Green tea has been promoted as one of the healthiest beverages around. It is made from the same kind of leaves (camellia sinensis) as generic black tea or oolong tea. The primary difference is that while processing the leaves for green tea, the withering and fermentation procedures are avoided, which helps the leaves retain more nutrients. However, green tea comes with quite a few side effects just like ordinary tea or coffee. They are:

1. Digestive problems
Since green tea is not put through the oxidation or fermentation process, the tannins present in the leaves are not removed. Tannins, can cause nausea and constipation by producing more gastric acid. Adding a little milk to your tea might help with this problem.

2. Reduced absorption of iron
Green tea contains catechins- antioxidants, which can block the absorption of iron from food. Iron deficiency has a number of negative impacts, the most threatening one being anemia where red blood cell formation is hindered. Anemia causes fatigue because sufficient oxygen is not circulated throughout the body due to low haemoglobin levels.

3. Problems with the nervous system
Green tea contains caffeine, just like tea or coffee, though its caffeine content is lower. Excessive consumption can lead to insomnia-like tendencies, heightened anxiety, frequent urination, irregular heartbeat, muscle cramps etc.

4. Risks during pregnancy
Caffeine decreases calcium content in the body, leading to weaker bones, which is an alarming symptom in an expecting mother. Also, caffeine, catechins and tannins are individually related to increased risks of miscarriage and other negative effects. Tannins and catechins passed on to breast milk can also block absorption of nutrients like proteins and fats in an infant's system.

5. Reactions with medication
Several chemical drugs are extremely reactive to the polyphenols in green tea, especially stimulant drugs like nicotine, ephedrin and amphetamine. Green tea reduces the functioning of lithium and dipyridamole. The polyphenols may also block the healing properties of the anti-cancer drug name bortezomib. Any kind of interference with your regular medication may impact your health adversely.

6. Negative impact on patients with glaucoma
The disease impairs the optic nerve and green tea increases the pressure on the eye within minutes of drinking it because caffeine accelerates intraocular pressure. The effects take more than an hour to subside.

Green Tea: SIde effects and why you may need to avoid it

Mistakes that sabotage a good diet

Eating healthy, eating clean can sometimes be very confusing. With more and more new information coming up every day, one cannot comprehend what is healthy and what not. However, if you understand a few mistakes that can literally sabotage your good diet, you can surely be assured of eating healthy and clean.

1. You can be wrong with juices

Everyone thinks a glass of orange juice or any other fruit juice can do wonders for your health. But the truth is that you will be better off eating the whole fruit rather than the juice.

Why? for the simple reason, that juices lack the fiber content found in fruits. The fibers slow down the digestion of sugar in the fruit whereas their absence in the juice causes the blood sugar to spike and results in insulin resistance.

Besides, packaged juices contain hardly any real fruit, all flavoring and concentrate apart from added sugar, a big wrong in eating clean.

2. Drinking your protein? na! that can be wrong too!

People like bodybuilders, gym goers drink a lot of protein shakes to get their proteins supplemented. However, protein shakes are ok for those who are on the go or for replacing meals sometimes but they cannot be altogether substituted for protein intake.

Your protein must come from your food. Meat, fish, pulses, eggs and dairy cannot be replaced by shakes since you will definitely miss out the nutritional value that whole foods provide.

Besides, protein shakes may have a lot of artificial constituents and refined sugar that can be really bad for you.

3. Can't understand food labels properly? a great mistake!

With more and more people working, many on the move, packaged food cannot be altogether avoided. However, one must make sure to read and understand the food labels.

The food labels reveal what is inside the package. Anything that has the label - organic, raw or gluten-free is not surely healthy. One must know about ingredients especially things like msg, aspartame (artificial sweeteners) etc. That can be really unhealthy.

4. Sugar may be hidden somewhere

Calorie-conscious? avoiding sweets?

