Spicy Prawns Cake

This healthy version of a savoury cake is an excellent option to serve as starters for dinner. For those of you who have never heard of this before, and love seafood, do try it and I’m sure you will be impressed.

Also called as haldawi poli meaning the yellow cake, it is a traditional bhatkali recipe made of rice, coconut and prawns.

The first step of this process is making the prawns qorma and keeping it ready.

The second step is preparing the rice mixture.

The rice I use for this is half and half ratio of parboiled rice and the white rice (used for making dosa).

Wash and soak both the rice for 2 hours

In a bowl mix the drained rice, fresh coconut, salt, green chillies and turmeric powder.

Transfer all of this into a blender/grinder and grind coarsely. The pieces of rice should be just broken into halves. It shouldn't turn into a fine paste.  Use approximately 1 cup of water to help you grind. 

To this add the prepared prawns qorma, chopped coriander and red chilli powder. Salt for taste.

At this point if your mixture is wet (Mine is because I had to use a blender and needed to add 1 ½ cup of water), Put it in a non stick pot and cook it for 2-3 minutes or till the moisture evaporates and you feel the mixture is sticking to the bottom. 

The mix should be dry as it will now go to the oven for baking and watery mixture may not hold the cake in shape.

Once this is done, line a 10” baking pan with oil and put this mixture into it. Pat it down with the back of a spoon.

If you do have a cupcake pan, it would be lovely to try that.

Put this tray into an oven pre-heated at 175°C for 40-45 minutes or till the edges turn brown and a dark golden crust is formed. The top crust should get crisp hard.

Once it’s completely cooled, cut into small squares and serve.

This perfectly cooked and crumbly rice cake is a healthy option and something new to appease your guests.

This recipe makes 15 pieces of the cake and serves 5-6 people. One serving of this recipe provides approximately 143 Calories.

Here is what you’ll need:

For the qorma:

15-20 prawns cleaned and deveined

2 onions

1 tomato

4 green chillies

5-6 curry leaves

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp tandoori powder

1 tsp coriander powder (Dhaniya powder)

1tbsp oil

For the Rice mixture:

1 cup white parboiled rice

1 cup white rice (dosa chawal)

2 cups fresh grated coconut

4-5 tbsp fresh coriander leaves

4 green chillies

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ -1 tsp chilli powder

1 cup water

Method:

1. Wash, clean and de-vein the prawns.
2. Wash and soak the rice for 2 hours.
3. Heat oil in a vessel, add the curry leaves, green chillies and sliced onions.
4. Cook the onions on low heat till it sweats and add the chopped tomato.
5. Once the tomatoes go soft, add the ginger paste and garlic paste.
6. Add all the prawns (If the prawns are big or medium,cut into halves or one-thirds) and add the curry powders. (The curry powders can be adjusted, added or removed to suit your taste. I do add a quarter piece of chicken stock cube)
7. Keep on simmer till the prawns cook.
8. In a blender, add the soaked rice drained of water, fresh coconut, salt, turmeric, and green chillies. Grind coarsely with help of a cup of water.
9. Put this mixture in a bowl, mix in the prepared qorma, and coriander leaves. Add half a tsp of red chilli powder. 
10. Cook this mixture in a non-stick pot for 2-3 minutes till dry. (If the mixture is too watery)
11. Line a baking dish with oil and pour the mixture and set it.
12.  Put it in a preheated oven at 175°C for 45 minutes or till a golden crisp crust is formed.
13. Serve as snacks or starters for dinner.

Recipe by Zohra Sada

The Goodness of Ragi/Finger Millet

Those of you who complain of low hemoglobin and calcium levels, or are on a weight loss diet, or have growing kids at home. This magic ingredient is what you must add to the diet chart.

Ragi, also known as finger millet, is a poor man’s diet in India where this crop constitutes a little over 25 percent of the food grains grown. Nutritionally this millet is as good as whole wheat or rice. But compared to the whole wheat flour or milled rice, ragi contains higher amount of minerals and undoubtedly the richest source of Calcium among the plant based foods. 

Ragi comparatively contains more amount of dietary fibre which helps in giving the feel of “fullness” by allowing slow digestion. Thus it helps in maintaining glucose levels in diabetic patients.

The best source of calcium is indeed a bowl of ragi porridge. So for all those growing babies or older people suffering from osteoporosis, be sure to include a cup of ragi malt in your diet.

Ragi is a powerhouse of essential amino acids and B complex vitamins.

