlic, onion, potato, ginger, mushroom

Green: Spinach, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, kiwifruit, celery, lettuce, brussel sprouts

Blue/Purple: Blueberries, raisins, egg plant, red cabbage, beetroot

Orange and fennel salad

When you plan your daily menu, don't forget to include a range of colours! :)

So in that pasta throw in some red pepper, broccoli, onions and you've already covered 3 colours - easy isn't that!

Grab an apple or a banana or some raisins and you cover some more in the day.

Even with the veggies try cooking different colours every day - I know sounds tough, you must be thinking, with everything else now I need to think "What is the colour of my food??". To make it easy, when you shop for veggies, pick up different coloured ones and you will eventually cook and eat those!

Cucumber and black Garbanzo beans salad

Recipe - Oatmeal and Walnut Cookies - Guest Post

[Editor's Note: In my search for yummy and healthy recipes, I discovered that one of my blogger friends Simran is also into the same quest as me - a healthier lifestyle yet not compromising on taste. So sure enough, I had to ask her to do a guest post on this blog with her tips / suggestions / recipes etc. 

Today, I am happy to introduce you to Simran who is an engineer by degree, has worked in the IT industry and as a curator for an online marketplace. She is a book lover, an amateur photographer, a mother, a closet feminist, a blogger and a wannabe traveler. She blogs with gusto at Simz Corner.  

So without further adieu, here is her post on a healthy recipe for oatmeal and walnut cookies.] 

I had been looking for a basic cookie recipe for a long time - the kind that you can tweak and add/modify. I got one from a friend recently and I tweaked it to add some of my own variants.

Pic courtesy Flickr Creative Commons License from here

Here is the most basic recipe -

1/2 cup butter

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg - you can make it eggless by adding some extra butter instead of the egg

1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

1. Preheat the oven at 180C for 15 minutes
2. Melt butter and add the sugar to it. Whisk it with a hand whisk or an electric mixer
3. Add the egg (if you are using it), followed by flour and baking powder. Mix it well with the whisk or a spatula
4. Add the vanilla essence and mix
5. Put a spoonful of batter spaced apart on a baking tray. The tray should be covered in baking paper or aluminium foil or greased with a lite butter spray.
6. Bake in the oven for about 15 to 20 mins or till you see the crust golden brown at the edges. The centre might feel soft to touch, but when you let the cookie rest out of the oven for some time, it will firm up. 

Now the question was, how could I make this healthy with all the butter, sugar and flour! We all do need comfort food and something to satisfy that sweet tooth once in a while. I believe moderation is the key and excess/extreme of anything is bad. 

This is what I did to make it less-unhealthy ;)

• I use un-bleached or whole wheat flour - makes stuff taste better!
• Sugar - I use brown sugar or palm sugar - it gives them the nice brown colour - I love that. If you like the whiter/golden brown version you can use regular white sugar. Castor/powder sugar is better if you are using a hand whisk - it will mix easily with the butter.
• I added some rolled oats - about 1/4 cup and reduced flour by that much.
• I added a handful of roughly chopped/crushed walnuts (before the vanilla essence) to up the protein and fatty acid quotient.
• I also added some milk - 2 table spoons because the mixture seemed dense - what that did is made the cookies spread out laterally when I baked them so space them out further on the baking tray if you add milk.

The cookies turned out great - crisp, buttery, oats and walnuts bringing in that extra crunch that I love!! Unfortunately I couldn't take any pictures during and after the process - thanks to a handful pre-schooler, hence the pic from Flickr. Will update the post with my pics, the next time I bake them.

Enjoy baking and do lemme know if you have any questions :) 

Recipe - Power Packed Smoothies

I got introduced to juicing (especially vegetable juices and fruits and vegetable blends) through Julia Indichova of the http://www.fertileheart.com fame. Ever since then, I have invested in a powerful juicer that can pretty much swallow whole apples, beets and pretty much anything you throw at it and result in a wholesome juice with pulp on the side. My take on juicing and how it helps is a story I will save for another post though. Today, I wanted to share another idea for a wholesome nutritious drink which we call a Smoothie.

