BENEFITS OF MANGOES

This 'King of fruits' is a sweet, delicious and amazing fruit that is liked by most of us.

What are its constituents?
It is rich in Vit. C, Vit. E, beta carotene, flavonoids, calcium, amino acids,magnesium and potassium.

What are its benefits?

1.Aids Digestion: Digestive enzymes present in them improves digestion. also, it helps to alleviate acidity. Fiber present in mangoes keeps the bowel movements regular, thereby prevent constipation.

2.Prevents Cancer: The phenols present in them have anti-cancer properties. Also, Vit. C in them is an antioxidant that protects cells from free-radical damage, thereby prevent cancer.

3.Lowers Blood Cholesterol: It is shown to lower Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, a bad cholesterol due to presence of fiber, pectin and Vit. C.

4.Prevents from Anemia: It contains good amount of iron that help people suffering from anemia.

5.Mango for Skin: It makes the skin soft and shining. Also, it treats acne when applied topically.

6.Mango for Hair: It moisturizes the hair.

BENEFITS OF ORANGE

This mouth-watering citrus fruit as got numerous health benefits.

What are its constituents?
Orange is a very rich source of Vitamin C. It also contains flavonoids, Vitamin A, Vitamin B, beta carotene, iron, pectin, potassium, sodium and folic acid.

What are its benefits?

1.Fights Infections: Orange is very rich in Vitamin C (an antioxidant) which helps the immune system to function properly, thereby helps in fighting infections.

2.Prevents Constipation: It acts as laxative because of its fiber content.

3.Lowers Blood Cholesterol levels: This property is due to presence of pectin in orange. Pectin binds to bile acids in the colon and prevent the re-absorption of cholesterol.

4.Protects from Cancer: Flavonoids help to prevent from cancer.

5.Good for Vision: Orange is a good source of Vitamin A that is essential for vision.

6.Controls Blood Pressure: Orange contains potassium that helps lower blood pressure and heart rate.

7.Orange for Skin: It is shown to improve skin texture and complexion. It makes the skin firm, elastic and young.
Facial scrub can be made by mixing dried, ground orange peels with milk.

8.Orane for Teeth: Orange peel can be used to whiten the teeth. The inside of the peel should be rubbed  before brushing the teeth. This should be done atleast for a week.

BENEFITS OF WATER

Our body is about 75% water!

In order to stay healthy, we need lots of clean eater. One should consume on an average 6-8 glasses of water.

What are its benefits?

1.Prevent Dehydration: Dehydration can lead to headache, tiredness, weakness and even low thinking abilities. Drinking adequate amount of water can prevent all these features of dehydration.

2.Reduce chance of kidney stones: Usually, stones are formed when the urine is too concentrated that causes minerals and other substances to form crystals. These crystals then combine to form hard mass that forms stones. This can be prevented by drinking lots of water.

3.Keeps Joints lubricated: Water helps prevent arthritis and back pain by lubricating the joints. If they are dehydrated, damage will be caused to them by friction.

4.Prevents Cold and flu: Water helps our immune system to function properly which helps prevent cold and flu.

5.Prevents Constipation: Water lubricates the bowel and food and eases the flow of waste matter through colon. This helps prevent constipation.

6.Regulates Body Temperature: A constant body temperature is maintained by hypothalamus which increases or decreases the sweat rate as needed.

7.Water for Skin: It helps in keeping the skin hydrated and clear.

8.Water for Hair: It helps in making hair shinier and healthy.

BENEFITS OF OLIVE OIL

Olive Oil is obtained from Olives by grinding them and extracting oil  from them mechanically or chemically.

What are the types of olive oil?

1.Extra Virgin Olive Oil: It has the highest quality and has the most superior taste of all types. Its acidity is about 0.8%. It contains antioxidants and is mainly used on salads.

2.Virgin Olive Oil: It has good taste with acidity <1.5%.

3.Refined Olive Oil: It is obtained from Virgin olive oil by refining method.

4.Pure Olive Oil: It is the mixture of Virgin and Refined olive oil.

5.Olive Pomace Oil: It is also fit for consumption.

What are its constituents?

It mainly consists of triglycerides and small quantities of free fatty acids, glycerol, pigments, sterols, phenols, vitamins and flavor compounds.

1.Fatty acids:

a.Oleic acid: It is a monounsaturated fatty acid, also known as omega 9 fatty acid. It is known to reduce the risk of heart disease and prevent cancer. It makes 55-83% of olive oil.

b.Other fatty acids are:

i.Palmitic acid: It is a saturated fatty acid and makes 7.5-20% of olive oil.

ii.Linoleic acid: It is omega 6 fatty acid and makes 3.5-21% of olive oil.

iii.Linolenic acid: It is omega 3 fatty acid and makes 0-1.5% of olive oil

iv.Stearic acid: It is a saturated fatty acid and makes 0.5-5% of olive oil.