Sprout your ragi for extra benefit., sprouted ragi contains Vitamin C which is essential for the absorption of iron which is naturally present in ragi. Sprouting makes the iron more bioavailable.

Here is a list of benefits of including ragi in your diet:

• Weight loss
• Diabetes control
•  Fights anemia
• Nutritious baby food
• Stronger bones.
• Boosts lactation.

Be it Ragi malt, ragi porridge, ragi dosas, ragi idlis, ragi rotis, just substitute your regular flour with ragi flour and you’ll have a variety along with rich nutrition in your colourful diet.

Here a list of amount of nutrients provided by 100g of Ragi:

Calories (kcal)	331
Carbohydrates (g)	72.7
Proteins (g)	7.1
Fat (g)	1.3
Fibre(g)	3.6
Calcium (g)	0.33
Iron (mg)	5.4
Thiamine(mg)	0.42
Niacin (mg)	1.1
Riboflavin (mg)	0.1
Phosphorus (g)	0.27

Find the recipe of Ragi Porridge in The Kitchen Counter column. Learn to make Ragi Flour in the Nutri-knowhow column.

Post by Zohra Sada

Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is for the soul. You don’t have to be sick or the weather doesn’t have to be cold. A healthy light soup as starter is okay anytime. Or you can skip the dinner after the soup.

My struggle with making a perfect soup is a long story. After so many trial and errors I realized, taste is important. Of course taste is important, duh! What I mean is the good amount of vinegar, salt, green chilli and red chilli sauce flavor. Many of the recipes out there are too bland for my Indian taste buds. But, if you like your soup plain, no worries. Adjust the taste as per your liking.

Whenever sorting out the chicken, I keep the boney part of the chicken like the neck and ribcage aside for making the stock of the soup. This gives stronger flavor than chicken breasts. The chicken pieces are boiled in water for 15-20 minutes for the liquid to reduce and make stock.

The wonderful aroma of butter and spring onions is heartwarming.

I don’t use cornflour for this recipe. This is a thin soup. For slight thickening purpose I use a tbsp of powdered oats. For a better flavor, you can puree 1 tbsp of mushroom or 1 tbsp of fresh corn kernels and add to the stock. 

This recipe makes 2 bowls of soup. One serving provides approximately 271 Calories.

Here is what you’ll need:

2-3 pieces of chicken in bones

2 spring onions with leaves

1 tbsp powdered oats/ pureed mushroom/ pureed corn

1 inch ginger

1 tbsp butter

4-5 whole peppercorns

4 cups water

2 tsp vinegar

1 tsp green chilli sauce

1 tsp red chilli sauce

1 tsp light soy sauce

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (Optional)

½ tsp black pepper powder

Salt as per taste

1 egg

Method:

1. In a large pot, melt the butter. Sauté finely chopped ginger and spring onions. Add the peppercorns.
2. To this add the whole cleaned chicken pieces.
3. Add 4 cups of water.
4. Once the water boils, simmer for 15-20 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken, shred the meat and discard the bones.
6. Add the shredded meat to the stock.
7. Finely powder the oats and add to the soup.
8. Add the rest of the flavourings.
9. Adjust the seasonings and salt as per your taste.
10. Increase the flame, and to the boiling soup, add a beaten egg with the help of a spoon.
11. Garnish with spring onion leaves and serve hot.

Recipe by Zohra Sada

Cancer

Cancer is a term used to refer to malignant tumours. Tumours are cells in a tissue which grow uncontrollably. Tumours can be Benign or malignant. Benign tumours grow and remain in their tissue of origin whereas malignant tumours grow and spread to other tissues thereby hindering their functions.  The cancer cells are developed due to the activation of abnormal genes called the ‘oncogenes’. Cancer can occur at any age and in any part of the body and due to several reasons.

Cancers are caused by genetic as well as environmental factors – Heredity, Ionizing radiations such as X-rays, gamma rays, UV rays etc., Chemical substances like benzene and asbestos (carcinogens), estrogens, viruses, stress and age are some of the causative factors.

Diet and cancer are associated. Almost all cancers (80–90%) are caused by environmental factors and of these; 30–40% of cancers are directly linked to the diet. There is also a significant relation between lifestyle (including food consumption) and cancer prevention.

The objectives of nutritional therapy are to meet the increased metabolic demand of the diseased condition and prevent catabolism as much as possible, and to alleviate symptoms resulting from the disease and its treatment through adaptation of food and feeding process.

