Dr. Fatima Radhanpurwala is a Senior Dietician at Sterling Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai. She has actively participated as consultant dietician in a camp organised by Saifee Ambulance at Kandivali and given lectures on “Balanced diet” in Sula Wines Company. She has also been a Consultant Dietitian in camps organized by Wockhardt hospital at Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge center, Koparkhairne. She has conducted various lectures on nutrition for children, healthy ageing, nutrition in cancer, lifestyle management and weight loss.
Dr. Fatima Radhanpurwala answered Sify readers’ queries related to the above in an exclusive chat. Read the transcript below.
Pls name some healthy snacks that could be made at home.
Sprouts chaat, fruit salads, dry bhel, sweet corn, dry fruits and pop-corn
Whenever I have steam food I feel hungry faster. Is there a way to make steam foods more filling?
you can have salads with it.
Hello Doc. Kindly suggest some tips for making healthy desserts.
Add fruits and nuts and restrict sugar to make it healthy.
Doctor I want to know about the benefits of locky juice. Can any one and everyone have it?
yes, locky juice is rich in anti oxidant and it’s good for weight loss.
Why should one have curd only during lunch or daytime and avoid having it after sunset? Are their any nutritional concerned reason for this?
No, you can have curd in lunch as well as in dinner.
Is it not advisable to have a protein rich diet at dinner? If yes why or if no why?
Yes, proteins gives better satiety then carbohydrate, and its good for weight loss.
How much carbohydrate inatke is advised for a 40 plus woman and a 40 plus man on per day basis?
Carbohydrate requirement of a person varies depending on height, weight, age and activity level of a person.
Which peanuts are better natural or roasted?
Both are good for health but avoid salted peanuts.
How good is Diet coke or other diet soft drinks?
They are not good for health.
Is Excess Salt Intake bad for your health?
Yes.
How much water do I need to drink each day?
2-3 liters of water each day.
Does a healthy diet mean no pizza and ice cream?
Yes.
Are potatoes fattening?
Potatoes are fattening if it is eaten in excess.
I’m working on losing some weight. Is a low-carb or fat-free diet better?
Yes.
I have heard the multi-vitamins do no good to your body, is that true?
No it’s not true, multi-vitamins should be taken as per experts prescription.
I’m 21, I’m not very hungry when I know it’s time to eat. Is that normal for someone my age?
It’s not normal, you can consult doctor.
how much calorie needed for a man in a day?
Calorie requirement of a person varies depending on height, weight, age and activity level of a person.
Should white rice be completely be avoided by diabetic patients?
No, it can be taken in moderation depending on the blood sugar level.
Is there a diet which contains right amount of proetins, vitamins, carbohydrates and minerals which can be eaten comfortably at an affordable cost?
yes, but you have to consult nutritionist for the same.
Which dairy product is the best for diabetics?
Low fat milk and curd are good for diabetics.
Good afternoon Dr. Can you please suggest a general brief diet plan for diabetics?
Avoid sugar, sweets, jam, jelly, rice, mangoes, chikoo, banana, sithaphal, grapes, jackfruits, potatoes, sweet potatoes and bakery products. Include more of salads in lunch and dinner. consume a meethi seeds 1 tsp daily before breakfast.
Can one have boiled black gram or chick peas in breakfast everyday?
Ans: yes, it’s a good sources of protein and fiber.
I have heard that we usually crave for a type of food when our body requires it. Is it a myth?
It’s true.
Is it that we should boil spinach before cooking it?
Its depends on medical condition. Healthy person can have without boiling.
What is the difference between the consumption of paneer and cheese slices?
Cheese is high in salt, so paneer is preferred over cheese.
What type of breads are the best for health M’am?
Whole grains and wheat breads are healthy.
Madam I also wanted to know how healthy is brown sugar? Can one substitute this for white sugar?
Both are same.
What about corn? Can all age groups have corn? Are they really healthy?
yes, corn are good source of vitamin A.
Madam I am not at all fond of brinjal and feel pukee if I try having it. I have heard that it is very healthy. True? Any substitute for brinjal?
It is true, but there is no substitute for brinjal.
Is it true that onions and garlic are very good for heart?
yes, onion and garlic contain antioxidants, allium which is good for heart.
What all kinds of foods keeps one’s heart healthy doctor?
Oats, almonds, walnuts, flax seeds and fish.
I am 51yr female. My husband is 57yrs. How can we bring changes in our diet for healthy ageing?
Include more of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. for females include atleast two serving of milk daily.
I usually make biscuits and cookies at home. How to make or bake them healthy?
Make biscuits and cookies more healthy by adding oats, mix flour, nuts and bran.
My son aged 9yrs is very fond of jam. he wants to have it everyday and practically in every meal. Is it okay? How to control this habit of his?
