Let's start with an interesting fact: all types of tea, be it green or black, comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. The difference only lies in processing and oxidation. So how can one be better than the other you ask? Let's find out.

1. Fluoride content

When it comes to fluoride content both green and black teas score high, while milk tea sadly loses out. Green and black teas are good for your teeth and bones, although black tea has higher fluoride content (0.2-0.5mg as compared to 0.3-0.4mg in green tea). It is best to have your black tea with tap water as it increases the fluoride content up to 0.9mg.

2. Antioxidant content

Yet again green tea and black both have high antioxidant content that helps in preventing cancer, but green is the clear winner over. Milk tea loses again as the milk in it effects the absorption of these antioxidants by your body. Green tea is enriched with a particular type of catechin (flavonoid) called EGCG, which regulates gene activity in cancer cells, and may even prevent cancer growth.

3. Caffeine Content

Both black and green teas have different amounts of caffeine in them. Green tea has lesser caffeine content than black tea- 9-50mg/cup in comparison to 42-17mg/cup. So if you want to have an energetic morning then black tea is the one for you, but if you want to relax your blood vessels and just enjoy a soothing drink, choose green tea. Milk tea, unfortunately, does not have a calming or an energising effect.

Benefits for your heart:

Black tea is probably a healthier option if you want to derive cardiovascular benefits from your daily cuppa. While green tea has abundant EGCG which creates a lining along your blood vessels to reduce stress, black tea offers more benefits. Black tea can improve the function of your blood vessels if you suffer from coronary artery disease. Apart from that, both can lower the levels of harmful cholesterol. There's no evidence that supports that milk tea can be beneficial for your heart.

So, in the end, it's your call to choose black or green tea, whichever works best for you. Try avoiding milk tea as the milk steals away the essential health benefits of tea. Just remember to have no more than 10 cups of green tea a day, and no more than 4 cups of black.

Related Content: Try Auric skin radiance health drinks as an alternative for tea or coffee for glowing skin.

Milk Tea Vs Black Tea Vs Green Tea - Is Your Choice the Best?

Why drastic deficiency of vitamin d is becoming increasingly common among urban Indian youth?

On this women's day, let's understand why young Indians esp. Are women facing this unforeseen deficiency and resultant problems?

Vitamin d is unique because it can be made in the skin from exposure to sunlight. We get a really good amount of sunny days as opposed to many western and northern countries where vitamin d deficiency is ought to be common.

It is surprising that vitamin d deficiency is such a common problem in India nowadays that it finds prevalence among 70-100 percent of the general population in the country. More than 80.63 percent of 73 lakh Indian youth suffer from the deficiency of vitamin d. What's more shocking is that it can lead to a variety of health issues ranging from osteoporosis to diabetes. Without vitamin d, only 10-15% of dietary calcium and about 60% of phosphorus are absorbed - which would certainly lead to weaker bones. Vitamin d sufficiency enhances calcium and phosphorus absorption by 30-40% and 80%, respectively.

Vitamin d exists in two forms - vitamin d2 and d3. Uv rays from the sun hit the skin, and vitamin d3 is naturally synthesized, so it is the most 'natural' form. However, our bodies do not make vitamin d2, and most oil-rich fish such as salmon, mackerel, and herring and eggs contain vitamin d3.

Here are a few reasons why deficiency of vitamin d is becoming increasingly common among urban Indian youth.

1. Being always indoors

Our youth is never out in the sun because they are too occupied with their laptops or video games. Their lifestyle is such that it does not allow them to spend some good time out in the sun, which is a major source of vitamin d for the body. Technological advancement and cut-throat competition have made the youth forget the sun as a source of a healthy dose of vitamin d.

2. No milk, no fish

A lot of Indian youth follow a strictly vegetarian dietary regimen and they avoid milk very commonly. Vitamin d is found in foods like fish, egg yolks, fish liver oils etc. And not consuming them is a major reason why youth face vitamin d deficiency.

In fact certain, distinct symptoms can help you know if you're suffering from vitamin d deficiency or not.

