Good Food and Healthy Diet

Brown Rice is definitely a far more nutritious alternative to white rice. Most of us eat with our eyes! This may sound ridiculous, but it is quite true. If you are asked to select from two dishes made with identical ingredients, you will prefer the dish that is presented in a unique, colourful and artistic manner although both might taste the same.

Recipes using brown rice

Breakfast

Pressure-cook some rice. Take it out in a bowl. Add some milk, sugar, a pinch of salt, chopped strawberries, chopped almonds and mix well. There! You have the most delicious breakfast! It is perfectly suited for those on a slimming diet.

Alternatively, grind some oats into a powder. Mix this with some cooked rice, spices, salt, pepper and water. Prepare a medium thin batter and make pancakes.

Mid day meal

Mix some rice, vegetables, stock, spices and condiments and slow cook till it’s done.

No-time-for-lunch-meal

You know you have a long and taxing work day ahead of you. Take some leftover rice, add some salami (or bean sprouts), chopped vegetables, salad dressing and toss everything together. Just pack this in an airtight box and carry to work. You have a meal-in-a-dish salad that is low in fat, rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins and fibre.

Dinner time at leisure

Kidney beans in tomato sauce, steamed brown rice and a salad are a wonderful combination for a healthy and tasty dinner. When you are cooking a special meal for family and friends, a biryani with rice and meat (or vegetables) will have everyone asking for more.

For those with a sweet tooth

You ask people which dish gives them the feel-good feeling and most of them will say it is rice pudding. Using the brown variety will make the dish a real winner.

Brown Rice Benefits

There are numerous advantages in consuming this rice:

• Presence of HDL: It is a good source of high density lipoprotein or good cholesterol.
• Rich source of Selenium: The selenium it contains plays a large part in preventing cancer and coronary diseases.
• Natural source of calcium: The amount of calcium present in this rice makes it the ideal for those who are prone to arthritis.
• High level of manganese and potassium: A very high percentage of these minerals found in this rice help the reproductive and nervous system to function optimally.
• Dietary fibre: It adds bulk or fibre in our diet which prevents heart diseases and stroke. The fibre also prevents obesity and improves digestion.
• Slow release carbohydrates: A diabetic would definitely find brown rice beneficial because it contains slow release carbohydrates.
• Anti oxidants: The anti oxidants present have anti aging properties and just perfect for those in the fashion industry or showbiz.
• Easy to digest: When you are looking for the perfect first-time solid food for a baby, there is nothing more suitable than brown rice. Besides other nutrients, it also contains iron, vitamins, zinc and magnesium which are vital for the growth of an infant.

Coconut meat, the flesh that you find inside the coconut shell, is rich in potassium, manganese and copper. The coconut meat inside a tender coconut will be juicy and soft, and inside a mature coconut will be solid and crunchy. It becomes tougher as the coconut becomes more mature. Coconut oil is extracted from mature coconut.

Coconut is found in tropical regions, and people who live in such regions include coconut in anything and everything they cook. There is a lot of buzz currently on the health benefits. Earlier, doctors used to advise not to include coconut meat and coconut oil in your diet as there was a wrong notion that coconut is full of bad cholesterol. On the contrary, now people around the world have come to realise the innumerable health benefits of them. Doctors have started advising to eat them both daily as they have many positive effects on your overall health.

Coconut and the products derived from it like coconut meat were considered unhealthy because of its high saturated fat content. However, recent studies show that medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a type of fat that is essential for the body, is there in it.

The MCTs in the coconut meat are straight away converted into fuel. So the MCTs are not getting deposited as fat in fat tissues in the body. Those who are trying to reduce weight should include coconut products in their diet as they will only aid weight loss.

By eating coconut your body gets energy and also helps brain development. Brain makes use of glucose as energy source. When the brain’s ability to make use of glucose is severely impaired, it leads to neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s. You need medium-chain triglycerides to alleviate the symptoms of such neurological disorders and for that you must eat coconut meat.

Cardiologists were dead against including coconut in your diet a few years ago as they thought it will cause heart diseases. But now they advise their patients to eat coconut meat as studies have proved that it will prevent heart disease and stroke as well. Apparently, new studies have found that it has certain amounts of vitamins A and E, and polyphenols and phytosterols. They will lower bad cholesterol in your body. LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol is fats that stay in the blood and skin tissues. If LDL cholesterol is high in our body it can lead to cardiovascular diseases. It has even been found that people who include coconut in their food has lower incidence of stroke and heart diseases.

It is easy to include it in your diet. You can even eat it in its raw form or you can grind it and use the milk that you get from the meat to prepare curries. Shredded coconut meat is used to make sweets and even salads. By including it in any dish you can make it really tasty. Nothing can beat the taste of freshly made coconut chutney with raw mango and green chilly.

