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12 Healthy Soups to Try During Pregnancy
With the excitement of a baby along the way, people often begin to buckle their belt for the nine months of caution up ahead. While everything the mother-to-be does is under scrutiny, one of the first things that need attention is the pregnant woman's diet. It is essential to have a diet that not only suits the mother through those nauseous mornings and sleepless nights but is also healthy for the baby. Soups are nutritious and easy to consume. Here are 12 soup recipes that you must try during pregnancy:
12 Delicious and Nutritious Soups for Pregnant Women
1. Tomato Soup
Something tangy yet filling to keep you warm on cold days. Tomato soup is a classic, and this one is so easy to make!
Ingredients
5 tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup of yellow gram
½ onion, chopped
2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
Add the tomatoes and gram to 4 cups of water, and boil till the tomatoes are soft.
Turn off the flame and grind the mixture once it has cooled down.
In a pot, add oil and fry the onions slightly till they are light brown.
Add the tomato mix, sugar, salt, and pepper to the pot and mix it well.
Keep the flame on medium-high and occasionally stir till the soup boils.
Benefits
Tomatoes are rich sources of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and folate. They also contain iron, which helps to keep the mother and the child strong. Tomato soup during pregnancy is also known to reduce hypertension, and the fibres in the fruit can help with the problem of diarrhoea and constipation.
2. Broccoli Soup
A delicious and healthy soup that everyone will love.
Ingredients
1 cup broccoli florets
1 teaspoon oil
½ cup onion
½ cup milk
Salt to taste
Method
Add oil in a pan and saute the onion till it turns translucent.
In a pot, pour in 1 ½ cups of water with the broccoli and cook on medium flame with the lid on. Stir occasionally.
When the broccoli is soft, turn off the flame and let it cool. Blend the softened broccoli.
Pour the blended broccoli in the pan along with milk, salt, and pepper. Mix well and bring the soup to a boil. Serve hot.
Benefits
The broccoli soup may not be the first on anyone’s 'must-try' list, but it's definitely worth it! Broccoli is a potent source of Vitamin A and folic acid. This helps the mother maintain strength during the fragile first and last trimester.
3. Mutton Soup
Something flavoursome for the meat lovers, this soup is super nutritious.
Ingredients
250 grams of mutton (leg piece)
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon pepper
4 grated garlic cloves
½ grated ginger piece
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Method
Add all your ingredients to a pressure cooker with 4 cups of water.
Add salt as per your taste.
Cook the broth for 5 whistles.
Wait till the pressure is released, and serve hot.
Benefits
Mutton soup during pregnancy is not only beneficial for a pregnant woman with its protein, iron and, calcium content, but it is also good for her health after the delivery.
4. Greek Lemon Soup with Chicken and Pasta Shells
A fancy soup for the days you feel like having something bright and zesty!
Ingredients
6 cups chicken broth
½ cup pasta (orzo, penne, ribbon)
6 egg yolks
1 ½ cup shredded chicken
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan. Add pasta and boil for around 7 minutes.
Beat the egg yolks in a bowl till they are light in colour. Slowly add one cup portions of the hot broth to the eggs while whisking the mixture. Make sure you whisk the eggs vigorously but do not cook them.
Add the mixture to the saucepan, cook on medium heat and stir occasionally.
Cook for 5-7 minutes till the soup gets a creamy texture. Add the lemon juice.
Add the chicken and cook till the chicken is cooked thoroughly. Add salt and pepper and serve with bread-sticks.
Benefits
This soup contains egg yolks which are known to help improve the cognitive functioning of a baby. The chicken in the soup has high protein content which is beneficial for the pregnant woman.
5. Chicken Shorba
A healthy alternative for those who love chicken.
Ingredients
500 grams chicken bones
100 grams cut boneless chicken
10 cloves chopped garlic
1 teaspoon butter
1 tablespoon oil
1 ½ tablespoon refined flour (maida)
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
In a pot, add chicken bones and 4 ¼ cups of water with garlic. Cook till the broth reduces to 2 ½ cups.
Strain and set aside.
Stir-fry the boneless chicken in butter till it’s tender.
In a saucepan, add oil and cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds start sizzling, add maida and stir for 1 minute.
