Life & Style | Food

You are what you eat

This DSS gets a wholesome boost with Summer Health Festival. Tabloid! talks to experts on the delights of eating right.

  • By Eva Fernandes, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 23:02 July 12, 2009
  • Tabloid

  • Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
  • Research indicates that heart disease is related to the quality and not the quantity of fat consumed.

Eating right is one of the six themes of the Summer Health Festival this DSS. Especially in a fast-paced life with unhealthy options available at low prices, taking the time out to choose what you chew can be difficult.

tabloid! talks to Dr Prem Jagyasi from ExHealth, on a few aspects of a healthy diet.

The good, the bad and the ugly fat:

There was a time when all fats were considered detrimental. Dr Jagyasi says that research indicates that heart disease is related to the quality and not the quantity of fat consumed: "The trick is in replacing the bad fat with good fats."

Good fat:

Nuts: Peanuts, walnuts, almonds and pistachios,

Oil: Avocado, canola, olive, sunflower and Omega-3 fatty acids.

Why are they good:

Good fats or monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) are unsaturated fats that reduce the risk of heart diseases as they decrease the level of harmful cholesterol(LDL) in the blood and increase the amount good cholesterol (HDL).

Bad fat:

Commercially packaged foods, fried food such as French fries and other snacks such as microwavable popcorn.

Why are they bad:

Consumption of these fats increase the cholesterol levels beyond the required norm, which negatively affects the heart.

Eating raw food:

Sri Rajesh Guruji, of Sidha Samadhi Yoga, a Bangalore-based organisation which treats diseases using a combination of raw foods, breathing exercises and meditation, says that eating right is part of a wellness regime:
"I say wellness and not just fitness, as what we eat affects not just our physical but mental well being too. Research indicates that foods impact our thought process and our physical appearance," he said.

Guruji says eating raw fruits and vegetables have many benefits. "Eating raw fruits and vegetables allows us to retain their goodness in entirety, while cooking may destroy vital nutrients."

He says that raw foods are rich in fibre and help in controlling ailments such as atherosclerosis, hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulosis and ulcers. Fibre also helps to reduce bad cholesterol and it cleans the digestive tract by ensuring it functions efficiently.

Benefits:

Chewing raw food not only strengthens the facial muscles but also contributes to a sense of satisfaction which reduces a person's tendency to overeat.

Raw food is also easier on stomach, as it only takes 13 hours to digest, unlike cooked food which can take up to 24 hours to digest.

More from Food

Covering everything from entertainment and lifestyle

Tabloid
Popular in Life & Style
Dining

Cooking

We give you advice on how to debone a fish

Life & Style editor's choice
Receipe
Best of web video by GNTV
Popular in Pictures