Category: Medical Nutrition

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latest buzz Medical Nutrition

How Much Caffeine Is Too Much ?

Caffeine In Coffee Tea Cola Drinks thumb
Caffeine In Coffee Tea Cola Drinks thumb
man holding a huge coffe glass

Many of us can not start our day without a piping hot cup of tea or coffee, or when feeling tired we tend to grab an energy drink, after which we feel fresh and energetic.

Let’s try to understand what is the reason behind this kick. Actually this feeling is caused by caffeine – a natural stimulant that stimulates the brain and nervous system to stay alert and prevent tiredness.

Caffeine is found in tea leaves, coffee beans and cacao seeds. It’s very important to know how much quantity of caffeine is available in various products such as coffee, tea, cola drinks and chocolates so that, you can benefit rather than health issues.

Is Caffeine beneficial?

  • Since caffeine mainly affects the brain and its function, it may help to improve mood, decrease depression, increase brain function and to some extent may help to protect against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
  • Boosts our concentration and memory
  • Caffeine may also help in boosting metabolism and promote fat loss.
  • Caffeine also helps in reducing water retention as it increases frequency of urination (Diuretic in nature)
  • Can help in reducing type 2 diabetes

Now let’s look into the different types of caffeine rich food in our day to day life:

Coffee

It’s a brewed drink made from roasted coffee beans, and berries of certain species of coffee. Coffee contains riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), magnesium, potassium and many antioxidants.

Types of coffee and their caffeine content

Types of coffee and their caffeine content

Decaf stands for decaffeinated. These coffees are made by removing around 97% of caffeine from the coffee beans while processing. This is a good option for people who wants to limit their caffeine intake.

Tea

About 88% of the total Indian population consume at least one cup of tea in a day. Let’s compare different types of tea to understand the caffeine quantity:

Chamomile, Peppermint and Dandelion tea come under category of Herbal Tea. These products are caffeine free because, these are either dried flowers, leaves, seeds or root of caffeine free plants.

One of the best options for the late night relaxation without disturbing sleep pattern after tea.

Cacao

Cacao and cocoa are both from the cacao plant. Cacao is made by cold pressing the unroasted cacao beans. Whereas cocoa powder is made by high temperature roasted cacao beans, which is highly processed.

Both cacao powder and cocoa are used in making chocolates and chocolate-based products.

Comparing Caffeine Levels in Different Chocolates

nutrition in chocolate.

Caffeinated Drinks

Caffeinated drinks are the beverages that contain caffeine. Many caffeinated drinks such as soft drinks and energy drinks are available in market.

calories in carbonated drinks

Recommended Caffeine Intake

1 to 3 mg caffeine per kg body weight is considered safe for adults. Such moderate dosages can be found in everyday amounts of coffee, tea, cold drinks, chocolates and some sports products (e.g., gels).

For example, 60-80 mg of caffeine is supplied by a small cup of espresso coffee or 400 ml of a cola drink.

Excess intake of caffeine (e.g. 9 mg per kg body weight) can result in side effects like jitteriness, nervousness, insomnia, headache, dizziness, and gastrointestinal distress, which can obviously have a detrimental effect on day to day activities.

Conclusion

  • It is advisable not to exceed caffeine more than 3 mg per kg body weight
  • Avoid taking tea or coffee or any caffeinated drinks before going to bed as caffeine takes 6hrs to get out of our system which will leave you sleep deprived. You can opt herbal teas such as chamomile, dandelion or peppermint tea instead.
  • Incase you suffer from digestion issue and prefer coffee go for decaf than regular.
  • Swap milk chocolates with dark chocolates as it contains less amount of carbohydrates and fat, considering to keep the amount of caffeine intake under control.
  • Its better to avoid caffeinated soft drinks and energy drinks as they are high in sugar and they will provide you with instant energy boost but will not sustain for longer.

If you have any questions related to healthy nutrition or weight loss, please schedule an online appointment with the best dietitian in bangalore Silky Mahajan.

For inquiries, please feel free to email us at info@foodsandnutrition.in or call us at 7829999400 between 10:00 AM IST – 7:00 PM IST (Mon – Sat).

