Home > Diet & Fitness > Diet and food > Healthy Eating III - Ms. Shanti Balraman

The last two weeks we have given you food for thought! This week we bring you the concluding installment, Healthy Eating - Part III . Ms. Shanti Balaraman throws more light on

• nuts, snacks, dry fruit, milk etc.
• salt intake
• the importance of eating each meal We hope you've enjoyed these delicious tidbits!

KNOW YOUR SNACKS-.TREE NUTS & DRY FRUITS

Seeds & nuts are excellent source of proteins, MFA,Vitamin B , Vitamin E , & minerals. Cashewnut, hazelnut, walnut, pistachio & particularly almonds are nutrient dense foods. Almonds are called the king of nuts because of the higher nutritive content of all the nuts. Cashews provide the least . However, nuts should be consumed in their natural raw state & in moderation.. We all know that raw nuts are among the foods highest in fat, but the point to note here is that, fat here is completely natural & unprocessed which is best for the body. Nuts also result in greater satiety & a feeling of fullness which may be good for a successful weight management. The presence of such powerful nutrients makes a handful of almonds [20] ,a must have,in the diet. What best snack to have in the midmorning than nuts or to have an almond shake in the evening after you return from work for rejuvenation?

KNOW YOUR MILK AS A COMPLETE FOOD

Throughout the world, milk occupies a unique position in the maintenance of health & in healing diseases. It is considered as nature's “most nearly perfect food “. Milk & milk products contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, almost all known Vitamins & many minerals. Dairy protein is of a superior quality as it contains all the aminoacids. A litre of milk provides all the calcium needed by an individual for a wholeday, a liberal amount of phosperous, Vitamin A, C , iron & to some extent Vitamin B,E & D. Of course today, to avoid the fat content in milk, it is preferable to use low fat milk or skimmed milk available in the market or cow's milk .

GA_googleFillSlot("sitagitarectanglebottom");

NEVER SKIP YOUR BREAKFAST

Breakfast is a very important meal for everyone- right from children to old people. Let me explain this. Our brain needs glucose for normal functioning. During nighttime when we sleep, our brain is less active so we do not need food . But when we start our day, our brain has to be fed with necessary glucose in the morning itself. Otherwise one feels tired & exhausted & the brain does not function properly. Apart from this, when a proper breakfast is had, one is not hungry & does not crave for unhealthy snacks in the mid morning & the process of digestion also is well balanced. A proper breakfast should be well balanced. i.e high in energy, protein, fibre & vitamins. It should take care of 30% of a day's total calorie needs. If it is a cereal meal, cereal should be combined with milk& fruits. Cereal has high energy content. Its protein content is improved by milk. Its fibre & vitamin contents are improved with fruits. If it is idli, pongal or dosa , energy & protein contents are taken care of. For fibre & vitamins, a vegetable chutney is preferable. Or if it is kichadi, poha, othappam ,adai etc, a lot of vegetables should be combined in it. A cheese & vegetable sandwich is another option. But preferably avoid using white bread . if it is a cheese sandwich, fruits can be had with it or a glass of milk with a vegetable sandwich. Anther important point I want to mention here is that it is not very good to have kanji [porridge] for breakfast. Any cereal should be taken as solids, Particularly for diabetics Because the kanji is high in glycemic index

LUNCH IS MORE COMPREHENSIVE

Lunch should take care of 40% of total calorie value Lunch can be heavier than breakfast But should be a balanced meal. we should make sure that we have cereals- 1cup of cooked rice [4tbsp ] or 3 roties or paratas small 2 dal cooked 1 cup [in any form] for proteins greens & vege cooked 2 cups for Vitamins , Minerals & fibre curd or buttermilk or milk or any other milk product for other nutrients fruits 1 serving for more nutrients For change of taste,the foods may be interchanged without losing the nutrients. For eg for protein requirement,a paneer dish can be included.Instead of cereal one can have a potato dish which is not fried

GA_googleFillSlot("sitagitarectanglebottom");

DINNER IS LIGHT

Dinner may take care of up to 30% of total calorie needs & should not be very heavy& Should be easily digestible. Dinner should always be had minimum 3hours before sleeping. It is important to have 1 big serving of Salads or/& fresh fruits in the night. then if needed, a light healthy dish like khichdi or 2 rotis with dal. Leave 20 min gap between salads & cooked food. Bed time milk is a good habit

To recap the points discussed;

• Consume liberally certain foods, fruits , greens, green vegetables & low fat dairy products.
• Avoid certain foods- processed food, fast foods & aerated drinks.
• Have only small quantities of desserts& deep fried snacks.
• Never use refined food items like maida in cooking. Use brown bread as against white bread. ; whole wheat atta against refined maida;. handpounded rice against refined & polished rice;
• Eat whole fruits as against fruit juices.
• Use a blend of oils.
• Manage vegetables in a combination.
• Try to use sprouted cereals & pulses whenever possible
• Use nuts & dryfruits in moderate quantities for snacking.
• Do not use excessive salt.
• Never skip breakfast
• Become physically active.
• learn to eat smaller meals at regular intervals

As I had first said, eating healthy-- is it not a lot simpler than you think? an excellent balanced diet can be planned around the healthy foods.

Finally before I close, I want to quote Dr Deepak Chopra , from his book ' Ageless body Timeless mind'. His recipe for a Blissful diet - it should be“light, soothing, easily digested ,fresh produce,balance of all six tastes. & of course the six vital elements." This is the advice we all should bring into our lives. Moderation in everything, is such simplistic advice, but this, combined with the simple formula of regular exercise, both physically & mentally, & also combined with healthy eating is the only lifestyle option available to us today ,to have a healthy life Adam & Eve in the garden of Eden ate fruits and nuts: and they called it Paradise. So would I! It is true. If the food is in tune with nature as a whole, it is conducive to happiness & well-being

Healthy Eating - Part I

Healthy Eating - Part II

- Shanti Balaraman.