Add the stock, chicken, and salt and pepper.
Simmer for 3-4 minutes and serve hot.
Benefits
This soup, apart from being high in protein content, is easily digestible.
6. Creamy Spinach Soup
A palak soup recipe for pregnancy - just as good as Popeye would have wanted!
Ingredients
25 grams butter
1 onion, grated
2 teaspoons chopped chives
900 ml vegetable or chicken stock
700 grams fresh spinach
100 grams cream cheese
Nutmeg to taste
Method
Melt some butter in a pan and, fry the garlic and onion until soft.
Add spinach, stock, and chives.
Boil and then simmer the mixture for 5 minutes.
Blend the mixture and add cream cheese and nutmeg.
Simmer for a few more minutes till you reach the required consistency.
Serve with bread.
Benefits
Filled with vitamins, this is a soup that will fill you up. The vitamins, fibre, and other nutrients present in the soup promote digestive health, is low on calories, and reduces hypertension.
7. Cucumber and Mint Soup
A cold soup for those who battle warm weather every day!
Ingredients
1 chopped cucumber
1 crushed garlic clove
300ml of yoghurt
3 tablespoons fresh cream
2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
1 tablespoon ground coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Add everything to a mixer and blend till you reach a creamy consistency.
Serve with chopped cucumber or garnish with mint leaves.
Benefits
This cold soup is excellent for summer days, and it's really easy to make. It is packed with Vitamin B, C, iron, and zinc that are vital to keeping you strong and healthy during pregnancy.
8. Bean Soup
An alternative to your usual rajma curry!
Ingredients
¾ cup soaked kidney beans
½ cup onions, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon oil
½ teaspoon of chilli powder
Salt to taste
Method
In a pressure cooker, add oil and fry the onions for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with the garlic, chilli, and salt and saute for 1 minute.
Add the beans and 3 cups of water to the pressure cooker. Cook the beans till they get soft.
Blend the mixture and add lemon juice.
Garnish the soup with some coriander leaves.
Benefits
This soup is high in carbohydrates, fibre, and iron, all of which are integral for the mother and the baby.
9. Leek and Potato Soup with Bacon
Warm and healthy, and topped with bacon. Nothing gets better than this.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
30 grams chopped bacon
1 large or 2 medium leek, chopped
2 chopped potatoes
1 cup milk
Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
Heat the oil in a saucepan.
Add the onion, bacon, and leek. Once the bacon is cooked, add the potatoes and continue cooking for a few minutes.
Add the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer the soup and mash the potatoes to thicken the soup. Add milk, salt and pepper, and simmer till the soup seems creamy.
Add a dash of cream and serve hot.
Benefits
This soup is a great alternative to tomato soup in the winters. Leeks provide the body with calcium and Vitamin B6, which are helpful in dealing with morning sickness and also help in developing stronger bones.
10. Moroccan Chickpea Soup
For those who cannot let go of their exotic tastes!
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 chopped celery stalks
600 ml. boiled vegetable stock
400 grams soaked chickpeas
400 grams chopped tomatoes
½ lemon
Method
Add oil, onion, celery stalks, and 2 spoons of cumin powder to a pan. Stir till the vegetables get soft.
To that, add the stock, tomatoes and chickpea. Simmer the soup for 8 mins.
Add the lemon, salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle some herbs (optional).
Serve with bread.
Benefits
Chickpeas are a source of potassium and fibre, which help keep the mother’s blood pressure and cholesterol in check.
11. Beetroot Soup
This healthy soup is flavoursome, and the bright pink colour makes the soup difficult to resist.
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
4 beetroots, cooked and chopped
1 potato, diced
1 carrot, chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 garlic clove crushed
Oil
½ tsp paprika or red chilli powder
2 tbsp yoghurt
1 tbsp oil
2 cups vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
In a pot, heat the oil and add the onion, garlic, and red chilli and fry till the onions become translucent.
Add the potato, carrot, and paprika and saute for a few minutes. Pour the stock and boil the mixture till the potato and carrot get soft.
Add the beetroot, and simmer the mixture for 5-10 minutes. Blend the mixture until smooth.
Add the yoghurt, salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with a dash of yoghurt.