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latest buzz Medical Nutrition

Home Remedies to Cure Cough & Cold

Checkout the home remedies to cure Cough Cold thumbnail
Checkout the home remedies to cure Cough Cold thumbnail
girl suffering from caugh and cold

Cold is a common infection which is mainly caused by Rhinovirus. It is called as “Common Cold” because people often catch cold rather than any other disease. It is highly contagious and can spread easily from one person to another.

Cold can occur at any time of the year, but it is most common in Winter or rainy season.

There is no particular treatment of cold but few Home Remedies To Cure Cough which are listed below can help to decrease the symptoms and are much safer than medication.

Symptoms of Cold Includes sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, cough, aches and pain in throat region, fever, headache etc.

Top 11 Home Remedies To Cure Cough & Cold

  1. Gargling: Mix 1 tsp of salt into warm water or lemon warm water and Gargle for a sore throat. Frequent Gargling can reduce episode of Infection.
  2. Lemon, Cinnamon and Honey: Mixture of this combination is effective remedy to cure cough and cold.
  3. Ginger Milk: Boil 200 ml milk with 1 small clove of ginger and drink warm ginger milk before sleep. It helps in soothing throat Inflammation, running and dripping nose and to expel phlegm from respiratory tract.
  4. Turmeric Tea: It can help easing digestive problems and cough or cold if caused by GERD.
  5. Spiced Tea: Add Tulsi, Ginger, Clove (Laung), Cinnamon and Black pepper in tea and sipping it slowly can fight common cold and cough.
  6. Marshmallow Root Tea: Helps ease Irritation resulting from cough because of its high mucilage content.
  7. Mix Fennel seeds, Black Pepper, Amla and Mulethi in equal Quantity, grind it and take 1 tsp of this mixture in the morning and evening.
  8. Mix Black Pepper, Cumin, Jaggery in warm water and sip it slowly in case of chest congestion.
  9. Probiotics: Can help in boosting immune system by balancing bacteria in the gut.
  10. Burnt clove: Chewing a burnt clove is an effective medicine for cough.
  11. Raisin (Munakka): Raisin with pinch of black salt can give relief from dry cough.

Foods to Avoid During a Cough & Cold

  1. Dairy Products: Avoid having dairy products as the intensity and severity of mucus increases on its intake.
  2. Smoking and Drinking alcohol as it weakens the immune system.
  3. Too much coffee/tea as caffeine leads to dehydration and can cause breathing Issues.
  4. Fruit juices as they are high in sugar content which further reduces WBC capacity to tackle illness.
  5. Fried snacks, Junk/Spicy Foods, and processed foods.
  6. White flour and white sugar delays healing process and suppress immune system.
  7. Mangoes, Banana and citrus foods can increase mucus production.

Other Instructions to Avoid Cough & Cold

  1. Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of fluids prevents dehydration and warm fluids can clear mucus such as warm water, soup without spice etc.
  2. Steam: Steaming with Eucalyptus oil/Peppermint/Tea Tree or a hot shower helps stuffy or irritated nose.
  3. Personal Hygiene: Keep your hand, nails, the tissue or handkerchief clean which are used for sneezing. Use Hand Sanitiser. Disinfect the environment and commonly touched surface.
  4. Taking proper rest with balanced meal and enough water.

If you have any questions regarding nutrition or weight management, please schedule an online appointment with Dt. Silky Mahajan.

Send us an email at info@foodsandnutrition.in or call on 7829999400 between 10:00 AM IST – 7:00 PM IST (Mon – Sat).

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latest buzz Medical Nutrition

5 White Poisons That We Consumed Unknowingly

5 WHITE POISONS
5 WHITE POISONS

We might be surprised to know that unknowingly we are consuming 5 white poisons in our daily meal.

Forget getting nutrients from these items, we end up troubling our health by consuming these food items which are not at all good for our health and increase risk of developing diseases like cancer, hypertension, bone health issues and diabetes.

1. Pasteurized Cow Milk 

The process of pasteurization keeps the milk good for a longer period, but harms its nutritive value. It removes enzymes, vitamin A, B 12 and C from the milk.