The dictionary definition of a smoothie is essentially a thick beverage of fruit pureed in a blender with ice and milk, yogurt or juice. My definition though is slightly different. I make several changes to this basic recipe to make it nutritious and power packed.

Here's how:

1. First I select a base. You can choose milk or yogurt or folks who are dairy intolerant can use water, coconut water or any other fresh un-sweetened fruit juice. 
2. Then I pick a fruit as the flavor of choice such as mangoes, apples, bananas, etc. My daughter especially loves mangoes so she enjoys what I call a "power packed mango milkshake" during summers.  
3. This is followed by adding a dose of nutrition through a natural health supplement  such as wheatgerm or wheatgrass powder or spirulina powder or moringa leaf powder or barley grass powder etc.  
4. Then I add a boost of power by adding healthy seeds such as flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds or a blend of all of them. 
5. Last but not the least, in go nuts such as almonds or walnuts for extra power. 
6. Mind you - I do not use any refined sugar. The smoothie is sweet enough on its own if you use fresh fruit juice as the base. For milk or yogurt based smoothies, I use only natural sweeteners if at all (such as palm sugar or stevia).
7. That's it - blend away and enjoy!

Here's another blogger who has a very nicely illustrated post on green smoothies if you are up for giving that a try next. This one has green leaves incorporated into it and sounds very tempting to me. I am going to venture into this next and let you all know how it goes. Here is her illustrated picture that gives you all these steps in such an easy to remember way...

So tell me - will you or did you give this a try? Or do you have a secret nutritious recipe of your own? Please do share - we'd love to hear!

Recipe - No Bake Energy Bites

As soon as I set eyes on the No Bake Energy Bites recipe on Pinterest, I knew I had to try it right away. This is a mix of health and chocolate goodness that my daughter has started comparing to the Ferrero Rocher brand of chocolates available in the market. Not without good reason coz it looks almost the same but is much healthier and tastier too if you make it right. Plus the recipe is so versatile that it can adapt pretty much anything you wish your child had but doesn't. Whats even better is that these energy balls are perfect for breakfast, snacks or even as my daughter agrees - dessert!

I have tried several variations at home which I have listed out after the original recipe:

Ingredients:
1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned oats)
2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla (essence)

Method:
Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour (optional). Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1″ in diameter.)  Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated. Makes about 20-25 balls.


My Substitutions & Variations:
This recipe like I said is super flexible and very substitution friendly :-) Here are some I have tried and the rest is upto your imagination and what you have at hand:

• I have tried this with a little desi touch as well so for example, roasted some raisins in ghee, added deseeded dates (you can also try prunes) and cooled to room temperature. The dates become a binding agent along with honey.
• If you don't have coconut flakes or don't prefer the taste (I know I don't), you can skip it altogether and substitute it with more of a different dry ingredient (such as oats or any other cereal you wish to add).
• I have also made a batch including a variety of healthy seeds such as sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, melon seeds, sunflower seeds along with the ever so good flaxseed ofcourse.
• For folks like me who do not prefer the taste of chocolate, you can substitute it with any nut butter (such as almond or peanut butter) or plain jaggery if you like.
• I have also tried this with a whole lot of crushed unsalted dry fruits such as almonds, cashews, walnuts, figs, etc.
• If you don't have chocolate chips, just take any chocolate bar you have at home and crush it into coarse powder.

These taste far better than the health bars available in the market and since they are home made, they are free of any preservatives or chemical agents. And they are so easy to make - no baking, microwaving or stove top cooking involved!

For more ideas or inspiration, you can see another fellow blogger who has also given this a try here. Enjoy!

Linking this to the "Made With Love" party over at Patty's blog.

