Polluted sea fish or preserved tinned fish? Actress Chitrangada Singh and some of India's fittest famous, pitch questions to our experts on the last day of National Nutrition Week
Polluted sea fish or preserved tinned fish? Actress Chitrangada Singh and some of India's fittest famous, pitch questions to our experts on the last day of National Nutrition Week
Anybody who has ever tried to lose or gain weight knows what a crucial role diet plays. Truth is, you can't eat whatever you want, even if you work out regularly.
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Find out the answer to this, and other celeb queries around nutrition from nutritionists Snigdha Shah and Niti Desai.
Pia Trivedi, Model
Is there any connection between taking vitamin supplements and feeling energetic?
Expert Advice
Niti Desai: No. Vitamin supplements can be helpful for those who lead erratic lifestyles or work out a lot. However, very often the perceived effect is psychological as taking pills can have a placebo effect.
Snigdha Shah: No. A diet high in fibre and protein, and low in fat keeps sluggishness at bay. Besides, some people are just blessed with great metabolism, which provides them with a lot of energy.
4 super foods you can get more out of
Here are the top foods recommended by Niti Desai, consultant nutritionist, Cumballa Hill Hospital and Heart Institute and Goregaon-based nutritionist Snigdha Shah, that you should incorporate into your diet to boost your overall health:
Yoghurt
"Yoghurt or curd is a meal in itself and has many great properties. It's bacteria content helps fight infection, and it is a great source of calcium and protein. It also helps cool the stomach, which aids digestion," says Snigdha Shah.
Serving Recommendation: One bowl (soup or cereal bowl) ensures an adequate dose of calcium and protein for the entire day.
Try this: Set yoghurt at home, preferably from fat-free or skimmed milk. Add strawberries, oranges or chickoo or any one of your favourite fruits (apart from citrus-based fruits) to a bowl of curd for some delicious fruit yoghurt. Cut out the sugar and add honey instead.
Garlic
Forget about garlic breath, there's reason and more to include this super food into your diet.
Garlic does wonders to lower LDL cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, and also reduces the risk of developing cancers of the colon and stomach. Modern science has also proven garlic to be a powerful natural antibiotic.
serving recommendation: One clove of garlic consumed every morning ensures immunity against high cholesterol and blood pressure.
Try this: Bake a whole head of garlic in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. Mash it with a fork. This makes a great spread for toast, replacing greasy butter and other unhealthy spreads.
Green Tea
Niti Desai is in favour of the Chinese beverage. "Research proves that green tea lowers cholesterol and even improves the ratio of good and bad cholesterol in the body," explains Niti.
Green tea's power lies in its catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) a powerful antioxidant.
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Besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, EGCG kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. Fat burning is another benefit of green tea.
Serving Recommendation: One cup of green tea daily boosts metabolism from 8 to 14 per cent, which is why it's great for weight-loss.
Try This: Replace your post-lunch coffee or chai with a cup of sugarless green tea. Start with a lighter tea so that you don't mind the lack of sugar.
Oily fish
This is the one time 'oily' is actually good for you. Oily fish includes salmon, mackerel, seer, hilsa and purava.
serving recommendation: The standard recommendation is two portions (280 g) of fish every week.
Try this: Marinate a piece of fish with ginger, garlic, lemon and black pepper and grill it in the oven for a fat-free serving. For a healthy meal, add some boiled veggies.
Cyrus Sahukar, Actor & VJ
How important is it to eat raw food or salad? I know lots of people who are 'pure' non-vegetarians and are still perfectly fit.
Expert Advice
Niti Desai: Salads and fruits are very good for staying fit as they are low in calories, high in fibre and are the most important source of minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants. Our method of cooking vegetables kills a lot of the nutrients.
After the age of 35, individuals who consume a diet high in meats and low in fruits and veggies tend to gain weight, develop cholesterol problems and complain of constipation.
In the long run, maintaining a balance between a vegetarian and non-vegetarian diet is advisable.
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Snigdha Shah: A combination of raw vegetables and meat is best for non-vegetarians. The effect of not incorporating salads and fresh fruits in one's diet, will only be felt at a later stage in life.
Nikhil Chinappa, VJ/ DJ
What should people like me who lead erratic lives, with lots of travel, late nights and irregular meals do to minimise the damage to our bodies and overall health?
Expert Advice
Niti Desai: Try to snack on something healthy every three to three-and-a-half hours. This could be a granola bar or a fruit. Avoid skipping meals as it is difficult to eat sensibly when one is ravenous, which is when you're most likely to eat an entire 12 inch pizza.
Snigdha Shah: Try eating a hearty breakfast. After that, try eating small meals every couple of hours. A fruit, murmura, a bowl of salad, two idlis are some options. Try not to consume too much caffeine as it might interfere with your sleep.
Mandira Bedi, Actor and TV host
Why is it that no matter how hard one works out, one can never really eat what one wants? Does the diet:exercise ratio always have to be 80:20?
Expert Advice
Niti Desai: Not everyone can burn 500 to 600 calories a day, which is why one needs to regulate one's diet. I would say though that the diet:exercise ratio is more a 60:40 or 70:30 ratio than it is 80:20.
Snigdha Shah: That's because one can't burn everything one eats as the body automatically stores some amount of fat. The formula to burn fat and lose weight is to decrease fat intake and increase its expenditure.
This is why it makes better sense to restrict fat and high-calorie foods in one's diet and supplement it with exercise. The diet:exercise ration should ideally be 50:50.
What is National Nutrition Week?
National Nutrition Week (NNW) is from September 1 to 7, 2010. NNW organised by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB).
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The idea behind having a Nutrition Week is to spread awareness about the topic as well as to address nutrition and food-related problems of the country.
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Over one hundred events have been organised in states including Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Delhi, Rajasthan and Punjab.
Chitrangada Singh, Actor
Is it better to eat canned fish and consume preservatives than it is to eat fresh fish and risk ingesting mercury and other pollutants?
Expert Advice
Niti Desai: It is best to eat fresh fish that has been washed thoroughly. However, fish that's been caught in the deep seas and canned, like Norwegian salmon and shrimp, is fine in the short-term.
Snigdha Shah: When it comes to fish and meat, it is always better to eat it fresh, as the nutrition from fresh food will always be higher than that found in canned or tinned food. Ensure though that the fresh fish or meat has been washed and cleaned thoroughly before cooking. The process of cooking also removes chemicals to a large extent.
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