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Artificial Sweeteners – Should You Be Using Them When Trying to Lose Weight?

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People with pre-diabetic and diabetic condition and also those who want to shed weight consider sugar-free artificial sweeteners a boon and an answer to their prayers. Artificial sweeteners are considered best substitutes to refined sugar because they add fewer calories in comparison and do not cause sharp spikes in insulin as such. White/refined sugar has obnoxious amount of empty calories and can raise insulin levels, eventually leading to weight gain and health problems like diabetes and inflammation in the body which in turn can trigger heart problems and stroke. There is a sizeable population in India which is switching completely to artificial sweeteners due to the fact that such sugars have comparatively lower calories. Artificial sweeteners like stevia and aspartame are hugely popular and considered healthy options to refined sugar. But are these artificial sweeteners safe for the body? What are the side effects if you use them life long? Most importantly, if you are trying to lose weight, should you completely switch to artificial sweeteners? Let’s find out:

Most Popular Artificial Sweeteners:

1. Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K): 200 to 250 times more sweetness than regular sugar. Popular among diabetics because it has no calories and does not spike insulin. Used extensively in beverages along with aspartame and sucralose. Used extensively in carbonated water, biscuits, cakes, sweets, confectionary, tea and coffee-based packaged beverages.

2. Aspartame: 200 times more sweetness than regular sugar. The most common tabletop sugar, but it loses its sweetness at high temperatures and when heated. Used frequently in frozen and uncooked desserts. Also used in carbonated water, biscuit, bread, cakes, sweets, jam, chocolates, sugar-free products, chocolates, ice cream, flavored milk, cereals.

3. Sodium Cyclamate: 30 to 50 times more sweetness than regular sugar, it’s a synthetic sweetener, used in combination with saccharin. The US Food and Drug Administration had banned this sweetener in 1969.

4. Saccharin: 200 to 400 times more sweetness than regular sugar. Used as a tabletop sweetener, dissolves easily in liquids. It is also quite popular in baking because it maintains its sweetness even when heated. Saccharin claims to add sweetness without calories. Used extensively in chocolates, Indian sweets, sugar-free confectionary, chewing gum/bubble gum.

5. Sucralose: 600 more sweetness than regular sugar. Very popular artificial sweetener that is used in baking because it maintains its sweetness even when heated to high temperatures. It doesn’t raise insulin levels, so popularly used in diabetic products. Used extensively in carbonated water, biscuits, cakes, sweets, jam, ice lollies, candies, confectionary, packaged tea and coffee beverages.

6. Stevia/Steviol glycosides: 100 to 150 times more sweetness than regular sugar. Natural extract from stevia leaves. Whole leaf variant considered safest to be used. Rebaudiside A, stevioside, rebaudiside A are all different variants of stevia. Most common tabletop sweetener.

7. Advantame: FDA-approved tabletop sweetener.

8. Neotame: 7000 to 13,000 times more sweeter than sugar, it is approved as a tabletop sweetener, though not available in packet form yet.

9. Erythritol: Very popular with keto dieters.  It’s usually made from fermented corn or cornstarch. It is commonly used in baking, has no bitter aftertaste.

Artificial Sweeteners in the form of Sugar Alcohol:

1. Xylitol: Has up to 2.4 calories/gm. Commonly included in chewing gum, hard candy, throat lozenges, cough syrup, children’s multivitamins, toothpastes, mouthwashes, etc.

2. Sorbitol: Has up to 2.6 calories/gm. Commonly included in sugar-free candies, frozen desserts, baked items, chewing gums.

3. Mannitol: Has up to 1.6 calories/gm. Commonly included in chewing gum, in chocolate-flavored coating agent for ice cream and confectionaries.

4. Isomalt: Has up to 2.0 calories/gm. Commonly included in candies, toffee, cough drops, lozenges, wafers, toffee.

5. Lactitol: Has up to 2.0 calories/gm. Commonly used in chocolate, cookies, cakes, frozen desserts.

6. Maltitol: Has up to 2.1 calories/gm. Commonly used in hard candies, chewing gum, chocolates, baked food, ice creams.

FDA approved artificial sweeteners:

Neotame.

Saccharin

Sucralose

Aspartame

Acesulfame K

Artificial Sweeteners Approved by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India):

Aspartame

Acesulfame potassium

Saccharin

Sucralose

Is Stevia Safe?