The recent addition to my breakfast, Yola Porridge is packed with nuts and seeds and brings a whole new dimension to healthy porridge. Lots of Breakfast cereals have wheat as the main grain. Many people do not realise that a large % of the population have an intolerance to wheat. You could be intolerant and not even know that it does not agree with your body. I myself have a slight intolerance to wheat, if I eat a lot of white bread my body would suffer gut pains. This was bad for my body and as soon as I realised that wheat was my problem. I cut out the bulk intake. My body was functioning perfectly and my pains ceased completely.

Although I had cut bread out of my diet, I found it hard to find a substitute cereal that was wheat free. It was not very hard to find wheat free Granola or Porridge but finding one that I really enjoyed was the main hardship. Till I found this great Irish produce Yola Porridge. Porridge is easy to digest Great for young or old, even great as a slow release of energy for athletes in training. Its Jumbo oat flakes and oat bran combine to ensure a hearty, Low G.I. breakfast.

I eat porridge for breakfast most mornings, but eating the same thing everyday can become extremely boring. There is an easy way to jazzing up regular old porridge, it’s really filling and super healthy! If you’re avoiding dairy or just want to change things up by all means use almond or soya milk instead. You can add honey, cinnamon, nuts, seeds, fruit, sugar the list is endless. So many things can be added to may porridge more palatable. My personal favourite is adding blueberries, I even arrange them to make a smiley face, which is a bit of fun for the kids too.

I love adding spices to my cooking. Besides some of the well-hyped health benefits, they just make food more interesting. The same ingredients from one dish can be magically transformed into something completely different just based on the spice profile. It can set apart one region’s or even one person’s cooking from another. It separates, say, East coast cuisine from the West, as well as Aunt Emma’s chili from your own concoction. Spices make all the difference.

Now, truth be told, I’m more talk than action. I have over 40 spices in my cabinet, carefully labeled and arranged alphabetically, but honestly they only get touched maybe once or twice a week. Clearly I like the idea of spices, but practically speaking I am not as committed as I let on. I hope that is about to change, both for you and for me.

Recently I had the privilege of traveling to India. Besides the wild colors, bold aromas, and beautiful antiquities, the food is an attraction in its own merit. Oh the food. I wish I could transport myself back there as I write this. The food was so rich, so colorful, so flavorful, and so fragrant. It completely engaged all the senses. You got the sense that food is vitally important. It is not an afterthought but an important and well-planned part of the day. Along with that, the use of spices for creating unique flavor profiles is paramount.

Coming back after two weeks to Seattle, I realized my own diet was really quite bland. Kale salad, while healthy, doesn’t pack any punch in the flavor or the color department. Good ol’ turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread? Pretty boring all around unless you bump it up with some heavy hitting mustard and maybe some tangy arugula and heirloom tomatoes. Even still, on the whole, our food is just drab. No wonder many Indians retain much of their familiar ways of cooking when moving here, and some have even opened Indian grocers to import traditional food items (which I think we can all say we are extremely grateful for!).

Besides taste and cultural norms, there are other reasons to value spice in your life. As I alluded to earlier, there are many health benefits to including more spice in your diet.

Number one is the anti-inflammatory benefit. Many spices have specific properties that allow them to act as potent anti-oxidants. Turmeric is one of the currently most popular and studied examples. Countless research papers have shown turmeric, and its active component curcumin, to have anti-oxidant properties. Other spices that shine as anti-oxidants stars, although far less publicized, include oregano, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and mustard seed, among countless others.

Number two is that many spices act as anti-microbial agents. In fact, back in the day spices were highly valued due to the lack of refrigeration. Heavy use of spices could kill disease causing pathogens and keep food safe to eat. These properties also apply internally by killing off unwanted bacteria and viruses. A great reason to increase spice consumption during the winter!

Some spices also have other very specific health benefits, such as helping to reduce blood pressure, calming tense nerves, quieting nausea, or easing digestion. They can be used in appropriate doses therapeutically, however by including a wide variety in cooking you are ensuring your body benefits from a broad range of these health-supportive spices.

So returning from India and feeling quite depressed about my “boring” diet, I have become resolved to practice what I preach. I am no longer satisfied with a few dashes of chili powder here or a few shakes of Italian seasoning there. No, I want to re-create that depth and richness I so fully enjoyed abroad in my own cooking at home. Armed with a bagful of new spices (thank you Kerala spice shop and US customs for letting me cart all these goodies home!), I have found new resolve to cook more interesting dishes and significantly ramp up my intake of herbs and spices.

Are you on board with me? If so you might be wondering, how do we get started?

First of all, we need some ideas. And by ideas I mean recipes. I have very little experience with cooking these types of dishes, so recipes and instructions are my best friend. Believe me, I never whizz this stuff up off the top of my head. I am just not that talented in the culinary department.

What ideas do I have, you ask? Curry, curry, curry… for starters. There are so many amazing curry options, and contrary to popular belief, they do not have to be spicy. I have been making mild curries that my kids enjoy, many of which include various types of vegetables and lean meats. Often you can get protein, veg, and healthy fats all in one dish. Add a little rice or roti on the side and you have a complete meal.

