Minerals Archives - InnoHEALTH magazine

Super Foods For Your Diet This Winter

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 11:26:05 +0000

With the cold winter months approaching, it is necessary to stimulate our bodies with nutrient-rich foods maintaining a balanced diet. As the winters are a prime time where cough cold and flu are an unfortunate fact of life; food is one of the best ways to combat such illnesses. Super foods help you in strengthening your immune system, increase body energy and enhance your mood as well. Super foods are nothing but a balanced mixture of a variety of foods that provide the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of nutrients:

1. Dates:

Regular intake of dates keep your body warm during winters

Regular intake of dates helps your body to stay warm during winters. It contains a lot of minerals, vitamins and health benefitting phytonutrients and most importantly they are easily digestible. The lower fat content present in dates helps you keep your weight in check. Dietary fiber (6% of daily nutritional value (DNV)) – Dates help move waste smoothly through your colon and help prevent LDL (bad) cholesterol absorption by binding with substances containing cancer-causing chemicals. Iron (1% DNV) – a component of hemoglobin in red blood cells, determines the balance of oxygen in the blood. Potassium (5% DNV) – an electrolyte, helps control your heart rate and blood pressure. B-vitamins contained in dates, such as the carotenes lutein and zeaxanthin, absorb into the retina to maintain optimal light-filtering functions and protect against macular degeneration. Vitamin A (1% DNV) – protects the eyes, maintains healthy skin and mucous membranes, and even protects the lungs and mouth from developing cancer. Tannins, which are flavonoids as well as polyphenolic antioxidants, fight infection and inflammation and help, prevent excessive bleeding (anti-hemorrhagic). Vitamin K is a blood coagulant that also helps metabolize your bones. Copper, magnesium, manganese, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), niacin, pantothenic acid, and riboflavin are also present in dates and provide their own unique preventive and healing functions. Together, these cofactors help your body metabolize carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Eating dates in moderation can contribute to many health benefits, such as protecting against damage to cells from free radicals, help to prevent a stroke, coronary heart disease and the development of colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers.

Also Read: Food for thought

2. Cacao

Cacao best natural sources of antioxidants, iron, magnesium and zinc

Cacao is one of the best natural sources of antioxidants, iron, magnesium and zinc. Zinc is an important trace mineral important for better immune function. Anandamide which can naturally boost your mood & create a sense of elation; it can also boost serotonin levels in the brain which is another feel-good chemical, these chemicals can then boost brain calming hormones that can relax us if we are feeling stressed & restore feelings of well-being. Flavanols that boast anti-inflammatory health benefits as well as complex antioxidants also known as polyphenols. Flavanols & polyphenols can protect against cardiovascular disease, reduce the risk of stroke, improve blood circulation, reduce “bad” cholesterol & prevent hardening of arteries. Polyphenols antioxidants can also protect our cells from premature oxidation or destruction & help us look & feel younger for longer.

Also Read: Indian Hemp: Neglected Pharmacological Treasure Trove

3. Ginger

Ginger is a powerhouse root veggie that’s packed with medicinal qualities

Raw ginger root is used both in cooking and in herbal medicine. Ginger is a powerhouse root veggie that’s packed with medicinal qualities such as antimicrobial properties and anti-nausea benefits. Additionally, a chemical in ginger called Gingerol helps decrease inflammation and blocks nerve pathways that process pain. Consuming ginger may help limit nausea and motion sickness and may help treat arthritis by decreasing inflammation. It also contains small amounts of fiber, essential vitamins and minerals, but due to the small amount usually consumed in any given meal, it is unlikely to greatly affect your nutrient intake. Macro nutrients – one-fourth cup of ginger contains 19 calories, 0.2 grams of fat, 0.4 grams of protein and 4.3 grams of carbohydrate, including 0.5 grams of fiber. Higher consumption may cause heartburn,stomach upset and diarrhea and may interfere with certain medications, including blood thinners, diabetes medication and blood pressure medications. Vitamins – eating 1/4-cup of raw ginger would provide you with 2% of the daily value for both vitamin B-6 and vitamin C, as well as smaller amounts of niacin, riboflavin, folate, thiamine and vitamin E. Vitamin B-6 is necessary for metabolism, immune function and red blood cell function, and vitamin C is important for healing wounds and for limiting damage to your cells from free radicals. Minerals – while one-fourth cup of raw ginger only provides very small amounts of iron, calcium, phosphorus and zinc; it contains 3% of the DV for magnesium and potassium. Magnesium is used for metabolism, forming proteins and muscle and nerve function, and potassium helps lower blood pressure levels and maintain proper heart and digestive function.

