DID YOU KNOW SPICY FOOD IS GOOD FOR YOU?

Curries seem to be the go-to comfort food during the pandemic. One survey showed orders for Indian takeaways doubled after Covid-19 hit the UK. And the good news is that when chosen wisely, curry can be a hot tonic for your body. Experts say spicy ingredients can help lower your risk of everything, from cancer to heart disease. So how do you reap the benefits without piling on the pounds? Here are hot tips on how to cut the calories when it comes to fiery cuisine.

Deep-fried samosas and onion bhajis, which are like sponges for oil, are high in fat and calories. Opt for a starter such as chicken tikka or simply move straight to the main event.

Cracking idea

There’s nothing like a few dips to kick off your meal. Try to stick to one or two deep-fried papadums, at 60-100 calories a time, and go for lower-calorie cucumber dip raita or hot lime pickle, rather than sugary mango chutney.

Saucy advice

When it comes to main dishes, try to avoid curries that are creamy, such as masala and pasanda, which are packed with calories and fat. Choose tomato-based dishes, such as rogan josh, or drier dishes, such as bhuna. Simply swapping a korma for a jalfrezi could halve the calories. A chicken tikka masala can come in at more than 1,000 calories. Go for ovenbaked chicken tandoori instead.

Did you know spicy food is good for you?

Get tricksy

If you do opt for a creamy dish, try to stick to eating the meat, spooning it onto your plate and leaving some of the sauce behind in the container. Choosing fish, such as prawns or cod, and white meat, such as chicken, will tend to be healthier than fattier red meat curries — beef, pork and lamb.

Spice things up

If your taste buds can handle it, order a hotter curry, such as a madras or a vindaloo. These are so spicy you’ll eat more slowly and tend to eat less. Likewise, if you are making a curry at home, add plenty of chilli flakes. Research has shown that they contain a hot substance called capsaicin, which can boost your metabolism to help you burn more fat.

Rice idea

Pilau rice, cooked in extra oil can be 600 calories per portion. Swap it for boiled rice and save 300 calories – that’s an hour’s walking – plus around 30g of fat. Ordering a biryani, which includes rice as part of the meal, can also cut calorie and fat levels. At home, why not try some fibre-rich brown rice with your curry for a change?

Naan better

That naan bread might seem like a good idea, but each one can contain more than 400 calories and 12g of fat, especially if stuffed with cheese or sultanas. Shave off 50 calories by choosing a plain one, or ordering a chapati, which has only about 115 calories and as little as 1g of fat.

Veg out

Do order some veggie side dishes. Not only are they packed with vitamins and minerals, but something like dal has lots of protein and fibre to help fill you up. Making a veggie curry at home is a great way to use up leftovers – simply add lots of spices for flavour. Homemade curries can also help you slash salt levels — which is great for your blood pressure.

9 Foods That Can Cause A Headache

We all have experienced headaches and we all know how annoying, painful and disruptive it feels.

While sometimes, a headache may start out of the blue, at other times you may notice a pattern (like you get a headache after doing or not doing a certain thing).

Lack of sleep, loud noise and stress are some of the common causes of headache. But there is another common thing that we often fail to recognise that can trigger a headache - our diet.

Certain foods have been linked to causing headache and cutting back on these can help relieve pain. Here is a list of some foods that can trigger a headache.

02/10​Alcohol

Sulfites, which are added to some wines and other alcoholic beverages to keep them fresh have been linked to migraine headaches. Even if your drink does not have sulfites, the dehydration caused by alcohol can leave you with a pounding headache.

03/10​Soda and colas

Artificial sweeteners have been linked to headache, dizziness and memory loss. Though not everyone gets a headache after having a diet soda but for some people it can be a trigger.

04/10​Cured meats

Cured meats like hot dog and bacon always remain fresh. Have you ever wondered why? This is because the food makers use nitrates and nitrites to preserve these. These compounds can dilate the blood vessels and in turn trigger headache.

These meats are also heavily salted, which can cause dehydration and cause a headache.