Benefits
Beetroot is a rich source of folic acid and iron, making this vegetable beneficial for pregnant women. Folic acid is essential for the development of the baby's nervous system. Also, the nitrates present in beetroot help in lowering blood pressure.
12. Saffron Vegetable Soup
Full of vegetables, this soup is an absolute treat for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike.
Ingredients
1 carrot, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
250 grams green beans, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chickpeas, cooked
1 pinch of saffron
2 tbsp oil
4 cups vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Basil leaves for garnishing
Method
In a pot, heat the oil and add the carrot and celery, cook these till they get softened.
Add onion, garlic and tomato, cook till they get soft. Add the green beans and saute for a few minutes.
Add the saffron and vegetable stock to the pot and boil the mixture. Add the chickpeas and cook for 10-15 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste and garnish with a basil leaf.
Benefits
The variety of vegetables in this soup are really nutritious. Additionally, saffron is known to help with mood swings. Hence, having this soup will not only improve your physical health but also help you manage your emotional health.
Health is the biggest concern during the nine months of pregnancy, and a woman needs to be very careful about what goes into her body. It is crucial to opt for healthier food options. Soups are nutritious as well as filling, and you can make these delicious soups that are flavourful and a healthy alternative.
Also Read: Healthy and Refreshing Pregnancy Juices Read more
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10 Surprising Benefits of Gardening - Growing Plants Is Beyond Just a Hobby
What had started as a way of living and progressed to being a hobby has now become the need of the hour thanks to the growing concern around global warming. But what many of us don’t know is that this fun and rewarding activity has so many hidden benefits, and is much beyond than just an enjoyable hobby! Here we have listed ten surprising benefits of gardening that makes our life all the more beautiful and cheerful!
6 Surprising Benefits of Gardening for Health
We bet that you were not aware of the following surprising benefits of gardening:
1. Gardening Is an Excellent Physical Activity
Gardening requires you to do so many activities like pruning, digging, watering the plants, bending, etc. So that makes it a pretty good workout regime as well. Research shows that 3 hours of moderate gardening is equivalent to 1 hour in the gym! So, go ahead, burn those extra calories, and enjoy the physical benefits of gardening!
2. Immunity Booster
Gardening helps build immunity and make a person stronger from within! Think about all the Vitamin D your body gets from the exposure to sunlight. Direct contact with the soil that contains millions of germs and bacteria may seem awful to many of us, but this direct exposure actually may help develop immunity against many diseases like cold, flu, infections, psoriasis, allergies, and asthma. So, don't shy away from digging your fingernails into the soil once in a while!
3. Gardening for a Stress-free and Happy Life
Mother nature has blessed us with soil that is enriched with vitamins and minerals. Soil contains a common bacteria called Mycobacterium vaccae which is a natural anti-depressant - it helps release happy hormones in our body. Plant some beautiful scented plants like lavenders, rosemary, and basil to delight your senses. These plants carry therapeutic properties and refresh the mind and soul with their calming fragrances. Caring for the plants and spending some time with your potted plants can be a great stress buster too!
4. Gardening for Better Functioning of the Brain
Regularly indulging in gardening activities stimulates the brain functioning power. Studies have revealed that regular gardening may reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's, both of which are illnesses that interfere with our mental ability to perform daily tasks. Gardening is not just a physical activity, but mental focus as well - it helps in cognitive learning.
5. Gardening Improves Hand Strength
Gardening improves hand agility and the strength of our hands and joints because of the different activities involved. This is one of the significant benefits of gardening for seniors as it reduces the risk of diminishing strength in the hands that we encounter in our later years of life. Nowadays, gardening is being practised at rehabilitation centres for stroke patients as it is a positive and healthy way of rebuilding the lost strength and agility of hands.
6. Gardening Motivates Us to Switch to a Healthy Diet
Imagine that your backyard is full of fresh herbs and veggies that are grown and nurtured by you. Obviously, you will be inclined to include them in your regular diet! Gardening helps you understand the basics of growing anything from scratch, which makes you more conscious towards what you tend to eat.