Following are the nutritional requirements in cancer:

Post by Faiz Lahori

French Toast

Some people call it the sweet Bombay toast, popularly known as French toast; I call it the sweet toast, basically the same thing. This easy breakfast or snack recipe is my all time favorite because it takes almost no time to prepare.  

I knew this recipe since forever, but whenever I would make this with normal bread (not thick slices) it would turn soggy and heavy. A friend of mine then told me a secret to hold up the bread volume, a tsp of cornflour. I know, I know, many eyebrows are raised, but trust me; it will still taste as wonderful. With the help of this, you can use any bread loaf which you have stored in the pantry. The vanilla essence amplifies the taste.

This recipe serves 2 people. One serving of this recipe (1 slice of bread) provides approximately 205 Calories.

Here is what you’ll need:

4 slices of bread

1 egg

1/8 cup milk

4 tbsp sugar

1 drop vanilla essence

1 tsp cornflour

1 tbsp butter/oil

Method:

1. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs.
2. Add the sugar and mix till completely dissolved. (If you don’t like sweetness reduce the sugar by a tbsp).
3. Whisk in the milk and vanilla essence.
4. Sieve in the cornflour and mix well.
5. Melt  butter  on medium heat in a non stick fry fan. 
6. Dip each piece of bread in this mix till coated well and place 2 slices of bread on the pan. 
7. Cook till both the sides turn golden brown.
8. Serve hot.

Recipe by Zohra Sada

Isabgol

Isabgol or psyllium husk is a must for every kitchen. This easy and cheap household remedy may save you a trip to the doctor’s and a dose of unwanted medicine. Every dietician keeps emphasizing the importance of a good amount of natural fibre in the diet, but in modern day lifestyle with increasing fast foods even most of our home made food contains very less fibre to meet the Recommended Dietary Allowance. The result is constipation, heart diseases, flatulence and acidity.

Isabgol has a list of benefits. It contains soluble as well as insoluble fibre. These fibres aid in the movement of the bowel, keeping the gastrointestinal tract healthy.

The main cause for constipation is lack of fibre in the diet. Isabgol when mixed with warm milk expands and thickens. This increases roughage quantity inside the gastrointestinal tract and works as a lubricant and helps in easy movements of bowel.

Even during bouts of diarrhea isabgol comes handy but only the method to use it is different, this time it must be mixed with just normal temperature water. In cold water the fibre does not thicken immediately, but on reaching the gastrointestinal tract it absorbs the moisture and swells up and binds the loose stool.

Constipation is one of the main reasons for piles and fissures. Precaution is better than cure. Simply avoid piles by relieving the symptoms of constipation.

Isabgol is beneficial for lowering cholesterol levels. It is thought to stimulate the conversion of cholesterol into bile acid and then increase bile acid excretion. It may also decrease the intestinal absorption of cholesterol.

Other benefits of isabgol include weight loss and fighting diabetes, the reason for both is same, Isabgol has a stomach-filling effect. i.e. it reduces the pangs of hunger as the fibres are not easily digested. It keeps the sugar levels regulated.

In cases of acidity, isabgol forms a gel like substance in the stomach and protects the gastrointestinal lining. Isabgol helps to reduce symptoms of ulcers also.

How to consume:

For constipation: Mix 1-2 tsp of isabgol in hot/warm milk.

For diarrhea: Mix 2 tsp isabgol with normal water or mix 2 tsp isabgol with 2 tbsp curd. Add sugar if required.

For weight loss: Mix 1 tsp isabgol with warm water and lemon juice. Drink daily early in the morning or before a meal.

For symptoms of piles/fissures: Mix two tsp of isabgol with warm milk and ½ tsp of ghee.

Now that you know a simple remedy for your GI problems, try this natural healer before making a trip to the doctor’s.

Post by Zohra Sada

Eggless Chocolate Mousse

Mousse is any product which is airy and fluffy; scientifically air is incorporated into solid. There is a wide variation of recipes for mousse, few contain whole eggs, some only yolks or whites.  Here is a recipe for you which contains no eggs.

This recipe is not super light weight mousse as it contains yoghurt and condensed milk. The yoghurt imparts that small tinge of sourness which complements the mousse beautifully.

I have not taken step by step photos of this recipe but will walk you through it. It is easy to prepare, so ask your kids to participate and they will enjoy it.

