Nowadays Indians are experimenting with the non-dairy alternatives and understanding how they can be healthier and nutritious than dairy. Ranging from almond milk to rice milk, cashew milk and soy milk, all of these are said to be amazing for your overall health and many health experts vouch for them. Turns out, there is another entrant in the healthy non-dairy alternative-list. Oat milk is the next healthy alternative that is getting a lot of attention from nutritionists and foodies around the world. So what is oat milk really? It is nothing but the liquid form of oats that a health enthusiast may prefer for breakfast. This non-dairy product is said to be great for people who are lactose intolerant, vegan or just watching their weight. Let's look at how this new trend makes for an excellent food.

Oat milk: New non-dairy milk that's making way for you
Oats are one of the best fibre- and protein- rich breakfast meals. A bowlful of oats is the key to a healthy gut; in fact, it contains a specific type of fibre called beta-glucan that can help maintain good cholesterol. The fibre in oats helps keep off hunger by keeping you fuller for long. As a whole-grain, oats provide a range of micronutrients like B-group vitamins, iron, antioxidants and various other vitamins and minerals. The oat milk that's made from oats may turn out to be slightly different.

Oat milk consists of steel-cut oats or whole groats, which are soaked in water, blended, and strained with a cheese-cloth. This creamy textured milk is gluten-free in nature, which can give you the following nutrition:

About a cup of oat milk may have 130 calories, 2.5 grams fat, negligible saturated fats, two grams fibre, four grams protein, about 35 percent of recommended daily allowance for calcium, and 25 percent for vitamin D.

Benefits of oat milk

1. Loaded with vitamins and minerals

Oat milk comes loaded with essential vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, iron, and calcium. It is said to contain 10 percent of the RDA for vitamin A, which is twice as much as cow's milk. So a glassful of oat milk may just provide you with the important nutrients you'd need.

2. Cholesterol-free

This one's a boon for people with cholesterol. Oats make for a great option for people with cholesterol problems. It has much lesser cholesterol as compared to whole milk from cows, which is known to contain 24 milligram of cholesterol per serving.

3. It is a low-fat product

If you are watching your weight, it is best to switch to oat milk as it has negligible fat with lots of nutrients. Low in calories, oat milk is surely a healthier non-dairy alternative that you can go for.

4. Calcium-rich

Surprisingly, oat milk consists of more calcium than cow milk. It is said that it contains about 35 percent of the RDA for calcium, while one serving of whole milk contains 28 percent. So, even if you are lactose intolerant, chances are you will still be able to get enough calcium for the day. Also, oat milk might just be cheaper. In fact, you could make oat milk at home too.

5. It has more fibre content than cow milk

Another surprising fact is that oat milk contains more fibre than any other milk. So it keeps you fuller for longer, preventing you from cravings and hunger pangs.

How to make oat milk at home?
You can make oat milk in the comforts of your kitchen. Here's how you can make it at home:

Ingredients

- Organic oats
- Purified water
- Sea salt

Method

1. Soak oats in purified water for at least 30 minutes. You could soak it up for longer. Longer soaking time helps soften the oats and helps remove the phytic acid that inhibits proper digestion.

2. After soaking, drain and rinse the oats well. Make sure you have rinsed it thoroughly.

3. Now put the soaked and rinsed oats in a blender and add three cups of water, and sea salt in it. Blend it for about one to two minutes.

4. You can add more water as oats tend to absorb lots of water. So see the consistency you'd want for your oat milk.

5. Strain the pulp in the cheese-cloth. Don't discard the pulp as it can be used to make smoothies or even snack-bars.

6. Store the oat milk in the refrigerator and use within three to five days. Also, shake well before drinking it.

7. For people who like it sweet; you can add raw honey while you blend oats and water together.

You could definitely use oat milk as an alternative to dairy and other non-dairy products; however, it is best to keep switching to avail benefits from these healthy and wholesome foods.

A well-balanced outlook to nutrition has far reaching benefits for a long and healthy life. Eating right is important for all of us throughout our lives, but ladies who are planning to become moms or are pregnant need to pay attention to their dietary needs a little bit more. The extras are needed for foetal growth, maternal tissue expansion during pregnancy and for milk secretion during lactation. Eating healthy helps the baby develop and grow healthy. Research has confirmed that the health of an individual is determined by the health of a mother even before conception and that eating patterns have a direct effect on the long term health of a child - from womb to grave. Getting it right during this phase in a woman's life is not all that tough. Nature provides us with enough and more foods loaded with nutrients and health benefits. The density of crucial nutrients may vary in different foods, but it's all easily available around us. So, all that you need to do during pregnancy is have a wide variety of fresh ingredients to ensure wholesome nutrition for the baby and yourself.

Do Pregnant Women Need To Eat For Two?

Do you need to eat for two? Not really. Of course, the nutrient requirements of a pregnant woman do go up; calories to minerals and vitamins are all needed in larger amounts but there is a method to this and does not mean that you need to overeat. Pay attention to eating balanced meals that provide your body with all the essential nutrients in the amounts needed.