Other cuisines to look into include African and Middle Eastern cooking. These also tend to rely heavily on many types of spices. Right now I am eyeing my Exotic Ethiopian Cooking cookbook sitting on the shelf beside me, trying to ready my brain for diving in one of these days. Gear yourself up with a variety of recipes, either from books, magazines, or the internet, and start to catalog the types of dishes you want to attempt.

Next we need ingredients, and by that I mean the actual spices. This is the tricky part! I have found that some spices are exceedingly hard to come by at local grocers. If you can, find ethnic markets in your area and explore. We are blessed with many international communities in and around Seattle, so I am planning some reconnaissance missions in the near future. Otherwise, search online if what you are seeking remains elusive.

Paper bags are a popular option for a wide range of food items. In addition to being resilient and durable, they are also very cheap and make a great eco-friendly alternative to plastic bags. The paper bags are both biodegradable and recyclable and can be reused on several occasions, provided they are taken care of. Plus, this type of bag is practical for a diverse range of food items, such as spices, candy, cookies, nuts, tea and coffee. This material is also easy to customize to a preferred shape or size, while also being easy to brand with a logo or other mark.

Here are a few of the food items to keep in the paper bags:

Tea leaves

Paper bags are a very useful choice for keeping loose tea leaves fresh. A great benefit of maintaining the freshness of the tea leaves is to avoid losing their potency which will have a negative impact on the taste. Also, these bags can include a polylactic (PLA) lining which is biodegradable and further helps to preserve the freshness.

Nuts and snack foods

Nuts or similar snacks are quick to lose their freshness, aromas and flavor if not kept in an appropriate sealed bag or box. Paper bags that are specially lined are a simple and cost-effective solution for keeping the freshness in. The bags with a reusable design have a metal tab to close the opening and make sure the freshness of the nuts is maintained. Plus, the inside liners are useful for protecting the food against outside elements.

Spices

Spices, flour, salt, sugar, etc. are a great choice to pack in the paper bags. Any of these food items can easily lose their freshness and the ability to seal the bag helps with preserving the flavorful characteristics, while also locking out pests.

Foods with a quite intense flavor can have issues with not only the loss of flavor, but also to attract the flavor of the actual storage container. To avoid issues like this, it is best to use the purpose made bags that protect the ingredients without passing across any unwanted taste.

Also, the paper bags with a polypropylene or glassine liner are a practical choice for maintaining the taste and aroma of the freshly ground coffee

When you see a weight-conscious person or a diabetic turning away reluctantly from a ladle of rice, you can’t help but sigh with sympathy. After all, rice has the unfortunate reputation of being on the other side of health.

However, modern lifestyles and improved information about food categories, sourcing, processing, and distribution have enabled us to make smarter and not-so-harder choices.

Take the case of brown rice. When you shop for a reliably-organic and health-oriented brown rice, you make an informed decision about going for something that works better than other rice forms for its variety of factors. It has a lower glycemic index than many others to start with, which makes it a better choice for those concerned with glucose and carbohydrate levels.

Since brown rice is mostly constituted of both the bran and germ along with the endosperm part of the grain, its fibre component and therefore the health advantage goes up a notch. Its nutrition value is better and being a slow carb or a complex carbohydrate allows it to make sure that when you eat it the sugar levels will not spike immediately.

It is also a relatively slowly-digestible form of rice, so it helps with other fitness concerns. The presence of adequate fibre, as well as minerals like magnesium, selenium, manganese assigns many other health points to this category. When it is hand-pounded, like in the case of sonamasuri raw rice, the richness and organic impact rise manifold. Other rice forms come from rice mills and hence their chemical component is higher for obvious reasons.

It is encouraging to see growing adoption of both organic brown and sonamasuri white rice in the culinary communities of India. The ease with which a varied range of preparations can be also be made, makes it stand equally high on taste as it does on the health plank.
Because of its processing specifics, and organic growth, the nutrients are kept intact in a richer and a more absorbable form. The presence of cholesterol and Trans fat is also notably low in this group. Further, the difference in prices when one compares the medium/short grain variety to a basmati variety makes for an extra factor for this choice.

It is very easy to use and often experts recommend soaking this rice for a few hours to ensure good cooking and to get the desired taste. The absence of stickiness and difference in softness as compared to a long grain are also worth noting. The taste and texture of this rice may vary considerably and hence it would be advisable to allow oneself some time before getting used to its consumption.

However, experts recommend shopping in reasonable quantities as brown rice may have a smaller shelf or storage value than its precedents. One can refrain from buying in bulk.
One can also find a number of new recipes that are now possible with brown rice and organic varieties of rice.

Now, even a health-wary person can walk towards a pot of rice without guilt or worry. Rice when grown organically, processed for nutrition maximization and cooked in the right way is as much of a healthy food as the other alternatives out there. Just make sure that the next time you think rice, you have all the information and alternatives before you buy or cook something from what your habit dictates.