Improve Your Nutrition & Wellness Quotient
Answers to 8 simple yet mind boggling questions. This test would not only enhance your knowledge but also correct your facts on Nutrition and Wellness.
1) In High Blood Pressure, one should avoid –
- Iodized salt
- Rock and sea salt
- Black salt
- All of the above
Ans. All of the above
All above mentioned salts irrespective of their color, texture,source and extraction method are mainly Sodium Chloride (chemically) and are to be restricted in Hypertension or High Blood Pressure.Various spices and condiments like garlic powder, onion powder, ginger, freshly ground black pepper, freshly squeezed lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, low sodium soy sauce, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and mustard seeds used intelligently can give that salty taste to your food.
2) Which food item among the following provides you with maximum calories?
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp water
Ans. Olive oil.
Each gram of fats/oils provide 9 Kcal , each gram of sugar provides 4 Kcal , salt and water does not contribute to any. So we need to be cautious about the quantity while using good quality oils as well.
Water assists in burning calories and may induce thermogenesis, a heat response that elevates metabolism. Drinking enough water to stay hydrated supports your metabolism, alertness and energy levels for daily activities and exercise.
Salt does not cause your body to gain or lose fat. In fact, salt has no calories. High consumption of salt only results in temporary weight gain as it causes your body to retain water. Conversely, low consumption of salt can result in temporary weight loss as it causes your body to expel water.
3) The best quality protein among the following is in
- Walnuts
- Egg yolk
- Kidney Beans
- Egg White
Ans. Egg White
Protein quality refers, in a general sense, to how well or poorly the body will use a given protein. More technically, protein quality refers to how well the essential amino acid profile of a protein matches the requirements of the body; the digestibility of the protein and bioavailability of the amino acids also play a role.
Egg whites are considered to the best proteins in quality among above mentioned foods. Milk protein (Casein) is another excellent source. Among vegetarian sources, soya bean is the only complete protein which is comparable to animal protein sources.
4) If your child is overweight you should make him avoid
- Butter & Ghee
- Sugar
- Processed cheese
- All of the above
Ans. All of the above
Once the body’s energy requirement for the day is met, all excess fats (oil, ghee, butter, etc), proteins (cheese is rich in proteins and fat) and carbohydrates (sugars) convert and get stored in the body as fat making you overweight. To avoid weight gain we need to check our complete intake of calories be it from any food source.
5 ) What does exercise do for your body?
- Strengthens the heart, bones and muscles
- Stresses you
- Makes you tired and depressed
- Wastes your time
Ans. Strengthens the heart, bones and muscles
Exercise is a miracle cure. It can reduce your risk of major illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer by up to 50% and lower your risk of early death by up to 30%.
It’s free, easy to take, has an immediate effect and you don’t need a General Practitioner to get some.
If exercise were a pill, it would be one of the most cost-effective drugs ever invented,†says Dr Nick Cavill, a health promotion consultant.
6) You develop a healthy heart when you
- Laugh very often
- Get angry and depressed very often
- Work slowly
- Work very fast
Ans. Laugh very often
Today’s fast-paced life and workplace pressures escalate stress levels, taking a toll on one’s heart. We must realise that the healing power of the body decreases when under stress, leading to many complications like hypertension and poor immunity.
Laughter is the best therapy. Laughter anytime will work wonders for you. It is an instant way to unleash the pressure and it makes you feel light.
7 ) Which of the following has dietary cholesterol
- Butter
- Olive Oil
- Groundnut Oil
- Coconut Oil
Ans. Butter
Most of the cholesterol that you need is made in your liver from the macro nutrients (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates) that you consume in your diet. But you also get cholesterol from food of animal origin: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Although some plant foods, such as coconuts and cocoa beans, are high in saturated fats, no plants actually have cholesterol.
Plant foods don’t contain cholesterol- No grains. No fruits. No veggies. No nuts and seeds. But you can juice plant food up with cholesterol by using : Butter on the bread, cheese on the macaroni, Ghee on your dals, whipped cream on fruits, and so on!
8) Trans- fatty acids are present in:
- Groundnut oil
- Olive Oil
- Paneer or Cottage cheese
- Vanaspati Ghee/Hydrogenated Oil
Ans. Vanaspati Ghee or Hydrogenated oil
Small amounts of trans-fats occur naturally in beef, lamb, and full-fat dairy products. But most come from processing liquid vegetable oil to become a solid fat by the process called hydrogenation.
Like saturated fats, trans-fats raise LDL “bad” cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease. But unlike saturated fats, trans-fats lower HDL “good” cholesterol and may do more damage.
Get in the habit of reading nutrition labels, the ones headed “Nutrition Facts.†If the label lists Trans Fat as 0 g, look at the Ingredients List for the words “partially hydrogenated.” Any oil that is partially hydrogenated is a trans-fat.
Even if you’re a conscientious shopper, it’s easy to ingest a significant amount of trans fats without knowing it. A bowl of “trans-fat-free” cereal (that actually contains half a gram) plus a slice of birthday cake or ‘Dalda made Laddoo’ at the office and some microwave popcorns in the evening add up quickly.
