The +ves and –ves of online shopping

The world of today is click oriented. Everything is just a click away thanks to the concept of online shopping. Once it used to be the snap of the fingers, today it is a simple click! You want groceries or veggies or any non-veg item, just log in to the relevant app, place the order and pay through plastic money. The item will land up at your doorstep. No need to move out of the comforts of your home. It saves on time, preserves your energy and avoids crowded market places. Similarly for delicious mouthwatering snacks like pizzas, burgers, biriyanis etcetera. The delivery boy of Zomato or Swiggy or Domino's arrives with the items, even at odd hours. These are a few of the +ves for some.

Now the flip side. In the good old days when one had to physically go the market to get his necessities. He would interact with the sellers, exchange greetings with known faces along the way. Such exchanges carried a lot of meaning. They meant – “I am well, so are you.” Then there was the physical touch of fresh vegetables, selecting the best fruits – depending on the size of the pocket. The brief visit to the market in the morning instead of depending to online shopping are a few of the –ves for some. Those in this category are labeled as outdated but they were fortunate to add a zing to their lives.

Indians take very little fruits and vegetables as per WHO norms

India is one of the highest fruit and vegetable producing countries, but, unfortunately, Indians appear to have a dislike for these wonders of nature. The intake of these horticultural produces is terribly low. The figures reveal the true picture - in spite of the fact that India is a largely vegetarian country, fruits and vegetables account for only 9% of the total calorie intake. This could be because of the dietary choice of individuals which is skewed towards cereals.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 5 February 2016.

Incidentally, people from cities in South India consume more fruits and vegetables when compared to those in the north. These findings are a part of the India's Phytonutrient Report brought out by the Delhi-based think-tank Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER).
The findings are based on a survey done across five cities — National Capital Region (Delhi, Gurgaon and Noida), Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. The study covered 1,001 individuals drawn from upper and middle income groups. The findings show Chennai on top of the list with the highest number of servings of fruits and vegetables, while Kolkata is at the bottom of the list.
A probable explanation for this could be that there are more number of vegetarians and relatively higher income people in Chennai and Hyderabad which could be a reason for high levels of intake of fruits and vegetables.
As per recommendations of WHO, a daily intake of at least 400 grams (or five daily servings with an average size of 80 grams) of fruits and vegetables, excluding potatoes, cassava and other starchy tubers are necessary to "prevent diet-related chronic diseases and micro-nutrient deficiencies". Unfortunately, Indians consume quite less than WHO norms.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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India is 2nd largest fruit producer in the World - grapes top the list

India is 2nd largest fruit producer in the World with grapes topping the list as well as Maharashtra. As per a handbook, published by the Oxford University Press, grapes occupy the premier position in exports with 107.3 thousand tonnes valued at Rs 1,086 crore in 2014-15. Behind grapes come are banana and mango.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 18 January 2016.

The green revolution initiated in the 1960s and 1970s had brought to an end the chronic food deficits. Cereals still command the attention of policy makers, but, fruit production has also surged impressively. As a result, India is now the second largest global producer behind China.
However, while India commands the second position in the list of major fruit producing countries that feature China, the US, Brazil, Spain, Mexico, Italy, Indonesia, the Philippines and Turkey, the productivity in India lags behind most of these countries.
The state-wise breakdown is - Maharashtra is Number 1 followed by Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. Over the last decade, the area under fruit production increased by about 2.7% per annum and annual production increased by 7%".


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Health tips – lose weight without dieting

#health #obesity #dieting Obesity is a problem that most of us try to keep in check and, to many, dieting is the solution but, there are several alternative methods to lose weight. This is because the general concept is that more intake of food leads to obesity and putting on weight.
But, that is not always true as reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 18 March 2015.
In the opinion of experts, the following methods could help to ward off obesity and putting on more weight. These are things of common sense – only, over a period of time, we have forgotten these basics of good and healthy living. Chew more, eat less - try chewing your food 35 to 50 times per mouthful.
Don't skip breakfast – breakfast is the most important meal of the day and should be given the importance that it demands. Once you miss breakfast, it slows down your metabolism.
Concentrate on your food – do not go in for multitasking during meal times. The simple reason is that if the brain does not focus on your intake of food that you are consuming you would tend to overeat and put on weight. Don't overcook your meals – this is another point to remember. Go in for eating more of raw foods like sushi and salads. As to vegetables, steam, bake, blanch or grill them and bake meat and fish. Microwaving should be kept to a minimum.
Fruits before meals – taking fruits at least half an hour before a heavy meal allows the fruits to digest fast and, eating fruits on an empty stomach detoxifies the system.
Have smaller meals, more often – in order to keep healthy, one should eat five to six times per day at intervals of two to three hours between each meal and snack.
Think and drink – this is about drinking water. One should avoid drinking water in-between meals because that slows down digestion and dilutes the acid in the stomach. Therefore, the nutrients from the food that you take do not get absorbed in the body properly. Hence, it is advisable to drink water 15 minutes before or after a meals.

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#eathealthy #BreakfastlikeaKing Health is the watchword today and research is being carried out by experts at different levels to find out what exactly is the secret to healthy living. The world today moves at a tremendously fast pace and in order to keep in tune with its speed, we toss many beliefs out of the window. But – we must remember the age old maxim – eat on time.
No matter how you diet, the fact remains that dieticians all over the world agree that timing is possibly the most underrated fitness strategy to maximize fat burn and stay healthy. This has been proved by researchers who conducted a study in Spain and came to the conclusion that the time of the day you eat large meals is a big factor in how many weight you are able to shed.
The research over a 20 week period monitored 420 overweight participants – they were split into two groups: early-eaters and late eaters. With all factors same, the groups were evaluated based on their day's biggest meal that was lunch and it was revealed that those who had their lunch later in the day shed less weight than those who ate earlier in the day. Suggestions of health experts – have breakfast like a king – preferably within an hour of waking up. Beginning the day with a hearty breakfast means the stress hormones will be in check because good breakfast helps to calm down cortisol, the stress hormone — this is usually at its peak when you wake up.
Another suggestion – eat on time since it helps the body to utilize nutrients better. Presence of protein in the meals earlier goes a long way to control the pangs of hunger later in the day.
Instead of fruits at dinner, it is better to have hem early in the morning, on an empty stomach. The reason is that taking fruits before a meal creates a better gut environment for digestion.