Also Read: Study: Increasing Protein and Dairy Intake Reduce Burden of Diabetes

4. Spinach

Low in calories rich in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids

Spinach’s nutritional value indicates that it is extremely nutrient dense. It is low in calories yet rich in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids. Spinach is also loaded with flavonoids which act as antioxidants and can protect the body from free radicals which is an essential health benefit all year round, but especially during winter when we are more likely to catch cold or flu. The iron rich food can also improve energy levels as iron is an important component of haemoglobin which transports oxygen to the body cells.

Also Read: Can Millets Be the Answer to India’s Nutritional Problems?

5. Carrot

This crunchy veggie carries vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, iron, and potassium, all of which are important for fighting off germs during cold and flu season

This root vegetable contains high amounts of beta carotene which the body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A is a key nutrient in the immune function, helping to protect against infection and reduce the risk and duration of respiratory illness by keeping our lungs healthy. It is an excellent food to protect the skin from ageing. Carrots also contain loads of vitamin A for healthy eyes, on top of fiber for good digestion. Plus, this crunchy veggie carries vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, iron, and potassium, all of which are important for fighting off germs during cold and flu season.

Also Read: Healthy Lives: Everyone, Everywhere

6. Pomegranate

Pomegranate may have heart health benefits by improving your cholesterol profile and protecting LDL (bad) cholesterol from oxidation

Pomegranates are rich in vitamin C and contain folate, vitamin K and potassium. There is some research to suggest that pomegranate may have to heart health benefits by improving your cholesterol profile and protecting LDL (bad) cholesterol from oxidation.

Also Read: Importance of Nutrition for Improving Academic Score

7. Cinnamon

Ground cinnamon is a good source of calcium and iron

Ground cinnamon is a good source of calcium and iron, which are required for good immunity and maintaining healthy red blood cell production. Research suggests this spice may also help to lower blood sugar levels.

Also Read: Regular consumption of fruits cuts death risk

About the author

Nidhi Dhawan is a dietitian with experience of 21 years in the field. Ms. Dhawan practices at Diet Zone, Delhi. With BSc in Home Science from Lady Irwin college, DDPHN from IHE, Delhi and Diploma in Preventive & Promotive Healthcare from Apollo Hospitals, she is a lifetime member of Indian Dietetic Association. Her expertise is therapeutic diets like chronic kidney disease, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, polycystic ovary disorder, diabetes type 1 and 2, chronic liver disease, jaundice, weight management, kids and infants nutrition etc.

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Regular consumption of fruits cuts death risk

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 05:24:48 +0000

People who consume around 375 to 500 grams of fruits, vegetables and dal per day are at a reduced risk of death by nearly 23 per cent, a new study published in The Lancethas found.

While World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 800 grams or 5-9 servings of fruit or vegetables per day, the new study has shown that it takes just half – that is, 375 grams to get the desired health benefits. This is important for people living in countries who cannot afford a lot of fruits and vegetables.

Potatoes and other tubers were not included and fruit juices were not considered as fruits while calculating the intake. Legumes included beans, black beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas, and black-eyed peas.

