Green Tea

Green Tea: A boon to Modern Lifestyles

Our Modern lifestyle today has created quiet a few health problems for us and has unbalanced the "Tripod of Health".
With booming industrialization in the last century, the world has really changed and has moved closer too. This has lead to the import and export of foodstuff and availability of newer foods to such an extent that foods are available in the market round the year. No Longer do we get foods which are "Seasonal".
This definitely has influenced our palates and our eating pattern too.
On the other side, this also introduced us to foods from other countries which are now easily available in our markets.

One such wonderful addition is the "Green Tea" and is very easily available on the counters today. Green tea is one thing that should find a place in our kitchens, invariably. Green Tea can help us in getting our lifestyle back on track in this Modern age as it offers loads of health benefits.

Health Benefits of Green tea:

Stress reliever and a Mood Regulator: L-Theanine, an amino acid naturally found in green tea, readily crosses the blood-brain barrier and changes brain chemistry in a way that has been compared to aromatherapy. Studies show that theanine is a non-toxic, highly desirable mood modulator that can be enjoyed by everyone except babies.

As an Effective Cancer blocker: The studies of how green tea affects cancerous cells are still in their infancy, there have been human trials which indicate that it does inhibit cells from developing cancer.

Stabilizes cholesterol levels: Researchers believe that green tea lowers the cholesterol levels by reducing its absorption in your digestive tract and increasing the rate of which it is excreted.

Prevents cardiovascular disease: A Japanese study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed significant reductions in deaths from cardiovascular disease among green tea drinkers.

Can Promote weight loss: Both green tea and green tea extract have been shown to fight obesity and lower LDL cholesterol – both of which ultimately lead to a reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes. The polyphenols in green tea are extremely useful for dissolving triglycerides, a substance in the liver and small intestine made up of mostly sugar and fat, and this is thought to be the reason green tea benefits fat loss. EGCG(Methylated epigallocatechin gallate) is also known to stimulate the metabolism and accelerate weight loss. When combined with the caffeine in green tea, this causes your central nervous system to release fat into the bloodstream to be used as fuel which burns your body fat off.

Boosts your immune system: Catechins, the antioxidant polyphenol compounds found in green tea help in improving the immune system. Research conducted by the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in 2003 revealed that L-theanine, boosted the activity of the gamma delta T cells that form part of our adaptive and innate immunity. The study followed a group of coffee drinkers and a group of tea drinkers who each drank 600ml of their drink daily. Blood samples taken four weeks later quite clearly showed that production of anti-bacterial proteins were five times higher in those drinking tea.

Helps in Rheumatoid arthritis: Study results reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that polyphenol antioxidants in green tea benefits suffers of arthritis by reducing the incidence and severity of the disease by reducing cartilage destruction and reduces joint swelling and pain.

Can Reduces tooth decay: Antibacterial properties found in green tea are also used by your body to kill the bacteria that causes plaque on your teeth. Research by the Journal of Periodontology has also shown that for every cup of green tea you drink, there is a decrease in indicators for gum disease. Fluoride is also found in green tea which helps to protect against cavities.

Fights the cause of allergies in your body: EGCG has been shown to block a cells receptor involved in producing an allergic response. By blocking the production of histamine and immunoglobulin E (IgE), two compounds in the body that are chiefly involved in triggering and sustaining allergic reactions, EGCG could very well be the compound which prevents you from having watery eyes, sneezing and coughing.

Other benefits which are still being studied are :Use of green tea in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Skin and Aging.

Thus, Green Tea deserves an inclusion in our day-to-day routine and can give us a helping hand in coping with our Modern Lifestyles. Cheers!!! to a cup of Health !!!

My take on Yoga and Wt loss

Following are my thoughts on Yoga which I have shared with my peers and group members of the Indian Dietetic Association, Pune Chapter.

Hope this will also imform you a bit more on Yoga and why it can be incorporated in our troubled lives to keep us fit and healthy !!!

With a heated discussion on potency of different foods {hot or cold} and their effects on the body , if any, and handling such queries as nutrition consultants, we have been sharing our views according to our own experiences.

Diet and Ayurveda has always been a controversial issue and some of its concepts are bound to act as speed breakers for our understanding. With this as a background, when the issue of “yoga” comes up for discussion, I am sure there are going to be a lot of emails flying all over the place. I will share my views on this, as suggested by Dr. Geeta ma'am. I am just putting down my experiences and thoughts on this matter, but, I am open to all suggestions, all clarifications and expressions and am looking at this as a process of crystallizing my own thoughts.

My experience with Yoga starts in my childhood when i wasn't even aware of human biology and the way it has its effects on the human body. It was just about performing different ”asanas” in different formations, showing off the body for its flexibility and winning a shield probably at the end of the competition for my school. But it opened up a world of different experiences. I was also fortunate enough to learn the basics of concentration {will definitely not call it “Meditation”} during this time too.

My personal fascination with foods, using them as medicines (& sometimes cosmetics too), dietetic counseling , trying to understand ayurveda, practicing yoga on and off, has continued over the years.

So, these thoughts are purely based on my experiences and my reading on the subjects of yoga and sports physiology. When I say that yoga can be incorporated into a weight loss regime, very effectively, it is also based on some facts from the books of sports nutrition and sports physiology.

1} Usually the aim of any wt loss programme is to help the client to lose weight so that they achieve the targeted , ideal weight and try to maintain it in the long run. This also means that the there should be loss in overall fat mass and the body should be within the range for its ideal body fat % as well.

2} Exercises and current trends in weight loss focuses on trying to spend or burn as much calories as one can on exercising machines. Calculations here are based on calories given to the body using food or other formulas and the calories burned while exercising. Theory says that as long as there is a deficit in these equations, wt loss will result.

