Mangoes… The New POWERFOOD

This “King of Fruits” is one of the most popular and nutritionally rich fruits in the world with unique taste, flavor, texture and health-promoting properties. There are over 1000 different varieties of mangoes.

Properties:

• They are an amazing source of vitamins A, C, E, and B-complex as well as health promoting flavonoids such as beta-carotene and alpha-carotene.
• They are a powerful anti-cancer food and are specifically known to help prevent lung, breast, colon, prostate, blood, and oral cancers.
• They are also highly beneficial in the prevention of strokes, heart disease, arthritis, cognitive disorders, respiratory diseases, and kidney disease.
• They are a good source of potassium, an important component of cell and body fluids which controls heart rate and blood pressure.
• The tartaric, malic and citric acid in mangoes help to alkalinize the whole body and flush out toxic acids. 
• They are packed with enzymes and are a prebiotic food, meaning they contain compounds that stimulate and feed the good bacteria in the intestines which greatly aids in digestion and assimilation. 
• They contain a significant amount of pyridoxine (B-6) which is vital for the synthesis of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. Pyridoxine is also essential in maintaining hormonal balance and proper immune function as well as for helping the body break down sugars, fats and proteins. 
• They contain copper which is required for red blood cell production.
• They help prevent insomnia and provide for a better night’s sleep.
• They help to decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol because of their fiber, pectin, and vitamin C content.
• Due to their high vitamin A content, they are also excellent for promoting good eyesight and helping to prevent night blindness and dry eyes. 
• They prevent anemia because of their iron content.
• They are wonderful for skin health and can be used to help clear clogged pores, eliminate pimples, and add a natural glow to the skin. 
• Since the fruit has a relatively low glycemic index, moderate consumption of approx 2 slices of mango by diabetics will not spike blood sugar levels.
• Interestingly, the mango peel is also rich in phytonutrients.

Mangoes are one of the world’s most versatile fruits and can be used in both sweet and savory recipes. Use mango in your smoothies, shakes, salads, raitas, salsa, chutneys, jams, preserves, marinades and vegetable dishes. Blend green mango pulp with water, jaggery and a pinch of soonth to prepare a delicious remedy for heat stroke. Spices also pair well with mango … experiment with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, chili, cardamom, pepper etc to boost the flavor and nutrition of the dish. Experiment with finding new ways to add mangos into your diet. Your body will love you for it…. And do not forget to send us a recipe 😉

If you are not sure whether the mangoes you have bought are organic…or whether they have been artificially ripened with calcium carbide, wash them thoroughly and leave them overnight in a bowl of water,

A word of caution: Restrict your intake of this fruit if you are on warfarin therapy. Since mangoes have high vitamin A content, it could result in potentiation of warfarin activity and increased bleeding risk.

Stay blessed with good health ….always!!!

Warm regards,

Charmaine D’Souza

Holi 2017

Holi ushers in Spring with all its glorious colours and rejuvenating splendour. Water balloons, bright colours (hopefully made from haldi, kumkum, neem and bilva  😊 ), yummy gujias, piping hot puran polis, refreshing thandai, delicious phirni, scrumptious dahi vadas and melodious songs are all the ingredients of a perfect Holi wish that comes your way today 😊

Traditional Holi delicacies vary from state to state, from region to region and from family to family. Today, as you celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colour, we bring you a few traditional snacks and drinks for you to make and enjoy with your family and friends.

Gujias - these sweet dumplings are made of maida or wholewheat flour and are filled with a mixture of khoya or freshly grated coconut, sesame seeds and dry fruits. They are popular in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The dumplings are either deep fried in pure ghee or baked in the oven. Once golden brown, they are dipped in a sugar or jaggery syrup which has been infused with rose petals. Gujias taste best when served warm. For a modern twist to this traditional dish, add some dark chocolate of carob chips to the filling, bake the gujias and serve with a smattering of strawberry butter instead of dipping them in syrup.

Puran poli - this popular  Maharasthrian delicacy is a kind of sweet, buttery roti or poli. The soft delicious inner stuffing or puran is made from pressure-cooked channa dal which is sweetened with jaggery and flavoured with cardamom, saffron and grated nutmeg. The piping-hot puran polis are served with a dollop of pure ghee and a glass of warm milk.

Thandai - this Holi staple is a creamy milk drink generally sweetened with sugar or honey, enriched with khuskhus paste and finely grated, blanched almonds and flavoured with cardamom, kesar, saunf and rose petals. On Holi, thandai is traditionally served with bhaang (a derivative of marijuana). Thandai can be used to make thandai phirni, thandai rasmalai, thandai pannacotta ….etc etc etc

Phirni - this popular and deliciously aromatic North Indian dessert is made with ground rice and milk during festivals like Diwali and Holi. Unlike kheer in which whole rice is used, in phirni, broken or semi ground rice is cooked in sweetened milk. Nuts and cardamom are added later. Phirni tastes delicious when served cold but there are many who love it when it is served warm. Add some thandai masala to give the dish a “Holi” twist and sweeten it with pureed dates instead of sugar 😊

Dahi vada - this famous Indian chaat is prepared by soaking vadas or fritters made from chickpea flour in a thick dahi base. The hot, deep-fried vadas are first soaked in water. The water is then squeezed off. They are then transferred to a thick dahi base. For best results, the vadas are soaked for at least a couple of hours before serving. To add more flavor, they can be topped with chopped coriander or mint leaves, green chutney, red chili powder, crushed black pepper, chaat masala, cumin, shredded coconut, green chilis, or boondi.

Stay safe...SAVE WATER...have a joyous holi and a spring full of beautiful warm colours 😊

Stay blessed with good health ….always!!!

Warm regards,

Charmaine D’Souza