2.Vitamins:  Olive oil contains Vit. E which is a natural antioxidant. It also contains Vit. K.

3.Pigments: The colour of olive oil is attributed to the presence of pigments- Chlorophyll, Carotenoids and Pheophytin.

4.Phenols: Hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol are some of the phenols found in olive oil. They contribute to its oxidative stability and bitter taste. These are shown to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.

What are its benefits?

1.Decrease the risk of Heart Diseases: As described earlier, olive oil helps in lowering cholesterol which lowers the risk of coronary disease.

2.Prevent Cancer: This property is due to the presence of phytonutrient, oleocanthal which reduces the risk of breast cancer. Also, it is shown to prevent colon cancer and skin cancer.

3.It also reduces the risk of Diabetes Mellitus Type II.

4.Prevent onset of Osteoporosis: Olive oil helps in improving bone mineralization and calcification.

5.Olive oil for Skin: It helps to make the skin soft and elastic(due to Vit. E). Mixing with sugar, it can be used as facial scrub. Also, it can be used on lips to prevent and alleviate chapping.

6.Olive oil for Hair: It conditions the hair and help control dryness and dandruff problems.

BENEFITS OF HONEY

Honey is bee's gift to us. Thus sweet tasting amazing substance has got numerous health benefits.

What are its constituents?

1.Simple Carbohydrates: Fructose and Glucose

2.Complex Carbohydrates: Maltose, Sucrose etc.

3. Trace amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

What are its benefits?

1.As home remedy for Cough and Sore Throat: It soothes the throat and acts as common cough suppressant.

2.Immunity booster: It is known to strengthen the immunity system and fights with the infections.

3.It has got antiseptic properties.

4.Energy booster: It contains fructose, glucose that act as good energy source.

5.Applying honey topically can help cure allergies.

6.Honey for Skin: It keeps the skin soft and supple. Also, removes redness and acne with conditioning of the skin.

7.Honey for Hair: It keeps the hair healthy and shiny. Also, conditions and moisturizes them.

BENEFITS OF CARROT

This amazing orange-coloured vegetable has got numerous health benefits.

What healthy constituents does carrot contain?
It is rich in Vit. A. Also contains ascorbic acid, Vit. B1, Vit. B2, Vit. B6, folacin, potassium, calcium, iron and Vit. K.

What are its benefits?
1.Good for eyes: Vit. A component of carrot makes it good for eyes. Carrots contain beta-carotene that is converted to Vit. A in body, which is then converted to rhodopsin in retina. This rhodopsin is necessary for night vision.
Carrots also protect against macular degeneration due to presence of lutein and zeaxanthin.

2.Prevent Cancer: It may help prevent a wide range of cancers- lung, mouth, stomach, throat, breast. This property is due to presence of substance called falcarinol in carrots.
Falcarinol is soluble in water and some of it is lost during boiling, but boiling makes the carrot more digestible, thus making more of falcarinol bioavailable.

3.Lowers risk of heart disease: Beta-carotene. an antioxidant, prevents free radical damage to the body, thus preventing heart disease. Also, fiber in carrots helps lower blood cholesterol levels.

4.Improve Digestive Problems: It helps in variety of digestive problems such as peptic ulcer, gastritis, diarrhoea.

5.It also reduces the risk of stroke ( as per Harvard University, people who ate more than 6 carrots a week are much less likely to suffer a stroke than those who ate 1 carrot a month or more).

6.Carrots for Skin: Vit. C helps in making skin elastic, prevent wrinkles as it promotes collagen production in body. Drinking carrot juice keep the skin hydrated, soft and supple and applying it helps reduce blemishes.

7.Carrots for Hair: Vit. A in carrots helps prevent from dryness of hair as it helps the scalp to produce sebum. Vit. C in them helps improve scalp circulation. Also, carrots contain Vit. B that prevent hair loss.

8.Carrots for Teeth: It help combat plaque and tartar and clean them naturally.

BENEFITS OF TOMATOES

Speaking about the sweet, juicy and delicious vegetable,it has got numerous health benefits.

Why are they red in colour?
The red colour is due to beta-carotene present in them. More the red colour of tomatoes, more is the beta-carotene present in them.

What are its benefits?

1.High in Vitamins: It has a lot of Vit. C and A (because it contains beta-carotene), thus having antioxidant properties.