FDA has approved the use of steviol glycosides (extracted from the stevia plant). On the contrary, FDA has not yet approved stevia leaves, but surprisingly, stevia in leaf form is considered pretty much safe to be consumed. Stevia is marketed as a safe alternative to refined sugar to add sweetness to your food and palate. The good thing about stevia is that it does not cause an insulin spike in the body. Since stevia is marketed in various forms, one should read the ingredients list carefully to rule out its addition and combination with other sugar forms such as dextrose or maltodextrin which can cause health effects. It’s best to opt for dry stevia leaves because there are fewer chances of adulteration. Also, it’s best to avoid highly processed or refined stevia. Refined stevia extracts are combined with other sweeteners that can spike up blood sugar levels, thereby defeating the whole purpose. Stevia extract, steviol glycosides are considered safe by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Green leaf stevia does not go through a lot of processing and is thus safe for consumption. Surprisingly, raw stevia extracts and whole leaf varieties are not yet recognized by FDA.

Artificial Sweeteners Under the cancer-causing radar:

As we have mentioned earlier, certain studies have linked aspartame, sucralose, saccharin to cancer in animals. It is advised to use artificial sweeteners with absolute caution and definitely in moderation.

Can Someone Gain Weight with Artificial Sweeteners?

Yes, of course! When compared to refined sugar, artificial sweeteners do have lesser calories, but they do have calories and if you go overboard adding artificial sweetener in everything, you would end up gaining weight! Natural sweeteners like honey and jaggery are much better options because they are not processed or refined and get metabolized by the body in a natural way.

Common Side Effects of Artificial Sweeteners:

Weight gain. Yes, you heard it right! Contrary to what most people think, prolonged use of sweeteners can lead to weight gain because they do have calories even if they are less in comparison  to refined sugar.

Certain studies have linked some artificial sweeteners with cancer in animals.

Artificial sweeteners have been found to interact with microbes in the gut and altering their population in the gut.

Artificial sweeteners can affect teeth in the long run.

Too much artificial sweeteners in the long run may actually increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Clinical studies have not yet linked artificial sweeteners with weight loss, so using them to drop weight is not advised.

Natural and Safe Substitutes for Artificial Sweeteners:

Honey

Maple syrup

Coconut sugar

Banana

Raisins

Apple Sauce

Jaggery

Molasses

Palm sugar

Agave Sugar

Popular Artificial Sweeteners in India:

These are some of the most commonly used sweeteners in India:

Splenda – Sucralose

Equal/Nutrasweet – Aspartame

Erythritol

Nutrasweet

Spoonful

Indulge

We strongly advise against the use of artificial sweeteners on a daily and regular basis. Whole stevia leaves are the safest option, but even then, natural forms of sugar that have not been processed or refined should be given preference.

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10 Ways to Jumpstart Weight Loss Journey

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It’s very easy to say “I’ll start tomorrow,” but setting your mind on a goal and planning towards achieving it is tough. Until and unless you do not push yourself, you will never get yourself to lose weight. If you want to know how you can start your weight loss process, here are 10 easy ways to jumpstart weight loss journey.

1. Check your weight: Do not make a rough estimate of how much you weigh. Stand on the weighing scale and note down how much you actually weigh before you embark on dieting and exercise regimen. Now that you know what your current weight is, find out what can help you more, a major change in diet, exercising or else simply running for 20 minutes a day. Honestly, dieting hasn’t worked for me, but controlling food habits always does.

2. Control your food intake: As we have discussed in the previous section, control your food habits. It isn’t easy but you can start slowly. If you have tea or coffee twice a day, avoid sugar in your evening tea or coffee. Do not have processed foods, junk, fried and try to eat healthy snacks in between meals. Do not cut down sugar completely right away. You can always have alternatives like jaggery in your tea or even honey. Your body needs sugar but it’s better to opt for a natural version rather than processed and refined version.

3. Scan your kitchen: Have too many chips, chocolates, frozen, and processed foods lying in your kitchen? Time to give them away as you don’t need them once you decide to lose weight. Once in a while, a  cheat day will not hurt, but it’s better to avoid these things at home when you start working on a plan.

