Jowar like all other millets requires less water for agriculture and the crops can be sustained on just rainfall. Therefore it reduces the demand on water, which for other crops has to be supplied using energy. Hence it is eco-friendly. Its water requirement is one fourth what is required by rice and half of what is required by wheat. So when you eat Jowar, you are saving the scarce water resources of the planet!

Source (Area of Cultivation and Other Details) : “Cultivation of jowar is mainly concentrated in peninsular and central India. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (the Bundelkhand region) and Tamil Nadu are the major jowar-growing states.” This means that it takes less diesel (energy) to transport Jowar to Bangalore. This again saves energy and favours the climate!

Indian name for sorghum (Sorghum vulgare), also known as great millet, kaffir corn, guinea corn. This article in The Hindu states that wheat is much better than jowar both for diabetics and healthy people. Truth or North-South prejudice? Let’s see.

Cost : Jola is Rs 28 per kg in food world and I think that is about the same as some qualities of rice or wheat.

Jonna flour is gluten-free and difficult to make into a rotti. How to make a Jola Rotti with photos.

Source : Phosphorus, together with calcium, is an essential part of our teeth and bones. It is present in all our cells, where it helps turn food into energy. Phosphorus is essential to the development of our bones and teeth. It is also present in all our body cells, and is essential in helping the body release energy by breaking down food and “burning” the fats and sugars, influencing the functioning of our hearts and kidneys, and forming a part in the proteins responsible for cell growth and heredity. The mineral needs vitamin D to work properly. For an average adult, the RNI* for phosphorus (not including pregnant or lactating women) is between 500 and 800mg per day.

Source :

http://beta.thehindu.com/arts/magazine/article25492.ece

This is not about cooking rice or cooked rice. It is an attempt to see how “boiled rice” compares to “raw rice”

I have heard that in the days when the western coast did not grow their rice, rice from inland areas ahad to be boiled once to prevent spoilage and sprouting before transporting it to the coast.

http://www.indiamart.com/ssm-export/rice.html

“Source : Ponni boiled rice, is processed by boiling the reaped paddy, which is dried before being sent to the processing unit. This process ensures that most of the basic nutrients of the outer shell enrich the rice thus making it tastier.”

“Parboiled rice long grain is steamed under pressure prior for removing the hull and bran layers. Known as easy-cook rice, this rice is steamed till it becomes brown. This leads the nutrients from the outer husk to move in to the grain. This rice is known for causing the gelatisisation of the starch in the grains. The grains of this rice are less brittle, and the color of the milled grain changes from white to yellow. Then the rice is dried and milled as usual or is consumed as brown rice. Experts studies have shown that milled parboil rice is nutritionally superior to standard milled rice.”

• Source: Parboiled rice has a higher vitamin content than raw milled rice.
• Parboiled rice is quite nutritious, being an excellent source of niacin, a good source of thiamine and magnesium and a moderate source of protein, iron and zinc. Levels of vitamins and minerals fall between white rice and brown rice.
• Parboiled rice is widely used in the catering industry as it is less sticky when cooked.
• It is good in salads and retains its flavour and quality when kept hot for serving large numbers of people.
• All rice comes from the field with insect eggs in the germ of the rice. These eggs hatch when the temperature is warm and moisture is available. The high temperatures occurring during parboiling kill any insect eggs in the rice and essentially sterilize it.“

Rice is believed by some to have medicinal properties. Although, this is not scientifically proven effective, it has been used in many countries for medicinal purpose. For example:

• Source: “Philippines: Rice polishings-the bran-is extracted and used as an excellent source of Vitamin B to prevent and cure beri-beri.
• Malaysia: In the Medicinal Book of Malayan Medicine, it is prescribed that boiled rice “greens” can be used as an eye lotion and for use with acute inflammation of the inner body tissues. The book also recommends applying a mixture of dried, powdered rice on certain skin ailments.
• Cambodia: The hulls (husk) of mature rice plants are considered useful for treating dysentery. The hulls of a three-month old rice plant are thought to be diuretic.
• China: The Chinese believe rice strengthens the spleen, as well as “weak stomach,” increases appetite, and cures indigestion. Dried sprouted rice grains were once used as an external medicine to aid in digestion, give tone to muscles, and expel gas from the stomach and intestines.
• India: Rice water is prescribed by the Pharmacopoeia of India as an ointment to counteract inflamed surface.”

