So many misconceptions about our diet got cleared here

In our 21-Day Health Retreat, Kenya-based Satinder and Resham Bain learnt that only animals produce cholesterol. Human beings are also animals, and so we produce it too. However, all the excess cholesterol comes from animal products, including dairy, in our diet. Cutting out all animal products will bring down cholesterol levels naturally. 

Broccoli in White Sauce  

This deliciously healthy white sauce is going to leave you surprised!

Ingredients

• 250 g broccoli, broken into florets
• ½ a medium-sized cauliflower
• Unrefined salt and pepper to taste
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ a leek, thinly sliced
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp dried basil
• Home-made khakhra bits to sprinkle

Method

Steam the cauliflower and blend half of it into a paste. Add salt, pepper and oregano, to make a ‘white sauce’. In a pan, sauté the leek until softened (add a little water if necessary). Add the white sauce and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and the remaining cauliflower and season with basil. Take it off the heat once the sauce thickens slightly and the broccoli is tender. Sprinkle with broken bits of khakhra and serve.

Serves 2-3

Food For The Mind

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Cholesterol: The Good and the Bad of It                          
                  

One of the biggest myths is that nuts are high in cholesterol. Cholesterol is produced by the liver and plants don’t have livers! But animals do – so meat, dairy, eggs and even fish are full of cholesterol. Humans are animals so we also need, and therefore produce, cholesterol. However, too many of us have high levels which may lead to problems.

High cholesterol per se isn’t harmful. It’s only when the cholesterol lining the arteries narrows them, that the blockages cause the problems. Is it possible to reverse or prevent this? Absolutely!  

The answers to these 6 simple questions will help you understand cholesterol.

1. What is cholesterol? It is a waxy, fat-like substance found in animal cells. A certain amount of cholesterol is needed as it has important natural functions.

2. What does it do? Cholesterol has four main functions – Contributes to the structure of the cell walls Helps to produce digestive bile Allows the body to make Vitamin D Enables the body to create certain hormones

3. What is ‘good’ and ‘bad’ cholesterol? Cholesterol is oil-based, so it doesn’t mix with blood, which is water-based. It is carried around the body in the blood by lipoproteins – LDL (low-density lipoprotein known as ‘bad’ cholesterol) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein known as ‘good’ cholesterol).

4. Why is it called ‘good’ or ‘bad’ cholesterol? High levels of LDL lead to a build-up of cholesterol in the arteries, which blocks the blood flow, creating a major risk factor for heart disease. HDL carries cholesterol to the liver for removal from the body and therefore higher levels of this are good.

5. What causes high cholesterol? The two major causes are – a diet that includes animal products and a lack of exercise. Certain conditions like hypothyroidism, diabetes, liver or kidney disease, polycystic ovarian or pregnancy may cause an increase in LDL. Also, certain drugs like steroids increase LDL and even reduce HDL.

6. How should one maintain a balance between good and bad cholesterol? Going on the whole food plant-based diet that SHARAN recommends is ideal to maintain this balance. One then stops consuming animal products, saturated fats in processed foods and trans-fats in fried foods. Also, one begins to consume high-fibre foods which helps. Do note that when the body starts cleansing by switching to a plant-based diet, the cholesterol level may rise initially. This is due to the LDLs which were stuck to the walls of the arteries getting flushed into the bloodstream on the way out.