The researchers attribute beneficial effects of consuming fruits and vegetables to presence of antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E and carotenoids, and fiber in them, which reduces bad cholesterol, improves insulin response, lowers the blood pressure, prevents fat deposition in blood vessels, and improves cellular function in the body.

“Although there is a popular belief that fruits, and vegetables are healthy, there was no long-term study data to support this and hence our findings are new and significant,” said Dr.V Mohan of the Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialties Centre in Chennai, who contributed to the study.

The decade-long research was done in 18 countries with 135,335 participants aged 35 to 70 years. Healthy individuals with no reported diseases and complications were enrolled for the study. They were given questionnaires to record daily diet, lifestyle habits like smoking, physical activity and alcohol intake, and their socioeconomic status like education, income, and employment.

At the end of the study, researchers recorded the number of deaths, cases of cardiovascular diseases, heart attack, and stroke. Then the data was analyzed to see if consuming higher amounts of fruits, vegetables, and dal is related to the number of deaths and adverse outcomes on health. “We found that regular consumption of vegetables, fruits and legumes protectedpeople from cardiovascular disease and death”, states Dr. Mohan.

“This study does not distinguish between cooked vegetables and raw ones, although it is common knowledge that cooking destroys some of the vitamins and minerals, hence as far as possible we should use raw vegetables like tomato, cucumber, carrot and green leafy vegetables which can be consumed raw”, pointed out Dr. Mohan.

According to Estefania Toledo, professor at the Department of Nutrition of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, USA, who is not connected to the study,“Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables should beat the expense of reducing other foods and drinks, such as sugar sweetened beverages, red and processed meat, saturated and trans fat, refined cereals, and sugar rich desserts”. She added that consuming more plant-based foods helps replace detrimental foods, which benefits the overall dietary pattern.

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INDIA'S NUTRITION ATLAS GOES LIVE

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Mon, 22 Jan 2018 05:23:24 +0000

The Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) has developed the country’s first Nutrition Atlas to provide all the relevant data and information about nutrition.

The Nutrition Atlas provides information and data on nutritional status of population groups at national and state levels, along with an overview of nutrition-related deficiencies, disorders and prevalence levels in various parts of the country along-with information on nutrients, nutrient rich foods, nutritional deficiency disorders and a host of other topics.

The portal also includes information on nutrition rich foods and nutri-guide for various nutrients, minerals, essential amino-acids, fatty acids, dietary fibers and proteins, along with their biochemical cutoffs, recommended dietary allowances, signs and symptoms and dietary sources.

The Atlas is interactive and displays information in the form a user may select and has been developed through a long drawn, cohesive and technical exercise by a multidisciplinary team in the bioinformatics division of NIN. It makes use of publicly available data sources like reports of National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau, National Family Health Survey, World Health Organisation and other public databases. The Dashboard acts like an information management tool, helping the user track data on under nutrition, over nutrition, overweight, obesity and communicable and noncommunicable diseases. It can also provide different time trends on each of these parameters. The development conducted the research under ICMR.

ARTICLE SHARED FROM ‘INDIA SCIENCE WIRE’

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Read all the issues of InnoHEALTH magazine:
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InnoHEALTH Volume 1 Issue 2 (October to December 2016) – https://goo.gl/4GGMJz
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 1 (January to March 2017) – https://goo.gl/DEyKnw
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 2 (April to June 2017) – https://goo.gl/Nv3eev
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 3 (July to September 2017) – https://goo.gl/MCVjd6
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 4 (October to December 2017) – http://amzn.to/2B2UMLw

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CALORIE INTAKE FOR YOUR BODY TYPE

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 10:41:20 +0000

For some people, the word “calories” brings about emotions of dread and fear. For others, it’s a place to call home, where they feel all warm and fuzzy. And yet for others, “calories” connotes a way to salvation and better health.

