Most nuts and seeds are deemed as powerful superfoods and why not? These tiny delights can do wonders to your health and wellness. One of the best nuts to consume regularly is almond or badaam as we call it in Hindi. Almonds are one of the most nutritious of all nuts and come power-packed with protein, fibre, vitamin E, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Most health experts suggest eating a few almonds daily for a healthy mind and body. Most of us like eating them raw (meaning un-soaked or roasted) considering most benefits lie in the almond peel. However, a common belief suggests that one shouldn't eat raw almonds, especially in summers. Let's find out why.Almonds are believed to produce heat in the body and hamper your digestion process. One should ensure eating almonds soaked in water, especially when the weather outside demands you stay cool on the inside. According to the Health Practitioner and Macrobiotic Coach Shilpa Arora, "Almonds should be soaked and consumed as the nutrients are then more easily absorbed by the body. In summers, soaking is a good idea as they produce heat in the body. This is even more important for people with pitta dosha, they should soak almonds before consumption as it may create imbalances in the body leading to boils, piles and other conditions." However, think twice before letting go of the peel. As per the book Healing Foods by DK Publishing, "Eat with their skins on, as the flavonoids in the skins work synergistically with the vitamin E to more than double their antioxidant power."

How To Soak Almonds The Right Way?

In order to soak almonds in water, follow these steps and ensure you extract all the goodness from the superfood that almond is.
Place a cup of almonds in about two cups of water. Make sure you use filtered water to ensure that the flavour of the almonds is not affected. Also ensure that the almonds are completely soaked in water.
Leave on the counter overnight, for about eight to 12 hours.
Drain and rinse the almonds.
You can immediately eat them or remove the skin and store them in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
Almonds are healthy superfoods and they should be a part of your daily diet. So, ensure adding at least five to six soaked almonds in summer to avoid any complications in your tummy.

Want to sharpen your kids' mental skills and boost intelligence quotient (IQ) levels? Feed them fish at least once a week, says a study. The findings showed that children who eat fish at least once a week sleep better and have IQ scores that are four points higher, on average, than those who consume fish less frequently or not at all. Those whose meals sometimes included fish scored 3.3 points higher. In addition, increased fish consumption was associated with fewer disturbances of sleep, which the researchers say indicates better overall sleep quality. In this recent study, not just the kids even their parents were questioned and it was revealed that somewhere sleeping was at the core of the issue and fish as a rich source of nutrients helped in recovering the damage caused to the body. So, the question is ‘Can eating fish make kids intelligent?’ or there is a broader perspective to it where our lifestyle plays a critical role, let’s explore:

2. Study supports it
According to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, the children who eat fish at least once a week sleep better and have IQ scores that are four points higher, on average, than those who consume fish less frequently or not at all. The study reveals sleep as a possible mediating pathway -- the potential missing link between fish and intelligence. Lack of sleep is associated with antisocial behaviour, poor cognition is associated with antisocial behaviour and fish with sufficient omega-3 supplement reduces the antisocial behaviour. For the study, a cohort of 541 nine to 11-year-olds in China -- 54 percent boys and 46 percent girls were asked to complete a questionnaire about how often they consumed fish in the past month. Even their parents were questioned regarding sleep duration and frequency of night waking or daytime sleepiness of kids.

3. What previous studies say?
The previous studies related to fish and kids ID level had shown a relationship between omega-3s, the fatty acids in many types of fish, and improved intelligence, as well as omega-3s and better sleep. But they've never all been connected before.

4. What all fish are good?
According to a report by Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the five commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock and catfish and are also considered apt for a healthy brain.

5. Final words
It is not just about the kind of food you eat, but how far you allow your body to be at ease and pamper it with enough sleep and rest for the proper functioning of the entire system. Foods like milk and fish are just the add-ons that nourish the organs.

The 7th of April, which is also known as World Health Day, marks the 70th anniversary of the World Health Organisation, a UN initiative dedicated to eradicating diseases on a global scale.

In the spirit of the occasion, it's necessary to be well informed about the most important factor that influences one's personal health and general well being- the food we eat. In recent years, the consumption of organic food has grown considerably; this is mainly due to the fact that people's general awareness about the negative effects of conventional agricultural techniques has also increased.

While modern agricultural methods have been a great blessing, especially to the developing world, and done much to eliminate global hunger, they are not without serious consequences given the levels of preservatives, genetic modifications, chemical pesticides, and hormones, that are part and parcel of the farming process.

Organic farming eliminates the use of these potentially harmful additives entirely, resulting in several key benefits to one's overall health.

Here are some advantages of switching to an organic diet:
1. Organic Food Is More Nutritious

Several recent studies have suggested that organic food contains higher amounts of essential nutrients and minerals, including vitamin C, iron, and zinc. Unlike processed foods which are artificially preserved for longer shelf life, organic foods must always be served fresh, making the most of their nutritional values.