Healthy Substitutes

Ever since I became a mom, I realized the importance of nutrition and a wholesome balanced diet. I started paying more attention to food as a tool for providing nutrition and health to our bodies, rather than something I used to stuff in me to please my taste buds or fulfill my hunger pangs. Now every time I am at the grocery store, I notice I read more closely, the nutritional content and ingredients on boxes of cereals, juices, crackers and other staples. More importantly, I began to appreciate the benefits of using organic food as much as possible and using healthier substitutes instead of the usual culprits to fulfill kids cravings for junk and comfort food. Over the past few years, my loyalty has gradually shifted from the supermarket to organic food stores.

Lately, I am noticing more and more people are now being careful about their food choices as well especially when it comes to protecting their children and families from pesticides, toxins and other chemicals in our day to day food. This I am learning by chatting with other moms who I see frequenting the organic food store aisles and buying pretty much their entire week's worth of groceries there as against going to a regular supermarket.

So if you are one of those people who have a nagging feeling that they should really take some steps towards a healthier lifestyle but are not sure how or are looking for smaller baby steps to figure out some healthier substitutes, here are some ideas that may be of help.

• Use fresh fruits and vegetables rather than canned processed foods whenever possible to cut down on preservatives and other chemicals.

• To make your regular wheat flour (atta) more nutritious, add 10-20% soya flour, besan, ragi flour or bajra flour (or all of them). You can also add 1 or 2 teaspoons of flaxseed powder or wheatgerm to the dough. This way you will have fortified mixed flour chapatis rather than plain wheat ones. Ofcourse you can also just choose to buy an organic brand of multigrain aata. 

• Eat unpolished red rice or brown rice instead of regular polished white rice. Unpolished brown or red rice is a good source of fiber, essential amino acids and B vitamins, including B6. Experiment with the many varieties of unpolished rice available.

• While making dosa, replace rice in the batter with brown rice or jowar/wheat/daliya batter. This will reduce the glycemic load. 

• Instead of de-husked dals, use whole dals, ragi, chana, udad dal, etc. They provide more minerals and fibre. 

• Choose unsweetened breakfast cereals and add in some honey and fruit to it. This will act as a natural and much more nutritious sweetener.

• Pick multigrain bread over white and brown bread.

• While making bhel, simply cut down on the sev and used roasted chana instead.

• Instead of refined sugar in your milk, tea or coffee, switch to palm sugar for a more natural and low glycemic index alternative or stevia for a zero calorie and zero glycemic index option. Processed white sugar can increase acidity, causes mineral deficiencies, weakens immune function. 

• Start your day with 1 teaspoon of wheatgrass powder in half a glass of water to get all the benefits you may get from 4 plates of green salad. Wheatgrass is a good source of chlorophyll, folic acid and a huge number of minerals. It is a powerful blood cleanser and an antioxidant.

• When in the mood for something warm to drink, brew up a nice hot cup of green tea with honey in it. 

• Snack on seeds or dry fruits when the mid-day snack craving hits you. 

• You can also make a dry cereal mix with lots of oats, bran, seeds,  and a variety of dry fruits (such as raisins, almonds, cashews etc.) and keep it ready.When a snack craving hits, just pour in a bowl, add milk, palm sugar and enjoy. 

• Try cooking millet as a substitute for rice at times. 

• If you are always in a rush during mornings and don't have time for breakfast, try whipping up healthy and wholesome smoothies at home. One power smoothie idea - whip together 1 cup of milk, 2 scoops of whey protein, 1 teaspoon palm sugar and 4 almonds. You can also add wheat germ or flaxseeds or a fresh fruit as optional. 

These are just a few suggestions to get you started. You can find many more yummy and healthy recipes in the Recipe Corner of our online store.

Do you readers have any other ideas or tips to improve the healthy quotient of their daily diet? Please share through this blog's comments - we'd be very interested to learn. Or you can also send in your healthy recipes at care@shophealthy.in and I can post it here as a guest post!  

So here's to spreading health - one bite at a time!