2.Protects from heart diseases: It has this property due to presence of potassium, Vit. B6 and folate in good amounts. Potassium helps lowering high blood pressure. Vit. B6 and folate helps converting homocysteine (which can damage vessel walls) into harmless molecules.

3.Protects from Cancer: It is because of presence of substance called lycopene, thus reducing the risk of prostate cancer in men, also from stomach cancer and colorectal cancer.

4.Beneficial in Eyesight: Vitamin A in tomatoes is essential for good vision. It protects the uppermost surface of eye, the cornea. Vit. A deficiency can lead to night blindness and corneal ulcers.

5.Helps regulating blood sugar (Good for diabetics!): Chromium, a mineral, present in tomatoes in good amounts, helps diabetics to keep their blood sugar levels under control.

6.Strengthens Bones: Vitamin K in tomatoes promotes bone health.

7.Benefits for Skin: It cleanses the face naturally. Lycopene does this work. also, it provides protection against Ultravoilet rays. Its cooling elements and astringent properties prove excellent for skin. Thus, a very magical and handy way to get glowing skin.

8.Benefits for hair: It makes the hair strong and shiny as it has Vit. A.

BENEFITS OF PAPAYA

Papaya is full of health benefits, besides being excellent in taste.

It contains soluble fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Among vitamins, it contains Vit. A and Vit. C .

It also contains enzymes- Arginine (essential for male fertility) and Carpain (considered good for heart).

What are its benefits?

1.Prevents Constipation: It helps in preventing constipation. Also, it helps in digestion due to presence of protein papain.

2.Strengthens Immune System: It helps boosting the immune system as it contains Vit. A & Vit. C..

3.Lowers Cholesterol: It prevents cholesterol from oxidizing as it contains antioxidants.

4.It reduces inflammation, cleans blood and is also helpful in irregular menstruation.

5.Its seeds help remove intestinal worms.

6. Skin Benefits: It has skin healing properties and provides moisture and protection to the skin.

7.Hair benefits: It keeps hair soft and shiny and also prevent dandruff.

How to store papayas?

The ripe fruit should be stored in fridge covered in plastic bag.

BENEFITS OF MILK

Think of a complete health drink and the first thing that come to our mind is MILK ! Its benefits are numerous and valuable because of which we are often advised to drink at least one glass of milk everyday.

What are its benefits?

It contains almost all nutrients except Vit. C and Iron.

1.Protein source: It is complete source of protein, infact the best for vegetarians (Egg is also complete protein source). Thus, it is helpful for proper growth and maintenance of body.

2.Milk also provides Calcium. Calcium and Vit. D protect the body frombone loss. Calcium and phosphate together provide bone strength. Calcium also prevents migraine, headaches, pre-menstrual syndrome etc.

3.It provides good dental health by preventing tooth decay.

4.Vit. A present in milk provides immunity and prevents poor vision.

5.Mixing Isabgol with warm milk helps relieve constipation.

6.Potassium in milk is helpful for heart and maintains blood pressure.

What are the products of milk?

Various products can be made from milk such as curd, butter, cheese, ghee, ice cream, paneer etc.

Who should not consume milk?

Those having lactose intolerance and milk allergies should avoid taking milk.

BENEFITS OF BANANAS

The sweet, ripe, yellow, easy-to-eat fruit has many health benefits.

Before stating its benefits, lets discuss its types first :

1. Red Bananas: Slightly sweeter than yellow bananas, they taste somewhat like raspberry.

2.Baby Bananas: The smallest and sweetest bananas.

3.Cavendish Bananas: They are used in baking and making fruit salads and are very popular in U.S.

There are many other types.

What are their benefits?

They are very nutritious, cheap and easily available.

1.Energy booster: This benefit of bananas make them loved by many athletes. They contain three tpes of sugars- sucrose, fructose and glucose.

2.Constipation: They are high in fiber that help in bowel movements, thus relieving constipation.

3.Blood Pressure and Stroke: They are very high in potassium and low in salt. potassium helps in balancing body fluids and electrolytes in body, thus regulating blood pressure. They also reduce the possibility of stroke.

4.Diarrhoea: They contain electrolytes like magnesium, potassium, calcium that are important for maintaining body fluid level, thus preventing dehydration. Thus, they are helpful in diarrhoea.

5.Anaemia: Bananas are also rich in iron, thus helps in formation of haemoglobin, So, can be given to those who are anaemic.

6.Depression: They help in improving the mood. This benefit is because of presence of an amino acid- tryptophan in them that is converted into serotonin by the body.

7.Hangover: Make a banana milkshake mixed with honey. It calms the stomach and depleted blood sugar levels are built up. Also the body is rehydrated.

8.Ulcers: Their softness and smoothness make them very useful in intestinal ulcers.

