Tag: Weightloss

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).

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).