Well, even though you are very careful about selecting what you eat and avoid anything that tastes sweet, some sugar may still be hiding in your food increasing your calorie intake, without you knowing about it. Foods like tomato ketchup, pasta sauce, low-fat biscuits/crackers or low-fat dairy products, sandwich bread may all be hiding sugar almost equivalent to that present in a piece of cake. You must learn about hidden sugars and its alternatives to truly understand what you are eating.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.


85% Indians are Making These DIET Mistakes

Benefits of carom seeds (ajwain) for digestion, pain relief, and skin!

Carom is a prominent Indian herb that, apart from being used in cooking, comes loaded with many health benefits. Check out these unbeatable benefits you must have carom every day.

1. Cures acidity: powdered mixture of carom seeds, cumin seeds, and dry ginger powder relieves of acid reflux and acidity.

2. Treats constipation: carom seeds when consumed with lukewarm water help in treating constipation.

3. Relieves asthma: concoction of carom seeds helps in expelling mucus from the body and eases the condition of acute asthmatic patients. When consumed with jaggery, it effectively treats bronchitis.

4. Subsides renal pain: concoction of carom seeds helps in subsiding renal pains that may be due to an infection in kidneys or even liver.

5. Eases toothache: mix 1 teaspoon of carom oil with equal amount of clove oil. Floss your teeth and gums with this mixture to cure mouth odor, tooth ache or decaying.

6. Treats skin ailments: make a paste of carom seeds to apply over skin eruption, pimples, boils. This paste can even render relief to eczema patients.

7. Regulates pms: soak carom seeds over night and grind finely. Drink this to regulate scanty or excessive flow during PMS.

8. Benefits in arthritis: massage carom oil over painful joints and get relief from rheumatic pain.

9. Cures diarrhea: acute diarrhea can be easily cured with carom seeds. Prepare a brew of carom seeds to be consumed two times a day.

10: lightens facial scars: mix carom seeds powder with curd to be applied over acne scars. Follow this remedy consistently for 10 days and scars will start getting lighter.

11. Acts a mosquito repellent: mix carom seeds powder with mustard oil. Now smear this mixture over cardboard pieces and tie them at convenient places inside the room. This will keep irksome mosquitoes at bay.

12. Treats piles: the pain of piles can be effectively minimized by consuming carom seeds powder with buttermilk, seasoned with rock salt, after meals.

13. Enhances sexual ability: grind roasted carom seeds along with clarified butter and few tamarind kernels. Add 1 teaspoon of this powder to one glass milk with a dash of honey. Drink this every night. Over the time, this would enhance the sexual ability.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.

Related Tip: 6 Kitchen Spices That Heal Big Time

Benefits of CAROM Seeds (Ajwain) for Digestion, Pain Relief and SKIN!

Do you know not all foods can be consumed on an empty stomach? So, it is imperative that you should be aware of such foods and restructure your breakfast menu accordingly. Here is a list of foods to avoid on an empty stomach. 

Stay away from the following foods when you eat after a considerable gap

Citrus fruits: Citrus fruits contain fruit acids. When these acids enter an empty stomach, they can lead to heartburn. Hence, if eaten after a prolonged period post meal, a person is at risk of gastritis and stomach ulcers.
Soda: Consuming cold soda drinks on an empty stomach may cause damage to the mucosal membrane while reducing blood flow to the stomach. This may lead to a slow digestive process and difficulty in the abdomen.
Spicy foods: Spicy foods are known to cause irritation and damage to the digestive tract, and are especially not recommended for people who suffer from acid reflux issues since very spicy food leads to consequences such as acid reflux in the food pipe.
Cucumber and other green vegetables: Green vegetables and cucumber are rich in amino acids. If consumed on an empty stomach it may very well lead to pain and bitterness in the upper abdomen.
Tomato: Tomato is a fruit containing high levels of tannin. Tannin causes acidity in an empty stomach and leads to consequences and appearance of gastritis if frequently consumed in such a manner.
Fermented milk products: Fermented milk products such as yogurt typically come with loads of health benefits being full of probiotics. But if consumed on an empty stomach it can interfere with the balance of healthy bacteria as the hydrochloric acid produced tends to be destructive.
Sweets: Items such as candy or sweetmeats contain high levels of sugar and cause a sudden and sharp surge of insulin levels in the blood. Over a long period, this has a bad effect on the pancreas.
Products containing yeast: Edible items such as biscuits, puff pastry, vinegar and beverages such as beer and wine contain yeast which can significantly irritate the stomach and cause bloating.
So, be a little conscious and avoid consuming these items on an empty stomach since a little effort goes a long way. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Empty Stomach - 8 Food Types That You Must Avoid!

