Top 11 Health Benefits Of Consuming Cocoa

Cocoa beans or cocoa is also known as cacao beans or cacao and is specially used in making chocolates and other chocolate products.
It is derived from the seeds of the cacao tree, also known as theobroma cacao. The name of the theobroma tree has been derived from the Greek words θεός (theos), which means “god,” and βρῶμα (broma), meaning “food.” which means”food of the gods.”

Cocoa was first cultivated in ancient South America, but now it has gained so much popularity all around the world that it is enjoyed with almost every single dessert. Cocoa serves a significant role in the chocolate industry. Cocoa beans are not just used in making chocolates but also many other things. It is used in making biscuits, candies, milk products as a coating on the top of cookies, cakes, and a lot more. Not only children but grown-ups enjoy chocolate a lot. One of the main characteristics of chocolate is that it can be enjoyed in its raw form and also with mixing with other food items too.

Cocoa beans are pretty bitter, but many people enjoy their raw form. But cocoa beans, when converted to cocoa powder, are mixed with many other alternatives like sugar to make them even tastier. Not just taste but cocoa is also enriched with an innumerable amount of benefits too.
Some of them are:-

1. Packed with numerous nutrients

There are numerous nutrients present in cocoa like Iron, Protein, zinc, magnesium, and fiber.

2. Stronger Immune System

Minerals like zinc and iron present in cocoa help give your immune system a boost and allow your body to function in a much better way.

3. Might prevent cancer

There are flavonols present in cocoa beans that act as antioxidants and help reduce the damage to cells. As we all know that cancer can develop from damaged cells, so indirectly, consumption of cocoa beans in any form might help in reducing the risk of cancer.

4. Limits the side effects of radiotherapy

Do you know that there are about 800,000 new cancers cases in India every year?
Only a cancer patient knows how hard it must be to go through all the changes during this period. In such a situation, cocoa helps lift their mood in the form of chocolate, but also, the selenium found in cocoa helps limit the side effect of radiotherapy.

5.Helps in healing your wounds much faster.

This is an uncommon use of cocoa, but it is true.
Dark Chocolate that is chocolate made with almost 90% cocoa is rich in zinc and other antioxidants and helps in maintaining normal blood pressure levels. Zinc helps heal wounds, while the maintained blood pressure level ensures the flow of oxygen and other minerals to the healing area.

6. Reduce Inflammation

Theobromine, a vicious, erratic compound obtained from cacao seeds, is present in cacao that helps in reducing inflammation.

7. Weight Loss and Control

Many people often avoid chocolate due to its weight-gaining nature but do you know that cocoa powder may help you in reducing and controlling weight? Cocoa helps in fat burning but also increases your body’s metabolism. The only thing you have to keep in mind is to consume good quality cocoa without any added sugar in it.

8. Acts as a natural antidepressant

Anandamide, a mood-boosting chemical present in cocoa, helps lift your mood and makes you feel ecstatic. Researchers have also found that cocoa also helps increase your dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins levels which makes you happier. So the next time you are feeling anxious or sad, you already know what you have to do, right?

9. Good for your skin

Polyphenols present in cocoa have been found to protect your skin from oxidation, will make it look youthful, and will also keep your skin looking glowing and give it an anti-aging look.
You can consume cocoa daily for happy and healthy skin or use a cocoa moisturizer or skin cream. You can also make your body moisturizer at home with the help of cocoa. You only need some ingredients and then mix them. Here is how:-
Take some Coconut oil and cocoa butter and blend them. Then add some essential oils according to you, and dan! Your homemade cocoa moisturizer is ready.
Please do not forget to do a patch test before applying it to your skin.

10. Better Muscle and Nerve Function

Zinc and Magnesium help in better regulation of the muscles present in our body. These minerals are present in abundant quantities in cocoa, which helps in keeping your muscles stronger and healthier and also helps in the better functioning of your nervous system.

11. Lower Risk of Heart Disease

Flavonols are a type of flavonoid found in dark chocolates ( which are made from cocoa beans), which help in protecting you from heart disease by lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow, and preventing cell destruction. The antioxidants and polyphenols present in cocoa powder also help in reducing blood sugar levels and improving your cholesterol level.

