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I was planning to prepare some good dish from my collection with wholegrains,but unfortunately was not able to.So I decided to share some facts on wholegrains which is one amoung many articles I collect about food and health.

Wholegrain refers to the all cereals which include the 'whole'grain

Bran-the fibre rich outer layer

Endosperm-the starchy middle layer

Germ-the nutrient packed

In refined grains like white flour and white rice the bran and germ are removed leaving only the endosprem
The bran and the germ contains the highest nutrients

Some wholegrains are
Wholewheat,dahlia-cracked wheat,brown unpolished rice,oats,jowar,ragi,bajra,barley,maize

Health Benefits

Consuming wholegrain as a part of low-fat diet helps maintain a healthy heart

Contains nutrients like vit-B,chromium,zinc,fibre which help maintain healthy blood sugar levels

They release their sugars more slowly and make you feel satisfied for longer

Are important source of soluble and insoluble fibre to maintain a healthy bowel and good digestive system

Being low in fat and high in fibre they help you feel fuller to avoid the temptation of snacking

Some Tips
Choose wholegrain cereals but beware of the added sugar content

Make your own mix- pressure cook whole bajra,jowar,black urad dal with ajwain seeds and add milk and fruits of your choice

Mix dahlia,brown rice flakes,oats and cook,serve with milk and fruits

Choose brown rice or whole wheat pasta instead of white ones

Use whole wheat atta with a combination of jowar,bajra for tasty rotis

Add dahlia to salads,soups

Use barley in stews and gravies

Add oats to biscuits and crumble toppings



Hope it is useful and Iam sending this to JFI-WHOLEGRAINS hosted by Suganya which was started by Indira of MAHANANDI

PIZZA is very much part of urban lifestyle for lunches to kitty parties.We are all aware that is categorised as 'Junk Food' but we still can't forgo it.I would like to share this information which I came across to make Pizzas a healthy and low-fat meal.

• Order small pizzas as the propotion of crust filling is much higher in these thus making them healthier
  
  
• Go in for thin-crust as they contain two-thirds the amount of carbohydrates compared to pan variety
  
  
• As often as possible go for vegetarian toppings or ask for chicken in moderate amounts-it is far leaner than ham and mutton
  
  
• Refrain from ordering extra toppings
  
  
• Blot your pizza with a paper napkin which absorbs a fifth of the total fat
  
  
• Eat just 2 slices instead of 3.To fill yourself up go in for green salad with calorie free dressing
  
  
• Do not lace your pizza with generous tomato sauceor mustard
  
  
• Drink chilled water instead of Coke or have Diet Coke
  

So next when you go in for pizzas keep the above in mind.

We all plan to diet at some point or the other and for varied reasons.What comes to are mind are fruits and vegetables.We start the diet very briskly but half way through we tend to discontinue as our master, the tongue refuses to accept them.
Fruit contains all the digestive enzymes required.It's literally Mother Nature's fast food.Here are some fruit recipes which would motivate you for a sucessful diet programme

FRUITY BREAKFAST
Grate an apple into your dosa
Toast bread topped with a pineapple slice sprinkled with saunf
Add banana to your oatmeal porridge
Beat and blend fresh figs with skimmed milk
Roll a mango slice into your roti

FRUITY MEALS
Make pineapple rasam/sambar
Add grapes or apples to fresh vegetable salads
Have apple/banana/mango/pineapple raita
Steam rice with apple,clove and cinnamon
Add pineapple gratings to stuffings

FRUITY SNACKS Thread fruits on a skewer,roast and serve as kababs
Top a cream cracker with a banana coin topped with a cherry
Sprinkle chat masala powder on a mix of chopped apple,skinned orange,grapes,banana,papaya with a dash of lime juice and salt

FRUITY DESSERTS
A mixed fruit platter
Steam bread squares,guava pieces,sugar,chopped dates and skimmed milk with corn flour.Makes a delicious guava pudding
Load soft stewed fruits onto a small dollop of ice-cream/shrikand
Roast halved banana on tava

These ideas are to initiate into thinking fruit and eating fruit
Make these healthy changes,cultivate a taste for fruit and switch slowly to eating fruits by itself
Breakfast on fruits alone
For lunch start with fruit and after 20 min have a vegetable salad sprinkled with raw sprouted moong
Try different roti each day-bajra,jower,wheat
As you develop taste buds for fruits and vegetables eat more of these,moderately on cereals,pulses and milk and least on processed foods such as biscuits,chocolates etc

Today being the World Diabetes Day ,I thought it apt to share some information which my dad passed on to me
My dad being a diabetic for the past 30 years,which is also hereditary keeps warning my brothers and me very often.He has been handling it well all these years with proper diet,walk and medicines.He would always say though it is a dreadful one if you start living with it you can control it too.This is a clipping which he received in one of the medical camps some years back.Though there are lot of diabetic medicines and food available in the market today home remedies too help.

BITTER GOURD(PAVAKKAI,KARELA)
1/2 cup juice with seeds of 1 cup cooked vegetable
Should be consumed on empty stomach or in between meals
FENUGREEK(METHI)
Leaves and seeds,in case of seeds soak overnight
Half a cup of leaves should be consumed,or 1 tsp of seeds twice a day with milk is also helpful
GOOSEBERRY(AMLA)
A tablespoon of amla juice with a cup of bitter gourd juice
NEEM,BASIL LEAVES
Leaves or dried powder can be used
Can have a few fresh leaves if not 1/2 tsp of dried leaves
SPIRULINA
Leaves,dried powder or tablet
1/2 tsp of dried powder can be taken
ONION AND GARLIC
Raw onions as salads and raitha
Fresh garlic crushed at least 1 large clove
SOYABEAN
Whole beans,sprouts,soya milk
Half a cup of beans/a quarter cup of sprouts/half a cup of milk
BUTTERMILK
As whole buttermilk
One or two cups
NOTE
Choose any one which is easier for you to follow regularly for few months for better results