Independence Day Sale

Posting our latest sale details here so that you can avail this limited time offer going on in our store www.shophealthy.in. Feel free to spread the word amongst your friends and family as well.

What is Wheat Germ?

What is Wheat Germ?

Walk past any health food store and you will no doubt see advertisements for wheat germ. Wheat germ is one of the most nutritional products available. In fact, wheat germ contains 23 nutrients, and has more nutrients per ounce than any other vegetable or grain.

Wheat germ is the embryo part of the kernel. This is where the sprout originates. It makes up only about 2.5 percent of the kernel weight, yet it is extremely rich in nutrients. The word germ does not have anything to do with bacteria; it simply refers to germination. The germ is the reproductive part that germinates and forms the wheat grass.

Nutritional Information

Wheat germ is very high in protein. It contains around 28 percent protein and has more protein than can be found in most meat products. The human body needs protein in order to repair tissue damage and to help minerals and nutrients reach our cells.

The amount of nutrients that are contained within wheat germ seems endless. It contains more potassium and iron than any other food source. Also found in great quantities are riboflavin, calcium, zinc, magensium and vitamins A, B1 and B3. Vitamins B1 and 3 are very important to maintain energy levels and maintain healthy muscles, organs, hair and skin.

Another important vitamin found in wheat germ is vitamin E. Vitamin E is a very important antioxidant. It is helpful in preventing the body's aging process and also to prevent heart disease. Vitamin E also helps to prevent blood clots and is needed to strengthen the body’s immune system. Thus people use wheat germ for various conditions such as preventing or repairing hair loss, controlling diabetes, improving fertility, etc.

How to Use

• Mix 2 dessert spoons of wheat germ in a cup of milk, add sweetener of your choice and fruits to make a tasty and nutritious breakfast cereal. Lean filling of wheat germ on the tops of fruits, jelly, ice creams, curd, kheer etc will give tasty results.
• Mix 15 gms of wheat germ with 200 gms of whole wheat atta to make roti, parathas etc with high fiber ratio. Ratio can be altered as per taste. Skimmed milk powder, curd, ajwain, methi etc may be added to rotis or parathas as per taste.
• If you make your own bread or cakes you can easily add wheat germ when baking by using it instead of a small amount of flour. You will find that it has a nutty flavor that is not too overpowering. It can also be added to meat dishes, eggs, vegetables and even yogurt.

Where to Buy?

Our store now carries wheat germ as part of our healthy breakfast items. So cheers to starting your day right!

Recipe - Organic Hummus (without Tahini)

Hummus is a popular dish that originated in the Middle East. It is a spread, dip, or paste made of chickpeas and tahini that is usually eaten with pita or any other flat bread, raw vegetables or chips/nachos. Several ingredients are used in making hummus but the primary ingredients are chickpeas and tahini. 

A while ago I had some extra chhole (chick peas) left over from a dinner party I was hosting. I decided to rinse them and freeze them to make hummus once I find just the right recipe for it. Since it was going to be an impromptu hummus, I decided I wanted to keep it simple without going through the efforts of searching for tahini paste/sauce. 

While browsing online for the right recipe, here is what I whipped up. This has been adapted from this recipe here.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (425gms) of organic chickpeas (organic garbanzo beans) - soaked overnight, cooked and drained
• 4 tablespoons organic lemon juice
• 1/4 cup organic extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon. organic ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon organic cayenne pepper / red chilli powder
• Fresh parsley / coriander for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

• Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth
• Serve in festive dish
• Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with parsley / coriander

Serve this with a pack of nachos or pita bread or fresh salad vegetables cut in sticks such as carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, steamed asparagus, beans, cherry tomatoes, etc. You can also use it as a salad dressing or as a spread on sandwiches or wraps instead of mayonnaise. 