Well, for these 3 main types of people ([1] an ideal-weight person who fears getting fat, [2] an obese person who denies himself the freedom of getting thinner, and [3] a dangerously thin person who needs to put some meat on himself), there’s hope. And guessing 99.9% of you out there, fall somewhere in these categories, I suggest you keep reading if you’d like to free yourself of that potentially vicious word forever.

Survival of the fittest

No matter who you are or what kind of body type you have, there is one definite rule in this universe: you’ll come out on top only if you’re physically and mentally fit. From basics like getting that attention that you have always been seeking, or emanating a strong leadership presence during your presentation, it’s all about how you look and how you project yourself.

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The skinny

For the person who is extremely thin (i.e., your bones are protruding on some parts of your body), it’s more a problem of eating the basics for survival. These types need to carefully plan their daily meals in order to ingest the perfect ratio of fat:protein:carbs (30:40:30). 30% of the calories they ingest needs to be fat and carbohydrates, while 40% needs to be protein.

This, coupled with moderate exercise, will help pack on some pounds gradually. People in this type of category need to change the way they view food. Food is not the enemy; it can be your friend. Actually, it can be your savior. Without basic sustenance from vitamins, minerals, fats, carbs, and proteins, the body will self-destruct.

The ideal weight person

For the person who is already at his ideal weight, it’s more a problem of mental image and fear. They are usually so afraid of becoming fat that they deny themselves the smallest pleasures like a nice cold ice-cream cone on a hot summer’s day.

Fitness buffs who are in top shape burn themselves out by exercising too much and not letting their bodies recuperate. They harbor this fear (whether consciously or unconsciously) that they’ll go over their ideal 10% body fat limit, and become the next Guinness World Record holder for the heaviest guy alive. Since these types are already hitting the gym 6 times a week and eating sensibly, the only thing they should change is their mental reasoning. Pushing the body too much too fast is never a good thing.

The overweight

Finally, for the person who is obese (i.e., you can’t see your own feet while standing straight and looking down at the floor), it’s a matter of eating too much and exercising very little — if at all. This is when the calories start piling up and everything you eat gets stored as fat (yes, even protein and carbs).

Following the aforementioned fat:protein:carbs ratio helps, but you also need to exercise at least 4 times a week for 45 minutes, doing a lot of cardio and aerobics in order to melt away those love handles and that large bottom.

Height	Small Frame (Calories)	Medium Frame (Calories)	Large Frame (Calories)
5’5”	1518-1898	1620-2025	1744-2180
5’6”	1567-1959	1668-2085	1793-2242
5’7”	1618-2023	1718-2147	1845-2306
5’8”	1671-2089	1768-2210	1897-2372
5’9”	1726-2157	1820-2275	1952-2440
5’10”	1783-2228	1873-2341	2008-2510
5’11”	1842-2302	1927-2409	2065-2582
6’0”	1903-2378	1982-2478	2124-2655

How to decrease your calorie intake

Eat a variety of foods that are low in calories but high in nutrients; check the Nutrition Facts Label on the foods you buy.
Eat less fat and fewer high-fat foods.
Eat smaller portions and limit second helpings of foods high in fat and calories.
Eat more vegetables and fruits without fats and sugars added in preparation or at the table.
Eat pasta, rice, breads, and cereals without fats and sugars added in preparation or at the table.
Eat less sugar and fewer sweets like candy, cookies, cakes, and soda.
Drink less or no alcohol.

How to increase your calorie intake

Eat a variety of foods that have a lot of nutrients, but also a lot of protein and fat (always keeping in mind the 40:30 — protein:fat — ratio).
Eat a bit more foods high in protein, such as egg whites and meats.
Eat a lot of vegetables for regulating your digestion.
Eat grains and beans.
Eat sensible amounts of food at mealtimes. Do not deny yourself normal portions.
Be careful about binge eating. Do not overdo it, then feel guilty and regurgitate everything later on. Not only is this unhealthy for your body, but also for your mind.

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