Protein Sources for Vegetarians

Vegetarians often feel left out that there are not much protein options available in their diet as compared to their non-vegetarian counterparts. Chicken, eggs, lean meats, red meats, fishes are popularly known as the good sources of protein. The good news is that there are plenty of protein options available for vegetarians to meet the daily protein requirement. Contrary to the belief an average individual only requires approximately one gram of protein per kg of body weight to meet the daily protein requirement intake. Extra protein gets stored as fat in the body.

Protein helps in the building of muscle fiber and for various other functions of the body. Protein is required by the body for the growth, maintenance and repair of all cells. It is also essential for the synthesis of antiboidies which fight infection and is the main nutrient for our hair, nails etc.

Best Vegetarian Protein Sources

Yogurt: Yogurt and Greek yogurt both are healthy options for protein. One cup of yogurt can provide you with 14 gm of protein and more ever with other nutrition as well. Opt for a plain yogurt than the sweetened and flavored one as it is less in sugar and other additives. Yogurt boosts bone health, promotes colon health and boosts immunity. Greek yogurt contains more protein than the regular yogurt.

Soybean: Soyabean is one of the richest vegetarian protein source and is rich in carbohydrates, fats and other important vitamins and minerals. Men should eat less of soy products as they are high in female hormones and excess consumption could cause man boobs. Other soy products are equally healthy for protein. Like tofu, soymilk etc are all healthy sources of protein. Read more

Low Calorie Lunch Options

Eating meals timely is important to maintain the metabolism. Untimely meals, delayed meals or even skipping meals slows down the metabolism. What happens when the metabolism gets disturbed? Simple, you start putting weight. Everyone tries to start healthy by keeping breakfast options minimal and healthy. But by the time we reach lunch all the work or a busy day takes a toll over our lunch choices. We dont realize eating unhealthy food will only make things worse both in terms of being bad to the body but also adding stress to our lives. Eating processed and junk food leads to high cholesterol, disturbed sugar levels resulting in high blood pressure, hyper-tension and Type 2 Diabetes.

We suggest why develop bad habits when its as easy to develop good habits. This doesnt mean you have to punish yourself and live only on raw food and water. It means that if you start planning  in advance you can be more conscious while packing lunch at home or eating out.   Here are some healthy lunch options that you could carry it from your home or buy.

Vegetable besan cheela with low fat curd: This chick pea-flour pancake are packed with protein. It can be prepared in no time and at the same time its tasty as well as nutritious. Chick pea is said to be a good source of fiber and many other nutrients and low in fat. One best thing about this Besan Chilla is that it can be pretty much toyed around with to suit different tastes. You can change the veggies you add to it:  mushrooms, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, or spinach. One vegetable chilla gives aroun 120-140 calories.

Paneer/Chicken wheat flour Kathi Roll: Kathi Rolls are hot crispy rotis served with a choice of fillings. Use any combination of vegetables like  paneer, mushroom, soya, corn or green peas to make these vegetarian rolls. For non veg fillings you could use chicken. These rolls are ideal for packed lunches as these are quite easy to prepare, pick and eat.The calories varies according to type of filling, But on an average 1 vegetable kathi roll provides around 195 calories. Read more

Healthy Food For Kids

Kids need a filling and nutritious diet for growth and unhealthy foods will slow down their growth if the daily nutrition is not met accordingly. From carbohydrates for energy to go non-stop through out the day, the amino acids from protein to build muscle and recover them, vitamins and minerals for healthy functioning of organs and chemical reactions in the body
and fat for good cholesterol and cushioning of organs.

Though kids like foods that are surprising and delightful to their taste buds. Get creative with your recipes and start making your food nutritious and attractive. Here are foods for kids to kep them healthy. Give your child plenty of options ranging from chocolates to everything that they like.

Cornflakes with milk and fruits: We all feed our kids with cornflakes but make it more healthy with adding fruits to it. Include the fruit that your kids like eating. Strawberry, grapes, nuts, seeds, apples, bananas etc. This meal will provide your kid with carbs, protein and essential vitamins and minerals along with iron to improve metabolism.

Eggs: Eggs provide a lot of satiety and protein, vitamins and minerals. Make it healthier by adding a slice of cheese or add a few slices of vegetables like tomatoes, cucumber etc. The meal will keep the kids feel fuller and have lots of nutrition for a good growth.

Sandwiches: What about adding a slice of lean meat for non-vegetarians and cottage cheese for veggies ? Play around with your stuffing options with boiled mashed potatoes, cheese slice, tuna or vegetables. Choose whole grain bread or multiflour bread to make it more healthy.

Drinks: Say no to aerated drinks including the cola’s and sweetened sodas as they would add empty calories which is not healthy for a childs growth. Provide other varities from fresh fruit juice, lemonade, buttermilk, banana milk shake, mango shake and other shakes with fruits, nuts and seeds.

Walnuts: For healthy functioning of mind omega fatty acids are equally important. Walnuts, flaxseed and fish products like salmon, tuna etc are rich sources of omega 3 fatty acids which are important for developement of childs brain.

You can pick lots more  healthy options for your child. Keep foods providing empty calories and junk that add no nutrition away from their diets. Use less oil in the food and avoid fried foods. Follow these basics and keep your kids healthy.

 

Food With Fat For Health Benefits

Fat has an important role to play in the smooth functioning of body just like how protein is important for muscle building, carbohydrates for energy and vitamins and minerals for other nutrition. The minimum requirement of essential fat for men is 2-5% and women is 10-12%, anything below which physical and psychological health would be effected. When one consumes fat more than the daily requirement it then it gets stored in the belly, thighs and all over the body. Fat helps in healthy cell function and keeps the skin healthy and stores energy in the body and provides 9 calories per 1 gm of fat.

Essential fat is required for brain functioning, bone marrows, central nervous system muscles and healthy functioning of the body

It provides cushion to internal organs of the chest and abdomen.  These essential fats are often confused with the bad fats that increase the LDL bad Cholesterol. Essential fats actually increase the HDL good cholesterol levels improving heart health and improves the flow of blood in the arteries.

Here is a list of Fatty foods for good health

 

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Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Quit believing in myths and start getting real. Rev up your metabolism naturally through food and workouts.  Clock your meals and sleep patterns at a definite time allowing your body adapt to the patterns to show results. Avoid yo-yo diets or crash diet and stick to your normal routine. Instead know the foods that you eat and learn healthy eating habits for a faster metabolism.

Here are a few breakfast ideas for you

Eggs: Poached eggs with a glass of milk and a multi grain toast. Eggs & milk provide with protein and important minerals like calcium , phosphorous etc. Toast providing some carbohydrate & fibre to keep you full of energy and Read more

Lose Belly Fat through Dairy Products

Yogurt is a super food for vegetarians containing carbohydrates for daily energy and proteins for muscle development with lots of vitamin C for strong muscles and to lose belly fat. A study at University of Tennessee found that participants who consumed 3 daily servings of fat free yogurt on a 12 week basis gained less fat around their mid-section than those who didn’t consumed dairy products containing less calcium. Portion control will push you further in losing weight and gaining extra inch around your belly.

Michael Zemel, PhD, director of The Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville has been the first to show that calcium stored in fat cells is important in regulating how fat is processed and stored by the body. The more calcium there is in fat cells, the more fat the cell will burn and the greater will be the weight loss

Read more

5 Meal ideas to Stay Fuller

Eating nutritious food is important, but how much and when to eat is vital too. Staying fit is easier than its perceived to be. Eating the right food at the right time will not only meet your daily nutrition requirement but keep you fuller through out the day keeping you away from all the junk and empty calories we binge on otherwise.

Research shows than men who ate meals with higher amounts of protein than the average meal, when they were trying to lose weight felt fuller throughout the day; they also experienced a reduction in late-night desire to eat and had fewer thoughts of food. This is especially important with regard to the Indian vegetarian diet that can be extremely carbohydrate heavy, with little high quality protein, to ensure long term satiety that protein provides.

Proteins can make you feel fuller for a longer time but this doesn’t mean that you only consume protein. The body requires a balance of protein, carbohydrate and fats.

Few sources of protein for your diet:

Eggs: Eggs are highly satiable and makes you fuller for a longer time and proving vital minerals and vitamins with fat and provides the energy for basic functioning. It takes care of the calorie intake and is healthy for the body.

Fish: It is not only rich in omega fatty acids but provide ample amount of protein to make you feel longer. Some salmon in lunch or dinner or your desired meals will help you stay away from hunger and nourish the body as well.

Sprouts or Beans: For veggie lovers sprouts and beans can be a part of your diet. Eating sprouts in your diet will fill you up and keep irregular food cravings away.

Soy Products: Soy milk offers outstanding nutrition, along with their health benefits. They provide balanced nutrition of high-quality protein and carbohydrates, low in fat with no cholesterol and very low in saturated fat.

Dairy Products: Dairy Product vary to milk, cheese, cottage cheese, butter, cream, yogurt, buttermilk etc. Dairy products tend to be good sources of calcium, protein and healthy carbohydrates.

Meat & Poultry: Meat and poultry products rank one of the highest for proteins. They contain ample amount of protein and help keeping you feel fuller for a longer period of time.

Add some protein to your diet to keep you feeling a little fuller for a longer time. But ensure that you eat a balanced meal.

Calcium for bones, heart & weight loss

400 mg of calcium is the daily requirement for your body. Beyond being important for the development of bones and teeth, calcium is also needed for proper functioning of the heart, nerves and muscles, and research is also showing that because of its calcium content, yogurt promotes belly fat loss.

So it is important to keep blood calcium at a healthy level to sustain life. Calcium supplements have shown to not be as effective as natural sources of calcium. Read on for the most important factor, to help your body absorb calcium.

Also as we age, the body begins to breakdown and reabsorb the bone mass of the skeleton. Women are more susceptible to bone loss, especially before, during and after menopause because during the menopausal years women experience lowered estrogen levels which considerably speeds up the bone loss process and leads to osteoporosis, a condition where the bones have become weak and brittle and break very easily. Research says that one in every four women suffer from the debilitation of osteoporosis, and men are one in eight. Besides this, younger people in their 30′s are developing osteoporosis due to bad lifestyle, eating outside, unhealthy nutrition and not exercising, are a few reasons that are pushing you to the deficiency of calcium.

Consuming the daily requirement of calcium is the best way to build adequate bone mass early in life to reduce the risk of it later in your life. Start consuming foods that are high in calcium and people above 50+ should consume 600 mg. Dairy products  like milk, cottage cheese, buttermilk, curd and cheese are the best source and most recommended for getting calcium which gets easily absorbed by the body. Other sources are breads, fruit juices and soy products, beans, broccoli, oranges and bananas.

Get out and get 10 minutes of sunshine to accelerate the absorption of calcium in your body.

Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Skipping breakfast doubles your odds of obesity says a research. It is a must for everyone, especially if you’ve got a busy lifestyle. A good nutritious breakfast gives you energy, promotes brain activity and helps you lose weight as you will be craving less for the unhealthy snacks. If you skip breakfast you might not make up for the nutrients missed for the day.

Here are some healthy breakfast ideas and about how it should not be a large meal. ‘Breakfast like a king’ does not mean eat a huge breakfast, as even one very large meal increases your chances of gaining weight.

Basics for a Healthy Breakfast

The breakfast should have a balance of complex carbohydrates, fiber, protein and some amount of fat in moderation. This will give you maximum health benefits and keep you satisfied and not giving the churns in your stomach.

Here are a few options that you can include in your daily breakfast:

Whole grains: This includes breads and cereals made with 100% whole grain.
Low Fat Protein: Eggs, beans, lean meats, nuts and seeds.
Low Fat Dairy: Low fat milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, soy milk, low fat cream.
Fruits and Vegetables: Fresh fruits and vegetable juices without any sugar or eat the fruits raw.

Portion Control: Don’t over eat because the extra calories will just get stored as fat.

Benefits of Eating Breakfast

Get the body requirement of nutrients.
You will eat less later through out the day.
Eating healthy breakfast helps lower cholesterol level.
Gives you energy and concentration during work, making you less sluggish.
It helps you in controlling weight.
Keeping cholesterol level down will keep your heart healthy and keep you pumping for longer time.

So, make sure you don’t skip breakfast, and eat it correctly!