This mousse calls for dark chocolate, but I have used plain galaxy milk bars that were in my pantry. So, it tasted like galaxy.

This recipe makes 4 cups of mousse. One serving provides approximately 517 Calories.

Here is what you’ll need:

200 gm yoghurt

100 gm dark/milk chocolate

90 gm condensed milk (1 small can)

2 cup whipped cream

Chopped roasted almonds

Method:

1. Take yoghurt in a muslin cloth and tie it. Hang it for half an hour till all the water is drained.
2. Whip the cream till stiff peaks are formed. (I used 1 “Dream Whip” packet)
3. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. ( Break the chocolate pieces in a bowl, keep this in a pan of boiling water over flame)
4. In a bowl, mix the strained yoghurt and condensed milk.
5. To this add the melted chocolate and stir well.
6. Gently fold in 3/4^th of the cream till the texture becomes smooth.
7. Dish out this mousse in individual cups or glasses. Garnish with remaining cream and roasted chopped almonds.
8. Serve chilled.

Recipe by Zohra Sada

Angina

‘Angina Pectoris’, sounds like a magic spell? Actually, it isn't. Angina Pectoris, commonly referred as Angina is episodes of discomfort with chest pain. It is a clinical syndrome of chest pain radiating to the left side of the body. It occurs due to an imbalance between oxygen demand and supply to the heart. It is commonly caused due to narrowing of arteries as a result of fat deposition (Coronary atherosclerosis) which increases the risk of Heart Attacks.

The major causes of Angina are diets rich in fats, smoking, lack of exercise, diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol.

Angina can be stable or unstable. Stable Angina occurs after physical exertion, heavy meals, stress, etc. and lasts from 1 to 15 minutes. It reduces after medication or rest. It is a cause of heart attack and can lead to unstable angina which occurs at rest or without much effort and lasts for a longer duration without responding well to medications. It poses a greater risk for heart attacks.

The common symptoms observed in Angina are Chest pain radiating to the left arm, jaw, neck or back; sensation of gases; chest pressure, heaviness, suffocation, chest burning, nausea and vomiting. These symptoms worsen in cold weather, stress or after heavy eating.

The diet therapy for Angina calls for a fibre rich, low fat diet. Foods which help in lowering cholesterol (garlic, onion) should be consumed. Caffeinated drinks should be restricted. Dietary fat in the form of animal fat and hydrogenated oils should be avoided. Lean meat and fish which are good for the heart (salmon, tuna, and mackerel) are recommended. Anti-oxidants like vitamin A, C and E are also beneficial. Vitamin A, with anti oxidant properties prevents atherosclerosis by checking oxidation of artery walls. Vitamin C with bioflavonoid restrains the hardening of arteries. Vitamin E prevents oxidation of LDL and its adherence to artery walls.

Fruits like pineapple, grapes, oranges and apples help lower cholesterol. Green leafy vegetables and parsley is a well known remedy for angina. Flaxseed oil, rich in α-linoleic acid and other Unsaturated Fatty Acids diminish atherosclerosis and Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and prevent angina. Soy lecithin reduces cholesterol and helps to break plaques of the arteries.

The following diagrams will explain the role of other nutrients in managing Angina.

Read more about Heart Attack in Diet Corner column. 

Post by Faiz Lahori

Jalebi

This tedhi-medhi Indian sweet is one of my favourites. Though making it is not as easy as the song “Jalebi Bai”, but you can surely become a Jalebi Bai by this simple recipe.

The first thing required to make jalebis is “patience”, because, the batter requires overnight fermentation, ofcourse you can add yeast to the jalebi batter to quicken the fermentation process but this recipe doesn’t include this step.

The batter made of maida, curd, cornflour, ghee and baking powder should not be too watery and neither too thick. It should be of a moderate consistency to be able to make the shape of the jalebi easily, a little of water can be used to acquire the required consistency.

To make the jalebis, the batter is poured into a dispenser and with circular movements of the hand it is poured into the hot oil in a kadhai. A muslin cloth can be used if no dispenser is available and the consistency of the batter has to be adjusted for passing through the cloth.

Sugar syrup is made by dissolving sugar in water and boiling it. The jalebis will be dipped in the sugar syrup for a second or two, after being fried. Soaking in the sugar syrup for too long can make the jalebi’s soggy, as they tend to absorb more syrup.

The jalebis are best served hot with curd, milk or rabri.

Storing jalebis is not a good idea as they tend to soften, so eat them fresh and hot. 