4. Write down your goals: There are different goals people have! One is when you want to lose kilos, the other is losing inches, third is when you went to stay the same weight and maintain and lastly, it’s when you want to sculpt your body. Everyone has diverse goals in mind, which is why you need to write it down and keep a tab on it. Note down what you eat in a day and your weekly weight loss count. This can motivate you to work towards better results.

5. Focus on the problem area: As we have mentioned earlier, you need to know why you want to lose weight. For example, my problem area would be my arms, they just don’t want to become thin. After a lot of hard work, I’ve successfully seen a change and become more confident with wearing sleeveless clothes, but somehow, I still have a long way to go which makes me quite conscious. Just like this, you can focus on your problem area and start there first. For some, it might be back fat or the most common one – belly fat.

6. Make it fun: Do not take your workout and weight loss journey as a punishment. Make it a fun activity in your day. You can run for 15 minutes post warm up and opt for a sports activity if you enjoy it. Other than this, you can join aerobics, power yoga, do some exercises with your better half or best friend and make it an experience. This will help you start your weight loss journey on a happy note.

7. Buy cute workout clothes: There’s a reason workout clothes are invented and when you have some incredibly comfortable plus cute workout clothes, you will want to go to the gym. It’s just the excitement that will get you started off on a good note. For me, I enjoyed buying clothes for aerobics and it got me to go to the class every day. And before I knew it, I enjoyed it so much that I continued for another year. These little things can help you jump start in the right way.

8. Get enough sleep: Make it a habit to get 8 hours of sleep so that your body recovers after the first few days of heavy workout or exercise. Once you are sleeping well and eating right, your body will start loving this weight loss process.

9. Turn to green tea: Once a day, have some green tea or coconut water, whichever drink you prefer, has to be a part of your routine daily. This will boost your immunity and increase your metabolism which will lead to quicker results.

10. Don’t give up: It’s tough to start and to commit yourself to it but do not give up. You can definitely have some cheat days but give it time.

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s start losing some weight and enjoying it while we’re at it!

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10 Best Gluten-Free Grains that can Make You Healthier

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If you are health conscious and read labels on food packets, you must have frequently come across the word “gluten free” on certain food labels. So, what exactly is “gluten” and how does it impact health and the weight loss picture. Though gluten affects people with celiac disease in an adverse way, most health conscious people do avoid gluten like a plague. Now, let’s get into more details about gluten and try to find out 10 best gluten free grains that can make you healthier.

What is Gluten? Gluten is a group of proteins, comprising of glutenin and gliadin, which is commonly found in wheat. Gluten gives the flour its sticky and glue-like texture when mixed with water. In India, wheat is the commonly-consumed gluten-rich food; however, people with certain medical conditions and autoimmune disorders such as celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome are allergic to gluten where their immune system triggers a reaction against the presence of gluten in the body and damages gluten as well as the lining of the gut wall, which may further lead to reactions such as diarrhea, anemia, headache, rashes, and even depression. People with gluten intolerance and wheat sensitivity should totally avoid wheat and cereals that have this set of protein in them.

How are Gluten and Weight Loss Linked? Certain reports have revealed that people who have gone on a gluten-free diet have vouched for increased energy, digestion and drop in weight, but there are no concrete studies linking gluten with weight loss or gain. The weight loss aspect can be attributed to switching to low-calorie foods with no gluten in them.

Food Items Rich in Gluten:

Wheat.

Barley.

Bread.

Malt extract.

