Nutritionist Ka Blog

Vitamin C , also known as Ascorbic Acid is a water soluble vitamin . As it is a water soluble vitamin,it won't be stored in the body and extra amounts taken would be excreted through urine. Let me give you a brief introduction about vitamin C. Daily Requirement The daily requirement or RDA Value for Vitamin C is as follows: Male : 90 mg/ day Female : 75 mg/ day Function Following are some of the functions of Vitamin C: It acts as an antioxidant. Plays role in the absorption of Iron Bone formation Heals the wound  Prevents cataract formation , prevent heart diseases , prevent cancer Deficiency The deficiency of Vitamin  C (although rare) causes a disease called Scurvy , which is  characterized by anemia, bleeding gums , slow healing of wounds , painful gums , gum bleeding. Sources The following are the sources of Vitamin C or Ascorbic acid. Strawberry Cauliflower Citrus fruits like orange Tomato Blueberry Green peas Kiwi Broccoli Guava ...

So , the last member of the fat or lipid soluble vitamins is the Vitamin K . It is one of the important micro nutrient. It is also known as the blood clotting vitamin. DAILY REQUIREMENT Daily requirements of vitamin K are different for males and females . Females require around 90 Micro Gram of vitamin K while men require more vitamin K , around 120 Micro gram FUNCTIONS The following are the functions of Vitamin K It is required for the blood clotting Required for healthy bones DEFICIENCY As it is required for blood clotting , deficiency may cause excessive bleeding of gums and nose. SOURCES While 10 percentage of vitamin K is produced by bacteria in our body , the following can also provide vitamin K Vegetable oils Green vegetables Spinach Beef liver Broccoli  Cheese Egg yolk

Vitamin E is one of the members of Fat soluble vitamins , it belongs to the family of compounds called tocopherols and tocotrienols. DAILY REQUIREMENT Though vitamin E deficiency is rare ,daily 15mg of vitamin E is required for both males and females. FUNCTIONS OF VITAMIN E The following are the fuctions of vitamin E , as this is an introductory article , so I will keep try to keep it as simple as possible Acts as antioxidant It protects the cell membrane It prevents some skin issues such as itching and may also act as moisturizer Prevents a number of cardiovascular diseases Aids in wound healing SOURCES OF VITAMIN E The following are the sources of vitamin E Vegetable oils dairy products Nuts Green Leafy vegetables Almonds Peanut Wheat germ

Vitamin D , a fat soluble vitamin , also known as the sunshine vitamin is produced in the body from a cholesterol derivative when exposed to sunlight . However if someone lives in an area with low intensity of sunlight then it's better to take vitamin D through supplements and food DAILY REQUIREMENT The daily requirement is usually 5 Micro gram daily for people under the age of 51 .People living in areas receiving little sunlight need to take more Vitamin D daily , i.e 20-25 micro gram daily to fulfill their needs . FUNCTIONS As this is just an article, giving basic knowledge about vitamin D , therefore some of the functions will be discussed here Regulates the level of calcium and phosphorous in the blood . Helps in calcium and phosphorous absorption It is essential in preventing heart diseases Also prevents flu Prevent colon , prostate cancers Essential in preventing diabetes DEFICIENCY The deficiency of Vitamin D can cause the following problems Rickets in ch...

Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin . Retinoids is the active form of vitamin A while carotenoids are the compounds that are converted to the active form. Daily requirement Well the daily requirement varies from male to female . Men require around 900 Micro-gram of Vitamin A and Females require around 700 Micro-grams daily . The average daily value is around 1000 Micro-grams Functions of Vitamin A The following are the functions of Vitamin A Growth and Development  For the proper growth and development of the body , an adequate amount of vitamin A is necessary Proper Vision For the proper working of rods and cones in our eyes , Vitamin A is required . Proper functioning of cornea is also related with vitamin A Skin It causes the proper development of skin and can cause smooth skin Immunity Infant development Deficiency and it's Effects Vitamin A deficiency can cause several problems which are given as Night Blindness Vitamin A deficiency causes ...

 o ften we come across the word " Vitamin" . So what are vitamins ? In this article , I am going to give you an introduction to vitamins . What are Vitamins? Vitamins are the organic compounds that we require in a small amount in our diet . Organic compounds are those in which carbon is bonded with hydrogen. Although vitamins are not a source of energy but they do play a role in growth and development. How much amount is needed? It is usually thought that little amount is essential , so more amount would be better , here I am breaking this so called stereotype . As told earlier , vitamins are micro nutrients , therefore they are required in a little amount . Lets suppose a person has eaten 1 kg of food then that person would require 2.5 gm of vitamin . Humans can't make all the vitamins in their bodies , therefore vitamins need to be supplied in food. Types of vitamins Well there are about 13 vitamins , categorized into water soluble and fat soluble vitamins. ...