Health Benefits of Hummus:

Chickpeas, which are more popularly known as garbanzo beans, are high-protein legumes. Tahini, if you choose to use it, refers to sesame paste which is rich in calcium and protein. The nutritional benefits of hummus can be rooted down from each of its ingredients. Here are the health benefits of each ingredient used in this tasty and healthy side dish:

1. Chickpeas

Chickpeas, the main ingredient in hummus, are rich in fiber and protein. They also contain vitamins and minerals such as folic acid (chickpeas tend to be higher in folic acid than other beans), zinc, and magnesium.Chickpeas do not contain any cholesterol or saturated fats. This makes hummus a favorite among vegetarians. Chickpeas are also known to be effective in preventing build up of cholesterol in the blood vessels. Apart from that, it can maintain correct blood sugar levels and help prevent cancer.

2. Olive Oil

Another healthy ingredient found in hummus is olive oil. As most people know, olive oil is a healthy fat. It has high monounsaturated fat content but low in saturated fat. This oil can thus help regulate cholesterol and protect the heart from various diseases.

3. Garlic and Lemon Juice

Garlic and lemon juice, meanwhile, are filled with antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress in the body. They also work to improve immune functions and fight of bacteria and viruses.

4. Overall Health Benefits of Hummus

Hummus as a whole contains plenty of Omega 3 fatty acids, which are great for improving intelligence and maintaining a healthy heart. On top of it all, this dish also has iron, vitamin B6, manganese, copper, folic acid, and amino acids. Tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine are the amino acids found in hummus that can promote good quality sleep and uplift one’s mood.

Tips & Product Suggestions for Weight Loss - Part 3

In our third and final article for the weight loss series, let's talk about the benefits of a few other products that are extremely beneficial towards trimming those extra pounds.


1. Green Tea


Enough and more has been written about the benefits of green tea on our health. According to an article on www.webmd.com, aside from fighting heart disease, cancer, and other diseases, a new study shows that drinking green tea may also fight fat.The study showed that people who drank a bottle of tea fortified with green tea extract every day for three months lost more body fat than those who drank a bottle of regular oolong tea. Researchers say the results indicate that substances found in green tea known as catechins may trigger weight loss by stimulating the body to burn calories and decreasing body fat.


Black tea, oolong tea, and green tea come from the same Camellia sinensis plant. But unlike the other two varieties, green tea leaves are not fermented before steaming and drying. Most teas contain large amounts of polyphenols, which are plant-based substances that have been shown to have antioxidant, anticancer, and antiviral properties. However, green tea is particularly rich in a type of polyphenols called catechins. These substances have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties, but recent research in animals show that catechins may also affect body fat accumulation and help increase metabolism.


Where to Buy
You can browse various organic brands of green tea in our online store under the category of Teas.

2. Moringa Leaf Powder

The moringa's role in weight loss efforts may be chiefly attributable to the plant's low-fat, high-nutrient qualities that make it an acceptable, low-calorie substitute for many other foods. Moringa is also high in Vitamins B1, B2 and B3, which your body needs to convert food to energy instead of storing it as fat.


Benefits
Moringa leaves provide dieters with a rich array of necessary vitamins, proteins and minerals that deliver nutrients without unhealthy fats or high-calorie carbohydrates, according to researchers from John Hopkins University. Each oz. of moringa leaves provides a dieter with more vitamin A than an oz. of carrots, more iron than an oz. of spinach, more calcium than an oz. of milk, more potassium than an oz. of bananas and more vitamin C than an orange, according to a scientific study and nutritional analysis conducted by scientists at the Trees of Life organization. The same study reported that moringa leaves contain protein quality at similar levels to whole milk and eggs, without the fat and calories.


Role In Weight Loss
Moringa leaves are low in fat and highly nutritional. Because they are packed with so many nutrients, they offer dieters a healthy alternative to eating many higher calorie foods. Moringa leaves provide 42 percent of the recommended daily minimum requirement for protein, and 125 percent of the recommended daily minimum requirement for calcium. The B vitamins in moringa leaves also help you digest and convert foods to energy and may increase your metabolism, according to MoringaTreeofLife.com. 