This recipe makes 20 medium sized jalebis and serves 10 people. One serving provides approximately 163 Calories.

Ingredients:

For the Batter:

150g Maida

2 tbsp Cornflour

100ml Sour curd

½ tsp baking soda

2 tbsp Ghee

2 tbsp Oil for the batter

Oil for deep frying

Red/Yellow food colour for the colour of the jalebis.

For the Sugar Syrup:

150g Sugar

1 cup Water

Few strands of Saffron

Method:

1. Mix maida, cornflour, baking soda, ghee and food colour in a bowl.
2.  Combine all the dry ingredients well.
3. Add curd to the dry ingredients and blend them altogether to make a thick batter by adding very little water.
4. Cover the batter and place it in a warm place for 24 hours or overnight, till it is fermented.
5. Use the batter to make jalebis by pouring out from a jalebi dispenser or a muslin cloth. Fry till golden brown and transfer into the sugar syrup and remove.
6. Serve hot with curd or milk or rabri.

Recipe by Faiz Lahori

Serving Size - What? How?

Image Courtesy: http://www.livewellspringfield.org/

A nightmare of a question for all health conscious diet watchers, isn’t it? Whether to stop at that one chapathi or add another half to the meal? When they say 2 idlis do they mean the small ones made at home or those large ones served in hotels? Well, everything that is cooked in different households and hotels varies in size, taste, servings and your likings. To simplify this confusion of how much to eat or rather how much u can serve at one time, the concept of serving sizes is developed. Serving sizes are a standard measure which will give you certain amount of energy and other nutrients depending on your diet. Now, there is something known as Portion sizes, these are your alteration of the serving sizes, you may eat more or less than the actual serving size, that’s your Portion Size. Let’s discuss a little more about it so that it’s understood better.

Let us first understand the serving sizes of different foods and then we will make it easier for us to identify the serving each time we eat.

The Nutrition Label on packed food makes it easier for you to determine your serving sizes. Hence, read the label carefully. Apart from the readymade help with the serving sizes on a food packet, another easy way to know your serving sizes are by visual comparisons with certain objects. 

Also your serving sizes are in your hands. Yes. All the types of food can be measured according to the size of your hand, fist, palm and thumb. The picture below shows how.

Image Courtesy: https://www.fitmapped.com

A serving of vegetables is two cupped hand full, a serving of cereal is a fistful, a serving of fruit should be the size of a fist, a serving of oil should be the tip of thumb and a serving of meat should be the size of the palm.

As far as possible you should stick to serving sizes so as to maintain a healthy diet and not dread the day on the weighing scales.

Keep checking the Nuti-knowhow column to know what are Portion Sizes. 

Post by Faiz Lahori

Egg Fried Rice

Most of you guys out there love fried rice, if you say no… you must be lying. No? Well, that’s weird. The sight of street vendors cooking on a high flame, all the grit and grease must have put off the mood. Often the tastiest fried rice is the unhealthiest. So, after years of trial and error, I bring to you a healthy version of fried rice. Or you can skip the word fried and call it the veggie rice, because there is minimum frying work.

This recipe has scrambled eggs. If you don’t like eggs just skip it and it will still taste as good.

This recipe is not an authentic version with all the oil and ajinomoto.  But if you desire a more authentic taste, go ahead and add a bit of stock seasoning. Remember, while seasoning the fried rice, less is always more. Keep the flavoring to a minimum.

Another thing to remember is that, the rice for fried rice should be cooked half way through or al dente, that is firm to the bite. Once cooked, drain immediately and pour cool water to stop the cooking process. Use the rice only when completely cooled or it will tend to break while mixing.

The common vegetables used for fried rice are carrots, beans, capsicum, cabbage and spring onions. Mushrooms, sprouts and peas are optional, skipping any of these is totally fine. If you love non-veg, go ahead, add some cubed chicken or prawns (Perhaps I shall share that recipe too). The permutations and combinations are infinite.

Also, use a large wok or a large non-stick pot to fry the veggies and mix the rice. It is easier to mix and helps the rice grain be intact. Always keep the flame high or the vegetables will sweat. They need to be cooked yet with a crunch. Add salt only at the end.

Preferably use long grain rice, it just tastes better and looks good.

This recipe serves 2 people. One serving of this recipe provides approximately 703.5 Calories.