How Much Weight Gain is Healthy During Pregnancy?

Pregnancy demands an extra 150Kcal/day in the first trimester and 350Kcals/day in the 2nd and 3rd trimester according to FAO/WHO. For an average Indian woman with a pre-pregnancy weight of 55Kg, ICMR expert group 2010 suggest the following additional calories for a 10 Kg and 12Kg weight gain respectively.

What To Eat When You Are Pregnant | Pregnancy Diet | Healthy Eating During Pregnancy

Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy which is the most important nutritional requirement for our bodies to function at an optimal level. In addition to calories, healthy carb sources also provide vital nutrients like vitamins, minerals and healthy fibre.

Choose Healthy Carb Sources Over Empty Calories During Pregnancy

Unprocessed or minimally processed whole grains like wheat, barley, ragi, oats, bajra and corn are good options to choose from for your pregnancy diet. Legumes, milk, vegetables and whole fruits are also healthy sources of energy rich carbohydrates.

Proteins To Eat During Pregnancy

Proteins are the most important building block of every cell in our body. Pregnant and lactating mothers need a higher amount of protein for the ever increasing volume of blood component in the mother and for optimal development of the baby. NIN (National Institute of Nutrition) suggests an additional 0.5g protein for the first trimester, 6.9g for the second and 22.7g for the third trimester, respectively.

Sources of Protein: Animal proteins are a better quality because they contain all the 9 essential amino acids needed by our body. Lean unprocessed meat, chicken, fish and eggs are all sources of quality protein. In the vegetarian section milk, cheese, paneer and other milk products are the top-of-the-list choices. Legumes and lentils, especially when taken in combination with whole grains assures better quality protein and is enough to provide for healthy protein intake. Nuts and seeds are another source of healthy proteins.

Dairy Products During Pregnancy

Dairy products provide the most important Calcium for a mother-to-be. Calcium is a mineral that the growing foetus requires for proper formation of bones and teeth. Milk is also an essential nutrient for children.

Fruits & Vegetables During Pregnancy

Fruits and vegetables provide the body with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre. They help alleviate constipation, a common problem during pregnancy, by adding roughage to the diet. This also helps in better digestive health which means better absorption of nutrients.

Recommended amounts are 5 serving of seasonal fresh fruits and veggies daily.

Fats & Sugars During Pregnancy

Fats and sugars are required to meet the daily calorific targets, though many pregnant women may end up consuming more than is required. The trick lies in selecting the right source and, of course, in the right quantity. Excessive intake of high fat and sugar foods adds up to empty calories which further leads to unhealthy weight gain. Too much of saturated fats may increase your risk of cardiac diseases too.

Sources of healthy fats are peanut oil, sunflower oil, rice bran oil, mustard oil, linseed oil and desi ghee in moderation.


Balancing each meal will help you eat your quota of all essential nutrients.

In the third trimester small frequent meals may be a better option.
Snacking healthy is another way of achieving your nutritional goals. Instead of just reaching out for ready-to-eat snacks choose the traditional homemade ones like ladoo, panjiri, mathis made fresh in small batches. These are still high-fat and sugar-foods so limit the quantities. Other snacks you can choose are roasted nuts, popcorn, bhelpuri, grilled paneer tikka, bhuna chana, dhokla, multigrain bread sandwiches.

Foods To Eat During Pregnancy | Nutritious Foods For Pregnant Women

Milk is nutritious, but sometimes, avid dieters shrink away from consuming milk. It is generally believed that the fat content in milk hinders weight loss. On the contrary, milk has a lot of benefits.

Here are some facts you need to remember before you say no to milk:

Nutrients and milk: Particularly, milk is an excellent source of zinc, vitamin B, protein and most importantly, calcium. So when you ditch milk in your crusade of weight loss, you skip out on calcium, the mineral primarily responsible for good bone health. Some studies suggest that calcium can actually add to weight loss, but this needs more research to back it up.

Health and milk: Previously milk did get a bad reputation when it was linked as a supposed cause of stroke and heart attack. But a recent study produced a result which proved the complete opposite, milk can actually prevent stroke and heart attack! According to research, milk can actually lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Muscles and milk: Milk contains whey and casein protein, both of which are high-quality proteins if you are looking to build muscles. Whey is a fast protein (gets digested faster) while casein is a slow protein (gets digested slowly). Your body gets a good and healthy supply of proteins when you consume milk, so don’t write it off just yet.

Fat and milk: As mentioned before, calcium can cause your body to burn fat. There is research pending on it, but the preliminary results suggest that dieters shouldn’t skip out on milk. You might argue that you can just consume calcium supplements in that case. However, it has been discovered that other milk proteins to add to fat burning, which you cannot get from supplements. Milk is good for you, but it isn’t a miracle weight loss food. So yes, you will need to follow a healthy diet as drinking a glass of milk with a couple of doughnuts will not help you at all.

