Blog
April 7, 2014

Last weekend saw me in a restaurant that claims to serve only sattvic food, in Bangalore.  I was curious to see and taste their variety of sattvic dishes.  Unfortunately, the restaurant serves only buffet meals and no a la carte.  So, small eaters will have to go there with a large appetite!  Anyways, a lot of their starters and main course dishes appeared to be sattvic.  I couldn’t really dissect each dish but by and large they were palatable.  What surprised me were the desserts.  While there was a section of Indian sweets (probably with sattvic ingredients), there was another section of pastries, tarts, creme caramel, cup cakes and a chocolate fountain!  I’m not aware of the entire list of sattvic foods, but I don’t think maida (refined wheat flour / white flour) and refined sugar belong in the sattvic food group.  To top it, there was a take-away counter selling only cakes and pastries under the same sattvic brand!

Well, to my knowledge, sattvic foods are those which are easy to digest, beneficial for the body and promote mental health and clarity of thought.  Water, whole grains, pulses, dals, most vegetables, fruits, nuts, honey and raw dairy foods (unpasteurised, non-homogenised) fall into the sattvic group.

If any of you have more information on sattvic foods, please do share.  Thank you.

 

0 Comments | Posted by admin at 6:01 am.
March 19, 2014

How many times have you wondered if what an advertisement says is 100% true or not?

Recently, I came across an advertisement on green tea.  We all know that green tea is a great beverage, filled with antioxidants and promotes health.  But does it cleanse the insides of our system?  Can it wash away the effects of high fat, high sodium, refined foods like fried chicken and a burger??  This is exactly what an advertisement is trying to say – Kareena Kapoor models in a green tea advertisement which implies that you can eat a burger and wash away the ill effects by drinking green tea.  If health came to us so easy, none of us would fall ill!!!!!

Think before you purchase products promoted by advertisements that give false hopes.  Do let me know your thoughts.

0 Comments | Posted by admin at 5:25 am.
February 27, 2014

Seems to be the season of Farmers Markets.  I went to a Farmers Market last Sunday at The Yoga House in Indiranagar, Bangalore.  Stalls showcasing delicious organic honey (monofloral and regular) by Honey Day, pomegranate tea, chocolates and toffees by Maduban, a variety of organic foods by the organic store i2cook, whole wheat goodies by Lluvia bakery, organic millet cookies by Belly & Soul, and the ever popular organic dairy foods by Akshayakalpa and much-in-demand organic fresh vegetables & grains by Buffalo Back.   Although it was a small initiative, I picked up some nice items in this market which was put together by Vishalakshi Padmanabhan of Buffalo Back.

And there’s another Farmers Market organised by the well known food expert, Karen Anand, on Sunday, March 2nd at the Royal Orchid Hotel (off old airport road) from 11 am to 7 pm.  Participants vary from restaurants and home bakers to wineries and foodies.  One can expect organic vegetables, fruits, cheeses, bakery foods and gourmet foods in this market.  Culinary demonstrations are also planned.

 

0 Comments | Posted by admin at 5:21 am.
February 25, 2014

I came across this information on the internet.  Brazil has issued new dietary guidelines to its citizens.  I’m writing about it in India because the guidelines can apply to our population as well –

The ten Brazilian guidelines:

  1. Prepare meals from staple and fresh foods.
  2. Use oils, fats, sugar and salt in moderation.
  3. Limit consumption of ready-to-consume food and drink products.
  4. Eat regular meals, paying attention, and in appropriate environments.
  5. Eat in company whenever possible.
  6. Buy food at places that offer varieties of fresh foods. Avoid those that mainly sell products ready for consumption.
  7. Develop, practice, share and enjoy your skills in food preparation and cooking.
  8. Plan your time to give meals and eating, proper time and space.
  9. When you eat out, choose restaurants that serve freshly made dishes and meals. Avoid fast food chains.
  10. Be critical of the commercial advertisement of food products.
0 Comments | Posted by admin at 5:09 am.
January 29, 2014

A few days ago, a friend of mine sent me some write-ups on apple and diabetes which he had received from a diabetic.  He wanted to know if the information was right and accepted in our fraternity.  The diabetic, in his write-ups, claimed that apple can control / cure diabetes, and eliminate pills and insulin.  The author of this claim had experimented upon himself by consuming apples daily on an empty stomach, along with regular walks and dietary changes like avoiding sweets.  He found that his blood glucose levels dropped and he was able to maintain the normal glucose levels for some time.  This person now propagates ‘apple therapy’ to whoever is willing to take his advise. 

It all sounds good and I’m sure this diabetic’s intentions are positive and he means well.  But, if diabetes was a simple problem with a simple cure, the world would have wiped out diabetes by now.  Unfortunately, it’s never so easy.  The overall lifestyle can certainly make a big difference in blood glucose control but a single fruit cannot.  Or, even if apple intake does help a few people, there are a lot more reasons involved (known and unknown).  Also, a fruit doesn’t become a universal solution to a long-standing problem.

Go ahead and chew on an apple by all means, but do not expect it to resolve issues related to your blood glucose.

0 Comments | Posted by admin at 6:49 am.