I n the previous article , I discussed about diarrhea , it causes and the foods that should be taken ,in case of diarrhea (You may visit the previous article to recall it). Now in this article , my concern would be with the food that should be taken in case of constipation. What is constipation? Constipation is a condition in which an individual finds it's difficult to eliminate the stool or feces . What causes constipation? Generally speaking , a bunch of things or factors may cause constipation . The following can be considered one of the common causes of constipation Imbalanced diet  Dehydration Depression , stress  Not drinking enough water Overuse of laxatives Inactivity or physical inactivity Dehydration may be caused by drinking a lot of tea , coffee , black coffee etc . Depression and stress are related with the release of a hormone called cortisol that can be the cause of changes in peristalsis and cause constipation . A diet which is imbalanced is th...

What is Diarrhea ? Diarrhea is a condition in which feces comes in form of liquid or more liquidy and eliminated more often . Three or more watery or liquidy bowels a day can be considered as diarrhea. Causes The following can cause diarrhea Bacterial Infection caused by Campylobacter and E.Coli ( Found in contaminated food) Viral Infections caused by Norovirus and Notavirus Food Intolerance for example lactose intolerance Surgery Bowel Health Movements   For proper treatment you should know the cause of the disease . Most of the time , the disease is related with diet and as I am running a blog related to Nutrition and Dietetics would be with diet. So you may consult your dietitian or nutritionist if you suffer from diarrhea , but take proper advice with your physician if condition is severe Foods that should be taken during diarrhea You should take the following food if you suffer from diarrhea. Grains such as white rice , white pasta , cornflak...

 Eid-ul-Adha , a religious festival of Muslims has just arrived . No doubt it is a source of joy and happiness for everyone , but consuming too much meat may cause serious problems . Consuming excess meat without knowing the possible consequences can be a problem . So here I'm gonna tell you about the effects of Overeating meat. Dehydration and Constipation Over consuming meat can cause the kidney to produce concentrated Urine , this can cause dehydration and cause several other effects. This can lead to constipation and it becomes difficult to eliminate feces Headache No doubt overeating can cause headaches more frequent , might be due to dehydration.  Fatigue and Tiredness Over eating of meat can cause tiredness . Now the question is how? The reason is that improper digestion can cause tiredness. Problems of gut Over eating meat the effect the gut bacteria causing gut issues , but it may be prevented by taking adequate amount of carbs Overeatin...

Water is one of the necessity of life ,70 % of the earth is covered with water and human body consists of 60 % water too .It is a macro nutrient, daily water intake should be around 2 Liter . But those people who do a lot of exercise may require more than this . Race ,culture and gender main also cause difference in it's amount . Well, water is an extremely important part of our diet . Signs of water deficiency in our body Besides dry mouth and dry eyes ,the following might indicate the deficiency of water in our body Urine color is an indication , if urine color is yellow or dark yellow , it indicates that urine is concentrated and water deficiency in body is there Benefits of Water Some of the benefits are given below. Keeps  mucous membranes moist Necessary for lubrication of joints Prevents dryness of skin Prevents dizziness Is necessary for bowel movement that can cause regular removal of toxins from our body Clear the skin and removes toxins from it Helps ...

Our body requires Glucose , which acts as fuel for our body . Normally our blood contains 60-150 mg/dL glucose .Normally carbohydrates are the source of glucose in our body This level of glucose is constant and is necessary for body's normal functioning , it is converted to energy by a variety of steps                       GLUCOSE-----> GLYCOLYSIS------> KREBS CYCLE----> ETC-------> ATP(ENERGY) Generally there are two states in our body Fed State Fasted state Fed state is usually the state , after you have taken a meal i.e you have taken a piece of cake . The body will use it to make glucose .It is then directly used to maintain the blood glucose level. During the fasted state you haven't eaten anything for a few hours ad body will have to pump glucose into the blood to maintain normal levels of glucose . During this state body will have to make glucose from following steps Convert Glycogen to Glucose Glu...

To understand the concept of Food Allergy , firstly we need to understand what is an allergen ? So what is an allergen ? Let me give you a brief idea about the allergen ALLERGEN Any protein particle or component that causes hypersensitive response in our body , and cause the release of  antibodies in our body is generally termed as Allergen . Immunoglobulins or antibodies are the substances that help in neutralizing the Allergen  . FOOD ALLERGEN  Any protein in food or any protein component of food that body takes as threat or considers harmful and causes the release of antibodies in the body may be termed as food allergen . Food Allergen binds to Immunoglobulins E (IgE) and causes the release of a chemical in our body called HISTAMINE . Once histamine is released , it causes contraction of smooth muscles such as tissues of lungs , stomach and cause acceleration of Heart beat .Blood pressure may drop and may also cause difficulty in breathing . SYMPTOMS These s...