Soy sauce

Rye

Semolina

Soba noodles

Teriyaki sauce

10 Best Gluten-Free Grains that can Make You Healthier:

1. Buckwheat: Buckwheat is a rich source of fiber, iron, magnesium, and protein. It helps lower cholesterol levels and stabilizes blood sugar levels. 2. Amaranth – It’s a gluten-free grain that is rich in protein, calcium, antioxidants and minerals. It’s an easy-to-digest grain that also keeps your appetite in check. 3. Brown rice: Brown rice is a healthy substitute to white rice and the good new is that it is rich in fiber and helps maintain weight with its low glycemic index. Brown rice also helps with cholesterol level and is good for heart too. 4. Finger millet: A rich source of antioxidants, protein, calcium, this grain is absolutely great to lower risk of coronary artery disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. 5. Rolled oats: Rolled oats are different than normal oats in the way that they are steamed and flattened out. Rolled oats is good for everyone including for people who are trying to shed some weight, want to manage sugar levels, and lower risk of heart disease. Rolled oats is rich in nutrients and antioxidants and there is no reason not to include it into your diet. 6. Quinoa: Quinoa is the most preferred grain among people on a strict diet and trying to lose weight. It is rich in vitamin B, E, protein, fiber, as well as minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium, and selenium. It also has antioxidants and boosts metabolism, also has low glycemic index. 7. Sorghum/Jowar: Jowar helps prevent diabetes and cancer. It also improve immunity. It has vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants as well. It releases carbhohydrates slowly during digestion and does not cause sharp spike in insulin levels. 8. Flaxseed: It’s a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, B vitamins, iron, potassium, and minerals. It is great for the digestive system and lowers cholesterol level. It also boosts metabolism and helps manage weight. 9. Chia – Chia seed pudding is a favorite of most people on a diet. It is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, fibre. It has 3 times more iron than spinach, 5 times more calcium than milk, and 64% more potassium than a banana. Chia seeds are great for the skin, metabolism, and it can curb appetite to a good extent. 10. Arrowroot: Although arrowroot is not a grain, we decided to include it in this post because it is great for people who are looking for gluten-free options. Arrowroot is great for diabetics and has anti-inflammatory properties. It is rich in calcium and carbohydrates and aids weight loss.

Download Rati Beauty app for extensive diet programs and shed weight effectively and in a healthy way.

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8 Weight-Loss Friendly Nuts

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Nuts are an excellent snack option and they should be a part of your everyday life. Our parents have probably told us a million times to eat nuts daily but we often fail to listen. If you’ve missed out on eating nuts in your day-to-day diet, it isn’t too late to start now. It’s always good to eat at least one type of dried fruit with your meals. It can also be a good snack option or your first solid food in the morning because they provide the body with a whole lot of vitamins, protein, healthy fat, minerals, and micronutrients. There’s no reason why you should skip nuts. When you are looking to shed weight, it is essential to add nuts to your diet. You can make wonderful salads, just snack on them or make some healthy protein bar to carry with you as a post workout treat. Since we are talking about fitness, here are 8 incredible nuts that will help your weight loss process.

1. Walnuts: This “brain nut” is packed with omega-3 fatty acids. For those of you who do not eat fish or salmon or want to avoid taking supplements, here’s your golden nut. Vegans and vegetarians get their source of omega 3-fatty acids from walnuts! It also contains protein, vitamin E, and helps your heart stay away from bad cholesterol. When you are internally healthy, there’s nothing that can stop you from losing weight. Walnuts are great addition to salads. Start eating them right away post workout or when you feel like munching on unhealthy snacks during the day.

2. Almonds: When you consume almonds every morning, you are helping your body. Studies have shown that they may aid weight loss and help in lowering blood pressure problems in obese people. They aren’t just good for your skin and brain, they play a vital role for your internal system too. Since they have protein, fiber, magnesium and vitamin E, they provide loads of nutrients. They also keep your stomach functioning all fine which means you will not have bloating issue either.

3. Pistachio: A commonly consumed nut that’s high in fiber, we are talking about pistachios. Around 20 grams of pista, has 150 calories which is necessary for the body. It contains fat, carbs and all the vitamins your system requires. Since they are known to reduce blood sugar post meals, they can be great life savers for those with diabetes struggling to shed weight. Add them as a morning snack with tea or simple munch on them through the day for shedding some pounds.

4. Cashew: One of the absolute favorite nut for a majority of Indians out there, it has gained notoriety as a nut that leads to weight gain. Excessive eating without portion control can lead to weight gain with any food, not just cashews. There’s a wrong notion that eating too many cashews will make you fat. No, it will not! I’ve been following a diet filled with nuts and I have only lost weight. I love munching on cashews but just be careful you don’t over eat. This goes for all the nuts or generally any food item. Cashews are the best to improve your metabolism which leads to weight loss. So, stop thinking too much and have them through your day. When you make a cashew paste and cook it with oil or butter, that’s when it isn’t too good to eat. Just on its own, it is great!

