In today's time, where most of us are cautious about how we look and what we eat, few restaurants are doing a great job in helping us turn towards a heathier lifestyle. By including superfoods like kale, beetroot and quinoa in their dishes, these restaurants are slowly becoming a favourite with the fitness enthusiasts. Rajesh Sawhney, Co-founder of Healthie.in and Rajiv Kumar, CEO of Culinate, have listed some of the healthy ingredients that are slowly making inroads in the food circuit.
1. Quinoa: Available in red and white grains, Quinoa is cooked the same way as rice and is loaded with several health benefits. Quinoa stands tall and proud amongst all its grainy counterparts for its high quantum of proteins, monounsaturated fat, potassium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, vitamin E and B6, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, iron and magnesium. Low in calories and dense in energy, Quinoa is also renowned for its role in boosting digestion, metabolism and its heart protective properties
2. Kale: Green, leafy and oh-so nutritious, Kale has suddenly become a favourite with every fitness enthusiast. The veggie is high in fiber, low on calorie and has zero fat. Kale is also high in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. It can be added to pasta, green smoothies or can be simply tossed in a salad.
3. Chia seeds: Chia seeds are good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, antioxidants, iron, and calcium. An ounce of the superfood contains 5.6 grams of protein. Small oval shaped, they are soft seeds that are multicoloured - brown, black and white. Chia seeds are hydrophilic, which means they can easily be mixed with water and can soak up to twelve times their weight! Chia seeds are enriched with fiber. Every 100 gram will give you close to 40g of dietary fiber. Every 100g of chia seeds has close to 480 calories and 30g of fat out of which polyunsaturated fats (good/essential fats including omega 3, 6) make up to 23g.
4. Nuts: Nits like almonds, walnuts and cashews are good sources of omega-3 and fibre. They are also counted as good fats. Studies have also shown that nuts could help lower cholesterol and keep the heart healthy. Nuts are a great source of L-arginine, which make the artery walls more flexible and less prone to blood clots that can block blood flow.
*Activated charcoal: Activated charcoal makes for a good detox food. It helps in flushing out toxins from the body. The superfood also helps in digestive cleansing by alleviating problems like gas and bloating. It is said that including activated charcoal helps combat the signs of ageing too.
When talking about superfoods, our regular households also have a plenty of them that can be put to use for your fitness goals too.
1. Ajwain Seeds: Also known as Carom Seeds, which are actually fruit pods, with their pungent taste and unique flavor are a must in everyone's kitchen. Used as a remedy for a number of respiratory disorders, they are extensively used to relieve the body of indigestion and associated flatulence. Ajwain helps in digestion and absorption of food. Due to lesser fat storage, it ultimately leads to weight loss.
2. Moong Dal: Your favourite dal is powerhouse of nutrients too. moong dal is full of vitamin A, B, C and E and many minerals, such as calcium, iron and potassium. It is a brilliant weight loss food which is rich in proteins and fiber too.
3. Lauki or bottle gourd : Rich in fiber and having water content of 92%, this magical vegetable can help you deal with insomnia and digestive troubles as well as quench thirst and prevent excessive loss of sodium. Lauki is also rich in vitamin A, C, niacin, folate, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. Ideal for the hypertensive, it is anti-bilious and will relax you after a meal.
4. Dalia: Also one of India's favorite breakfast meals Dalia is high in protein and low in fat, Dalia provides you nutrients, without piling on the pounds. Dalia is high on fiber, which delays your digestion. Because the output of sugar is not in big quantum, it is not converted into fat".
So load up on these superfoods and say hello to a healthy diet today.
(With inputs IANS)