Nurturing your body with the right food: Onions, cabbage and brinjal are lower in pesticide content

These days the vegetables and fruits in the market are full of chemicals. How does one ensure they get the right balance of nutrition? Should I eat only organic foods?
— Fariza Rahman

Unfortunately, that's the sad truth. Even our natural sources of nourishment aren't all that natural anymore. Switching to organic food if affordable and if you're sure of the genuineness of the produce is a great nutritional gain.

In addition, to providing your body a tremendous toxic relief, organically grown food also helps increase the body's immunity. Organic food contains substantially higher levels of nutrients including vitamins and minerals; making them a powerhouse of pure unadulterated nutrition.

However, if completely switching to organic is not a viable option, fret not. The following fruits and vegetables are still safe options to buy from your local vendor.

Onions, mushrooms, asparagus, sweet potatoes, brinjal, cauliflower and cabbage are significantly lower in pesticide content than other commercially grown produce.

Pineapples, mangoes, papayas and watermelons have great-inborn shields because of their skin. It protects them from most of the pesticide used during cultivation. At the moment, these adaptive changes are all I can suggest, unless, you are lucky enough to have your organic homegrown vegetable source freely available.

My husband has a heart and a cholesterol problem since four years. I am confused about the kind of oil I can use for cooking? Which oil is good to keep his heart healthy?
— Preeti Sagar

Oils are a 100 per cent fat. Consuming excess oil will cause you to gain excess fat and all the other problems that accompany it. Excess oil will spoil your weight profile, liver, skin, hormones, and of course your heart. There's no exception to that rule — no matter what oil you use. Oil must be consumed in limited specific quotas daily.

Olive oil and sesame oil are both rich sources of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), these are the 'less bad' fats. But lesser harmful, making them healthier options for daily cooking.

It's the saturated fat content which increases cholesterol levels leading to cardiovascular problems. Corn, peanut and rice bran oils also have significantly less amount of saturated fat and more MUFA, making them healthy options. Limit your total oil consumption and needless to say, refrain from deep-frying. His heart health is quite literally in your hands and his willingness for taste and lifestyle adaptation.

Mail your queries at: dnahealthpage@gmail.com; you can contact Pooja at: pooja@nourishgenie.com