Consumption
Moringa leaves are often eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable in places where the tree is native or cultivated, according to the Environmental Society of Australia. Crushed moringa leaves are available in a dry powder that may be stored on a shelf for years without deterioration or loss of nutrients. Dieters may also steep and drink moringa leaf tea daily for its low-fat, low-calorie nutritional value.


Where to Buy
Our store carries various brands of organic Moringa Leaf Powder under the Overall Health section within Supplements.


3. Seeds Blend


You must be already familiar with usage of flax seeds (or flax seed powder) for weight loss. Other than these power packed omega-3 rich seeds, there are others that have unique nutritional value as well - such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, etc. Seeds are high in fiber, vitamin E and monounsaturated fats that can help keep our heart healthy and our body disease free. Healthy seeds are also great sources of protein, minerals, zinc and other life-enhancing nutrients. Numerous studies have shown that different types of seeds and nuts can actually prevent weight gain, the development of heart disease and the accumulation of LDL cholesterol. If you are going to add seeds to your diet, I would recommend that you eat only organic seeds, in their raw state. Snacking on nuts and seeds is a great way to win the war against the bad kind of fat, and lose weight in the process. 


According to an article on http://www.globalhealingcenter.com, here are the benefits of the 5 healthiest seeds you should add to your diet: 

i) Sunflower Seeds: 
The perfect phytochemical-rich seed for those of us looking to lose weight, as they promote healthy digestion and increase fiber intake.
Sunflower seeds are also extremely rich in folate, a very important nutrient for women. They are packed full of good fats, antioxidant-rich Vitamin E, selenium and copper, all crucial elements in preventing heart disease, cancer, and other forms of troublesome cellular damage. 

ii & iii) Sesame Seeds (White & Black): 
Sesame seeds are very high in calcium, magnesium, zinc, fiber, iron, B1 and phosphorus, sesame seeds are unique in their chemical structure. Possessing important cholesterol-fighting fibers known as lignans, studies show that these seeds can lower blood pressure, as well as protect the liver from damage. Sesame seeds also may help prevent Arthritis, asthma, migraine headaches, menopause, osteoporosis and PMS.

iv) Pumpkin Seeds: 
Some scientific studies have shown that the components of pumpkin seeds may stop the triggering of cancerous behavior in male prostate cells. Pumpkin seeds are high in a form of antioxidant known as carotenoids, a special plant derivative that enhances immune activity and disease fighting capacities. These seeds are also high in omega-3 fatty acids and zinc, two important nutrients that may play a role in warding off inflammation, arthritis and osteoporosis. Finally, pumpkin seed are high in phytosterols, plant components that aid in keeping stable levels of cholesterol, enhanced immune response, as well as cancer-fighting attributes.

v) Flax Seeds:
Flax seeds are called the miracle low carb whole grain these days. Flax seed is high in most of the B vitamins, magnesium, and manganese, but this little seed is just getting started. There are three additional nutrient groups which flax seed has in abundance, and each has many benefits. Flax Seed is Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are a key force against inflammation in our bodies. Flax Seed is High in Fiber. You’d be hard-pressed to find a food higher in fiber -- both soluble and insoluble -- than flax. This fiber is probably mainly responsible for the cholesterol-lowering effects of flax. Fiber in the diet also helps stabilize blood sugar, and, of course, promotes proper functioning of the intestines. Flax Seed is High in Phytochemicals, including many antioxidants. It is perhaps our best source of lignans, which convert in our intestines to substances that tend to balance female hormones.  


Where to Buy
The unique seeds blend available at our store contains a perfect blend of 5 of these most power packed seeds from mother nature. Once there, you can also read about its usage ideas, dosages etc. in the product description.

Tips & Product Suggestions for Weight Loss - Part 2

As promised in my previous post, here is part 2 of the tips and product suggestions for weight loss. 