You need to keep an eye out for these:

- excessive sweating without indulging in physical activities or being exposed to high temperatures

- sudden bouts of weakness for no apparent reason

- brittle bones that break easily

- chronic pain in your brains

- feeling of depression

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: Do You Need Vitamin Supplements?

Why Drastic Deficiency of Vitamin D is Becoming Increasingly Common Among Urban Indian Youth?

The past couple of days have witnessed trending news in the form of the stunning transformation of Anant Ambani, son of Mukesh Ambani, MD of Reliance Industries Limited. Anant, who had previously been burdened with excessive body weight due to intake of some strong medications, has achieved an unbelievable target of losing 108 Kgs of body weight in just 18 months!

Many people suffer from obesity and many other conditions as an aftereffect of excessive body weight, but don't know how to address the issue to attain a healthy weight. In this regard, the story of Anant is an inspirational lesson for all those who want to lose weight and follow a strict diet plan and exercise regime continuously to achieve their goals. Just like him, now you too can attain a healthy body weight and a fit physique too through the techniques mentioned below:

1. Following an Appropriate Diet Plan -
A healthy diet is the key to a good weight loss regime besides the implementation of an effective exercise plan. Anant had opted for a strict low-carb diet without the presence of sugar. This type of diet has a lot of benefits including weight loss in a healthy way. This type of diet requires you to avoid all types of processed food items including breads, soft drinks, cereals, pastas, sweets etc. And increase the intake of foods rich in healthy fats and proteins.

2. Weight and Functional Training -
Weight training is known for burning calories and functional training helps in increasing your core stability through exercises like squats, stretches, lunges etc. A combination of these two in your exercise regime will not only help you lose weight, but will also enable you to do it in a healthy way.

3. High-intensity Cardio Exercises -
High-intensity cardio exercises are recommended by most gym instructors to people who want to lose weight as they increase your heart rate and consume lesser amount of time to eliminate the extra fat from your body.

4. Yoga -
There's no better way to stay fit and healthy than making yoga a part of your daily lifestyle. This ancient tradition not only tones your muscles and burn calories, but also gives you a healthier life by helping you relax your mind and body both. This was also one of the techniques followed by Anant to reach his destination of a having a healthy body.

We've put together a sample diet plan exclusively for you, which can help you lose weight in a healthy natural way:

Early Morning (6:30 am - 7:00 am) - a glass of warm water + 1/2 lemon juice + pinch of salt; walk for 30 minutes.

Breakfast (8:00am - 9:00 am) - 1 cup milk/tea, with fruit, oats with milk/namkeen oats, veg. Dalia, veg. Upma, veg. Poha, veg. Sandwich, 2 egg whites/1 whole egg and toast.

Mid-Morning (11:30 am) - fruit/sprouts

Lunch (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm) - 2 chapattis with vegetable, salad, dal/curd/idli + sambhar (alternatively, if you want to have 1 bowl rice, have it with 1 katori rajma/kadhi/dal/chhole + salad)

Tea-Time (4:30pm - 5:00pm) - tea/coffee + 2 biscuits/rusks

Evening Snacks (6:00 pm - 6: 30pm) - roasted chana, sprouts, popcorn, veg sandwich, sometimes 4-5 almonds, walnuts, pista, raisins

Dinner (8:00 pm - 8:30 pm) - 1-2 chapattis with vegetable, salad or 1-2 veg sandwiches, or roasted chicken/grilled fish (if non-vegetarian)

Post-Dinner (if required, at 10:00 pm) - 1 cup of milk.

We hope the above suggestions and the sample diet plan will inspire you to embark on a journey of transforming yourself into a healthier and happier person! There/s no happiness better than feeling good about yourself!

If you liked this health tip, do 'Share' it with your loved ones.

If you would like a more comprehensive and customized diet plan for yourself or your family, along with a 7-day unlimited text chat, just click on 'Consult'!

How To Successfully Lose Weight Like Anant Ambani + A Sample Diet Plan!

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?