Calcium works with Vitamin D, which is vital to the growth and health of children as well as improving immune system. Considering all these facts, we should avoid consuming pasteurized cow milk.

2. White or Refined Rice

The process of refining rice leads to the removal of the outer layer and germ from it. The rice is left with endosperm, only.

This layer contains starch in a huge quantity, which can increase your blood sugar or glucose levels to a great extent.

3. Refined Sugar 

Sugar contains a lot of calories, with no essential nutrients & because of that it is considered as part of ‘empty’ calories. It can have harmful effects on metabolism and contribute to all sorts of diseases like Cancer, type 2 diabetes, Overweight/Obesity, Liver diseases.

For people who are inactive, large amounts of fructose from added sugars get turned into fat in the liver. Because of the harmful effects of sugar on the function of insulin, it leads to type II diabetes.

Recommended intake

Worldwide, it is recommended that men can have 9 teaspoons of sugar per day and women can have 6 teaspoons of sugar per day.

However, considering the tendency of Indians towards sugar intolerance and diabetes, it is recommended not to go beyond 5 teaspoons of added sugar per day which includes sugar available in cookies, fruit juices etc.

4. Refined Salt

Salt makes your body hold on to water. If you eat too much salt, the extra water stored in your body increases your blood pressure.

More salt you eat, the higher your blood pressure will be. In India 1 in 3 adult are affected by high BP and majority of them are not aware of it.

Recommended intake

Aim to consume less than 1500 mg of sodium per day and definitely it should not go beyond 2300 mg per day. 1500mg sodium is equivalent to 0.75 teaspoon of salt per day.

5. White Flour (Maida)

Known as ‘White poison’, white flour is becoming necessity for all of us but it impacts our health drastically.

Use of Maida & its products usage is increasing rapidly in our day-to-day life. Sometimes, we are consuming it in form of bread at our home and sometimes, in the market/food joints in form of fast foods.

In case of any related query related to nutrition or weight management book an appointment with Dt. Silky Mahajan please send us a mail at info@foodsandnutrition.in or call on 080 6741 7780 (Dial Extension: 778).

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latest buzz Medical Nutrition

Are You Deficient in Vitamin D?

Are You Deficient in Vitamin D?
Are You Deficient in Vitamin D?

A lack of vitamin D does not just affect your bones, but poses more serious problems when neglected.

As per the study 76% of Indians suffer from vitamin D deficiency, data reveals 3 out of 4 Indians suffer from vitamin D deficiency.

Because of long working hours and little or no time for outdoor activities, more and more people are suffering from vitamin D deficiency.

What is Vitamin D & Why It is Critical for Health?

Despite its name, vitamin D is not a regular vitamin. It’s actually a steroid hormone that you get primarily from either sun exposure or supplementation.

Vitamin D manages calcium in your blood, bones and gut and helps cells all over your body to communicate properly.

Vitamin D also fights infections, including colds and the flu, as it regulates the expression of genes that influence your immune system to attack and destroy bacteria and viruses.

Why is Vitamin D So Important?

The reasoning behind this concern is that vitamin D is made in the skin by the action of the ultraviolet rays (UV) in sunlight and this is the main source of vitamin D for most people.

During summer, the majority of the population gets enough vitamin D through sunlight on the skin and a healthy, balanced diet.

However, during winter everyone needs to rely on dietary sources of vitamin D because, the sun is low in the sky, and the atmosphere filters out nearly all the UV rays.

In fact due to current lifestyle, it is getting difficult for people to meet the ‘10 micrograms per day’ recommendation from consuming foods naturally containing vitamin D.

People should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D, if required. Indeed, It’s worth remembering that too much exposure to the sun brings exposure to ultraviolet radiation, which can have some nasty effects.

Sometimes you can feel the heat from the sun on the skin but when it’s windy or cloudy people may think they’re less at risk but that’s not true. UV can still be high and if you are over-exposed, your skin can burn which is not only painful but can increase your risk of skin cancer.

Sources to Get Vitamin D

It is believed that appropriate sun exposure is the best way to optimize your vitamin D levels.