2. Organic Food Has No Chemical Additives

Conventional farming methods expose produce to chemicals in the form of pesticides, fertilisers, and preservatives. While these greatly improve productivity, they can be very harmful to human beings, and in large amounts even cause irreversible damage. Organic food on the other hand, is produced through traditional farming methods, without the use of any artificial compounds or preservatives, making it far safer for human consumption.

3. Organic Food Lacks Artificial Hormones And Antibiotics

To maximise productivity, and by extension profits, most modern farms inject their livestock with hormones and antibiotics which enter the human body when products like meat, milk, and eggs, are consumed. These chemicals, which are proven to cause hormonal imbalances and drug resistant bacteria in human beings, are a matter of great concern for many in the healthcare sector. Organic farming methods do not make use of artificial hormones and antibiotics, greatly reducing the risk of any complications in this regard.

4. Organic Food Has Increased Antioxidants

Numerous studies have shown that organically grown crops have higher levels of antioxidants than those that have been grown commercially. This is due to the fact that plants tend to acquire natural defences to diseases in the form of antioxidants, which do not adequately develop, following the use of pesticides.

Modern methods of farming have saved the world from the scourge of hunger, and for that we owe them our gratitude. However, given the numerous health and environmental issues that accompany them, the shift towards sustainable, organic farming methods will continue to grow. As time goes by, even more people will continue to see the numerous benefits that they bring to the table, regardless of whether they're consumed from the comfort of one's home, or a restaurant.

According to a new study, eating one serving a day of beans, peas or lentils can significantly reduce "bad cholesterol" and therefore the risk of cardiovascular disease. Sievenpiper of St Michael's Hospital here said that by eating one serving a day of pulses, people could lower their LDL ('bad') cholesterol by five percent.

"We have a lot of room in our diets for increasing our pulse intake to derive the cardiovascular benefits," Sievenpiper said. He said that this would translate into a five to six percent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Pulses have a low glycemic index (foods that break down slowly) and tend to reduce or displace animal protein as well as "bad" fats such as trans fat in a dish or meal. "Pulses already play a role in many traditional cuisines, including Mediterranean and South Asian. As an added bonus, they're inexpensive," he added.

Sievenpiper's meta-analysis reviewed 26 randomised controlled trials that included 1,037 people.
Men had greater reduction in LDL cholesterol compared with women, perhaps because their diets are poorer and cholesterol levels are higher and benefit more markedly from a healthier diet.

Some study participants reported stomach upset such as bloating, gas, diarrhoea or constipation but these symptoms subsided over time. The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Egg is a controversial breed of food. They have been dissed by the vegetarian population and hailed by the non-vegetarian one. But the age-old question of whether eggs are vegetarian or not still prevails. What does science have to say about, let’s find out.

FERTILIZED AND UNFERTILIZED EGGS: While most mistake eggs for being the original home for chicks, there is a huge difference between the hens that lay eggs for consumption and eggs in which chicks are born. There are two types of eggs which are available to us: Fertilized and unfertilized.

NOT KILLING A LIFE: Much to contrary belief, neither fertilized nor unfertilized eggs contain chicks that are meant to be born. To make a chick, a hen has to mate with a rooster. Farms which breed hens for edible eggs keep roosters away from them so that this fertilization process is not completed. For a chick to be formed inside an egg, the fertilized egg needs to develop into an embryo. This can only happen under specific conditions. Therefore, either way, you are safe. You are not hindering the natural process of life.

VEGETARIANISM AND NON-VEGETARIANISM: Now that we have established that the eggs we eat were not meant to be chicks, let us also differentiate between the basic concept of vegetarianism and non-vegetarianism. Going by the popular logic, vegetarianism includes not eating the flesh of an animal while non-vegetarianism does.

OVO-VEGETARIANS: Since the egg was never going to turn into a chick, it is safe to say that eggs can be considered vegetarian since there is no flesh of any kind involved. And vegetarians who consume eggs are known as ovo-vegetarians.

WHAT ABOUT THE BLOOD SPOT THEORY? Blood spots are often found on eggs and often mistaken for the blood of the chick that was supposed to be born. However, blood spots, also known as meat spots, does not mean that the egg has been fertilized. When the yolk of an egg is being formed, the blood vessel of the hen can rupture causing this blood spot. Mostly, farmers- both industrial and small-scale, take these out. But, if you do find them in the slot, there is nothing to feel bad about ‘killing a living being’, because you did not.

THREE PARTS OF AN EGG: Eggs do come from chickens but chickens are not killed to produce them. Eggs contain three parts- the white (albumen), the yolk and the shell. Egg whites do not contain any animal cell and hence, technically, are vegetarian.