Food and Remedy

A simple path to Holistic Health and Living & healthy vegetarian recipes

Health benefits of drinking copper vessel water

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In these days of modern technology, we rarely, if ever, would dare to drink water directly from the tap or a pond as we are aware that it is unsafe due to the presence of disease causing bacteria, viruses and so on. In order to make water fit enough to drink, today we have UV filters and RO purifiers. In such a world, speaking of drinking water stored in copper vessel might sound anachronistic. Nevertheless, one quick look about the science behind storage of water in copper vessel and its benefits might be educative. Let us explore benefits of drinking copper vessel water.

Storage kills microbes in water

Storing water in copper and silver pots for purification of water finds mention in ancient texts of Ayurveda. The storage process is known to kill all the micro-organisms that includes virus and bacteria. Thus making it perfectly fit for the drinking purpose. This ancient view is supported from the results of recent research which states that when ground-water with a slightly alkaline pH and  contaminated with 500 colony forming units (CFU)/mL of bacteria was  stored in copper pots for 16 hours at room temperature, all  bacteria were killed. It is reported to destroy diarrhea causing bacteria, such as Vibrio cholerae, enteropathogenic E. coli, Salmonella. It is also effective against many other disease-causing bacteria such as, S. flexneri and Salmonella Paratyphi.

How does it work?

When water is stored in a copper vessel for about 16 hours, copper, in very small quantities gets dissolved in water. This process, known in scientific parlance as the  “oligodynamic effect”  has the power to destroy a wide range of molds, fungi, algae and harmful microbes due to its toxic effects on living cells. The copper content of water which reaches levels of about 190 µg/l is well within the permissible limits set by the World Health Organization and thus remains safe for drinking. After 16 hours, a slight increase in the pH of water from 7.83 to 7.93 occurs in copper pots due to which the taste of water might change a little while the physicochemical parameters remain unchanged.

Stored water- An ideal source of copper

Copper is an essential micronutrient required by our body at a level of about 1mg/day. Though it is a trace amount, it has to come from our food. Although there are several food items containing copper such as whole wheat, beans, green leafy vegetables, honey etc, the best method of meeting the body’s need of copper is by taking water stored overnight in a copper vessel. Two liters of the water can supply 40% of our daily requirement of copper.

Other health benefits drinking stored copper vessel water

Water stored in a copper jug is good in many ways for our health and well being. It stimulates the brain, promotes bone strength, aids in digestion , regulates body fat, acts as anti-carcinogenic, regulates functioning of thyroid gland, prevents joint pain, aids in hemoglobin synthesis, maintains acid-alkaline balance in body, helps in improving fertility and conception, prevents white patches on skin, helps in healing of internal wounds and slows down aging due to its antioxidant property.

Even if you do not have a copper vessel or copper container at home. You can just start with copper tumbler. This way, you can get slowly introduced to the properties of drinking water from copper containers.

Important Note:

some adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting, headache and diarrhea could occur in sensitive individuals. In the event of such adverse reactions, it is better to avoid its use. Please remember, the quality of stored water (Acidic or alkaline) also matters. Besides,it is important to note that the interior of the vessel must be cleaned regularly before use”

This Article is for the information purpose only. Before you start  this or any diet please talk with the your physician first.

Before storing the water, Remember to  wash the copper vessel with lemon and salt or tamarind and dry it , then store the water.

Here is a link for list of good quality copper vessels that can be purchased online

Copper Jug

High end Copper Jug

Economical Copper Jug

 

Plantain vs Banana? Which one is better?

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Today, we’ll answer a very interesting question: plantain vs banana. Which one of these is packed with the most nutrients? Is it the plantain, or the banana?

Nutritional benefits of plantains:

  • Plantains are high in fiber content. This makes you feel full for longer period of time, reducing frequent cravings for food. Thereby, in the long run, it can help with weight loss.
  • Plantains are extremely rich  Potassium and Magnesium.
  • Plantains are rich in vitamins, specifically Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin B-6.
  • Even though plantains are rich in starch, they are comparatively very low on the glycemic index scale. Consumption of plantains helps diabetic patients.
  • Plantain prevents gastrointestinal infectious diseases.
  • Plantain chips (with less salt or no salt) have more nutrients than the fresh ones!
  • Plantain takes longer to digest, keeps you full, which benefits diabetic patients and, also for weight loss.

Nutritional benefits of Bananas:

  • Bananas are also packed with minerals, specifically, Potassium, Magnesium and Iron.
  • Bananas contains good amounts of Vitamin C and Vitamin B-6.
  • Major win for bananas is, they are rich in Anti-oxidants.

Banana’s strength over Plantain’s:

  • Plantains have way lower Anti-oxidants compared to banana. The riper the banana, the higher the level of anti-oxidants.
  • Plantain causes gas, bloating and flatulence. It aggravates Vata.

Plantain’s strength over Banana’s

  • But, Banana’s are very high on glycemic index which could impact the blood sugar levels.
  • Compared to plantain, Banana’s nutritional contents are lower.

Overall Plantains have an edge over Banana, especially if you are committed to a weight loss program.