If your circumstances don’t allow you to access the sun, then you have only one option if you want to raise your vitamin D, and that is to take a vitamin D supplement.

Here too recommendations vary, and there are no hard and fast rules. 

What if You Are Vitamin D Deficient?

Too little vitamin D results in soft bones in children and fragile, misshapen bones in adults. It helps control the amount of calcium and phosphate in your body, which are needed to keep your bones and teeth healthy.

Having too little vitamin D (a deficiency) can damage the way your body absorbs calcium and phosphorus.

Also, chronic low vitamin D status has been linked to poor immunity and an increased risk of diseases such as multiple sclerosis, heart disease, some cancers, cavities, muscle weakness and bone diseases such as osteoporosis.

How to Know your Vitamin D Levels?

Vitamin D levels can be checked through blood test.

Vitamin D Guidelines

  • Aim to consume a vitamin D-rich diet all year round but especially during winter season
  • Consider supplementation during the winter months. Consult with Physician or Dietitian to understand the requirement of supplement because, over dosage is also bad.
  • Try to expose the skin on the legs and arms to regular, sensible doses (5-30 minutes a day) of sunshine between the hours 10am and 3pm without the use of sunscreen.

Some Natural sources of Vitamin D

  • Fatty fish, like tuna, mackerel, and salmon
  • Fish oil
  • Foods fortified with vitamin D, like some dairy products, orange juice, soymilk, and cereals.
  • Beef liver
  • Cheese
  • Egg yolks
  • Cow milk

Avoid too much Vitamin D

While being vitamin D deficient is a problem; too much vitamin D leads to lot of problems as well. Excess of vitamin D may cause health problems such as dehydration, vomiting, kidney damage and kidney stones.

Therefore, it is must to consume Vitamin D under supervision of healthcare professional.

In case of any related query related to diet or weight loss book an appointment with Dt. Silky Mahajan please send us a mail at info@foodsandnutrition.in or call on 080 6741 7780 (Dial Extension: 778).

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latest buzz Medical Nutrition

Is Excessive Protein Intake Beneficial or Harmful to Your Health? – Silky Mahajan

Is Excessive Protein Intake Beneficial or Harmful to Your Health?
Is Excessive Protein Intake Beneficial or Harmful to Your Health?

We received a lot of queries around Protein like how much is too much, whether Protein consumption will impact our health etc.

Proteins are considered as building blocks of life. Every cell in the human body contains protein. You need protein in your diet to help your body repair cells and make new ones.

Protein is also important for growth and development in children, teens, and pregnant women.

You must have heard that:

  1. Too much protein will destroy your kidneys.
  2. A lot of protein makes your bones weaker.
  3. Only professional bodybuilders need that much protein.

The truth about protein is that it is misunderstood. Protein is an essential nutrient that plays a huge role in helping to keep you healthy and is essential to building muscle mass.

Protein actually plays a role in strengthening bones. And there is no evidence that a healthy person will get kidney damage from a typical high-protein diet.

importance of protein in our body

Why Getting Enough Protein is So Important?

  • Protein builds muscle mass
  • Adequate protein is needed for post-workout recovery
  • Protein in the diet supports fat loss
  • Protein is important for a healthy immune system and connective tissue
  • Insufficient protein skews body composition

Lets talk about the myths about Protein

Myth1# Too much protein will destroy your kidneys.

Your kidneys are incredibly efficient at filtering unneeded substances from your body. Consuming a high protein diet doesn’t increase the strain on your kidneys. The kidneys are built to handle exactly this sort of stress!

We always recommend increasing your water intake when you’re consuming a higher quantity of protein, because your body produces more urine as a means to eliminate the byproducts of protein breakdown.

Extra fluid is needed to replace what is lost via urine. But you should be drinking plenty of water anyways.

Think about people who have donated a kidney. That one kidney left over suddenly has to handle more protein. If higher levels of protein damaged healthy kidneys, we would see it in donors.

But we don’t. That one kidney just adapts and donors have no increased risk for kidney disease.