We can not consume cocoa in its raw form to make it suitable for our use; we have to convert it into cocoa powder.
Some simple steps are followed to convert cocoa beans into cocoa powder. They are:-

• Firstly the cocoa beans are roasted carefully without getting burnt.
• Then the shells are removed from the beans leaving only the cocoa nibs behind.
• Then the cocoa nibs are crushed into non-alcoholic cocoa liquor.
• Furthermore, the cocoa liquor is pressed to remove the cocoa butter, called the oil pressing method.
• Then the leftover solid mass is broken down to form the cocoa powder.

Cocoa powder is just as beneficial as cocoa; it contains all the nutrients present in cocoa beans.
But if you are not a huge chocolate lover or if you don’t want to try cocoa powder, then you can try our most precious product that is our specially curated chocolate black tea. Hot cocoa infused with fresh black tea leaves to give a rich chocolate flavor is a treat for all chai and chocolate lovers. Enriched with all the goodness of black tea and cocoa beans., our chocolate tea is made from fresh and healthy tea leaves and is rich in antioxidants which help in improving brain activity eliminating free radicals Boosts embolism and energy, and increasing your heart function.
This tea is curated especially for all my fellow chocolate lovers. Help your mood lift and feel more euphoric with our most beloved chocolate organic black tea.

By Smriti Nautiyal

Health benefits of jhangora and Some Dishes

Jhangora is one of the oldest food known to humanity and is one of the ancientest staples food of the people of Uttarakhand. It is light brown and oval and known as barnyard millet. It is one of the major crops grown in the lush Himalayan valleys of Kumaon and Garhwal regions of Uttarakhand. Because the barnyard millet tastes almost similar to broken rice when cooked, it is also called the “Sanwa rice.”

Why Jhangora is a better alternative than all other cereals?

Jhangora is not just a cheaper cereal but also rich in antioxidants. It also contains high fiber contents, proteins, micronutrients like magnesium, phenolic acids and is gluten-free. These reasons make jhangora the perfect cereal for you to add to your daily meal. We have researched a lot and found some highly beneficial facts about barnyard millet. Some of them we have attached here too.

1. It is much lower in calories than other cereals.

Barnyard millet is not just rich in antioxidants and proteins but also low in calories, which makes it suitable for losing weight too. You can easily replace your daily servings of rice with barnyard millet and still enjoy the taste of rice. The grains of barnyard millet is highly nutritious and will make you feel energetic and enthusiastic.

2. Good for diabetes patients

Have you ever pondered over the fact that why white rice is not recommended to eat by diabetes patients?

According to hsph White rice has a high glycemic index, meaning that it can cause spikes in blood sugar. Previous research has linked high glycemic index foods with increased type 2 diabetes risk. Jhangora is not only low on the glycemic index but also a gluten-free food which makes it suitable for diabetes patients too, as it can be a better alternative to rice.

3. Prevents cardiovascular diseases

Barnyard millet also prevents cardiovascular diseases and protects your heart.

4. An excellent source of fiber

Jhangora is known for its high fiber content too. The grain contains the highest amount of fiber compared to other grains and millets, This is also one of the main reasons people eat barnyard millet to prevent excess gas and bloating. Jhangora can also help in staving off periods of cramps. That’s why it can be eaten during the menstrual cycle.

5. Rich in iron

Jhangora is also the richest of all the cereals regarding iron content.
According to frontiersin the iron content in barnyard millet grain is about 15.6–18.6 mg/100 g (Saleh et al., 2013; Renganathan et al., 2017; Vanniarajan et al., 2018), which is rationally higher than major cereals and millets.

