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Do you like to drink milk? {Your Opinion}

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This post is specially targeted for females of all ages. I have always loved milk since I was a kid and used to gulp it down within 10 seconds but I like cold milk and detest hot milk. In fact, I am a little uncomfortable with hot foods!!! Yes, garam (warm / hot) roti is good but garam vegetable is a no no for me. I know that some people just can’t take cold or warm food. I prefer warm, of course, not cold!! 
Anyway, coming back to the topic, my milk love stayed till I went to hostel at 17 where it definitely got a little hit but still I persevered with Complan. Yes, I am a Complan girl 😀 Then, I moved to Hyderabad and here, I had my first taste os real cow milk and that’s it!! There was my milk love all obscured into a puff of smoke. Why? Because, the real milk is so damn tasty and you can’t bear to drink tetrapacks or packet milk after that. In fact, I hate tetrapacks even more. 
And, now, I really really stay away from milk. So, what’s the problem?? Well, as you know women have less tendency to absorb calcium and they need to have good nutrition for good health to carry them through pregnancy and all hormonal changes to the menopause when women literally need calcium supplements. It is a proved fact that people who have taken good calcium intake during their childhood fare better but then, it is also advised not to stop drinking milk altogether!!! 
So, I am stuck in a dilemma and though of sharing this with you 🙂 Hope, I didn’t bore you to death with all this rant which is completely unplanned and written in one breath!!!

3 Healthy Foods I love {Health}

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I have been lacking bad too badly in the health posts so I thought I would compile a list of healthy foods which I absolutely love and would have in any form. And, trust me, coming up with only 5 items was so damn difficult that I can’t even think of all the foods.

Broccoli, Baby Corn / American and Indian Corn

For those who don’t know what it is, it is a greaan vegetable and highest in protein content and is absolutely delightful vegetable to eat whether steamed or boiled or pan-fried. It looks like green cauliflower.
And, I also love baby corns. Even the roasted bhutta and if you know that maize is dropped in Sambhar also and it tastes absolutely amazing 🙂 And, maize is one of the foods you can have without worrying about pesticides and insecticide issues.
And, the best part is that both of them are amazingly high in fiber content and make you feel full for around 3 hours. So, one of the healthiest of snack as well. In fact, I did do a post on American Corn being a healthy snack long back.   

Kabuli Chana (Chickpeas) and Kala Chana (Black Beans)

I love the huge white chanas and I love chole bhature which is not exactly healthy but you can make tikkis with kabuli chana or boil them and make a nice filling salad or snack by mixing in tomatoes and cucumber and onions and a little sprinkling of lemon!! Absolutely yum and your tummy would be so full that you won’t feel hungry for hours together. And, its high in proteins and fiber (two cups provide entire day’s fiber). Also, higher fiber means less junk and binging.

Black Beans are my absolute fav and always makes me wish that people would call me for ‘kanjak’ 😀 That’s a tradition in which young adoloscent girls are called home early in the morning, worshipped and fed puri chana and halwa and are given gifts and the whole breakfast is just yum. Its done during ram navmi and durgashtami (the two sacred 9 days in the hindu calender). I am missing it already!! Ok, yes, puri and halwa are not exactly healthy but black beans are a must. They are rich in proteins and full of fibre (more than the chickpeas) and great for snacks, salads or even for burger fillings. Mashed black beans bound with some flour make great tikkis or cakes (I don’t exactly know what tikkis are called in english but I know aloo tikki is potato cake!).

Btw, black beans are rich in phytonutrients which protects us from sun’s rays, dirt, pollution, insecticides and all the bad things. So, an additional reason to gobble them up. Mixed with tomato and lemon, they make a traditional Indian snack.

Spinach

Ok, so, I don’t exactly love spinach in every form, for example: boiled or steamed. But, palak paneer is my fav and I have never yet had it as a smoothie or a juice but I would definitely love to try it. Its amazing for hair growth. And, dark green veggies are great for its anti-oxidant power. According to me, the best way to eatc a spinach is raw in a sandwich and it tastes amazing. Also, another way is to incorporate it in the salad by chopping a bunch of spinach leaves. It has high amount of Vitamin A which is great for eye sight issues and also to fight aging effects. Also, it improves the body’s immunity to the sun’s rays.

Foods to eat and avoid during weight loss regime {Health}

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I had posted about my weight loss resolution a while back. Not that its really working out great but I thought I would do a post on what foods to avoid during weight loss regimes.
Substitute Brown Rice for White Rice
Brown Rice has amazing amount of fiber and nutrition as compared to white rice. You can read about the comparison here. Also, it has amazing amount of health benefits as well. More fiber is equal to increased metabolism of the body and higher rate of fat burning. And, fiber keeps a person full for longer and control the cravings. I have noticed that whenever I eat white rice I always put on weight which doesn’t happen when I eat brown rice.
Avoid Potatoes
Potatoes are one of the most dangerous foods when on a weight loss regime. I love potatoes to the core and can’t ever avoid them in any form, be it sandwiches or parathas or golgappas 😀 My mouth is already watering!!! So, try to avoid the huge potatoes and if you have to eat the potatoes, go for the baby potatoes as they are more nutritious and have less starch as compared to the bigger ones. Oh, I forgot to tell you that you can always have baked potatoes.
No Carbohydrates after 6:00 PM
This is one of the most important things to remember. Eating sugar or any carbohydrates after 6 is bound to increase your fat. Because, the carbohydrates and sugar get accumulated and do not get metabolised by the body in the evenings properly. So, say no to pastries and cheese and rice and all the yummy things after 6!!! For dinner, concentrate only on more of the fiber intake so that the digestion is faster and easier.  

Would you like to add anything to the list?