Here is what you’ll need:

1 cup long grain rice

1 medium carrot

10 beans

½ small capsicum

2-3 spring onions with leaves

½ cup roughly chopped cabbage

1 inch ginger

2 garlic cloves

1 egg

¼ tsp vinegar

1 tsp soy sauce

½ tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)

1 tsp green chilli sauce

1 tsp red chilli sauce

1 chilli (optional)

2 cloves (Lavang)

1 cinnamon stick (Dalchini)

4 tbsp oil

Method:

1. Wash and soak the rice for half an hour.
2. Boil salted water in a large pot and add the clove and cinnamon stick.
3. Only when the water comes to a rolling boil, drain the rice and add. 
4. Cook half way through or al dente
5. Once drained. Pour cool water to stop cooking. Let the rice completely cool.
6. Cut the carrot and capsicum into juliennes, finely chop the beans and spring onions, roughly slice the cabbage and finely grate the ginger and garlic.
7. Heat oil in a large non-stick pot or a wok. Fry the ginger garlic till they turn brown.
8. Add the beans, cook on high heat. Stir fry for a minute or two. Add the spring onions.
9. Make some space in the pan and add a beaten egg. Scramble it.
10. Add the rest of the vegetables.
11. Add the seasonings  and salt and give it a toss.
12. Mix in the rice gently. Once well heated, switch off the flame.
13. Garnish with leaves of spring onions.
14. This can be served plain or with any side dish of your choice. I have served it with fried prawns.

Recipe by Zohra Sada

Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is the major cause of all cardiovascular diseases. It is the hardening of the inner walls of the arteries resulting in a loss of elasticity. It is also known as Arteriosclerotic Vascular Disease or ASVD. Fat including cholesterol deposits in the arteries and the walls become narrower to disturb the blood flow. A complete blockage leads to heart attack. The arterial lesion of atherosclerosis is characterized by patchy thickening of fat and layers of collagen like fibers. There is a gradual build up of plaque or thickening of the walls of the artery causing decreased blood flow and oxygen supply to the vital organs and extremities. A heart attack may occur if oxygenated blood flow is reduced to the heart. A stroke may occur if the oxygenated blood is cut off to the brain. Gangrene may occur if the oxygenated blood supply is reduced to the arms and legs.

The following diagram shows how a plaque is formed.

The goals of Nutritional management are to reduce weight in overweight or obese patients; reduce total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol; provide medications to control or lower lipid levels and BP and bring about lifestyle changes such as increase physical activity, moderate alcohol intake and cessation of smoking.

The dietary modification for atherosclerosis will include calories to maintain Ideal Body Weight i.e. Low-moderate calories, Low fat, Low cholesterol, Moderate Carbohydrates and normal protein diet. Vitamin and mineral requirements remain the same. Sodium is restricted in cases of hypertension.

The dietary treatment for atherosclerosis requires that the patient should maintain slightly lower than the standard body weight. The diet should be rich in fibre by including foods like raw salads, fruits, green leafy vegetables and whole grains. Five servings of fruit and vegetables should be included in the diet not only to meet the nutritional requirement but also to meet anti-oxidants and fibre requirements.

Inclusion of fish in the diet is beneficial as they contain omega-3-fatty acids. 

Vegetable oils rich in PUFA like sunflower oil should be included in the diet. Concentrated foods like sweets, chocolates, cakes, pastries, ice creams and fried foods should be restricted or preferably avoided. Foods giving only empty calories like carbonated beverages, alcohol, sugar and sago are totally avoided. Small quantities of almonds can be consumed to bring down the cholesterol levels. High amounts of nuts and oil seeds increase the calories and fat content in the diet.  

Egg yolk contains cholesterol, hence egg white is preferable. Cholesterol containing foods should be limited in the diet. Coconut should be avoided in the diet as it contains high amount of saturated fatty acids and it is a concentrated source of energy.

Coffee and tea can be taken in moderation as excess amount of caffeine increases the heart rate. To restrict sugar intake, artificial sweetener can included in the diet.

Animal foods like meat and pork which contain high amount of saturated fat should be avoided. Shrimps and crabs have less amount of fat and can be included in the diet. All the sea foods are rich in sodium; hence hypertensive patients should avoid these foods.

Constipation should be avoided by including plenty of water and fibre in the diet. Foods that have hypocholesteromic effects like soya bean, fenugreek, garlic, onion and turmeric should be included in the diet.

Read more about Fats in the Nutri-knowhow column.

Post by Faiz Lahori