6. Good for bones and teeth

Barnyard millet is a good source of calcium, and that makes it a windfall for your teeth and bones. If you want healthier bones and stronger teeth, then you should definitely try switching your daily grain to jhangora. Jhangora is often known as a fast cereal because this cereal can be consumed during fasting too, but that is not the only method of consumption of jhangora. It can also make many mouth-watering dishes, and you can enjoy them during the non-fasting period.
Some of the dishes that can be made using barnyard millet are:-

• Jhangora ki kheer
• Jhangora payasam
• Jhangora Upma
• Sarawak ka chawal
• Janghora idli

Some of the recipes that we liked and would love if you would try them at your home are:-

1. Jhangora Idli

Ingredients required:-

1. Jhangora
2. Urad daal
3. Water

• Soak some barnyard millet and urad daal in water for some hours.
• Blend both of them by mixing some water till you get a frothy, thick batter.
• Now take a steamer or idli cooker, boil some water in it. Till then, you can place your idli batter carefully in the stand.
• When the water starts boiling, put the stands in the steamer and turn off the stove after 10 to 15 minutes.
• Auniquefter taking it off from the stove, let it cool for 5 minutes.
• Your idli is ready, and now Remove them carefully from the stand and serve them with chutney or sauce.

You can enjoy this dish both hold or cold as per your preferences.

2. Jhangora Payasam

Ingredients Required:-

• Barnyard millet
• Milk
• Dry fruits
• Sugar
• Ghee

How to prepare?

Mix some barnyard millet with milk thoroughly.

Add sugar and stir gently to cook payasam.

Now take another pan and put some ghee in it.
Then add all the dry fruits and roast them until a dark golden color appears.
You can also add some vegetables to it if you want to.

This is one of the most accessible dishes to make and can be enjoyed as a breakfast or a lunch.

3. Jhangora kheer

When it comes to dessert, Who doesn’t love kheer?
Kheer is one of the most loved desserts among not only Indians but people from different parts of the world who love it.
If you love kheer, you have to try our recipe of jhangora kheer too.

Ingredients Required

• Jhangora
• Sugar
• Milk
• Dry fruits

How to prepare?

• Take a pan and boil some milk in it.
• After the milk is boiled, add some barnyard millet to it and keep stirring the mixture to avoid the lumps.
• Add some sugar to it and again keep stirring so that the sugar is dissolved properly in the mixture.
• Let it cook for some time, and once the mixture is cooked, you can add some dry fruits for the garnishing.

Your jhangora kheer is ready!

Either you can refrigerate your kheer for some time to enjoy cold or serve it as hot as you like.

Why Should you go for our jhangora?

Our jhangora is not just 100% organic and contained from the new valley of Uttarakhand but is also a major of living for many households. The local artisans and women make all our products of Uttarakhand.
By buying our products, you are not only doing a deed for nature but also supporting the livelihoods of local women of Uttarakhand.
We are bringing together the community of so-called ‘housewives’ to dive into a creative endure.
We want our Women to realize they are more than they give themselves credit for; they are loved and unique.
Join our little venture and help us attain our aim to encourage people to live a healthier and better life.

Tulsi Has Several Amazing Health Benefits

“The Queen of Herbs” Tulsi, also known as Holi Basil, is an aromatic shrub known for its healing properties and belongs to the Lamiaceae family. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and grows widely throughout Southeast Asia.
Tulsi is always considered therapeutic and is enriched with thousands of curative properties, making it suitable for Ayurveda and other medicinal uses.

~Tulsi as a sacred plant
Have you ever seen your parents watering and worshiping the tulsi plant in your house? Used as a medicinal plant nowadays, Holi Basil is also considered a sacred plant and holds a crucial role in the Hindu religion.
Tulsi is considered not just a plant but a goddess in Hinduism. Hindus believe that Tulsi is another Avatar or incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and should be worshipped daily.
At ancient times it was planted at the center of the house in the courtyard but nowadays
People often plant Holy basil in the front of their homes or as an indoor plant.
It is often believed that worshipping Tulsi is another path to connect yourself with Lord Vishnu, bringing peace and serenity to one’s life.

Types of Tulsi

There are three different types of holy basil, and three of them have their unique properties and are used for different purposes.
They are:-

1. Rama Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum)

Rama Tulsi is also known as green holy basil and has light green colored leaves and purple flowers. It is mainly cultivated for regional and medicinal uses. This tulsi is sweet and aromatic in nature It is used to cure throat infections, colds, flu, and other respiratory diseases. Rama Tulsi is also an insect repellent and can be used to place in between stored grains.

