Banana is omnipresent in almost all households across the globe as a staple fruit. Its ubiquity can be put down to its great taste. It is one of the sweetest fruits available throughout the year. It can be eaten as is or can be used as a base for milkshakes, smoothies, desserts, pancakes and the list goes on. Banana has largely been stereotyped as a weight-gain-causing food while the fact is that this humble fruit may greatly help in weight loss. Bananas contain good carbohydrates in the form of resistant starch and are low in fats, which create an optimum environment for burning excessive calories. Banana is a great source of energy, which replenishes the body with energy that is lost during exercise, sports or other physical activity. According to the book, 'Healing Foods' by DK Publishing House, "The fruit contains both quick-release glucose and slow-release fructose, so it supplies energy in two ways."

Banana also has high fibre content that helps in smooth bowel movements and improves digestion. As fibre takes a longer time to digest, it keeps the body satiated for more time.

Banana Nutrition Facts
Dietician & Nutritionist, Dr. Sunali Sharma, informs, "A medium-sized banana contains 27 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams dietary fibre, 14 grams of natural sugar, just 105 calories, and many essential micro-nutrients. The fruit also increases the metabolism rate of the body and makes the stomach feel full for a longer time, preventing unhealthy snacking in between the meals."

Bananas are loaded with potassium, which controls water retention in the body and reduces bloating.

So how many bananas can be consumed per day?
To round it off, bananas can be beneficial for both weight loss and weight gain. What matters is the quantity you consume. As per the USDA guidelines, you should consume two cups of fruits per day, which amounts to two big bananas. Under normal circumstances, two bananas are safe to be consumed.

However, if you are on a weight loss diet, Dr. Sunali Sharma suggests eating only one medium-sized or 5" banana a day. Also, it should be ideally eaten as a pre or post-workout meal, as it will build up stamina and will help the body recover after a rigorous physical activity.

Nutritious foods are good for health but too much of a particular nutrient can prove to be just the opposite. Bananas are rich in carbohydrates, but too much of it will lead to digestion problems, which in turn can cause weight gain. Also, banana is a satiating food and too much of it will leave little room for other foods that are rich in nutrients that are lacking in banana; for instance, proteins. Proteins are an indispensable part of weight loss diet.

So if you want to lose weight in a healthy way, do not give up on bananas. Instead, limit its consumption to one, not-too-large piece a day and let its individual characteristics work its way to assist you in your fitness journey.

Tomato ketchup is one condiment that is found everywhere, from fast food restaurants to dhabas and even homes. A quintessential sauce that is drizzled on burger patties, sandwiches, French fries, parathas alike, the tomato ketchup is delicious and addictive and can add taste to almost any dish. There are indeed foodies who are notorious for using too much ketchup on everything, from pizzas and pastas to even fried rice and Chinese noodles (*shudder*). But most store-bought ketchups are incredibly unhealthy and contain too much salt, sugar and unhealthy fats. Store-bought tomato ketchups may also contain artificial flavours, added colours and preservatives, which may be harmful for the body in the long term.

Consuming too much tomato ketchup may lead to poor skin quality and frequent acne breakouts as well as weight gain. Given the popularity of the tangy condiment, people tend to ignore these harmful effects of tomato ketchup and it is often even used by mothers to make every day dishes tasty and more palatable for their kids who are picky eaters. If you love ketchup and feel like adding it to everything, then you must especially pay heed to these dangers of over-consumption of this high sodium condiment. However, you don't have to compromise on taste in the process of giving up store-bought tomato ketchup. We're here to help with a range of healthier (and tastier) homemade alternatives to store-bought ketchups that are sure to end up loving more than the unhealthy sauce.

Here Are Some Homemade Alternatives (With Recipes) To The Unhealthy Tomato Ketchup:
1. Tomato Salsa
Salsa sauce is a Mexican export that has found admirers around the world. The tomato-based sauce can be easily prepared at home and stored for long term use with chips/crisps, nachos, pakoras and parathas. It goes with pretty much anything and can be made using simple, easily available ingredients.