5. Peanuts: Another favorite nut for people all across India. We heavily consume peanuts on a regular basis. They are a part of our recipes, breakfast and also a good snack with some drinks. Raw peanuts when roasted in a pan without any oil or butter are excellent tea snacks. Do not buy packaged peanuts which are already salted. Unsalted peanuts have contain high amounts of fiber and vitamin E. Unsalted, roasted-at-home peanuts with their peels on are the best ones to munch on.

6. Brazil nuts: These delicious nuts have tons of antioxidants in them. They will improve your internal system in no time and make you healthy. It is said that they help your body in recovering quickly from any ailment, which is why they are great post a long day of work out. They are also known to improve the function of blood vessels in obese teenagers and can help them shed weight faster.

7. Pecans: Pecans in brownies are enjoyable to every level. But when consumed on their own, they are tasty and amazing for your body. Researchers suggest that having pecans as a snack can help you stay fuller for a longer time. This means you snack less through the day and avoid unwanted foods. Pecans work wonderful as topping in many foods like salads, zucchini pasta and healthy dark chocolate sweets. They are high in calories but definitely better than many other foods.

8. Pine nuts: They might be expensive but there’s a reason for that. Pine nuts are not found in many houses which could be because of their cost or simply that we aren’t aware how beneficial it is for our body. When taken in moderation, they are said to work as appetite suppressants. Do I need to say more? For those who cannot give up unhealthy snacking habits, start eating pine nuts and see the results.

Other than these 8 nuts, I’d like to give honorable mention to pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Just add all of these 10 nuts together in a bottle and snack on it when hungry.

You will notice a positive change in your body, skin, hair and weight in a month!

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10 Amazing Ways to Start Eating Healthy

With the spurt of online food ordering apps, life has become much easier for a lot of busy bees out there who find the whole cooking process a tedious and time-consuming exercise. However, we must point out right here that “eating out” or “ordering in” though seems like quite an easy way to get food on your plate, it’s totally unhealthy in the long run when done on a frequent basis. If weight loss and getting fit is on your mind, go slow on outside food and switch to homemade food. We cannot even begin to tell you how much change it can bring to your body. If you are someone who also works out religiously, eating healthy will get to your dream shape sooner than you think. So, in this post, we are going to tell you about 10 amazing ways to start eating healthy:

1. The first thing you should probably do is to change your cooking oil: Stop all trans-fat oils, seed oils. Switch to healthy oils for cooking, olive oil, canola oil, sesame oil, coconut oil are good for Indian cooking. Here’s the list of 7 Best Non-Cooking Oils for Indian cooking.

2. Include one protein source (fish/chicken for non-vegetarians and beans/nuts/legumes/dal for vegetarians), one vegetable, one whole grain, and one fiber rich food during each meal. A portion of fruit is also recommended. If you are eating a plate, fill one quarter of your plate with a healthy protein source and one-quarter of your plate with whole grain (like quinoa, brown rice), and fill half of your plate with vegetable. And by the way, potatoes don’t count as a vegetable when you are on a diet, sweet potatoes are a good alternative. Eat at least one fruit each day.

3. Completely replace white food items from your diet: From white refined sugar to white rice, to maida, weed out all white things except for of course vegetables like cauliflower and dairy. These white things add loads of calories with little to zero nutritional value to your body.

4. Eat from a bowl rather than a plate: There’s an amazing scientific study that states that your brain gets tricked and feels satisfied when you eat from a bowl than from a plate. You would feel full when you eat from a small bowl with the same quantity of food that you eat from a larger plate. Also, the bowl’s weight in hand will give you the feeling that you are consuming more food. So, dump that plate and pick that bowl.

5. Replace simple carbs with complex carbs: Switch to whole grains rather than refined grains. Whole grains provide nourishment to your body without adding a whole lot of empty calories. We do suggest replacing white bread with whole wheat bread, whole grain pasta. Quinoa and brown rice are good options to replace white rice. Here’s the list of Best Carbs to Eat for Weight Loss.

6. Include millets of all varieties in your diet: Millets are super healthy for your body because not only do they have complex carbs and protein content, they help with weight loss, reduce your risk of colon cancer, supply antioxidants, and help regulate high blood pressure and diabetes. Some options are kodo, finger millet, ragi, sorghum, foxtail, banyard, little millet, and pearl millet.