2.Krishna Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum)

Krishna tulsi is also known as purple-leaf tulsi. It is known as ‘Shyama Tulsi.’ Shyama is one of the names of Lord Krishna, and as Krishna tulsi is purple and resembles the color of Krishna, it was named Shyama Tulsi. It tastes like pepper and is crispy in texture. This variant of tulsi has been proved effective in treating skin infection, respiratory problems, and earaches. The oil extracted from Krishna tulsi can so be used as ear drops.

3.Vana Tulsi: (Ocimum gratis sum)

Usually found in the mountains, Vana tulsi is mainly known for increasing immunity and boosting endurance. It helps in increasing mental and physical endurance. It has an intense lemony aroma and is enriched with anti-aging properties.

Benefits of tulsi

1.Reduces respiratory disorders like the common cold and cough

Have you ever felt a little cold or cough, and the first thing your mother did was make you a hot cup of tulsi tea?
Tulsi is a natural medicine, and it acts as an innate immunity booster for our body, thus reducing cold and cough. Moreover, the anti-Camphene, cineole, and eugenol in Tulsi help reduce cold and congestion in the chest. 

2.Tulsi as an eye protector.

Tulsi can help your eyes by calming them with its relieving and anti-inflammatory properties and protecting them from pollution present in the environment.

3.Acts as a Cure for Bad Breath

Are you tired of people continuously nagging you about your bad breath even tho you brush regularly and maintain all the oral hygiene? Badmouth odor is often caused by the germs and bacteria present in your mouth, and sometimes it gets tough to get rid of them.

4.Is a rich source of vitamins and minerals

Various types of vitamins like Vitamin A, C, and K are found in Tulsi. It is also rich in minerals like iron, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Moreover, tulsi also has an abundant amount of fiber, calcium, and protein.

5.Lessens fever and headaches

Just a single cup of tulsi green tea helps in building antibiotics in your body and reduces fever. Tulsi tea has also proven effective against migraines and headaches.

6.Promising for skin and hair

The anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties present in tulsi help your skin be acne-free and in skin glow. The anti-fungal properties also help in keeping your hair dandruff and fungal-free.

7.Protects from Type 2 diabetes

Tulsi leaves are said to have hypoglycaemic properties, which means they help in lowering the blood glucose level and thereby decreasing the chance of type 2 diabetes.

8.Helps is in getting rid of kidney stones

Do you know that One of the main reasons behind kidney stones is the presence of excess uric acid in your body?
Tulsi helps in reducing the level of uric acid in your body, thereby helping you in getting rid of kidney stones

9.Has Anti-aging properties

This is one of the most known benefits of Holy basil. The numerous antioxidants present in holy basil not only help in removing acne or skin glow but also rejuvenate your skin and make you look even younger than you already are. These are all the benefits we have summarised from the tremendous amounts of privileges holy basil provides. Now you all must be well aware that adding just a few leaves of Holy basil to your daily can act as a miracle to your whole body, mind, and spirit. The main question is how you can add it to your day-to-day life?
Of course, you can’t some leaves from the plant and eat them in the raw form! We, the team of yellow hills, have come up with a solution here to solve this problem of yours.
You only have to replace your regular cup of tea with our special tulsi green tea. Our tulsi green tea comes with all the nutritional values that consuming tulsi will provide and is 100 times healthier and beneficial than your regular cup of tea. Furthermore, it comes in different variants and can be enjoyed as hot on a chilly winter day or cold on a sunny and bright day. We hope that after reading this, you all are ready to try our different range of tulsi tea and prepared to change your life!

By Smriti Nautiyal

8 Tremendous Health Benefits Of Green Tea

Tea or popularly known as Chai, is a beverage prepared by mixing some leaves of a plant in cold or hot water.

Tea has gained popularity all over these years and is enjoyed by the whole world.

 According to Wikipedia, tea is the second largest most consumed beverage after water.

All teas are made up by drying the leaves of Camellia sinensis plant, but what determines the type of tea is its level of oxidation.

With its good taste and countless health benefits, organic green tea acts as a perfect drink for your daily routine.

Green tea comes in various variants like tulsi green tea or lemon green tea and can be enjoyed both as a hot beverage or a cold beverage.

Some of the variants of green teas are

History

Once a great man said, “Many men mind many minds,” and nothing was as apt as this saying.

The same goes for the history of green tea.

There are numerous theories on the discovery of green tea. However, not all are true. Historians believe that one day the Chinese Emperor was sipping his usual cup of warm water, and a dead tea leaf fell in his cup; he found the flavor of it very refreshing, that’s how one of the most beloved tea was born. The reason why historians believe this conception to be true is that this incident was later described in a book named “Cha jing” or “The classic of tea” by Lu Yu during the Tang dynasty between 760 CE and 762 CE was the first-ever book written about tea. Not only during that period, but the book also served as a great source of record for historians. The book described the art and culture of green tea, and It was only through this book that the world came to know about tea as one of the oldest beverages and how it can be prepared and served. Today, green tea resulting from an accident has grown its popularity worldwide, and every age group enjoys it. Most people prefer green tea instead of ordinary tea because of its aroma, taste, and countless health benefits.

1. Helps in weight loss.

Are you a Chai lover but also want to burn your body fat?

You want that refined body but also can’t settle for anything else than chai? 

In this world where everyone wants a perfect body with an ideal mind-set, green tea helps burn fat by making your metabolism rate more efficient.

Just a cup of green tea can make a huge difference, and you can shed all your extra fat without even comprising your daily cup of tea.

2. Can protect you from cardiovascular diseases.

An increase in cholesterol levels causes cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and heart Stokes that’s why you need to replace your ordinary tea with green tea. Green tea helps in lowering the cholesterol level hence reducing the chances of cardiovascular diseases.

3. Prevents Type 2 diabetes

A substance called catechins, a type of antioxidant present in green tea helps reduce the effects of insulin resistance by decreasing the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates in the human body, thereby lowering the chances of type 2 diabetes.

4. Acts as a Cure for Bad Breath

Are you tired of people continuously nagging you about your bad breath even tho you brush regularly and maintain all the oral hygiene?
Badmouth odor is often caused by the germs and bacteria present in your mouth, and sometimes it gets tough to get rid of them. Green tea contains compounds called polyphenols which include catechins, theaflavins, tannins, and flavonoids. They fight naturally occurring germs in your mouth and help in keeping your breath elegant.

5. Helps your brain cells in working faster and effectively.

Green tea contains a good amount of caffeine which not only increases your concentration but also helps you in staying focused and boosting the speed of neurons resulting in faster and effective working of your brain.

It also helps you in being active and energized the whole day long. 

6. Lowers the risk of cancer

Cancer, one of the deadliest diseases of the world, can be prevented by green tea.

However, there is not much evidence to prove this point yet, but green tea drinkers are less likely to catch cancer than milk tea drinkers. Cancer is caused by the rampant growth of the cells in our body, and the antioxidants present in green tea helps by stopping them from growing and hence lowering the risks of various types of cancer such as skin, breast, lungs, and bladder cancers.

7. Lowers your cholesterol levels

The antioxidants like polyphenols present in green tea are also helpful in reducing your cholesterol level. Other than these, there are so many other benefits of green tea, and many more types of research are going on to prove some different assumptions.

8. contains anti-aging properties

Green tea has proven to be highly effective in anti-aging your skin. The antioxidant named EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) Fights against dead skin cells and helps prevent skin damage such as wrinkles, creases, and sunburns. Researchers have also shown that green tea helps prevent skin cancer too.

How is green tea prepared?

Now let’s come to the central part of how you can enjoy your cup of green tea!

Making a cup of green tea is much easier than making milk tea.

You just have to boil some water and put in some green tea leaves in it and wait till the water turns dark yellowish.

You can add sugar if you want, but we will advise you just add lemon or honey to it instead of sugar.

That was all about green tea, how it was found, how it is prepared, and how it can affect your health.

This is why green tea is considered one of the healthiest tea among all the variants of tea in the world.

If you are still contemplating switching your daily cup of milk tea to green tea, then this is your sign to go for it!

Written By – Smriti Nautiyal