2. Homemade Tomato Sauce
Another way of adding the tang to your food while omitting out the unhealthy calories is by preparing this hot and sour tomato sauce at home. It's prepared from ripe tomatoes and garlic, along with salt and sugar, white vinegar and the star ingredient - garam masala! This is the closest alternative to the tomato ketchup that you can prepare at home.

3. Tomato Chutney
Another 'desi-fied' homemade alternative to store-bought ketchup is this tomato chutney, which is prepared by cooking tomatoes in a number of spices like mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger, garlic and red chillies. The flavours in this one are unmistakably desi and the taste of this chutney is sure to make you forget all about ketchup.

These recipes may not make you ditch the store-bought tomato ketchup completely, but it is sure to make your taste buds appreciate homemade sauces more.

Come summers and Indian grocery stores and the local fruit-vendor stalls are filled with seasonal goodness from a variety of fruits and berries. There's the bright red of watermelons and cherries, the bright yellow of mangoes and sun melons, the greens from pears and grapes and the purplish black from jamuns. The tangy jamuns are perhaps the most celebrated desi summer fruits of all, second only after a whole range of mangoes that flood the markets. Jamuns are available for a very short period of time during the year and they're the best when consumed during peak summers. Also known as java plums, these purple fruits are turned into chutneys and dips, added to desserts and ice-creams and also added to drinks like lassis and other summer coolers. But have you heard of white jamun or safed jamun?

The elusive fruit is not very widely available in India and hence, isn't as much in the limelight as its purple cousin. Safed jamun is better known by a plethora of English names including wax apple, love apple, java apple, Semarang rose-apple and wax jambu. It is also known as bell fruit because of its bell-like shape, and water apple. The fruit comes from the plant Syzygium samarangense, which is native to only certain areas, including Andman and Nicobar islands. The fruit has a pinkish tinge on the outside with a waxy pulp on the inside and is known as rose apple, due to the subtle flavour of rose petals in its pulp. The fruit is said to be mostly used in preparing salads. The raw white jamuns may be used in making vinegar and wine due to its tangy and dry taste.

Benefits Of Wax Apples or Safed Jamun (White Jamun)
Safed jamun or wax apple is also known as Golap Jaam in Bangladesh and it is also popular at fruit markets in Kolkata, where it is more popularly known as Gulab Jamun, owing to the sweet smell of rose in the fruit. In the Philippines, it is known as Makopa. The consumption of wax apples is not very widespread, owing to the handful of regions that the cultivation is restricted to. Additionally, it is advised for one to practice caution while consuming it, as the seed is considered poisonous.

Here are some purported benefits of the rose apples (safed jamun):
1. Rich in Vitamin C: These fruits are said to be rich in Vitamin C, which is important for boosting immunity and formation of collagen for keeping the skin looking young. A 100 gram portion of wax apple contains 22.3 micrograms of Vitamin C (as per USDA data).

2. Rich in Dietary Fibre: White jamuns or rose apples are said to be rich in dietary fibre, which may help protect against common digestive troubles like diarrhoea and flatulence. Dietary fibre is also good for regulating blood sugar and helps in weight management.

3. Rich In Vitamin A: One of the most important nutrients for eye health is Vitamin A, which is found in abundance in the rose apples.

4. Rich in Calcium: The most important nutrients for teeth and bones is calcium, which rose apples are rich in. A 100 gram of rose apple contains 29 micrograms of calcium (as per USDA data).

5. Rich in Potassium: Rose apples contain good amounts of the nutrient potassium, which is important for maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance in the body.

Rose apples or safed jamun also has high water content (93 gm per 100 grams) and may hence help you stay hydrated in the scorching heat. Not enough information is available about the dietary benefits of rose apples, but the fruit is certainly said to be popular in certain isolated parts of the Indian subcontinent.

The many health benefits of papaya fruit are unequivocally known to all. This nutritious fruit, which is available throughout the year, is a source of tremendous nourishment for our overall health and wellness. Like many other fruits, papaya's skin-covered flesh encloses a number of seeds. Again, like many other fruits, the kernels are discarded to eat the juicy flesh. Have you ever wondered why do we assume that these seeds are inedible and just toss them out? Of course, they taste bitter if we accidentally bite into them, but does that mean they are not supposed to be eaten? Maybe, they are. Some experts suggest that papaya seeds can be ingested, only if taken in limits.