Cow Milk vs Buffalo milk - Which is healthier for you?

We can differentiate between the milk from a cow or a buffalo by looking at its color and thickness. While being different from one another in terms of composition and richness, both cow and buffalo milk possess properties that give them their unique nutritional value and health benefits. Including them in your daily diet can help you to stay fit and strong. Here's a look at what they offer, and which one can be the most appropriate for you:

1. Fat content - It's the fat content of these two milks that instantly make them different from one another. Of the two, buffalo milk has a higher percentage of fat content, which keeps your stomach fuller for a long time. On the other hand, cow's milk is easier to digest due to its low-fat content. When it comes to the fat percentage in buffalo milk, on an average it is two times more than that of cow milk. So, if the average fat content in cow milk is 3-4% that of buffalo milk is about 7-8%.

2. Protein content - Buffalo milk contains more protein in comparison to cow milk, which can make it more difficult to digest. It comes with a protein content that is in the range of 4.2%-4.5% and is 11% higher than that of cow milk.

3. Cholesterol content - Cholesterol levels differ in both the milk, with buffalo milk being significantly lower in cholesterol. While buffalo milk has a cholesterol content of 0.65 mg/g, cow milk records 3.14 mg/g of cholesterol.


4. Water content - Cow milk reports higher water content compared to buffalo milk. This is because it contains fewer solids with about 90% of the milk being composed of water. It's this high water percentage that gives cow milk its hydrating quality.

5. Calorie content - Since buffalo milk comes with more proteins and fat, it has more calories. For every 100ml of buffalo milk, you consume about 100Kcals. On the other hand, cow milk contains about 70 Kcals.

If you're on a diet to lose weight and improve your metabolic processes, cow milk would be the most appropriate option as it is low in fat, protein and calorie content. On the other hand, if you want to gain weight and strengthen weak bones, buffalo milk is what you should have daily.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

Cow Milk vs Buffalo Milk - Which is More Healthy?

Chicken VS Egg- Which has more protein?

Protein comes in ample amount from foods such as meat, eggs, legumes, dairy products, soy, and fish. It serves as the building blocks for the body's cells, muscles, skin, tissue, and organs.
Although, both chicken and egg are infused with high amounts of protein, they do vary on the grounds of the actual protein content per serving.  So which is a better source of protein?

Nutritional facts of 100g chicken 

Protein:  27g
Fats: 4g
Calories: 153
Sodium:  51mg
Cholesterol: 75mg

Nutritional facts of 100g eggs

Protein: 13g
Fats: 11g
Calories: 155
Sodium: 124mg
Cholesterol: 373mg

Both chicken and eggs are a low calorie and high protein option.  However, chicken contains double the amount of protein than eggs per serving, emerging as a clear winner. Not only that, chicken also contains less cholesterol in comparison to eggs, making it a much healthier food choice.

Nevertheless, eggs possess a number of other health benefits, and should not be ruled out of your daily diet. 

1. Eggs contain riboflavin or Vitamin B2 in abundance, which helps in improving your metabolism
2.  Egg whites are a rich source of  Vitamin D, B6, B12 and minerals such as zinc, iron, and copper, all of which are essential for the proper functioning of your body
Even though both chicken and eggs are almost equally healthy, the key to proper health is to eat all you want but in a moderate manner.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

Chicken VS Egg- Which has more protein?

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