ORGANIC DOES NOT MEAN NUTRITIOUS

So, you are at the supermarket and you are looking for something quick and easy. But you are also trying being health conscious just like any other person today so instead of the regular chicken nuggets you go for the organic one or instead of the regular instant pulao mix you go in for the organic one. And yes top it off with organic juice, cookies or chips.

It’s organic so it’s healthy for you, right?

Well, not always. Most of us today think organic means healthy. Ok- reality check- organic really has nothing to do with how nutritious your food is. Organic actually just defines how the ingredients were produced, prepared or raised. It also means that there aren’t any genetically modified ingredients or chemicals used and that all the pesticides used are natural and not synthetic. And also that nothing was fortified with sewage sludge. Organic also means that none of the ingredients were exposed to any kind of radiation or industrial solvents. Organic also means that no food additives or antibiotics or hormones were added.

Now all this is very important, but does it make your food nourishing. Organic does not necessarily make your food nutritious it only makes the ingredients used natural. So, having organic fried chips or nuggets will not make it healthy. Having organic packaged substances and that includes organic cookies or juices does not make it nutritious.

Having packaged organic foods considering they are nutritious is being unaware and ill informed. The longer the shelf life of any food the least nutritious it is.

So, if you care about healthy and nutritious food it’s more important to eat organic fruits, vegetables, whole grains and “garam khana” made from them. If you can pronounce all the ingredients on the package you are having then you are on the nutritious and healthy track.

ARE YOU TOO BUSY FOR LUNCH?

“Skipping breakfast is not healthy”- we all know that, right? But- what about your lunch? Most of us, especially those working stressful, extended hours at work or have jobs which involve a lot of travelling will realize how often they actually skip meals.

Skipping meals is often the most opted way to lose weight by many misinformed people. Unfortunately, the side effects of skipping meals are much more than any assumed benefits. Some consequences of regularly skipping meals include developing diabetes, inadequate nutrition, and drastically altering the way that your body digests food.

Let’s look at a few reasons why skipping any meal should not be an option for anyone, whatever the reason.

ü  Skipping a meal is unhealthy due to the effect it has on your blood sugar. When you eat a meal, your body breaks up the food. Some of this food enters your bloodstream as sugar, and works to provide you with energy throughout the day. When you skip a meal, your blood sugar drops drastically. This not only can make you feel sluggish and tired, but it can also upset the insulin in your body. If you often skip meals, you can be setting yourself up for the development of diabetes later in life.

ü  Another very important reason why skipping meals is unhealthy is that you are more than likely not receiving adequate nutrition. Eating a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and pulses/ lean meats helps not only to ensure that your body functions properly, but can also help prevention of a number of disease conditions. You may believe that you can skip meals and still achieve optimal nutrition by supplementing your diet with multivitamins. And while multivitamins do have their place, research has shown that these pills aren't as effective as real food at providing your body with what it needs. For better health, try to eat as naturally as possible.

ü  We normally skip meals because we are very busy and don't have time to pick a quick snack, or we are trying to lose weight. Thinking that skipping a meal will help reduce calorie intake can actually go against our weight loss regimen. When we eat, our metabolism works to break the food. When we skip a meal, our metabolism slows down.

ü  Skipping lunch will also result in overeating in the next meal. The next meal when you overindulge, your metabolism is not able to break the food down as quickly, and as a result the food is stored as fat. Therefore, in order to maintain a healthy weight, it is essential that you eat regularly throughout the day.

So, don’t skip your lunch or any other meal.

SKIP LUNCH AND YOU WILL HAVE TO FEED A BUNCH