7. Meal prep for the entire week: Dedicate one hour during the weekend to plan out your meals for the entire week, Monday through Sunday. Take the help of Rati Beauty diet programs to zero in on healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options so that instead of piling up calories, you would be able to shed some weight. Spend a few hours chopping up vegetables and storing them up in the fridge for use through the week. Also, keep a food journal and jot down every thing that you consume through the day and weed out anything that counts as junk.

8. Refrain from buying anything junk during grocery shopping: This is one of the most important things to remember – don’t shop for any junk food during grocery shopping (chips, processed meat, packaged food, colas, fried items, etc. all are counted as junk). Remember, what does not reach your pantry and fridge, would not show up on your plate.

9. Keep yourself hydrated: We cannot stress enough how essential water is to keep your whole system running smoothly and efficiently, and keep you healthy in the process. Eight glasses or more is often recommended. A tip from us – don’t gulp down water, sip slowly in a chewing motion. And sugary drinks and aerated beverages are not allowed.

10. Subscribe to Rati Beauty app: Your one-stop solution to lose weight in an extremely healthy way – all the diet programs in this app help you shed weight without compromising on your nutritional requirements. All details here.

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Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Blush Rosy Pink Review

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In this post, I am going to share my experience with Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Blush Rosy Pink. Read on for more details on this blush.

Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Blush Rosy Pink Review appeared first on Makeupandbeauty.com.

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15 Superfoods to include while Dieting to Lose Weight

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In the current time, where a lot of people do not manage to eat a healthy, nutritious, and wholesome diet on a daily basis, the inclusion of superfoods becomes all the more important. Now, if you are thinking about what category of food items are given this particular tag, we would like to say that any food that comes packed with a lot of nutrients and are beneficial to the human body can be called as a “superfood.” A lot of food items actually come loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, protein, etc., without increasing your calorie load or count. Let’s delve further and find out what all superfoods should be in your diet if you are particularly aiming to lose weight and get into shape, without fearing about restricting precious nutrients and vitamins in your diet, take a look:

1. Chickpeas: Chickpeas or chole with their high protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates give your body a lot of nutrition. What’s more, they keep you full for longer so that you do not reach out for snacks often. Chickpeas are also cholesterol free, good source of vitamin B6, and folate along with micronutrients like potassium, calcium, and selenium. In one cup of chickpeas (125 gm), you get around 210 calories, fat 3.8 gm, complex carbs 35 gm, fiber 9.6, and protein of 10.7 gm. All this nutrition makes it a wholesome food, so don’t forget to include chickpeas quite a few times during the week. 2. Sesame seeds: Sesame is a very under-rated seed but looking at the nutritional value it offers, it cannot be ignored anymore. Just a handful of sesame seeds sprinkled over your salad or in your roti can help you lower cholesterol and blood pressure. It is also rich in calcium, protein, and B vitamins. With its rich antioxidant content, it is good to fight life-threatening diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Talking about nutritional value, per 100 gm of dry sesame seeds, you get 573 calories with total fat content of 50 gm, carbs 23 gm, fiber 12 gm, sugar 0.3 gm, and protein of 18 gm. 3. Coffee: Yes, you heard it right! Don’t be surprised if we tell you coffee along with boosting metabolic rate and helping burn fat, it can supply a good amount of antioxidants, riboflavin, vitamin B5, manganese, potassium, niacin, and magnesium. Caffeine can also reduce the risk of someone developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer. So, sip your cup of coffee with confidence the next time around because it’s doing you a whole lot of good, but certainly don’t overdo coffee, we recommend just about 2 cups in a day. 4. Green Tea/Matcha Green Tea: Green tea needs no introduction. This healthy alternative to regular tea is rich in antioxidants which help fight free radicals in the body. It can help with weight loss and also lower the risk of certain cancers. Matcha green tea is believed to have up to 137 times more antioxidants than regular green tea. Matcha green tea has both caffeine and l-theanine which provides a lot of energy. 5. Avocados: Avocados though high on fat, are counted in the top 10 superfoods in the world and that’s because it has lots of vitamins, minerals, good fats (monosaturated fat), phytonutrients, etc. It is a great fruit to keep heart in good condition. An average-sized fruit has around 80 calories but that’s no reason to worry because you get a whole lot of nutrients in a single fruit. 6: Quinoa: We all have heard a lot about quinoa being a superfood and that’s because with 222 calories, it has 39 gm of complex carbs, 8 gm of protein, and 5 gm of fiber. Quinoa is any day a much healthy alternative to rice and brown rice. 7. Eggs: Do we even need to go into details about the amazing benefits of eggs? In one egg, there are just about 75 calories with up to 7 gm of protein, 5 gm of fat, 1.6 gm of fat and a host of other minerals, vitamins, lutein, carotenoids, etc. If you are eating just two eggs each day, don’t skip on the egg yolk, they pack the most punch! 8. Oats: Rich in a high amount of fibre, oats release a high amount of carbohydrates into your bloodstream which results in high energy, at a steady rate. Consuming one cup of oats along with yoghurt can give you a steady amount of energy, not only for your exercise but throughout the day. In 100 gm of cooked oats, there are about 389 calories with high fiber (10.6 gm), good fat (6.9 gm), protein (16.9 gm), and carbs (66.3 gm). So, there’s no reason to dislike oats anymore. 9. Lentils: Indian lentils like kidney beans, black beans, masoor dal, moong dal, toor dal are all high in protein and iron content. A cup of cooked dal help boost metabolism, controls diabetes, helps in optimal brain functioning, aids in weight management, and helps maintain optimal blood pressure. 10. Almonds: Consuming just 5 soaked almonds each day in the morning would provide you with a good amount of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, and protein. It is considered immensely good for brain health. 11. Chia seeds: Chia seeds are considered an amazing source of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, iron, and of course protein. Chia seeds have five times more calcium than milk, more vitamin C than oranges, more potassium than banana, and much more omega-3 fatty acids than salmon fish. Just 2 tsp of chia seeds sprinkled over any salad or in almond milk will provide you all the nutrition you need. 12. Turmeric: To ignore turmeric as a superfood, would amount to ignorance because turmeric is a superfood, hands down. It is a natural antiseptic, antibiotic, blood purifier, and helps with fat burning and metabolism. Sip on turmeric tea to prevent inflammation and lose weight effectively. 13. Sattu: We believe sattu or roasted gram flour has not received enough appreciation from health experts. It’s also called “poor man’s protein” in India because it is highly rich in protein and acts as a coolant too. It boosts metabolism and energy to the body without adding lots of calories. 14. Moringa: We cannot even begin to tell you how amazing moringa is for health and overall wellness. Powdered moringa is made from leaves of moringa tree and are rich in iron, potassium, calcium, vitamin E, vitamin A, chlorophyll content, vitamin C, etc. It stimulates hair growth, increases immunity, boosts metabolism, detoxifies the whole body, and is rich in antioxidants. 15: Cow’s Ghee: Clarified butter or ghee is gaining huge popularity the world over because of the amazing benefits it provides to the human body including increasing immunity, keeping digestive system on track, cleansing the liver. It is also a great food item if you want to lose weight because it boosts metabolism up to a great degree. Just two tsp each day is just about enough to reap all benefits that it claims.

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7 Low-Fat Cooking Oils for Indian Cooking

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Running on the road to get healthy and fit? This post might just change your life then! If you have switched your food with greens and got rid of junk food, changing your cooking oil might also be your wisest decision. In this post, we will be talking all about better, healthier and nutritional cooking oils, ladies it’s time to ditch your current cooking oil for the following oils. Before we begin, let’s talk about fats in cooking oils. There are three types of fats in a cooking oil – saturated fat, mono saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat.

What is Saturated Fat? It is a fat that is rich in saturated fatty acids, usually solid at room temperature, it is found mainly in products derived from animals. Saturated fat can be found high in the following foods – meat, palm oil, coconut oil, and butter. Saturated fat is not good for the human body as it tends to raise the cholesterol level in the blood, which can cause various diseases including heart-related diseases.

What is Mono-saturated Fat?

The easiest way to find out whether it is saturated fat or a mono-saturated fat is by checking the consistency of the oil – a monounsaturated fat is typically liquid at room temperature but it will turn solid when refrigerated. The perfect example of monosaturated oil is olive oil. Mono-saturated fat is the type of fat that we must consume in moderation to live a healthier lifestyle and maintain overall health, as it helps to reduce bad cholesterol levels from the blood and can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke too. It also provide’s enough nutrition to help develop and maintain body’s cells. Oils rich in mono-saturated fats are – olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil, sesame oil and peanut oil.