So we are here in the blessed month of Ramadan . As a Nutritionist , there are several questions that I come across .  Many people ask about the nutritional facts of dates . Here I am going to discuss the nutritional fact in 100 Gm of dates calories 100 gm of date provides about 277-280 calories Carbohydrate 75-80 gm of carbohydrates are provided Fat 0.4 gm of fat is present Fiber At least 7-8 gm of fiber is present Protein 2.45 gm of proteins are present Sodium 2 gm of Na is present in dates Potassium 656 gm of potassium is obtained from 100 gm of date Calcium Around 4% of Calcium is obtained Magnesium 12-13% of magnesium is obtained Vitamins Vitamin C and Vitamin B-6 are present Conclusion So are dates healthy ? The answer is YES . As you see , dates contain are large number of nutrients . They are nutritious , contain anti-oxidants  , high amount of fiber is also present . Therefore you must take dates in your diet  

Following tips can help prevent dehydration during the month of Ramadan 1. Drink at least 10-12 glass of water from iftari to sehri 2. Avoid Spicy and over salty foods 3. Limit the use of caffeine 4. Limit the use of sweets 5. Have lassi and Yogurt in Sehri 6. Eat a lot of fruit and vegetables 7. Shower daily                          Credits :dietitianrabia

So you have just started your dieting , now you are counting calories in every food you are eating  Lemme tell you that counting calories  is just the beginning in following a diet plan . As far as I have explained that calorie is measure of energy , that your body is obtaining from food . So are all the calories same ?  The answer is "no" . All calories are not equal , because each type of food has its own effect on our body.When you eat the proper amount of calories according to your diet plan , you lose weight.But if you eat the right amount of bad calories then losing weight would be a lot more difficult . 200 calories from a fruit are better than 200 calories from a chocolate cake. Having good  calories vs bad calories is just as important as how many calories you obtain . Let me give you the differences between good and bad calories                   Good Calories ...

Often I have seen people discussing the word " Diet Plan " . People without having any proper knowledge , often google the term to find diet plans in order to lose or gain weight . So is it possible to get ready made diet plan from the internet ? I will answer this question , in this blog. To get an idea about diet plan , let us know what is diet ? Diet includes the food and drinks that are consumed by a person . In simple words the sum of all the foods that are taken up by a person . This is called Diet . Diet Plan  is a chart in which tells you are told to follow an arranged or organized diet in order to increase or decrease the number of calories intake according to your age , height , weight or your BMI . WILL DIET PLANS AID ME IN LOSING WEIGHT ? A diet plan contains an organized pattern to control your calories intake . You are recommended foods and drinks that can be helpful in losing or gaining weight . A diet plan if followed properly can help you in y...

We often come across the word " Calorie " . So what is a Calorie ?  To keep track of the body's energy requirement , we use a unit called Calorie . It is the potential energy that is stored in food and is provided to the body when chemical bonds are broken down . In simple words, it is measurement of energy required for your body. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN Calorie AND calorie Generally the words Calorie and calorie are somehow different . The word C alorie with capital C and the word c alorie with small c are not the same . On food products we usually see the Calorie with a capital C                                                              1 Calorie = 1000 calories DAILY CALORIE REQUIREMENT Normally the calorie requirements vary according to weight , age , height and Basal metabolic activity . The average calories required ...

Compounds that contain carbon , hydrogen and oxygen atoms are carbohydrates . Hydrogen to oxygen ratio is 2:1 . They are mostly obtained from plants.Generally all sugars , starches contain carbohydrates . Certain fruits , vegetables and milk also contain carbohydrates                                                                  SOURCES DAIRY PRODUCTS           Dairy products that give carbs are milk ,yogurt and ice cream and other milk products FRUITS           Whole fruit and fruit juice such as grape fruit , apples ,blueberry , orange , bananas ,peaches grapes are rich in carbs GRAINS            Bread, rice, crackers, and cereal are good sources of carbs. LEGUMES           Beans and oth...

A  balanced diet  is important for our health and can help us feel our best - but what is a balanced diet ?  A balanced diet is a diet that contains a variety of different foods in appropriate amount to help us get the wide range of nutrients that our bodies need. What you eat makes you healthy, what you eat also makes you unhealthy. So what should a balanced diet contain ? We can classify foods into seven types that are as follows: Carbohydrates Fats Protein Vitamin Minerals Fiber Water                                                                               NUTRIENTS There are at least 100,000 substances out of which only 300 are nutrients and 45 are essential nutrients . Further nutrients are classified in Micro and macro nutrients. MACRO-NUTRIENTS...

A Clinical Nutritionist/Dietitian studies Human Nutrition and dietetics for 4 or more years , completes an internship of 900 Hours (9-10 months) at a govt/private Hospital and clears the Registered Dietitian exam ( RD Exam) . Anatomy , Physiology , Biochemistry , Microbiology , Nutrition therapy are studied . Hence I urge you all to go to a qualified Nutritionist/Dietitian for a diet plan or diet chart . Always ask his/her qualifications first . Avoid going to GYM Trainers and those people having Diploma in Nutrition as they know nothing about nutrition and give fake diet plans . Always visit a qualified Nutritionist.   Clinical Nutritionist/Dietician       Diploma Holder ·           Has at least a 4 year    bachelor’s degree in human nutrition and dietetics          ·     Has done some 3 or 6 months course in nutrition ·     ...