Dr. Hemant Chavan

We live in a world today in which health drinks are really all around us. The sad thing, though, is that a lot of these drinks contain things which are ironically not that healthy! So, isn’t it a pretty good idea to use some age old and time-proven recipes for drinks which helps one lose weight and are completely natural?

There are just so many drinks which are proven by Ayurveda to help a person in the effort of losing weight. Also, they are so simple to make and the ingredients can usually be sourced from around the house. Isn’t that quite awesome? One of the best combinations for one to start off with is the combination of black pepper powder, honey and some lemon juice as well as water. All that is required to be done is to bring the ingredients together and mix them well. To be more specific, a glass of lukewarm water and about four tablespoons of lemon juice are to be added to a teaspoon of black pepper and the same amount of honey. Consistency when it comes to natural health drinks is of the highest importance. That being said, who ever knew that achieving weight loss could be so easy?

If getting these ingredients together is proving to be a little problematic, there is nothing to worry about. As long as honey and water can be found, that is a health drink right there! As a matter of fact, a very easy to make health drink happens to be hot water in which a tablespoon or two of pure organic honey is dissolved. The mixture should be drunk before one goes to bed so as to have the greatest possible impact.

When it comes to drinks for weight loss, those having honey may seem to be odd choices as honey is sweet and most people are taught that sweet stuff is a sure-fire way to go about adding on the pounds. However, honey in reasonable amounts actually helps activate the liver into making a greater amount of glucose.

Foods which have a high water content are known to be healthy and this is true for cucumber. When it is combined with some cumin, lemon and black pepper, it can really ramp up the weight loss. A medium sized, sliced cucumber, along with half a lemon juiced and with water, with small amounts of the other ingredients is what is needed. The pepper is what helps raise the metabolism so losing weight is a lot easier! If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ayurveda.

How much iron do you need?
Iron plays an integral role in the formation of hemoglobin in blood and myoglobin in muscles, both of which carry oxygen to the cells. That's why fatigue and tiredness is the first symptom most people notice when they may be low in iron.

The recommended intake for iron is:

Kids 1-3 years old: 7 mg/day
Kids 4-8 years old: 10 mg/day
Teenagers 9 - 13: 8 mg/day
Teenagers 14 - 18: 11 mg/day for boys & 15 mg/day for girls
Males 19+: 8 mg/day
Females 19-50: 18 mg/day
Females 51+: 8 mg/day
Pregnant females: 27 mg/day
Top high iron foods
Iron rich foods containing heme iron
Clams - 23.8 mg per 3 oz
Oysters - 7.8 mg per 3 oz
Liver per 3 oz
Chicken - 8 mg
Beef - 5.8 mg
Mussels - 5.7 mg per 3 oz
Sardines - 2.4 mg per 3 oz
Turkey - 1.6 mg per 3 oz
Beef per 3 oz
Extra lean ground - 2.5 mg
Prime rib - 2.1 mg
Short rib - 2 mg
Rib eye - 1.7 mg
Sirloin - 1.6 mg
Lamb chop - 2.1 mg per 3 oz
Egg - 1.2 mg per 2 large eggs
Iron rich foods containing non-heme iron
Pumpkin seeds - 8.6 mg per 1/4 cup
Firm tofu - 8 mg per 3/4 cup
Beans per 3/4 cup cooked
White beans - 5.8 mg
Red kidney beans - 3.9 mg
Soybeans: 3.4 mg
Lentils - 4.9 mg per 3/4 cup cooked
Some whole-grain breakfast cereals (per cup)
Total - 18 mg
Raisin bran - 10.8 mg
Cheerios - 8.9 mg
Special k - 8.7 mg
All-bran - 5.5 mg
Baked potato with skin - 2.7 mg 
Chickpeas - 2.4 mg per 3/4 cup cooked
Blackstrap molasses - 3.6 mg per tbsp
Prune juice - 3.2 mg per cup
Dried fruits per 1/2 cup
Peaches - 1.6 mg
Raisins - 1.4 mg
Plums - 1.3 mg
Apricots - 1.2 mg
Nuts per 1/4 cup:
Cashew: 1.7 mg
Almonds: 1.4 mg 
Pistachio: 1.2 mg
Walnuts: 0.9 mg
Pecan: 0.7 mg
Warning: pregnant women should not eat liver because of its high vitamin a content. Large amounts of vitamin a can be harmful to the baby.

The magic of iron-food pairing

The absorption of non-heme iron can be improved when a source of heme iron is consumed in the same meal. In addition, the iron absorption-enhancing foods can also increase the absorption of non-heme iron. While some food items can enhance iron absorption, some can inhibit or interfere iron absorption. Avoid pairing these iron-inhibiting foods when you're eating iron-rich foods in the same meal.

Iron absorption enhancers:

​Meat/fish/poultry
Fruits: orange, orange juice, cantaloupe, strawberries, grapefruit etc
Vegetables: broccoli, brussels sprouts, tomato, tomato juice, potato, green and red peppers
White wine

Iron absorption inhibitors:

Red wine, coffee and tea
Vegetables: spinach, chard, beet greens, rhubarb and sweet potato
Whole grains and bran
Isolated soy ingredients, like products made with soy flour and isolated soy protein concentrate.