9.Smoking: They can help people quit smoking! as they contain Vit. A1, C, B6, B12, magnesium and potassium that helps body to recover from withdrawal effects of nicotine.

How to store bananas?

They are very soft, thus can be bruised easily. They should be kept at room temperature. Kept in refrigerator, their skin turn brown but the fruit will be edible.

In order to ripen bananas, they can be wrapped in newspaper or kept in brown paper bag with an apple.

BENEFITS OF AMLA

This small, green-coloured, sour, sweet fruit can do wonders to one's health !
Also known as Indian Gooseberry, it is a main ingredient in Chyawanprash.


What are its benefits?
It is very rich in Vit. C (20 times more than orange juice). Also contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, fibre, minerals and iron.


Medical Benefits:
It is useful in various diseases like diabetes, asthma, dyspepsia, flatulence, peptic ulcer, many skin diseases, haemetemesis (blood in vomitus), anaemia, diarrhoea and cardiac pathologies.


Cosmetic Benefits:
It is useful for making skin and hair healthy.


For hair:
It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It is one of the excellent conditioner for hair.
It can penetrate the scalp and nourishes the hair from its root.
It is useful in alopecia, dry hair and split-ends.


For skin:
It gently exfoliates and cleanses the skin by removing the upper dead cells.
It brightens complexion and removes pimples.
It is a natural astringent and tones the skin.


How to use it?


For hair:
Mix amla powder with adequate amount of water. Leave overnight and wash hair in morning.


For skin (face mask):
Mix amla powder with wam water and apply this to clean face. Wash after 20-30 mins.


As a health drink (Amla juice):
Cut the amla and grind it with one glass of water. Filter it and sugar or honey to the juice.


Who should not take it?
As amla contains oxalic acid, so those having oxalic stones should avoid taking it.

BENEFITS OF APPLE

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away"

This is truly justified by the fact that it has lots and lots of health benefits.
I myself am very fond of apples that has urged me to write about it.
It makes a delicious part of "Chaat" (fruits mixed with spices).
Its sweetness and crunchiness make it loved by everyone !


Coming on to its benefits,
How healthy is an apple??
1. It is rich in vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins such as Vit. A, Vit. B1, Vit. B2, Vit. B6, Vit. C and folate are present. Vit. C is a powerful antioxidant that helps body develop protection against many infections and remove free radicals from the body. B complex vitamins help in metabolism (as co-factors) and synthetic functions in body.
Minerals- Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Iron and Zinc are present.
2. It is rich in fibre content, thus helps in digestion.
3. A study says that it helps in lowering cholesterol.
4. Besides these, they are useful cosmetically. Apple pulp on face helps treat acne and on eyelids reduce eye strain.


How to "maintain" its healthiness?
Apples, like other fruits, should be kept inside refrigerator and be eaten within 5-6 weeks. If any apple starts to decay, remove it, else others in touch with it, will also do the same.

HOW HEALTHY IS EGG?

hello :)
i m glad to share some knowledge about eggs..


Most puzzling question regarding egg : 
Is egg a vegetarian or non-vegetarian?
 This is the question puzzling many of us !
I myself didn't use to eat eggs thinking i should not as i am a vegetarian. But now i know eating eggs don't make you non-vegetarian ! 
Its actually apt to use the term "ovo-vegetarian" for those who consume eggs but does not eat animal flesh of any kind i.e meat, fish etc. 


Is it healthy to consume eggs?
Yes,of course ! It is the most complete protein one can have in his diet. By complete protein, it is meant that it contains all the nine essential amino acids needed by the body in right proportion. Egg protein is the standard against which the quality of other proteins is compared.
Egg contains all the nutrients except carbohydrates and Vitamin C.
Minerals such as Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, Zinc and other trace elements are present.

Nutritive Value:(for 60 gms of egg)

Protein- 6g

Fat- 6g

Calcium- 30mg

Iron- 1.5mg

Energy- 70kcal

But what about Cholesterol in egg?

Yes, it does contain cholesterol also. The cholesterol content is 250mg/egg. But it does not matter because cholesterol is formed in the body endogenously and is controlled by what is known as feedback mechanism.
But, a reduction in intake of eggs is advised for those at risk of CHD (Coronary Heart Disease).


In what form should the egg be consumed?
It must be cooked before consumption. Boiling destroys 'avidin', a substance which prevents the body from obtaining biotin. (biotin is a B-complex vitamin.)


What all can be made from eggs?
Omelette
Egg Curry
Boiled Egg
Poached Egg
Egg toast
Egg biryani etc.


So, enjoy eggs in various forms.
 "Sunday ho ya Monday, roz khao ANDE" ;)