1.  Barley Grass

According to an article on livestrong.com, an online journal for food, fitness and health through healthy living, Barley grass contains a variety of nutrients and confers health benefits such as support for healthy weight loss. The same article continues as follows:


Nutrition
Barley grass is rich in beta carotene and calcium and it contains a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes. Barley grass is packed with fiber and has more iron than spinach. Barley grass can be harvested for grain, cut and juiced, or dried to be put into capsule form.


Benefits
Barley grass is nutrient-dense food because it provides full body nutrition. Barley grass powder is easily digested, which allows for rapid and quick nutrient absorption by the body. Barley grass provides all nutrients needed by the body. It aids cell repair; improves skin health; eases arthritis, asthma and migraines; combats cancer; and helps reduce fatigue.


Weight Loss
Barley grass is also rich in chlorophyll, which is the basis of all plant life. Chlorophyll has been shown to alleviate blood sugar problems in addition to other benefits like neutralizing toxins, purifying the liver and rebuilding blood cells. Balancing your blood sugar keeps your hunger in check by preventing mid-afternoon hunger pangs or cravings. Barley grass and powder have been shown to help stimulate weight loss when added to a healthy diet. Fiber also helps regulate your blood sugar and helps keep you full between meal times. Fiber also binds fatty substances in the intestine and excretes them as waste.


Consumption
The best way to consume barley grass is to drink it freshly pressed. In order to have this readily available, however, you would need to grow your own barley grass. Barley grass is also commonly consumed through powder form, which can be mixed with juice or water. The manufacturing process for the powder retains most of its nutrients and some of its enzymes. However, barley grass pills or tablets are void of healthy enzymes.


Dosage
Enjoy all of these benefits by having just one serving of 3.5g daily.


Where to Buy
Our store stocks various brands of Organic Barley Grass Powder for you to choose from. You can find it in the Supplements section under Powders.

2. Flaxseed Oil


Flaxseed contains vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein and essential fats that have many health and disease-fighting benefits. Flaxseed can be ground but also cold-pressed to produce flax oil. 


Nutrition
Flax oil contains high levels of the omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid - almost 8 gms per tablespoon. Omega-3 is a good heart-healthy fat that has the reverse effects of saturated fats, which are known to contribute to obesity, cardiovascular diseases, stroke and other degenerative diseases. Taken in supplement form, flaxseed oil can also be beneficial for weight loss because essential fats naturally satiate your appetite, help increase your metabolism, and curb cravings.


Suppresses Appetite
The same online health journal livestrong.com says that the essential oil found in flaxseed actually helps the stomach to retain food longer. When you take flaxseed oil with each meal, the food you've consumed is released more gradually into your small intestine, which slows digestion and helps regulate insulin levels. The result is a gradual steady drop in your blood sugar levels rather than a prolonged plateau, providing you with more energy and a sense of fullness after each meal.


Curbs Cravings
The fatty acids in flaxseed are essential nutrients meaning your body is actually unable to convert other sources of foods into the essential fatty acids naturally found in flaxseed oil. Your body actually seeks out these essential nutrients in the foods you eat. When it can't find them, it detects a nutritional deficiency. The result is you continue to crave unhealthy fats and sweets.


Boosts Metabolism
The essential fatty acids found in flaxseed oil help increase your body's metabolic rate allowing you to burn excess fats your body doesn't need, including even unhealthy ones. According to the website, Ask Dr. Sears, your body burns this unwanted fat through thermogenesis, "...a process in which specialized fat cells throughout the body (called brown fat) click into high gear and burn more fat when activated by essential fatty acids, especially gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)."


Consumption 
Taking flaxseed oil with each meal increases the nutritional value of other foods you're eating, especially foods rich in sulfated amino acids such as yogurt, cabbage, and animal, fish and soy proteins that help the absorption of essential fatty acids into your cell membranes. 


Dosage
The recommended dosage of flaxseed oil for weight loss or maintenance is one to two teaspoons per day divided between each meal


Where to Buy
Our store stocks Organic Cold Pressed Flaxseed Oil that you can find in the section for Oils.

