Top 10 Nutritious Foods Within Limited Resources

Want to sustain a healthy life? Nutritious diet within limited Food Resources: Let’s take a look on health benefits of our essential food commodities.

Our country currently in lock down stage due to corona pandemic, only essential services are open. So, maintaining a healthy life is the biggest concern for all of us.

Neem and tulsi leaves, pumpkin seeds, amla, citrus fruits definitely helps to boosts immunity but today we are going to highlight the nutritional benefits of commonly available food stuffs, on our plates for daily consumption.

Here’s the top 10 food stuffs which makes a balanced meal:

1. White Rice (plain): One of the main staple food in India as its easily available and large population can afford it. Easily digestible due to its high moisture content. People with chronic digestive issues will easily digest white rice than brown rice. White rice is high in minerals such as calcium and iron; it is also rich in niacin, vitamin D, thiamine and riboflavin.

It does not contain gluten. Last but not the least No one sits down to a meal of white rice only; accompanied with dal, sabji or a nonveg item makes it a complete balanced meal. 100 g (raw) rice has Carbohydrate: 77.16g, Energy: 351.58kcal, Protein: 7.81g

2. Puffed Rice (Muri/ Murmura): Compared to other ready-to-eat cereals, it’s very low in calories and good for weight loss. It’s light and easily digestible. Though it has more volume than regular rice, it contains almost no fat. So, it can be used as a snack. Best Idea to add ingredients like sprouts and veggies which create a flavorful and healthy dish. 50 g Muri has Carbohydrate: 38.8g, Energy: 180.9kcal, Protein: 3.73g

3. Rice Fakes (Chirwa/ Poha): Surprisingly, Its A good probiotic hence retains the microbial flora, which is healthy for the gut; Lactose free, gluten free, Rich in iron, rich in fiber , vitamin B1, carbohydrates and proteins.

Accompanying with curd will get you more calcium. Easy to digest, perfect meal for those with poor digestion.

A remarkable home remedy for an upset tummy or fever is to immerse some rice flakes in a bowl of water, add salt, sugar, lime juice and a pinch of black pepper.

50 g Poha has Carbohydrate: 38.7g, Energy: 173kcal, Protein: 3.3g

4. Chanaa Sattu: It has salt, iron and fiber, Consuming sattu on an empty stomach improves the bowel movement and flushes out toxins. Sattu keeps your body hydrated and helps you beat the summer heat as natural coolant. Increases energy, helps in weight loss by reducing bloating, increases metabolism and helps your body burn calories effectively. Keeps gut full for longer. Good for diabetics as its low in glycemic index and it is a natural blood pressure regulator. 10 g Sattu has Carbohydrate: 6.4g, Energy: 43kcal , Protein: 2.3g

5. Potato: Potatoes, available worldwide, all year long. They are relatively cheap to grow, rich in nutrients, indispensable part of Indian cooking and they can make a delicious treat. The potato's fiber, potassium, and vitamin B6 content (maintains neurological health). Potatoes are anti-inflammatory, soothe stomach and duodenum ulcers and reduce stomach acidity. Helps calm you down, improve brain health as the alpha lipoic acid, helps to boost overall cognitive health.

50 g Potato has Carbohydrate: 11.3g, Energy: 49kcal, Protein: 0.8g

6. Guava: it’s a widely and commonly available fruit in the Indian markets. Vitamin C rich fruit, Guavas contain four times the Vitamin C content present in oranges, thus protects from pathogens that cause infections and cold. Magnesium present in guavas helps in relaxing your nerves and muscles. In today’s stressful times, consuming a guava to combat stress and relax is certainly a good idea. Guava, is rich in fiber which helps in clearing constipation & reduces diarrhea symptoms too. Its fiber content and a low glycemic index, reduces risk of Diabetes. Helps lose weight, improves skin texture, and improves brain & thyroid health as guava is a good source of copper, a mineral important for regulating metabolism by helping to control hormone production and absorption. Lessens the risk of prostate & breast cancer.

1 Guava (70g) has Carbohydrate: 10g, Energy: 48kcal, Protein: 1.8g

7. Banana: Here’s another widely and commonly available fruit among the Indian Markets. Bananas are one of the best fruit sources of vitamin B6​, Vitamin B6 from bananas is easily absorbed by your body which produce red blood cells, metabolize carbohydrates and fats, turning them into energy, metabolize amino acids, remove unwanted chemicals from your liver and kidneys, and maintain a healthy nervous system, also good for pregnant women as it helps meet their baby’s development needs. Manganese in bananas is good for your skin. Potassium in bananas is good for heart health. It provides around 320-400 mg of potassium. Banana's low in sodium and high potassium combination helps to control high blood pressure. Bananas can aid digestion and help beat gastrointestinal issues it will provide about 10-12% of your daily fiber needs.

1 Banana (47g) has Carbohydrate: 12.8 g, Energy: 55 k cal, Protein: 0.6g

8. Turmeric: Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its yellow color. It has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb. Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and it’s a very strong antioxidant. As chronic inflammation contributes to many chronic diseases, Curcumin may help treat conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, and arthritis. As inflammation is linked to tumor growth, play a role in treating and preventing a variety of cancer type. Turmeric Boosts the Immune System Here is a spice that should be added to your cold and flu prevention regimen! Turmeric Helps Those with Depression leading researchers to suggest that curcumin may be a safe and effective treatment for major depressive disorder.

9. Cumin seeds (Jeera): cumin has long been used in traditional medicine, as a most gut- friendly herb. Drinking jeera water early morning can help in decreasing flatulence. Cumin is a good source of iron and melatonin, a sleep-regulating hormone and magnesium, essential for regulating brain activity and inducing sleep. A wonderful remedy to treat asthma and cold due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. May Promote weight Loss and fat Reduction, One study of 88 overweight women found that yogurt containing 3 grams of cumin promoted weight loss, compared to yogurt without it.

10. Mustard oil has been an age-old ingredient for the treatment of cough and cold. Mustard oil acts as an antibacterial when used both externally and internally. Internally it fights with the bacterial infections in colon, intestines and other parts of digestive tract. Externally it fights both bacterial and fungal infections of the skin. Mustard oil moisturizes and revitalizes the scalp with essential fatty acids and helps prevent hair loss.

These food stuffs are commonly available in almost any Indian households whether their food preference can be vegetarian, non-vegetarian or vegan.

Don’t gather while buying groceries, maintain the social distance.

Stay safe, Stay healthy.