3} Sports Physiology says that the choice of fuel used by the body for exercise depends on 3 things: Intensity of Exercise

Duration of exercise

Nutritional status of the body.

4} Intensity of exercise: More than 60% VO2Max = CHO used as primary fuel

Bet 40-60 % VO2Max = mixed balance of fuel

Below 40 % VO2Max = Fat used as primary fuel.

5} According to my personal opinion, if energy for exercise is derived from body fat as a primary fuel, then, resultant would give us a lasting weight loss.

Yoga, typically, is not thought to be a calorie burning exercise. Probably it will not even meet the requirements of American College of Sports Medicine Guidelines for weight mgmt.

BUT,

6} Bio-energetics clearly says that Low intensity, long duration aerobic exercise always uses Fat as a fuel and energy is derived from slow glycolysis and fat oxidation.

7} Whereas, high intensity exercises show high and selective dependence on CHO as a fuel.

8} Not only Yoga , but low intensity longer duration exercises like Tai-chi or Pilates which necessarily explore the “mind and body ” connection as well, also bring about the same effect.

9} Low intensity Yoga has shown to promote (by experience and observation) a lasting Wt loss, improved strength and flexibility by achieving efficient burning of Fat.

10} Last but not the least, dynamic and continuous Yoga { now a days being called as Power Yoga} but used for generations by Indians in the form of Sun Salutations (A & B) viz “Surya Namaskar” would also qualify for burning enough calories according to modern standards for achieving wt loss.

As for other exercises, Brisk walking will similarly qualify for a lower intensity exercise which burns calories effectively but this will not necessarily improve on flexibility, muscle tone, posture and strength like Yoga would.

Jogging according to me will be a high intensity exercise.

As for me, a combination of warm up stretches, brisk walk of 25 mins, dynamic yoga 25mins and cooling down should show the desired effect of wt loss with out the addiction of any exercise machines anywhere on the planet.

Shraddha Rajwaday

Open Sesame !!!

Lets see what sesame seeds have to offer us as a part of our diet.

Sesame seeds are very nutritious and provide excellent source of protein, particularly for the vegetarians.It also has really good amounts of calcium and unsaturated fatty acids.

Has very valuable and heart friendly antioxidants, namely, Vitamin A , Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Iron, Zinc, Magnesium and Niacin.

The black seeds yield the best quality of sesame oil and is mostly used for medicinal purposes
especially as a massage oil. It gives strength to the muscular as well as skeletal systems. It is thus very popular as a massage oil particularly to growing children.

The white seeds are richer in calcium and can be used in vegan diets as a good source of calcium.

The reddish seeds have exceptionally good amounts of iron. They can be safely used in the treatment of Anemia.

Sesame seeds soften and nourish the skin when used externally.
Taken internally, sesame seeds are nourishing and tonic. They have soothing, laxative and a slightly diuretic effect. It can also stimulate menstruation.

Sesame oil has a golden amber colour and has distinct nutty flavor. Because of its high smoking point it can also be used for stir frying and Indian style of cooking.

Sesame oil can also replace olive oil in salad dressings. It can replace cashew nuts in rich Indian curries as well.

Interesting fact worth considering is : 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds supplies 14% of a woman's daily calcium needs.

Another interesting way of using these wonderful seeds is to use them as mouth freshener along with saunf (fennel seeds) after your food.

GO AHEAD AND TRY THEM !!!!!

New year Wishes, The Indian Way !!!

Happy New Year To All !!!!

Come January and we are all happy to welcome the new year. Happiness is all around and everyone is full of new vitality and energy to start afresh. New year brings new joy, new hope and strength to try and strive further. This is the true season to share and multiply your joy.

Come January and the season starts to change in India. The day starts to lengthen and the sun starts showering the earth with its warm love that grows each day. The bitterness of the cold winter starts to slowly wear off its effect and everything seems to be full of life again.

Come January and the households in India are ready to share their joy with others and the very feeling of sharing our joy with others has kept us going as a strong culture with rich tradition and a vast and beautiful heritage.

Come January and we Maharashtrians get ready to celebrate the “Makar Sankraman” or the “Makar Sankranti“. We believe in multiplying our joy by giving and sharing. Giving and sharing well wishes, giving and sharing positive vibes, and giving and sharing food made with love and care.This also comes with a hope to forget all the sorrow, struggle and pain and forgive one and all. So...............

Come January and we are all ready to FORGIVE AND FORGET and with a big smile we greet each other to say “Til gul ghya ani god god bola” ( we offer each other TILGUL , try to forgive and forget and show the willingness to start afresh.)

You sure guessed it right,
I am guiding you to think about “til-gul” from a different point of view, other than what i mentioned above. And it cannot be anything else but nutrition at this address !!!!

Interestingly, sesame plants were first cultivated in Africa and later introduced to India, probably via the spice route. It was identified in an excavation in Harappa, now in Pakistan, dating to 2000 BC and was recorded in Egypt about 1300 BC. Sesame seeds have been widely used for a long long time in India, and they even establish an important spot in Vedic literature too.

We have been using sesame seeds in our kitchens for a long long time. The very thing that these wonderful seeds have a place in our kitchens is that they are absolutely worth it. These small seeds we amongst the first ones to be used as a source of oil in human diet.

In India we get different varieties of sesame seeds. White, black and brownish red. Interestingly all of them have great nutritional and medicinal value.

As a way of offering “til gul” to all of you, I will be glad to share some more nutritional information on sesame seeds this time of the year. Hoping you will find it interesting and will give you learned joy in offering “til gul” to friends and family this year.