Lentil should occupy a great part in a healthy diet

Lentils, Lens Culinaris, belong to the Family of Fabaceae. It is an edible legume. The types of lentils are the followings;  brown, black, red and green. Using these cooked lentils we prepare different dishes due to their different tastes and consistencies. Example the cooked brown lentils are suitable for soups, the red lentils are used for puree and the greens and blacks are tasty in salad.

Lentils contain high level of proteins, so eating lentils you can replace meat in meals. They are also a very good source of dietary fibres. Lentils are excellent source of foliate, thiamine, vitamin B1, B6, pantothenic acid and minerals; potassium, manganese, iron, copper, phosphorous, zinc, molybdenum and selenium.

Consumption of plant foods like lentils can reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and decrease the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. The selenium in lentils prevents inflammation and reduces tumour growth rate. The calcium, potassium and magnesium can help to decrease the blood pressure.

According to the facts above lentils should occupy a great part of your  healthy diet.

Red lentil soup

Red lentil	Cup
Chopped red pepper	1
Chopped onions	3
Chopped tomatoes	2
Water	600ml
Salt	1 tsp
Turmeric	1tsp
Greek yogurt	2 tbsp

Cook the 1-7 ingredients for 10-15 minutes. Add the Greek yogurt before serving. 

Wellbeing Welfare of Sweet Potato

The sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas, is not closely related to the common white potato. It is a dicotyledonous plant that belong to the family of Convolvulaceae  and genus of Ipomoea.

The sweet potato is an excellent source of dietary fibre and vitamin A in a form of beta-carotene, an antioxidant, transformed into vitamin A in the body. Adding fat to the meal can increase its absorption. It is also a very good source of vitamin C, an antioxidant, may decrease the duration of common colds and improve skin health.  It contains pantothenic acid, vitamin B5 , vitamin B2, niacin vitamin B3 vitamin B6, vitamin B1 a fat-soluble antioxidant and vitamin E.  The most abundant polyphenol antioxidant in sweet potato is chlorogenic acid. The sweet potatoes hold minerals like potassium which is important for blood pressure control, copper, phosphorous and manganese which is essential for growth and metabolism. Sweet potato has a medium level of glycemic index.

Sweet potato is good for your digestion, regulates your blood pressure, so can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is also important for your good vision and improves your skin and hair. Sweet potatoes contain anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. The high anthocyanin content of sweet potatoes is behind their anti-cancer activity; they are able to inhibit growth of specific cancers; breast cancer, gastric cancer and colon cancer. Sweet potato can help manage diabetes due to the slow release of glucose into the blood stream. Its high level of fibre is beneficial for diabetes too.

So this is power food it is good for you, start eating it regularly. You can prepare soup, mash additional you can steam or roast them.

Health Benefits of Grapes

The late warm summer sunshine rises the sugar level in grapes, so it is time for the harvest in the vineyards.

100g of these sweet tasty fruits contain 70 kcal, no fat and no cholesterol. Resveratrol is an important nutrient in grapes that may offer an extensive health benefits. Resveratrol is specially linked to improving blood sugar regulation by affecting carbohydrate metabolism. Grapes are 82% of water, which can help your skin stay hydrated. They are excellent source of vitamin C and K and minerals of potassium, calcium and iron. Grapes of all colours are a natural source of antioxidants, flavonoids and other polyphenols.  One serving of grapes contains 24g carbohydrate and 1g of fibre.

Grapes can help reduce blood pressure, prevent inflammation from oxidative stress, improve blood flow, and protect your vascular system. They have anti-inflammatory effects; the antioxidants in grapes may reduce cellular damage by protecting cell membranes by limiting the chemical reactions that trigger inflammation. Eating grapes can reduce the risk of some cancers by protecting cellular DNA reducing oxidative stress and reducing reactions that recruit tumour development. The phenolic compounds in grapes are present after the fermentation process. 

Grapes contain natural sugar, but they are low glycemic index (GI) food.  This may increase your risk of weight gain if you eat too many in one sitting, the calories will add up.

The regular moderate wine consumption reduces the risk of chronic diseases and improves your health.