See Also : http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080416023308AAE5BqT

Source : “Rice is easy to prepare, has a soft texture for the human  and stomach, and has the ability to absorb flavors while retaining its texture. Rice is cooked by heating (either boiling or steaming)  rice for full gelatinization of the kernels and  of excess water. Thai jasmine or japonica rice with low  content, should be cooked by steaming.  Either uncooked rice or fully cooked rice combines well with other protein-rich foods such as meat, poultry, fish, cheese, and eggs because rice is bland in flavor and carries the flavor of the mixed ingredients. People in the Middle East lightly fry rice before boiling. Americans often add salt, butter, or to soaked rice. People in China, Korea, and Japan add extra water to cook rice into (thick ) or congee (thin soup). Rice can be cooked with curries (in India and Malaysia) or sauce (in the Philippines) or combinations of various ingredients, including pork,, chicken, and vegetables (in China) (Boesch 1967). Steamed rice is preferred in some countries because more vitamins and minerals are retained. Rice can be steamed in a steamer or, currently, in an electric metal . Steamed rice can be served plain or mixed with other ingredients. Mixed steamed rice also varies among countries. For example, Malaysians steam glutinous rice with mixed meat in a bamboo joint over a fire. Cambodian kralan is steamed rice mixed with grated coconut and beans. Iranians steam rice with oil or with butter, and sometimes with , while rice is cooked with water and oil in Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Germany, Mexico, and Peru. Some countries, such as France, Korea, Burma, Thailand, Japan, and the Philippines, add rice to cold water for cooking. Presoaking is a common practice in India. Detailed descriptions of recipes from different countries for cooked rice are provided by Virmani (1991)”

“Parboiled rice: Parboiling is popular in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Brazil, the United States, and Italy. Parboiling changes rice starch from the  form to an  form by a series of procedures including cleaning, grading, , steeping, steaming, drying, tempering, milling, color sorting, and finally packaging. It involves the treatment of grains in cold water and then hot water with low pressure. The treated rice can be dried by the steam or sun. Problems of off-color and offflavor that resulted from conventional parboiling procedures have been overcome by various inventions, such as the H. R. Conversion and Malek Processes (D. H. Grist, 1986). Major advantages of parboiling over ordinary milling include easier dehulling; less in milling; higher of nutrients after milling, washing, and cooking; and better resistance to insect and infestation, which makes it possible to store the rice for longer periods of time. Also, parboiled rice the starch and makes better consistency, greater hardness, and better vitreousness of the kernel. The main disadvantages of parboiling include greater during storage, longer cooking time, greater difficulty in milling, and additional cost (De Datta, 1987).”

“To make rice fries, rice should be fully cooked with butter, salt, and other seasonings.”

“Rice has highly digestible energy, net protein utilization, and low crude fiber content. Therefore, it is suitable for baby food”

“Rice bran can be sprinkled on a dinner  or used as a major ingredient of ready-toeat cereals,  products, pasta, and other foods. Like oat , rice bran has high-quality protein,  properties, and dietary fiber components. Rice bran can lower cholesterol in humans and reduce the risk of  and colon cancer. The bran also contains most of the vitamins in the rice kernel, including 78 percent of its thiamine, 47 percent of its riboflavin, and 67 percent of its niacin. The major  in the rice bran are, hemicelluloses (or pentosans), and starch.

Rice bran has  rancidity after milling. Therefore, the following treatments are necessary before it is processed as a food: indigenous  inactivation by parboiling, or moisture-added or dry , or other alternative methods.

Rice bran has 16–32 percent oil, including palmitic, oleic, linoleic, and other fatty acids. Therefore, rice bran can be processed into rice oil of the highest quality in terms of cooking quality, shelf life, and fatty acid composition. Oil extraction can be carried out with a variety of solvents using a hydraulic press or specially designed extractors before refining by , degumming, neutralization, , winterization, and . After these steps,  has greater stability than any other vegetable oil. Rice oil also can be used in  and paints.”

“Since rice is low in sodium and fat and free of cholesterol, it can help relieve mental depression.”

