Dr. Rajeev

With increasing awareness about eating healthy, certain seeds are now being considered as super foods. Flax seeds, also known as “Alsi”, have amazing benefits and are recommended by all nutritionists.

Listed below are a few benefits of flax seeds:

1. Help in losing weight: Flax seeds are loaded with required fats and fibre and consuming a handful of these seeds will make you feel full for longer. This reduces the temptation to binge eat and results in fewer calories consumed during the day. The ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) fats present in the flax seeds have also been found to reduce inflammation.

2. Maintain heart health: Flax seeds are almost phenomenal as the fats contained in them are unsaturated fats which are wonderful for your health. Because these fats remain in the form of ALA fats, they help you in maintaining and improving heart health by reducing bad cholesterol and retaining the good cholesterol. Thus, the chances of getting a stroke or an attack are relatively low.

3. Flaxseeds are High in Antioxidants (Lignans): Amongst its other incredible nutrition facts, flax seeds are also packed with antioxidants. Lignans are also known for their anti-viral and antibacterial properties, therefore consuming flax regularly may help reduce the number or severity of colds and flus.

4. Improve colon health: These seeds are packed with fibre and are very low in unsaturated fats. This makes them useful in improving digestive health. Also, the fibre content makes bowel movements smoother and reduces constipation and diarrhoea.

5. Healthy, supple and glowing skin: Adding flax seeds to your daily diet is a great idea as they are packed with ALA fats and Vitamin B which help in reducing flakiness and dryness of skin. Consuming flax seeds regularly also helps in getting rid of the symptoms of acne and eczema and are proven to reduce dry eye syndrome and puffiness. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.

Indians have always been known for their passion of food, which is usually rich and creamy. With the recent calorie consciousness setting in, the Indian foods are also blamed for being rich in calories. It is therefore time to take a step back and watch the calories that you are packing with each meal.

Listed below are some common Indian foods, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, and their corresponding caloric value. The next time you plan your meal, take a conscious decision based on your overall health. This does not mean you should not relish these exotic dishes. Make sure if you have had a ghee-laden gaajar ka halwa, make sure to burn that extra calories by extending your gym time.

1. Chicken curry: This popular dish with curry, chicken, and other spices like ginger, saffron and other spices contain about 600 kcal for a serving.
2. Daal: About 300 g of cooked dal has about 350 kcal. The good news with daal is that gives the maximum amount of proteins, especially for non-meat eaters.
3. Biryani: A bowl of vegetable biryani contains about 550 kcal while chicken biryani gives about 800 kcal. Again, this depends on the additional ingredients like the amount of ghee or oil used and other ingredients.
4. Korma: While the chicken korma gives up to 900 kcal, a bowl of vegetable curry gives about 350 kcal.
5. Samosas: A meat samosa has about 320 kcal, while a vegetable samosa has about 250 kcal.
6. Chole bature: This fried food with big sized puris and chickpeas pack in about 450 kcal per serving.
7. Pav bhaji: Another popular evening snack with fried bread and gravy, this has loads of butter applied to the bread and so it is not surprise that you add about 450 kcal with a plate of pav bhaji.
8. Jalebi: This popular Indian sweet is made by deep-frying wheat-flour batter in circular shapes and soaking it in sugary syrup. Whether eaten hot or cold, it gives you about 460 kcal per serving. Add a spoonful of rich creamy rabdi to it and there would be another 150 kcal.
9. Ras malai: This rich creamy sweet is extremely popular in Northern parts of India and provides about 250 kcal per serving
10. Halwa: If loaded with ghee, a cupful of carrot halwa can give you about 250 kcal.Onion pakoras: This popular spicy snack contains deep fried gram flour and onions and packs in about 200 kcal when 3 pieces are eaten.

Now that you know how much calories some of your regular foods are carrying, make a mental note of all the foods you are eating on a daily basis, and make sure it does not cross about 2000 per day.