Please checkout our Plantain Dosa, which requires no fermentation, gluten free and quick to prepare. and  plantain curry recipe which is also east to make, gluten free, vegan recipe.

These links from sfgate and onegreenplanet provide lot of details and interesting comparisons.

Based on the facts above, make sure to introduce plantain’s in your regular diet. Here are some suggestions for introducing to our daily diet. For breakfast’s, you can have plantain dosa    and plantain curry recipe.For the lunch menu, plantain curry or gojju or plantain sambar, are good bets. Avoid plantain for dinner. It can increase gas or bloating.

What are your thoughts? Have suggestions for plantain recipes? Please share with us.

Need grasping power as you get older? Learn music when young!

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Even though we used to hate learning music when we were kids, I have come to appreciate that my parents did the right thing. Music carries great benefits during our adulthood. Now there are numerous studies that have been conducted to prove that at a later stage in adulthood, those who took music classes at a young age processed sounds of speech at a faster rate.

Music has tremendous power to stir and churn our inner emotions. How many times have we not wiped our tears when we hear some great music while we were down? Simply listening to music has a great effect on various parts of the brain, especially vision and memory. Imaging studies have proved that various parts of the brain get activated by music.

Learning and hearing music in your childhood helps to develop the areas of the brain involving analytical thinking and language development. It helps during the young age to recognize patterns and aids spatial intelligence, which is required to solve problems. Also, it helps younger kids to self express.

However, it should be not be a source of stress, where parents push their kids to be the best musician, but instead it needs to be introduced as a hobby. Something, that over time, they can use to self express.

But where is the time? I would definitely pick music over Math Olympiad training or grueling sessions of academic coaching, or even the great digital toxins of our age – spending numerous hours on Facebook, YouTube, or video games. That is my pick, but what would be yours?

Here are some great articles that provide great points about music:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/12/science/long-term-benefits-of-music-lessons.html
http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/the-benefits-of-music-education/

 

Food, thy name is Medicine

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“Everything in the universe is medicinal – it just depends on how it’s used” – This quote also applies to the food we eat. The traditional knowledge of food being used as medicine is perhaps as old as civilization. The earliest reference to medicinal value of food was made in Ayurveda, an ancient healing system in India nearly 4000 years ago. In this system, food was considered to influence every aspect of a person including the physical and emotional well being implying both the body and the mind. The Ayurvedic diet was so much advanced as to prescribe the most appropriate combination of foods to maintain the balance of mind, body and spirit.

Later, Hippocrates (460 BC-370 BC), a Greek Physician considered as the “Father of Western medicine” called attention to the importance of food in the dictum “let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food”. During Hippocrates’ time, the value of food in sustaining health and containing disease was well-known and was being widely applied to handle all varieties of ailments, from acute to chronic and emergency conditions.

However, in recent times, this priceless knowledge handed down to us from generations is fast disappearing with an increasing number of people taking to prescription drugs at the drop of a hat. Therefore, the need has arisen to revive the traditional knowledge of the medicinal value of foods for the benefit of the present and future generations.

Among nature’s precious gifts, spices are by far the best known foods having the power to heal and help in regaining health. Spices have been used as therapeutic foods in India since time immemorial and are known to exhibit digestive, stomachic and carminative actions. They are also believed to have tonic and stimulative effects.

The health benefits of the highly admired garlic is eulogized so much that it is said to be as good as 10 mothers!  The popular adage “garlic a day keeps sickness at bay” sums up its significance.

Other common spices found in the kitchen shelf include black pepper used to improve digestion, stimulate appetite, and to remedy gastrointestinal problems, including diarrhea, dyspepsia and flatulence. Black pepper is also used to treat colds, coughs and sore throats. It is a common ingredient of chai, a spiced black tea beverage used throughout India that includes other herbs also believed to be “warming tonics,” such as cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and star anise.

Cumin or jeera has a vast range of effects on human body. It exhibits anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory properties and acts as blood purifier, diuretic and uterine stimulant apart from showing marked digestive and carminative effects. Besides waking up the taste buds and enhancing the gastric secretions, “jal jeera”, a drink made by boiling jeera in water also makes a refreshing summer drink.

The traditional Chinese practitioner recommends hot ginger tea for the common cold. According to Ayurveda, the most important factors in selecting the appropriate herb are based on the individual’s constitution, imbalance and the efficacy of the herb. Hence, while hot ginger tea benefits the kapha person with common cold, a vata person may instead end up with constipation, especially after drinking a large dose! To get the best results however, it is important to avoid doing anything in excess. As they say “virtue lies in the middle” .

Coming close on the heels, fruits and vegetables, the two most important ingredients of a healthy diet are endowed with an impressive range of medicinal uses with high nutritional value. Fruits and vegetables form a repository of minerals, vitamins and phyto-nutrients providing a rich and rare combination of nutrition with protective compounds which can guard the body against many ailments. Vegetables like onion, potato, cabbage, green leafy vegetables and tomato and fruits like grapes, apple, lemon and guava could be used to counteract common ailments like headache, constipation, skin problems, internal worms, toothache, bleeding gums and even ulcer.

What’s important is to know when, how, how much, what and what not to eat to keep oneself fit and fine.