Obesity epidemic of India

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Obesity in India is on the rise. It has reached enormous proportions. As I sit and count at airports, the number of women who look obviously overweight and obese, the figures I get is 8 out of 10. And this is around same in children of all sexes and around 6 in 10 men show clearcut overweight and obesity that is obvious even to naked eye. Anthropometric measurements might reveal more of them.  What are the likely causes? I have a theory that starts analysing these cases right from the 2000s or previous century. Junk food eating and sedantry lifestyle had already given an upward push to obesity in last century. And this also gave rise to diabetes mellitus in both men and women. Hence, such mothers also had diabetes in pregnancy. Some who did not have diabetes otherwise had gestational diabetes. From 2000 to 2026 prevalence of gestational diabetes has risen in india. It has even spread to rural areas and recent national data gives a figure of 22.4% which is almost 1 in 4 pregnant mot...

If you don't like beet root, you MUST READ THIS!

Beet root is a nutritious root vegetable with a lot of phytonutrients and consequent health benefits. 

Beet root is rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It has nitrates that improves blood flow and circulation and lessens blood pressure. 

100 g of beet root has 43 calories. Protein is 1.6 g, carbohydrates 9.6 g and fats 0.2 g. The fiber content is 2.8 g in 100 g. Sugar is just 6.8 g. 


It has plenty of micronutrients. It is rich in iron, vitamin C and B6. Additionally, it has folate, potassium, manganese, magnesium and copper. 87% of beet root is water. 

Moreover, it has inorganic nitrates, betanin, and vulgaxanthin. 

Beet root lowers blood pressure and risk of heart diseases. It improves stamina and exercise performance. It increases iron content and hemoglobin formation. 

Thus, beet root is a healthy food option. You can have it raw or cooked or as a smoothie or juice. 

But there are many who do not like the taste of beet root. Please read on to know how you can still consume them. 

1. Cooking (steaming or boiling) can cause loss of some nutrients. And it also worsens the taste of the vegetable and cause a feeling of nausea in the consumer. 

2. Juices can preserve the micronutrients and phytochemicals and is good but its fiber is lost. This is not good because fiber is essential for improving gut mobility. 

3. Smoothie is good and preserves all nutrients. But it could be nauseating as well. 

4. Raw form preserves nutrients and fiber and the taste is good. The earthy taste and smell of beet root is absent and the person may not feel nauseated with it. It is faster and easy to consume it in this form. 

Thus, if you do not like beet root, better to consume it raw. It provides all nutrients without adverse effects. 

The high oxalate content of beet root can cause kidney stones. It's high FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides and Polyols). The high fiber content can cause stomach upsets. 

Read here: Carbonated drinks and hiccups 

The bottom line

Consume beet root in moderation and raw and enjoy it's health benefits without problems. 





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