So, milk is not all evil as people think it to be. It could be good for your weight loss plan. And the best way to incorporate milk into your weight-loss diet is to consume the low-fat skimmed milk variant than the whole fat milk as you get 90 calories from one cup of skimmed milk as compared to 150 calories from whole milk with nearly the same protein and calcium content. This way you get the best of milk without worrying about the fat in it plus an extra fat loss of 1 kg (9000 calories) from 150 cups over the time with a saving of 60 calories in each cup.

Milk and health always go hand - in - hand and both have always been an important part of life. Yesterday, that is 26 November being the National Milk Day of India, let us understand how drinking milk in a particular position can be positive or negative for your health and well-being.

Have you heard of a controversy over, whether to stand while drinking milk or sit? There are some scientific reasons, according to which, drinking milk in a sitting position is better and healthier than drinking it while standing. According to Ayurveda, milk is considered to be a vital and precious food item, hence, you must ensure that you are drinking milk in the right posture.

You should sit while drinking milk
Scientifically, drinking milk while standing causes the fluid to hit the lower part of your esophagus. Over time, this may result in the dilation or relaxation of the sphincter which connects the stomach to the esophagus. This may lead to a health condition known as GERD or Gastroesophageal reflux disease.

From Ayurvedic point of view, drinking milk or any fluid in a standing position is forbidden and advised against. Many scholars suggest that this norm exists because of health reasons. Moreover, drinking milk in a standing position may cause another issue. If you gulp down half a liter of milk, it goes into your stomach. The stomach’s capacity is between 900 to 1500 millimeters and on the consumption of the milk, it gets half full all of a sudden. This may cause the stomach to pulsate because of the volume of milk and it will also distend the stomach capacity because of weight. This can cause colic shock resulting in intense abdominal pain. When you sit down and drink milk, sip by sip, the stomach will not distend because of the support it gets from the stomach cavity, which is, in turn, is supported by your thighs.


But why should you drink milk at all?

In Ayurveda, milk is a highly beneficial food, having several benefits, such as

Milk can help in balancing Vata and Pitta dosha in body.
According to Ayurveda, milk is considered to be the most calming and nourishing food.
It is a natural food for you, which you have been accustomed to right from birth.
Milk is an aphrodisiac and helps in vitalizing the reproductive system, improving your sex drive and quality of sperms in men.
When you want to lose weight, fat and obesity, it is a perfect food for satisfying hunger and thirst.
Milk causes a sense of soothing and satisfaction in many different types of illnesses and diseases.
Milk is essential for your mind, for children and is also used for treating depression.
Although many people argue that there is no scientific reason associated with sitting and drinking milk to be safe, it has been scientifically proven that it is better to eat or drink anything while sitting, instead of standing.

Haldi is a vital spice used in the Indian cuisine and other south Asian cuisines. Also known as turmeric, it constitutes of some sugars, proteins, and resins, and is a ubiquitous Asian kitchen ingredient; almost every meal cooked has a dash of haldi in it. But apart from the colour, taste and aroma that it adds to the food, when added to milk, it becomes a magical potion known as desi haldi milk that can prevent and cure diseases.

Here are 5 life-long benefits of desi haldi milk:

1. Has anti-inflammatory properties: Haldi has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. According to Ayurveda, it has been named as the natural aspirin. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, when combined with milk, it becomes a really useful drink that helps prevent cancer. It stops the growth of lung, skin, colon, breast, and prostate cancer, and for cancer patients, it helps reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. Additionally, haldi milk provides relief from arthritis pain and improves the flexibility of joints and muscles.

2. Is a blood purifier: Blood impurities can lead to severe health problems and desi haldi milk is considered an excellent blood purifier and cleanser if the principles of ayurveda are to be believed. It can revitalize and boost the blood circulation in the body. Acting as a blood thinner, haldi milk plays a significant role in eliminating all impurities from the blood vessels and lymphatic system of your body.


3. Helps control weight: Turmeric contains curcumin, an antioxidant capable of preventing inflammation of various cells of your body like fat, muscle, and pancreatic cells. This also results in lower risks of health issues arising due to obesity like high cholesterol levels, high blood sugar, insulin resistance and other metabolic problems. Also, haldi milk helps in the breakdown of dietary fat. This can be useful in controlling the weight.

4. Gives you healthier skin: Haldi is a very useful ingredient for battling skin issues. Drinking haldi milk helps in getting enviable glowing skin and can also be used for application on the face and body. Dipping a cotton ball into haldi milk and applying that to your face can help you get rid of any rash, skin redness or blotchy patches. Moreover, bathing in turmeric milk can be helpful in attaining soft, supple and radiant skin.

5. Ensures better bone health: Haldi milk is an excellent source of calcium, and has bone-strengthening properties, which are necessary to keep the bones healthy and strong. It also helps lower bone loss and prevent osteoporosis.

So go ahead, mix up the ever easily available haldi and milk from your kitchen, and drink up to a healthier you.