Myth2# Too Much Protein Weakens Your Bones

The idea of protein leading to weaker bones comes from the fact that protein increases the acidity of the body, and that this causes calcium to leach from the bones to counteract it.

As per research, excess acidity has been found to lead to bone weakness, but protein is not the culprit.

As a matter of fact, protein in the diet has the opposite effect: it strengthens bones.

So How Much Protein Do You Actually Need?

Now that we know Protein is really essential nutrient for all of us so, how much is needed? 

FDA recommends 50 grams of protein per day for both men and women. This is a very general recommendation and isn’t accurate for people who are really active.

The amount of protein you need in your diet will depend on your overall calorie needs. The daily recommended intake of protein for healthy adults is 10% to 35% of your total calorie needs.

For example, a person on a 2000 calorie diet could eat 100 grams of protein, which would supply 20% of their total daily calories.

For people who work out, for athletes and trainers, more protein is necessary to build muscle and aid in recovery. It means that who is moderately to extremely active, 2 to 3 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight is a good general guideline.

However, it is recommended to take advice from Nutritionist before changing Protein intake, because it is very crucial to understand body fat percentage, daily activity level, and appropriate caloric ratio specific to their daily activity needs for protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

In case of any related query related to diet or weight loss book an appointment with Dt. Silky Mahajan please send us a mail at info@foodsandnutrition.in or call on 080 6741 7780 (Dial Extension: 778).

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latest buzz Medical Nutrition

The Most Popular Superfoods of 2023

superfoods image
TOP 6 SUPER FOODS FOR 2016
superfood image

With the beginning of 2023, it’s time to be trending with the new ‘superfoods’ of this year! Last year people were either ‘strictly vegetarians’ or were eating gluten-free food.

Instagram was also flooded with pictures of frozen yogurts and fancy smoothies.

Even coconut water was rather in, especially for all the fitness freaks.

So Here’s Top 6 Super Foods That Should Be Considered This Year

Celery

Celery is loaded with vitamin C, vitamin K and various other antioxidants with nutritional value. It also has some tricks up its sleeve aka phytonutrients, which provide anti-inflammatory benefits!

It is also the best crunchy low-calorie veggie to eat with some dip – the healthy kind of finger food!

Green Tea 

It helps in weight loss, it’s good for your hair and skin, it’s the best replacement for tea or coffee and it even combats allergies!

This magic liquid can also boost eyesight, reduce cholesterol levels, and promote oral health while also helping one relax. Wow, so much in one cup.

Sprouts

They’re a great source of vitamin K, vitamin C, fiber and other essential nutrients. Some surveys even suggest that sprouts have therapeutic benefits and could even prevent diseases – goodbye flu!

They can be added to salads, sandwiches, soups or even snuck into pastas and stuffed chicken. Sprouts have more volume and few calories so they do help in your weight loss process.

Smoothies

They’re a great source of calcium, they’re super filling thus making them the healthiest mid-day meal and they look pretty!

Strawberry, papaya shake, banana-honey, chocolate, banana-strawberry .. you name the flavor and it could be presented to you.

It’s the new soya milk for fitness fanatics and the best way to make your kids get some calcium in their bodies.

Walnuts

Walnuts contain some rare and powerful antioxidants that have varying benefits – from cancer-fighting properties to preventing heart-related problems to a reduction in type 2 diabetes.

Just like an almond, a walnut also improves brain health and is highly recommended! Another added factor is that walnuts help in weight loss and over time help you maintain your ideal weight.

Pancakes

Pancakes are honestly underrated items on any menu. They could range from gym-fit-healthy to heavenly-chocolate-overdose. They’re the perfect breakfast – topped with maple syrup or maybe made with a banana filling.

Have you ever had ham and cheese pancakes? They’re to die for. Pancake desserts go from healthy with fruit to topped with Belgium chocolate mousse – each bite is better than the other! And the best part is they’re super easy to make at home.

In case of any related query related to healthy nutrition or weight loss book an appointment with Dt. Silky Mahajan .Please send us a mail at info@foodsandnutrition.in or call on 080 6741 7780 (Dial Extension: 778).

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