Dr. Anju Sood, a Bengaluru-based nutritionist points out, "Not all seeds are poisonous but some seeds are very bitter due to which, they create some kind of gastro-intestinal disturbance." According to many other nutritionists, papaya seeds are actually edible and can be eaten to avail their various health-benefiting properties.

What Are The Benefits Of Eating Papaya Seeds?


1. Fights Free Radicals
Papaya seeds are abound with antioxidants - polyphenols and flavonoids - which shield us from common infections like cold and cough, and also from many chronic diseases.



2. Helps In Weight Management
The seeds of the fruit are fibrous in nature that aid digestion and further help in preventing obesity. The fibre also keeps a check on blood pressure that aids in keeping heart healthy.


3. Keeps Gut Healthy
Certain studies claim that papaya seeds contain proteolytic enzymes that kill bacteria and parasites residing in the intestines, thereby, keeping the stomach and the gut healthy.


4. Relieves Menstrual Pain
It is also said that consuming papaya seeds during periods is helpful to ease muscle cramps and pain.


5. Regulates Cholesterol Level
The seeds of papaya are also rich in healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, especially, oleic acid (3), which is known to pull down high levels of bad cholesterol (LDL).

How To Consume Papaya Seeds?
Given its bitter taste, how do we bring ourselves to eat it? Well, you don't really have to stress out your taste buds. Grind the papaya seeds, and mix their powder form in sweet smoothies, juices, desserts or even teas. The sweetness of sugar, honey or jaggery will overpower the bitterness of the seeds.

Diabetes is emerging to be one of the most prevalent health conditions around the world. According to a study, around 98 million Indians are at risk of developing diabetes by the year 2030. Diabetics need to be very cautious with what they include in their diet. While we know that junk food, processed food, and sugary goods can cause immense blood sugar fluctuations, but did you know that some of the healthiest fruits too could take your blood sugar levels for a toss. You must have heard of starchy and non-starchy foods. If you are a diabetic, you must know about the carb content of the fruits that you're eating. Here are some tips you should know about if you are planning to include different types of fruits in your diabetes diet.

1. Go for fruits with low glycemic index: The glycemic index (GI) is a relative ranking of carbohydrate in foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels. Eating high glycemic index foods tend to spike your blood glucose levels. On the other hand, consuming foods that have low GI index enables slow release of sugar in the bloodstream. Fruits like guavas, apples, pears, and grapefruit are all low glycemic fruits you can have in moderation.

2. Do not go for overripe fruits: Overripe fruits tend to be much denser in sugar than the raw or perfectly ripe ones. Therefore, it is best to avoid them if you are a diabetic.

3. Some healthy fruits can also prove to be risky: Fruits are indeed a healthy addition to any diet, but sometimes even the healthiest of fruits could cause an upsurge in blood sugar levels. Fruits like melons, watermelons, mangoes and chikoo are packed with healthful nutrients and antioxidants, but diabetics need to be very careful with these fruits as they also have high natural sugar content. If you like to snack on these fruits, make sure you balance them well with low-carb, low-sugar fruits and nuts too.

4. Do not juice your fruits: It is best to eat your fruits whole. It is a good way to ensure that all good fibres are going inside your body. Fibres take the longest time to digest; since they take a while to breakdown and metabolise, fibre tends to prevent sugar spikes. If you juice your fruits, you lose out on a considerable amount of fibres. It is also a wise idea to avoid market-based juices as they are often concentrated with sugar and artificial sweeteners.

5. Try to have fruits with their peel on: Fruit peels contain a significant chunk of fibres; hence, you should try to have fruits with their peel on, whenever and wherever you can. For instance, apples, pears, guava, plums should be consumed without peeling.

6. Diabetics should not have dried fruits like raisins, prunes, dried peaches. According to consultant nutritionist Dr. Rupali Datta, "One should ideally avoid dry fruits as they are concentrated versions of fresh fruits. Naturally then, in these concentrated forms, everything goes up. The sugar levels, the glycemic index."

Take note of these points, and if you happen to see any abnormal fluctuations in your blood sugar levels, consult an expert.