05/10​Soy sauce

Soy sauce is extremely high in sodium. which can lead to dehydration. Even mild dehydration can cause headaches.

06/10​Foods with MSG

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, which is a flavour enhancer is a plant protein broken down chemically into amino acids. One of these amino acids, glutamic acid, can release free glutamate, which joins the free sodium in your body and form monosodium glutamate (MSG). MSG is an additive that can cause nausea and headaches.

07/10​Avocado

Avocado is one of the healthiest foods with numerous health benefits. But for some avocado might trigger a headache. It has tyramine, which forces the blood vessels to constrict and then expand, leading to a nasty headache.

08/10​Bananas

One of the healthiest snacks, banana can also be a headache trigger.

09/10​Cheese

Aged cheese has tyramine, which constricts and expands your blood vessels, leading to a pounding headache.

10/10Gum

If you have a habit of chewing gum often, it can be the reason behind your frequent headaches. As per a study, prolonged muscular contraction in the head or neck can provoke a headache.

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5 ways to take care of oral health when you are sick

If you are sick, make sure you follow some basic dental health hygiene practices

Ensure these oral practices if you are sick. (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

The current health crisis has made a lot of people put their dental appointments on hold. But unlike other things, dental health is something which is not given much importance, and at times is even ignored. This can lead to the problem worsening, especially if you fall sick during the monsoon season.

Below, Dr Tanvir Singh, B D S., M D S (ortho) and director, Dentem shares a few simple tips to take care of your oral health when you have the flu:

1. Maintain a proper oral health regime

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1. Home
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5 ways to take care of oral health when you are sick

If you are sick, make sure you follow some basic dental health hygiene practices.

• By: Lifestyle Desk | New Delhi |
• September 12, 2020 9:10:44 am

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Ensure these oral practices if you are sick. (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

The current health crisis has made a lot of people put their dental appointments on hold. But unlike other things, dental health is something which is not given much importance, and at times is even ignored. This can lead to the problem worsening, especially if you fall sick during the monsoon season.

Below, Dr Tanvir Singh, B D S., M D S (ortho) and director, Dentem shares a few simple tips to take care of your oral health when you have the flu:

1. Maintain a proper oral health regime

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Brushing twice a day is a must. You have to keep your teeth clean at all times, and especially your tongue. This is because when you have a flue, a bacterial coating develops on your tongue which must be cleaned daily with glycerine and cotton swab. You will definitely feel fresh and your oral cavity will be bacteria-free.

2. Rinse and gargle at least 2-3 times a day

Make a good mouth wash at home. You can make one by adding black pepper, ginger, turmeric, and basil leaves to water and boiling it. This will also give you an extra shot of vitamin C to boost your immunity while cleaning your oral cavity. Rinse 3-4 times a day and swirl for at least 30 secs for maximum effect. You can warm and use for gargles too in order to give a soothing effect to your throat. You can also add aloe vera for extra benefits.

3. Drinking water

Keep yourself hydrated as much as possible. Water should be your first choice when it comes to hydrating yourself and also washing away extra particles from the teeth. Water also improves the quality of the saliva, avoids dryness of the mouth in turns fights bad breath and cavities. So one solution to all oral health problems. One can also drink fresh sugar-free, fruit and vegetable juices, lemon water, ice tea preferably mint, etc but avoid high sugar and aerated drinks.

4. Avoid sugar-loaded cough and cold syrups.

Cough syrups are common prescriptions when you have cough and flu. But these sugar-loaded syrups can cause cavities and further damage to the oral cavity as they stick around your mouth and cause an influx of bacteria. If possible, opt for sugar-free varieties.

5. Diet

We are what we eat, especially when the health is not at its best, it’s very important to eat right. Vitamins and minerals both in the form of diet and supplements. At the same time, it should be non-sticky and non-starchy actually munching crispy fruits and vegetables like apple which is also called a natural toothbrush can keep teeth clean and help remove the extra layer of plaque around teeth keeping them healthy.