Rice Bran – To Be Eaten & Not Thrown Away

Rice bran, which is the outer layer of the whole rice grain, is the part which is normally removed and thrown away.  What most of us eat is the endosperm part of the rice grain which is mostly starch.

Let’s look at what nutrients gets thrown out when we remove the bran layer of rice – vitamins B1, B3, B6, manganese, iodine, some amount of protein (particularly lysine, an essential amino acid) and essential fatty acids.  Bioactive phytochemicals like dietary fibre, phytosterols, and other phenolic compounds are also present in rice bran.  100 g of rice bran can meet a quarter of the needs of vitamins needed for our body.  unpolished rice

Researchers have found hundreds of metabolites in rice bran which have potential medicinal and health promoting attributes.  While more research is needed to confirm this, what we already know about rice bran should convince us to eat unpolished rice in place of white rice.

Go Native – a new eco-conscious restaurant

Always in search of healthy and / or eco-friendly foods, we went to a new restaurant in Jayanagar (south Bangalore) called Go Native.  The first look of the interiors impressed us.  Very tastefully done with a lot of old & forgotten artefacts, the place felt welcoming.

The restaurant claims to use only local and seasonal ingredients which are health promoting.  Also impressive was their vegetarian-only menu.  After trying out their refreshing drinks with a couple of very tasty starters (they call them ‘small plates’), including the ‘yam galouti’ shown here, Yam Galoutiwe ordered a couple of thalis and a couple of main courses.  All of us were very happy and content with the food that went down our gullet.  Since we couldn’t stuff ourselves with a dessert, we asked for takeaways of their yummy ‘black til and peanut holige’.

Overall, a good experience!

 

Are Oats Gluten-free?

Oats have become a regular breakfast item in many households.  With a variety of Indian flavours and options available in the market, oats are no longer considered a ‘western’ food.  oats

Do oats contain gluten?  Can oats be eaten by celiac disease patients or those who have gluten sensitivity?

Oats do not contain gluten.  Gluten, a plant protein, is found in wheat, rye and barley.  Oats sometimes get contaminated with gluten if they are cultivated near gluten-containing crops.  That’s why, oats are in the ‘avoid’ list for those who cannot tolerate gluten.

Oats are best avoided by those who have celiac disease.  But if you are sensitive to gluten without celiac disease, you could try oats in small quantities to begin with.

Oats are rich in soluble fibre, manganese, phosphorus and magnesium.  Include oats in your meal plan at least once a week, to add variety and nutrition.

Consult a Dietitian – Get Fooducated

Hi Friends.  Of late, there have been many queries and concerns regarding nutritionists giving messages on various social media groups.  To make matters clear, the Indian Dietetic Association which celebrates Dietetics Day on January 10 of every year, brought out the theme “Consult a Dietitian – Get Fooducated” in 2017. Fortunately for our members, the theme and it’s related articles in the media went viral and a number of people realised that it’s important to consult a qualified dietitian or a qualified nutritionist to ensure that they receive correct advise based on scientific evidence.

Here’s the link to a short video (1.2 minutes) that I made on the theme – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk3q4sXBC1M

Do feel free to share the video and this post.

I’ll be back soon with nutrition updates.  Have a super day and a great weekend!

Fat Tax in the News

The new fat tax imposed by the Kerala state government has been in the news lately.  The fat tax has been imposed on burgers, pizzas, French fries, doughnuts, etc served in quick service multinational restaurants.  The idea is to curb the rising numbers in obesity in Kerala.  Lots of discussions and debates are taking place on whether or not it’s a wise move.

In my opinion, it’s a first step in the right direction but needs much more thought, planning and better implementation.  Imposing a tax only on a few high fat foods is not going to curb obesity.  It might reduce the consumption of such foods by some people who cannot afford to pay the extra amount.  However, there are many other foods made in our country (egs – namkeens, cookies, bakery items, etc) that are high in total fat or in trans fats, that are easily accessible to the public.  How does one regulate them?

And what about the high sugar foods and beverages?  Where do snacks and beverages made with high sugar, high fat and refined flour fit in?

The fat tax process needs to be more scientific, involving experts from the field of nutrition and health.