How turmeric can help you lose weight this winter season

Weight gain and winters go hand in hand as it’s the holiday season, full of weddings or parties, both of which can result in the piling up of calories and kilos. Turmeric in winters is a must have, at least for its medicinal properties, which help you in dealing with the common winter woe of weight gain. 

Why is turmeric most effective in winters?
Turmeric has plenty of health benefits like reducing the effects of arthritis, increasing the immunity of your body etc. besides being a natural remedy for weight loss. The benefits of turmeric can be enjoyed to the fullest during winters as its consumption during summers in excessive amount can cause some side effects. Turmeric has a heating effect on your body, so consuming it in excess during the summer months adds to the heat your body generates and may result in indigestion or heartburn.

How can turmeric help in losing weight?
Turmeric is rich in curcumin (an orange pigment), which is instrumental in breaking dietary fibres, and consequently in helping you to lose weight. Curcumin can stop the fat tissues from being created in your body by regulating your blood vessels, which are responsible for formation of these fat tissues. 

Turmeric also lets you manage your weight by aiding in the reduction of cholesterol levels in your body. Moreover, it’s also effective in lowering lipid content in your body by reducing the presence of adipose (fat) tissues to prevent weight gain.

Additionally, curcumin present in turmeric can help in the burning of fat as well, thereby triggering weight loss.

How can you make turmeric a part of your daily diet?
You can either add turmeric to your food while cooking or you can have a glass of turmeric milk daily to enjoy its multiple health benefits. Also, you can add turmeric to your tea or have turmeric supplements that are available in the form of powder-filled capsules, fluids or tinctures. 

To get the most out of the weight loss benefits of turmeric, limit your turmeric consumption to 2-3 grams a day during the winter season. 

Here’s an easy a tasty turmeric milk recipe to get you started:

Turmeric golden milk recipe-
Ingredients:  
1 inch long stick of turmeric, coarsely crushed
½ cup water
1 cup low fat milk
Pepper, according to taste
1 tablespoon honey

Directions:
Combine the milk and the water and bring to boil. Add the crushed turmeric and pepper. Heat the mixture on a low flame for about 20 minutes. Remove from flame and strain the mixture. Pour in a glass and stir the honey into it. Consume the drink while it’s still warm.

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

Turmeric: an Ultimate Winter Weight Loss Weapon 

Top 5 things all diabetics must do

As you are aware, diabetes is an increasingly common problem not only in adults but with children and young people too. Preventing or delaying diabetes is possible with a few lifestyle changes. And for those who have been diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, changes in lifestyle can prove beneficial to keep it under control. This is important and should not be taken lightly as diabetes can lead to other serious health complications. There are few simple things which if done regularly can keep you safe and absolutely fine.

5 ways to combat diabetes.

1) exercise - do minimum 45 to 30 minutes of exercise like brisk walking (for people with heart ailments make sure that you have done stress test/tmt). Keep yourself physically active all the time this will help you in losing weight, controlling blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol. It will also improve insulin sensitivity in your body. 
2) high fiber diet - include high fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, leafy vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, cinnamon, green tea in your diet. This will improve your blood sugar level and also reduce your risk of developing diabetes and helps you to lose weight. Do not get into fad diets and tv commercials as they are often misleading.
3) reduce stress - tension and worry releases certain chemicals (stress hormones) which can increase your blood sugar level. Try relaxation therapy like meditation, yoga, music and soundful sleep.
4) restrict intake of alcohol - alcohol increases body weight, triglyceride (cholesterol) level and blood pressure. They may make you unaware of symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar which may be dangerous). They are empty calorie with no nutritional value. Permissible limit is 2 drinks (60ml) a day for men and 1 drink (60ml) for women, it is also not advisable to smoke.
5) regular check-ups - make sure that you regularly check your blood sugar levels and modify treatment from your diabetologist doctor (if required.) your body and your friend/ relative / colleague's body are different, so is your need of medicine for diabetes as well. What works best for them may not be right for you. So it is my sincere request is to avoid any self medication as it can be dangerous. Regularly undergo screening for early detection of diabetes complications like eye, nerve, heart, foot, kidney.

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Top 5 Things All Diabetics Must Do

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