WE are bombarded with so much health information every day, we can repeat it in our sleep. But most of this information goes into one ear and out of the other.
How many of us apply this knowledge to our lives? For example, we know sugar has nothing but empty calories but we cannot do without it in our daily lives. Most of us need a spoonful of sugar in our tea and coffee, and even if we can do without it, can you imagine eating a chocolate brownie or walnut muffin that doesn't have any sugar? You wouldn't eat it, would you? So what do you do? Trying to abstain from sugar unless you have a medical condition that forces it is futile.
What you can do instead, is replace sugar with natural substitutes like honey or jaggery. Both taste as good and are healthier than sugar.
Not only that, you can substitute sugar with them in almost everything. versatile honey Honey is a source of simple carbohydrates and is composed of two main sugars: levulose and dextrose.
These sugars do not need to be broken down by the digestive process so honey is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, giving you a quick energy boost. Honey also contains protein, vitamins and minerals.
Honey is very versatile. You can put it in your tea, coffee, porridge or cereal.
You can pour it on your toast. You can use it while baking.
In fact, using honey instead of sugar during baking increases the shelf life of baked goods. Honey can also substitute sugar in desserts like kheer.
Mothers and grandmothers firmly believe in honey's healing properties. That is why those with persistent coughs have been made to swallow a concoction of honey and ginger to soothe the throat for years.
In the winter, many of you must remember your grandmothers urging you to eat almonds soaked in honey. 'It keeps you warm,' they used to say.
Having half a teaspoon of honey and lemon in lukewarm water first thing in the morning is also a good way to cleanse your system and prevent constipation. But grandmothers aren't the only ones to recognise honey's beneficial properties.
Recent studies have proved honey's beneficial nature especially as an antibacterial topical treatment for burns. This is because honey has osmotic properties.
That is, it tends to withdraw water. Water molecules react strongly with the sugars in honey, leaving very little water for microorganisms.
So, the bacteria that cause infection are literally dehydrated to death. "Besides all this, honey is high in carbohydrates and is therefore a great energy source.
It also contains the minerals calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, sodium and zinc required for various functions in the body," says Dr Kajal Pandya, nutrition consultant at Delhi's Sitaram Bhartia hospital. wrinkle warrior Honey also has antioxidant properties.
Antioxidants eliminate free radicals that are reactive compounds in the body. Free radicals are created through the normal process of metabolism and contribute to many serious diseases.
"Generally, darker honeys and those with higher water content have stronger antioxidant potential, which can help prevent degenerative diseases," says Sharon Arora, a dietician with G M Modi hospital. Scientists say the antioxidant properties of honey could help counter the effects of ageing and decrease anxiety too.
But like sugar, you have to watch how much honey you eat every day. "Although honey is a better option than normal white sugar, keep in mind that you must limit the intake of honey to 3-4 teaspoons a day.
And if you are overweight, any form of sugar whether white or brown or even honey is not good for you," cautions Charu Dua, head of department, dietetics and nutrition, Max Healthcare, Delhi. Honey is great beauty aid too.
"Honey is a natural humectant, which means it has the ability to attract and retain moisture. The skin's ability to stay moist is an important factor in its ability to maintain softness, suppleness and elasticity.
As skin ages, or as it is exposed to environmental stresses and chemical agents, it loses its ability to retain water; it becomes dry and appears wrinkled. Honey's natural hydrating properties make it ideal for use in moisturising products.
That's why honey, with its antioxidant properties, is used in most skin-tightening masks," explains beauty expert Bharti Taneja. sweet substitute You can also replace sugar with jaggery or gur, an unrefined form of sugar that is made from sugarcane.
Jaggery scores over sugar because it contains minerals and vitamins that are lost when sugarcane juice is processed further to make sugar. "Jaggery, being a wholesome sugar, is rich in vitally important mineral salts like magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and iron.
A teaspoon of jaggery delivers approximately 3-5 mg of calcium, 3-5 mg phosphorous, 6 mg magnesium, and 45 mg of potassium. Jaggery is very rich in iron, which prevents anaemia," explains Charu Dua.
Sugar, on the other hand, contains no minerals at all. Just like honey, jaggery can be taken in tea, in desserts like kheer and sandesh (made of date palm jaggery).
It can even be eaten on its own, especially in the winter since it tends to keep the body warm. Jaggery even aids in digestion.
WARMTH GENERATOR "Many of us are fond of eating jaggery mixed with dry fruits, ginger and fennel which, again, is excellent for digestion and even keeps one warm," says Arora. But she adds that jaggery's heat giving quality means you should not eat it in the summer.
Jaggery is not called the 'medicinal sugar' for nothing. "It helps to take jaggery when you have a dry cough, cough with sputum, indigestion or constipation.
Ancient medical scriptures also state how it purifies the blood and prevents rheumatic afflictions and disorders of the bile," adds Dr Pandya. Studies have shown that people who work in highly toxic surroundings (like industrial workers) but consume jaggery regularly show little or no lung discomfort.
Given that we live in pretty toxic cities, that should be reason enough to switch over.