“Rice ranks high among the most  foods available because brown rice provides high levels of fiber, complex carbohydrates, certain B vitamins, vitamin E, lysine, calcium, iron, and. Furthermore, many fewer people are allergic to rice than to wheat or other cereals. Rice can be included in a weight-loss diet because it has no cholesterol, a trace of fat, and about 160 calories per cooked cup.”

Source : http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-coconut-water-i12119

No cholesterol High in calcium Very high in dietary fiber Very high in manganese Very high in magnesium High in phosphorus Very high in potassium High in riboflavin High in thiamin Very high in vitamin C Very high in sodium Very high in sugar

Source : http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/benefits-of-coconut-1718.html :

Nutrients in 100 gm of coconut (solid):

• Carbohydrates – 15.23 gm
• Sugars – 6.23 gm
• Dietary Fiber – 9.0 gm
• Saturated Fat – 29.70 gm
• Monounsaturated Fat – 1.43 gm
• Polyunsaturated Fat – 0.37 gm
• Protein – 3.3 gm
• Thiamin (Vitamin B1) – 0.066 mg
• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) – 0.02 mg
• Niacin (Vitamin B3) – 0.54 mg
• Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) – 0.300 mg
• Vitamin B6 – 0.054 mg
• Folate (Vitamin B9) – 26 μg
• Vitamin C – 3.3 mg
• Calcium – 14 mg
• Iron – 2.43 mg
• Magnesium – 32 mg
• Phosphorus – 113 mg
• Potassium – 356 mg
• Zinc – 1.1 mg
• Energy – 350 kcal (1480 kJ

Other Health Benefits : Source : http://www.living-foods.com/articles/coconutwater.html

• Coconut Water is More Nutritious than whole milk – Less fat and NO cholesterol!
• Coconut Water is More Healthy than Orange Juice – Much lower calories
• Coconut Water is Better than processed baby milk- It contains lauric acid, which is present in human mother’s milk
• Coconut water is naturally sterile — Water permeates though the filtering husk!
• Coconut water is a universal donor– Its identical to human blook plasma
• Coconut Water is a Natural Isotonic Beverage – The same level we have in our blood.

In some developing nations, coconut water is used as an intravenous fluid when medical saline isn’t available.

http://copyright.gov.in/handbook.htm

http://copyright.gov.in/maincpract.asp

Source :

Excellent Source of Vitamin C, Calcium and Potassium the leaves have more nutrients than the root, the raw roots have more nutrients than the cooked roots. I can get 5 small radishes wuth their greens for Rs 5 in Bangalore.

Radishes, raw

Refuse: 10%  (Stem ends, rootlets and trimmings)
Scientific Name: Raphanus sativus
NDB No: 11429 (Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion)

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18 (2005)

Source 1:

Ganesha loves sugarcane and jaggery. His example would be a great one to follow. Eating sugar cane is the best, sugarcane juice is the next best, then jaggery, then sugar…

Source

“The manufacture of sugar from sugarcane juice is a process that involves a Cocktail of Chemicals. Sulphur dioxide, lime, phosphoric acid, formic acid, bleaching agents and viscosity reducers are just some of these. Moreover, the processing of sugar is carried on in mild steel equipment, which leads to a high dosage of Nickel in the mother liquor.

Ancient Medical scriptures dating back to 2500 years state how Jaggery (Panela) ” Purifies the blood, prevents rheumatic afflictions and disorders of bile and possesses nutritive properties of high order. “ (Sushruta Sanhita, Chapter 45, Sloka 146) The ” Preventive action of Jaggery (Panela) on smoke-induced lung lesions suggest the potential of Jaggery (Panela) as protective agent for workers in dusty and smoky environments. ” – paper presented by scientists of Industrial Toxicology Research Centre at a Workshop held in Lyon, France. Environ Health Perspect, 102(Suppl 6): 211-214 (1994) (..Details)

In an experiment, Jaggery (Panela)-treated rats showed enhanced translocation of coal particles from lungs to tracheobronchial lymph nodes. (..Details)

It is no wonder that Jaggery (Panela) is regularly consumed by thousands of industrial workers / traffic policemen who are exposed to higher levels of pollution. It helps them breathe easier and counter pollution naturally.”

All Rights Reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula