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Taste vs nutrition: what to eat?

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In the olden days, humans used to eat raw foods. Over time, they learnt the art of making fire and cooking. Now, people eat mostly cooked foods. They discovered spices and herbs and began their culinary use for aroma and taste.  This has further reached a stage where people prefer processed and ultra processed foods that are easily available in supermarkets. This could be due to lack of time and laziness, but many also prefer these foods due to the taste factor.  But when we look for tasty foods, somewhere along the way we are opting for less nutritious foods. So what should one prefer; tasty foods or nutritious foods? Tasty foods Most tasty foods are made of refined flour, unhealthy fats, and sugary base. These are artificially flavored and colored. Other additives are added to enhance texture and make foods more palatable.  Most of these foods are mass prepared and have added preservatives to increase their shelf life.  All this leads to these foods being stripped of their nutrition.

Why eating at five-star hotels is no big deal?

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 Often, people in your inner or outer social circle or your extended family members or relatives might have boasted before you that they ate at a five-star hotel or restaurant. These are the people who believe in show off as way of life. These are the people who think such things as an achievement. And these are the people who usually have no big achievements in life.  These people think that expensive means best! But this is not true.  Why eating at five-star hotels is no big deal ? I pity people who boast about having eaten at costly places or having eaten costly foods. But is expensive food or eating places always good? Do such places assure you nutrition or hygiene? The answer is a Big No. I say so due to the following reasons: 1. Food served at these places have a lot of oils, grease, ghee (saturated fats) and such unhealthy fats in them. They sell sugary sweets and fluids. These foods might have added food colors and flavouring agents. All such additives are harmful for body. The

Narcissist mothers are jealous of their daughters!

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  Narcissist mothers and their causes Normal mothers are proud of their daughters and talk high of them in society and with friends. These are also the mothers who truly love their children including daughters. But sadly enough, there are some mothers who do not shower love on their kids, especially daughters. Culture has a major role to play in it. In some cultures, where daughters are considered 'alien' who has to go to her husband's house, it is common to find that parents and mothers are not good or loving to their daughters. The way a mother herself was brought up in her childhood also determines whether she will love her children truly or not. Moreover, there are many mothers who are after social status and honor and do not like their daughters to do anything different from what the society has set up for them.  Implications for daughter's growth Whatever be the reason for this no love for their daughters, but such mothers can be detrimental for the proper growth

Swimming pools and seas are not for me!!!

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I love swimming but I think swimming is not for me. Everytime I have waded into water, I have landed with some serious illnesses.  Hepatitis A I was small and in school when my father decided to take me swimming along with him. He was good in swimming and diving. I accompanied him for a few weeks. But I developed fever, yellowish discoloration of urine and yellow sclera. I was diagnosed with hepatitis A.  An analysis of the possible causes was done. I used to never eat or drink outside. My parents were very strict on it. For school, I used to carry boiled and filtered water from home in a plastic water bottle. I used to have home cooked food at school lunch time: bread butter, bread milkmaid, bread jam or rice with curd. Then from where did I contract the bad virus? Further investigations pinpointed to the swimming pool as the likely cause of my illness. I recovered slowly with my parents' love, care and nutritious diet. But my return to the swimming pool was halted. Dad too stoppe

Food companies and their misleading labels

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Food is for nutrition and to provide the body with energy and vital nutrients. Names of foods help us to know what the likely ingredients might be in it. But often, we notice that food names are misleading. They can fool a person into buying only to realize that it did not meet their expectations and imagination. For instance, take the example of samosa. An ideal samosa is refined wheat flour (maida) wrap with mashed potatoes and boiled peas inside. And when we say paneer samosa (cottage cheese stuffed fried dumplings), the picture that comes to our mind is of a wrap of refined wheat flour dough with paneer inside. But to your disappointment, you will find that these samosas are nothing but the normal samosas with mashed potatoes with or without boiled peas and just 1 small piece of cottage cheese at one corner!!! If we talk about rusks, most of these are made of refined wheat flour or maida which is not healthy. Maida is stripped of all the vital nutrients such as fiber, vitamins,

An apple a day keeps the doctor away! Is it true?

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You might have wondered sometimes as to why do they say: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." This is an old English proverb. Its origin dates back to 1913 when it was coined. This was based on an old Pembrokeshire proverb of 1866 that stated that consuming nutritious foods like apples wards off illnesses and keeps you healthy. Therefore, doctor visits reduce.  How effective is this proverb in the modern age? The answer is not simple. Because times have changed. But we do know that fruits and vegetables are healthy for the body. They contain a lot of nutrients that assist and promote optimal health. They have phytonutrients that reduce inflammation, help bowel movements, decrease blood pressure, minimize blood sugar rise, lower blood cholesterol, control weight, reduce risk of chronic diseases and cancer, and give a feeling of well -being. They are rich in healthy carbs, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, phytonutrients, and some like avocados have good fats in them as wel

Water content of fruits: Which fruits are more watery and good for summers?

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Fruits are delicious, nutritious and provide instant energy. The water content varies. During summer, you need more water and fruits can provide it. Which are the watery fruits good for summers  Know the water content of fruits in percentage: A. In alphabetical order   1. Apple, Whole unpeeled 83.90  2. Apricot  86.35  3. Avocado 74.27  4. Banana 74.26  5. Blackberries 86 6. Blueberries 85 7. Cantaloupe 90 8. Carambola (Star fruit) 91 9. Cherries 90 10. Cranberries, dried 12 11. Dates, whole 23 12. Figs, dried 28 13. Grape 81.30  14. Grapefruit 90.89  15. Honey dew 90 16. Kiwi, raw and peeled 83 17. Lemons, raw and peeled 89 18. Mangoes, whole and peeled 82 19. Nectarine 86 20. Orange 86.75  21. Papaya 89 22. Peach 87.66  23. Pear 83.81 (73-88 depending upon the variety) 24. Pineapple 87 25. Plantain, raw 65 26. Plum 85.20  27. Prunes, dried 32 28. Raisins 15 29. Raspberries, raw 87 30. Rhubarb 68 31. Strawberries 92 32. Tangerines 88 33. Watermelon 91.51  B. Order based on decreasing