Tips & Product Suggestions for Weight Loss

Ever since we started this venture (our store www.shophealthy.in), the question we have been asked more than any other is – “Do you have some products for weight loss as well?” My answer to this has always been – there is nothing better than regular moderate exercise and a balanced diet. Also you need to remember to burn more calories than you consume.


Here is some more information on additional steps you can take – either to switch to healthier substitutes or use products to aid the goal of weight loss. This article is the first in the series that will discuss various weight loss aids and substitutes.

For this first one, I’d like to focus on Natural Sweeteners. The search for healthy, natural and low calorie sweeteners is not new to households fighting obesity. If you actually think of the  spectrum of sweeteners ranging from least healthy to most healthy, here is how it would look like in the order of bad to good for your health:

Refined Sugar (also called white or regular Sugar)  – Brown Sugar – Jaggery – Palm Sugar and/or  Stevia

Here is a comparison and some facts that you’ll find interesting:

Factor	Stevia	Palm Sugar	Regular Sugar	Brown Sugar
Calories	0	Low	16 (1 teaspoon)	11 (1 teaspoon)
Carbs	0	Low	100%	100%
Glycemic Index	0	35 (Low)	60-90 (High)	66 (High)
Nutrients	Numerous vitamins and trace elements like Selenium, Cobalt and Chromium (powerful antioxidants)	Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 and C are naturally present in it. Also has some natural protein and fat.
Made Of	Dried Stevia leaves. (Stevia  is a non-caloric herb that is native to Paraguay).	The sap of palm trees by making several slits into the stem of a palm tree and collecting the sap. The sap is then boiled until it thickens.	Processing sugarcane, crystallized, bleached to make it white and then refined to make it free-flowing.	Molasses mixed with refined sugar
Pros	1.   Excellent for diabetics and weight watchers due to 0 calories, 0 carbs and 0 GI.        2.  Highly sweet        3.  Helps control blood sugar, reduce blood pressure,  preventing hypertension, suppressing appetite	1. Great for people who are weight conscious or diabetic.        2. It cooks, dissolves and melts just like regular sugar.        3. Has a far superior taste than regular sugar        4.Absolutely free from bleaches and preservatives		1. Does not contain the harmful chemicals in bleach since it is not bleached to make it white.  2. It has a slightly lower caloric value than white sugar
Cons	1. Bitter after-taste        2. It does not melt or cook like sugar does	1. It is not completely free of calories or carbs.	1.  White cane sugar is bleached using harmful chemicals like phosphoric acid, formic acid and sulpher-di-oxide	1. It is still 100% carbs and with the same high GI as regular white sugar

If you are like me, after reading these facts you’d like to know more about the regular or brown sugar you’ve probably been consuming all these years.

• So sugar as we know is made out of processing sugarcane, crystallized, bleached to make it white and then refined to make it free-flowing. Bleach contains harmful chemicals like phosphoric acid, formic acid and sulphur di-oxide.
• Sugar is 100% carbs and its GI ranges anywhere from 60-66 (High).
• Brown sugar is often produced by adding cane molasses to completely refined white sugar crystals.
• It may have a slightly stronger flavor with a hint of caramel in taste.
• Brown sugar has a slightly lower caloric value by mass than white sugar due to the presence of water.
• Brown sugar is also 100% carbs though and its GI is the same as white sugar (60-66). By comparison, the GI of honey is 55-60.
• The difference is that brown sugar does not contain the harmful chemicals in bleach since it is not bleached to make it white. And it has a slightly lower caloric value than white sugar. 

But neither white nor brown sugar come even close to all the nutrition and benefits that is provided by Stevia or Palm Sugar.

So here’s the bottom line. If healthy and natural is what you are focused on, make the switch from regular sugar to Palm Sugar. If diabetes is what you are trying to control, then Stevia is the best natural choice for you as a sweetener.