Additional Benefits That Gardening Offers
After the never-ending health benefits of gardening, let’s move on to the other advantages that gardening has in store:
1. A Lovely Garden of Your Own
If you are into regular gardening, you will soon have your own beautiful garden to show off! Flaunt your creative skills by setting up a garden full of flowers and veggies. Customise your garden with beautiful walkways made of stones, proper lighting, and designing of the plants. Enjoy the attention you get when guests ask you for tips and tutorials!
2. Enhance Your Social Circle
Gardening can also be a fun group activity if you find like-minded friends. Introduce your children and elders at home to gardening and enjoy the magic of family time gardening. Looking at your garden, you’ll most likely attract similar-minded garden lovers in the vicinity and start interesting new garden projects with them!
3. Fulfilling Social and Environmental Responsibilities
With the growing concerns of deforestation and global warming, growing plants and trees can be your step towards conserving nature! The more trees and plants you grow, the purer and fresher air you'll have to inhale! It creates a magnificent atmosphere for everyone. You can also grow grass that will invite wildlife, or set up small water bowls for birds to drink from! Gardening takes you a step closer to mother nature.
4. A Haven for Relaxation
Your garden can be your private haven for relaxation when you are not working on it. A breath of fresh air, the mild scent of the blooming flowers and all the greens around can actually be extremely calming for your mind and body. Enjoy some family time by having breakfast with your family in your garden. It’s also a great place for doing yoga or aerobics in the morning. Throwing a lawn party for your friends and relatives can also be a great idea - set up a barbecue, a live cocktail counter, and some relaxing music.
Precautions to Take While Gardening
The advantages of gardening surely outweigh the efforts undertaken to maintain a garden. However, while gardening can be an enjoyable and rewarding activity, there’s no denying the repercussions of doing the task. Just follow these simple precautions while you are out enjoying your time in your garden, whether working or not.
Wear a hat while working in the sun. You may not realise how hot it is and may end up getting a sunstroke.
Wear gloves and sturdy shoes. This will protect your hands and feet from dirt, insect bites, and microbial infections.
Stay hydrated by drinking water and fluids in between. Although you may not feel thirsty, working in the hot sun may result in you getting dehydrated.
Apply sunscreen. It will help protect your skin from sunburns and UV rays. Skin cancer is more common than you realise; sunscreen will help reduce the chances of that.
Take breaks in between if working in the garden for a long time.
The benefits of gardening as a hobby can be high after all the effort that you have put in! There’s so much more that you can learn and create with your gardening skills than you can imagine. Be it a small terrace garden, potted plants in the balcony or a full-fledged lawn garden, the gains and benefits are unparalleled. You can create your very own green space to relax in every day. Add colourful flowering plants to make the perfect flower garden in your balcony or lawn. This will also attract beautiful birds and provide an incredible ecosystem for insects like bees that are important for our environment. So, go ahead and create your dream garden!
Also Read:
Tips and Ideas for Seasonal Gardening
How to Make Compost at Home
The Best Herbs to Grow at Home Read more
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Your Baby Won't be Spoiling Your Walls With Her Scribbling With These 4 Easy Tricks in Place!
When your little one is growing, their curiosity and creativity develop as well. And before you know it, these little geniuses are on their way to becoming budding Picassos! And well, the walls of your house are their canvas. But it's definitely a nightmare for mommies!
'No, you aren't supposed to draw on the wall, that's what papers are for'
'Did you just use a permanent marker all over the living room's wall? Again?'
Sounds familiar? Well that's probably because you use these sentences quite often while talking to your growing artists.These creative geniuses have so many ideas that they find scribbling all over your living room wall the best way to express them.While for them it is creativity, for you it definitely is a constant struggle which no amount of warnings, sweet talking or scolding can help with.
It is observed that toddlers absolutely love the sounds of pounding crayons and gazing at their magical creations on a wall.They feel happy from the motion and surprising appearance of lines when they put the crayon and the wall in contact.Although these may be seen as creative responses, we mothers certainly worry about the damage it does to the walls.Who doesn’t want a pretty and neat home but without restricting the child’s creativity? Well, here are some tricks that you can adopt to deal with the situation!
4 Tricks to Keep Your Walls Scribble-Free!
Here are the tricks you can try!
1. Create a Designated Wall
Well, it's always better to define boundaries but it's even better to create alternatives. One cannot possibly expect kids to change their habits overnight,but these habits can certainly be channelized better. So, a simple solution for this would be to have one designated wall in the house, preferably in or near their room,on which they have the freedom to draw, scribble and create anything.