What is Polyunsaturated Fat?

Polyunsaturated fat is the healthiest of the above-mentioned fatty acids. However consuming polyunsaturated fat in moderation is advised. Consuming polyunsaturated fat instead of saturated fat can improve health and keep you in better shape. This type of fat can be found in animal foods such as salmon, tuna, trout. nuts like walnuts, seeds like sunflower seeds, flax seeds, vegetable oils like soybean oil, safflower oil and corn oil.

Some of the best low-fat cooking oils are:

1. Extra virgin Olive Oil:  Olive oil is one the healthiest cooking oils in the world without a doubt, you can call it the king of oils! It is believed that people who rely on olive oil live a healthier and longer life. And now I know why all Italians love olive oil. Refined olive oil is stripped from important nutrients and antioxidants whereas extra virgin olive oil is nutritious and contains antioxidants making it far more superior than regular olive oil. The antioxidants in olive oil protect the body from free radicals which can cause disease and triggers ageing. Olive oil is mostly made of monounsaturated fat (approximately 73%), making it a heart-healthy oil. According to studies, people who consume olive oil reduce their chances of having a heart stroke by a considerable degree. It has been proven that cooking with olive oil can improve the nutritional value of food.

2. Canola Oil: It is believed that canola oil can aid in weight loss and makes it perfect for people who want to stay fit or for those who simply enjoy healthy food. Canola oil reduces the risk of heart-related and various other diseases. The best part is that it doesn’t really have any flavour which makes it even better to use it for Indian dishes, sautéing or even for baking. Canola oil has both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which makes it to the top on the list of healthy cooking oils. The oil is also rich in vitamins E and K which contributes to healthy-looking skin. According to studies, people who consume canola oil reduce belly fat compared to others using various other cooking oils, hope this is convincing! 3. Avocado Oil: Avocado oil is rich in healthy fats and antioxidants making it way straight to this list. According to studies, avocado oil can increase HDL (good cholesterol) and reduce bad cholesterol, it’s also beneficial to lower blood pressure. Avocado oil is quite healthy for eye health as it contains lutein; a carotenoid that’s naturally found in human eyes. Avocado oil is also rich in fatty acids that can help the skin to look firmer and younger for longer.

4. Safflower Oil: Safflower oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, and contains monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. It is low in saturated fat, making it an excellent low-fat cooking oil. According to studies, regular consumption of safflower oil can reduce blood sugar levels, making it ideal oil for diabetes patients. Safflower oil can also be beneficial for heart health and helps in lowering cholesterol. It can also improve blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes patients. It has a mild flavour and hence can be used to cook almost any food. If losing weight is your motto, we suggest consuming oil in moderation.

5. Sesame oil: Sesame oil has medicinal and cosmetic uses as well. Sesame oil is derived from raw pressed sesame seeds also known as til in Hindi. It has two powerful antioxidants called sesamol and sesaminol that has good effect on overall health. It also contains anti-inflammatory properties which protects the body from various diseases. As sesame oil is rich in unsaturated fat, it’s considered to be a heart-friendly oil. It contains plenty of omega 6 fatty acids which is helpful in preventing various heart diseases. Just like olive oil, sesame oil can be applied topically on skin and hair. It is beneficial to treat scars and acne. It also has moisturising properties and can be used on hair and scalp.

6. Flaxseed oil: If you are a vegetarian, adding flaxseed oil could be beneficial for you. This oil contains omega-3 fatty acids in abundance. If you are not a fish eater, then flaxseed oil may just serve the purpose. You can’t cook with this oil as it is sensitive to heat and oxidizes quickly, but you can use it over salads or over dips like hummus. Tip – Always buy flaxseed oil in smaller quantity and store it in dark place.

7. Peanut oil: Peanut oil is quite a flavorful oil, which means it should be used in dishes in which you actually want to taste some peanuts. You can use it in making peanut butter or peanut cookies/peanut cake, or it can be used to stir fry vegetables. Peanut oil is low in saturated fat acids and hence it’s low in fat and can be used safely for a low fat diet.

We have listed 7 healthy and comparatively low-fat oils to try other than regular oil, however, it does contain healthy amounts of fat and hence moderation is necessary. I hope you try some of these oils and get in some shape. Till then eat healthy, stay fit!

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