HEALTH

All about methi
Hot methi ke parathe. Who can resist eating them? Methi or fenugreek has always been a kitchen favourite all over the world since times immemorial. Fenugreek is an essential ingredient in many foods in many cultures across the continents. Methi contains special oils, vitamins, minerals and trace elements, which keep the body healthy. Methi has exclusive properties which fight obesity and diabetes.
Recent research studies have shown that methi is good for those suffering from diabetes. For the obese, fenugreek fights the fat cells and reduces the overall body weight.
Fenugreek seeds and leaves can be consumed. The stem can also be eaten, but it is highly bitter in taste. Curry prepared from fenugreek leaves (since methi is bitter, it is generally used with other greens, meat or wheat) helps fight flatulence, indigestion and keeps the bowels highly functional.
Ayurvedic doctors prescribe fenugreek for certain liver problems like some forms of jaundice. Methi is good for growing children and the elderly too. Nursing mothers are often encouraged to take fenugreek seeds as it increases lactation. While fenugreek seeds soaked in water or fenugreek powder in the form of capsules are good for controlling blood sugar, fenugreek leaves can be chewed to keep the stomach in healthy condition. Chewing leaves also reduces gastric gases or flatulence. Those suffering from anaemia can improve the iron content in their blood by eating raw fenugreek leaves.

Methi Chai
Fenugreek seeds tea acts as a body coolant and gives instant relief from high temperature (lever). The methi tea is slightly unpalatable, but has a good impact on health. We can make it a bit tasty by adding lemon juice. Since methi tea has the properties to reduce body temperature by producing sweat, Ayurvedic and Unani doctors believe that toxic elements are sent out of the body in the form of perspiration.

Drink to good looks and health
-Harita Shyam
Nothing kick starts the day better for the fitness conscious like a large cup of green tea or a glass full of wheat germ juice with beetroot extract. You’ll find people downing all kinds of slimy looking, tasteless concoctions to burn the flab and look gorgeous.
Unfortunately, while some drinks like wheat germ juice with beetroot extract might be very good for you, others like hot water with lime and honey after a while are of no help at all.
Don’t torture yourself by downing stuff you don’t like just because someone told you it’s good for health.
To ensure that you truly begin the day with a healthy drink here’s the low down on the pros and cons of all the fat busting juices and teas in the market.
Hot water with lime and honey
The most commonly recommended prescription to stay slim and beat those extra calories is the lemon-honey mix in a glass of warm water. But this concoction only works for a short while. Some extent yes. Initially when one drinks lemon and honey in a glass of warm water early in the morning, the concoction acts on the body system, activates your metabolism rate and helps you knock off the extra kilos. Since honey has several medicinal properties and lemon supplies vitamin C, your skin will look great. But after a while the body gets used to this and it no longer allows it to win the battle of the bulge. So have this drink for a short period of time.
Green Tea:
The secret of green tea lies in the fact that it is rich in catechin polyphenols and EGCG, both powerful anti-oxidants. Besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective on lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal of blood clots.
Carrot juice :
This drink can really help in improving your over all health. It has great anti-inflammatory, anti-cancerous and anti-aging properties. Carotene is a known anti-oxidant, which can prevent degenerative processes in the cells and has great anti-ageing effects too. That’s not all – the compounds in carrot juice also have antiseptic and anti-bacterial properties.
Drinking raw carrot juice can be helpful for lowering stress and normalising the function of your digestive system.
Wheat germ juice:
Wheat germ is the young grass of the wheat plant and is harvested early when its nutrients and mineral contents are at their peak. Wheat grass is reported to contain a much higher level of vitamin E, selenium, phosphorous, manganese and chlorophyll. The most outstanding feature of wheat grass is its very high content of chlorophyll all about 70 per cent. This alone makes it a super food that has a highly energising and alkalising effect. Wheat grass is an excellent source of vitamin C, E, K, and B complex (including B12). In the minerals department, it is rich in calcium, cobalt, germanium, iron, magnesium, protein, sodium, sulphur and Zinc.
The high grade content of iron in wheat grass juice makes it a great blood builder, increasing red blood cells count. Its alkaline minerals are essential for cleaning out the tissues and maintaining the alkalinity of the blood, making it effective in combating acidosis.
The writer is head of nutrition department in Appollo Health City, Hederabad