It is not good to have jam everyday, you can replace jam with puree of fresh fruits like strawberry, mangoes, banana, etc.
What is the best breakfast for the children in the age group of 9yrs to 12yrs?
Egg, milk, any breakfast cereals like upma, paratha etc and nuts.
Hi dr. Can you please suggest some diet tips for my 9yr old son’s height growth?
You should include proteins and calcium rich foods in his diet, i.e. milk, curd, cheese, paneer and green leafy vegetables
What is the nutritional difference between the south indian foods made out of rice & udad dal batter and rava batter? Thank you.
Rice and udad dal batter is more nutritious then plain rava batter because rice and udad batter has more protein then rave batter.
Should white rice be substituted with brown rice everyday? Or can we eat white rice moderately?
You can eat white rice in moderation.
And what about coconut? I mean is it okay to have crushed coconut everyday if added to vegetables, chutney or sweets?
In case of high cholesterol and over weight it’s not recommended. For normal condition you can have 1-2 tsp per day.
How is the use of tamarind for health?
It can be used for flavoring the curry.
Hello Doctor Fatima. I am a south indian female aged 31yrs. I practically have white rice, sambhar and coconut chutney almost everyday. I am quite plump. How to make south indian cuisine healthy?
To make south Indian cuisine healthy reduce the amount of coconut used in meals. Try to replace white rice with brown rice or parboiled rice. Increase the amount of salads in meals.
Please give some advise on the consumption of dry fruits like almonds, raisins, walnuts, pista and cashew nuts. in relation to the time of eating them and the quantity.
1 handful of dry fruits can be taken daily. you can consume it either with breakfast or in between meals as snacks
My aunt has cut don on her salt intake to control blood pressure. What other changes in her diet are required?
To control blood pressure restrict intake of salted foods products such as papad, pickle, chips and packed & processed foods. Consume 1-2 servings of fruits daily.
With so many options available for cooking oils. Which is the best one for heart and health?I tried rice bran oil. Didn’t find it so good.
Olive oil and Rice bran oil are good for heart and health.
Which kind of milk is advised for females to who are trying to conceive a child?
Female trying to conceive should prefer cow milk or tone milk or slim milk.
How advisable are diet supplements according to you?
There are wide range of diet supplement. They can be prescribe as per the condition of person and by consultation with expert.
Dr. I am 42yrs female trying to conceive a child. Can you advise on the diet for me?
Your diet should be rich in proteins, calcium, iron and Folate. These are necessary for child development. Foods you can consume are milk, curd, green leafy vegetable, sprouts, nuts like almond & walnut.
Is it very important to have either salads or curd in lunch? How does it help?
Its important to have salad and curd in lunch. Salads adds fiber to your diet which is important for satiety and good bowel movement. Curd is good for digestion.
How many times a week can a normal person take pure ghee? Is one tsp daily fine for good health?
A normal person can consume ghee 2- 3 times a week and its should be included in daily oil & ghee requirement i.e. 3-4 tsp of fats per day.
What kind of fat is healthy for our body? Please name the foods with healthy fat.
Monounsaturated fats(MUFA) & polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) are good fats for the body. Foods with MUFA are: olive oil, rice bran oil, groundnut oil, almonds & walnut. Foods with PUFA are: salmon fish, flax seeds, herrin fish, sardine fish, sunflower oil and corn oil.
How can we maintain a standard weight by diet?
Avoid fried foods, sweets, packed & process foods daily. Don’t skip your meals, eat 4-5 small frequent meal daily. Exercise 40 mins daily.
Good afternoon dr. I am 5ft 2′, weight 60kgs. I want to lose 2-3kgs till 14th Feb. Is it possible through diet? How?
Yes. To reduce 2-3 kgs include lots of salads in your meals, take 1-2 of fruits in between meals. Avoid fried foods, sweets, packed & process foods completely. Your dinner should be light try to take soup & salad for dinner. Most important exercise daily atleast 40 mins.
Please explain what is a ‘Balanced Diet’ in your words.
Balanced Diet is diet which contains all the nutrient like carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber in appropriate amount.
Why is it advised to have fruits rather than fruit juices? I read it somewhere.
while preparing fruit juice fiber, vitamins & minerals are lost hence whole fruits are advisable.
Colas or any or any other soft drinks give some relief from acidity. But how good or bad are they?
Avoid them. they give temporarily relief
How can I control acidity through diet?
To control acidity try include alkaline food more in your diet like fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grain. Avoid spicy, oily and excessive tea and coffee and aerated drinks.
Doctor I have this strong craving for sweet foods daily. How to control?
when you feel like having sweets munch on fruits, dates, dried figs, etc.