According to Rajeswari Shetty, head of dietetics at Fortis SL Raheja Hospital, Mumbai, buying organic fruits and vegetables may help you dodge pesticides (which can cause some tummy trouble), but there’s no convincing evidence that conventional and organic produce are different in nutritional composition. Chances are you will stumble across several myths you have always believed. And guess who pays for that? You. It hasn’t helped that numerous celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Lady Gaga propagate a gluten-free diet. In fact, metric nuts Manufacturers they’re actually quite high — half an avocado is 161 calories and 18 cashews are 163 calories. But it may not help if we eat a lot more calories than you burn off, warns Dr Shetty. Everyday a new headline pronounces a certain food as "bad”, while praising another food item for its "amazing benefits”. Kale is the healthiest green (read super food)Truth: In the world of food this green, curly leaf is the Shakira of salads and the Lady Gaga of leafy greens.”Brown eggs are more nutritious than white eggsTruth: This just stems from the notion that brown is always better (pasta, flour, bread, you know the drill). It’s best to avoid them, unless while on travel or when you are unavailable to find real food,” advises Dr Hooda. This means you can’t mindlessly eat what you like just because it’s healthy. Everyday a new headline pronounces a certain food as "bad”, while praising another food item for its "amazing benefits”.”A sports drink is necessary if you are running, playing soccer or in the heatTruth: That holds true only if you are an athlete working out intensely for more than an hour at a time, corrects clinical nutritionist Kanchan Patwardhan.Wheat is wickedTruth: Wheat happens to be the most demonised food in recent times.. So giving in to each and every craving that strikes may not be a good idea. Cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and even brussel sprouts, all belong to the same family and are just as nutritious as kale,” stresses Dr Shetty. Rejectingwhole grains completely may even lead to weight gain. we speak to experts to separate the science from the sillinessNutrition is an essential element of healthy living. But do brown eggs pack more nutrients than their white counterparts? "The nutritional content between brown eggs and white eggs is exactly the same; the difference is just the colour of the shell,” explains Dr Hooda. "If you are not, you do not need a sports drink during or after exercising.Diet Sodas help keep you slimTruth: Diet sodas are actually very unhealthy, believes Dr Anjali Hooda Sangwan, a clinical nutritionist. That’s because wheat boosts the level of the feel-good chemical serotonin in the brain, so if you skip them, chances are you will feel unsatisfied and end up snacking unnecessarily,” reveals clinical nutritionist Kanchan Patwardhan. 

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She says, "Summers are a good time to experiment and try out lighter, tropical dishes. You can serve the juice without straining it. Season it with dried parsley, basil and oregano instead of salt. "You can go for a glass of buttermilk instead of full fat yoghurt for calcium and protein,” she says. "Take carrot, beetroot, pomegranate seeds and amla in a mixer, add some water and mix them together. At the heart of many Mediterranean dishes are olives and olive oil, and they are not as indispensable as you would think. Many of their dishes, especially the vegetarian dishes, have antioxidants and also act as cooling agents. 

The problem with a lot of Indians is that they follow a vegetarian diet or hardly opt for meat,” she explains. Add in a squeeze of lemon, and some black salt or honey for taste. She says, "You have food that is rich in fibre, like whole grains and legumes, which increase the fibre levels and HDL (good cholesterol) and reduces harmful cholesterol or LDL.‘Mediterranean foods are packed with antioxidants’Tripti GuptaNutrition and lifestyle consultant Tripti Gupta explains that a fruit and vegetable-heavy diet like the Mediterranean diet is perfect for a summer cleanse. Mix an olive oil and lemon vinaigrette dressing, and toss it all together for a salad, which will be inclusive of all the food groups.The month of May has been celebrated as the Mediterranean Diet Month since the past five years by a Boston based NGO, Oldways. "Coconut water, aam panna, ripe mango juice and sugarcane juice can easily replace juices and fruits like oranges and kiwi which are not as easily available in the summer months. Nutritionists tell us how you cancustomise the exotic spread to suit your city.”She goes on to explain that while many Mediterranean food items are considered rare or exotic in India, there are easy substitutes. Niti, however, does believe that the month of May is a great time for trying out a new diet plan. Nutritionists tell us how you cancustomise the exotic spread to suit your city. "While I would not recommend completely substituting the Indian diet with a Mediterranean one, I think that it’s a great plan to look into for a week-long summer cleanse. Unlike restrictive fad diets, the Mediterranean way of eating is simple and wholesome, claim its makers.‘A fibre rich diet is always recommended’Khushboo SahijwaniFitness expert Khushboo Sahijwani, fully advocates the Mediterranean diet.Recipe: Khusboo suggests a pasta salad cooked with whole grain pasta.”Recipe:She suggests a great summer-friendly Mediterranean drink which anyone with a mixer and an access to the local market can make.A summer culinary ritual —The Mediterranean Diet Month is here. Just boil the pasta, toss it with olive oil and blanched vegetables like mushrooms, bell peppers and zucchini for fibre and vitamins.”She adds, "Promoting healthy oils like canola or olive oil instead of refined oils, and light, lean meats like fish and chicken instead of red meat which is recommended only about once a month, is bound to make for a great diet,” Khushboo explains.‘Summers are a good time for lighter dishes’Niti DesaiNutritionist Niti Desai advises addingMediterranean elements to the diet rather than swapping the desi one for it. While Mumbai is far-removed from the coastal paradise of the Mediterranean countries, nutritionists believe that many aspects of their diet could be beneficial for a Mumbaikar

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