But if you are still sceptical about this one, here's a trick. Cover the wall with a large sheet of chart paper. Alternatively, you could also get this wall painted with chalkboard paint. So, whenever they scribble on the wall, it will be easier to clean it.
2. Keep Washable Crayons Handy
Replace all crayons with washable ones. So whenever your little one draws their masterpiece you can be assured that it isn't permanent and can be removed.Alternatively, make sure you have the talk where you tell them that walls aren't the place they're supposed to draw on, but a paper is. It's important to keep instilling that message in their minds.
3. Provide Other Outlets for Them to Express Their Creativity
Do not curb your child's creativity, instead give him other outlets to express their talent! For example, if the weather is good, allow them to draw on the pavement in your veranda.Use bath paints and crayons to play with and scribble on bath tiles during bath time. Also, if it snows where you stay, a snowman is always the best idea!
4. Express Disappointment, Not Anger
Finally, patience is the key when it comes to kids. If you have repeatedly told your little one to not draw or scribble on the walls and they continue doing so,chances are that you will get irritated and sooner or later lose your patience. Most parents resort to punishment and expressing anger, but that is not going to help at all.Children comprehend emotions quite well, and therefore expressing disappointment will be more nurturing than expressing anger.They also imitate behaviours, and anger will simply instil a sense of rebellious response. Also, chances are that when you are empathetic,your child will understand what is wrong and what is right. Understanding and not fear is what will help them not repeat a wrong act.
Scribbling is a very important identifier of your child's development. It enhances hand-eye coordination, brings out creativity and also improves their motor skills.Toddlers and growing babies have an instinctive eagerness towards this and this indicates how they are moving towards the learning stage.Their brain and body develops and builds a readiness for more difficult tasks later in life. Therefore, it's always the best idea to keep both your concerns and their development in mind. It's a win-win!
Have more such tips that can prevent toddlers from scribbling on the wall? Share them with other moms by leaving a comment below. Read more
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Fruit Salad with Fresh Cream
Colorful, delicious and healthy, this fruit salad with cream will find you many fans. Get your little ones to help with a fruit scissor that isn't too sharp, or help them cut, using a blunt knife. You can also show them how an orange is peeled and sectioned, and ask them to follow. This is a fun way of teaching kids about fruits and getting them to eat as well.
Serves
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
4 People
15-20 Minutes
0 Minutes
Ingredients
2 large oranges, peeled and sectioned
2 large red grapefruits, peeled and sectioned
2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
4 tbsps (tablespoons) chopped kiwi
50 ml fresh cream
1 tsp (teaspoon) grated lemon rind
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp honey
Method
Step 1
You need to place the first 4 ingredients in a bowl, and gently toss to combine. Cover the bowl and keep it for chilling for 2 hours.
Step 2
Stir in the cream and next 3 ingredients just before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Nutritional Information
Calories
144 Kcal
Proteins
2.4 g
Fat
1.1 g
Carbohydrates
34.6 g
Cholesterol
2 mg
Sodium
6 mg
Potassium
523 mg
Read more
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Dr Bandana Joshi has added a new answer
Mom of a 3 m old child
17 hours ago
Q. can I bring 3 month old baby with me to the office.is there any physical harm with the baby
Dr Bandana Joshi
Ayurvedic Physician
17 hours ago
A. Better to avoid as they are so many people in office and you can’t ask everyone to sanitise the hands but if for particular occasion you are planning to taue the baby to office then you can plan
Dr Priyanka Kalra has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
16 hours ago
Q. my mother died 9 years ago. Now I am 8 month pregnant(32 week).my due date is June 25.I am planning my delivery in hospital near to my home since this is my first pregnancy.I have only father and unmarried brother in my home.If there is emergency I don't have any female to support. Does hospitals allow male bystander during delivery. what should I do if I don't have any female support. My aunt live far from our home.
Read moreDr Priyanka Kalra
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
6 hours ago
A. yes. males can come. do ultrasound n necessary tests after consulting a specialist. without proper check up we can't advise or help you.. Avoid shirt cuts when it comes to health if mother n baby. ok.
Rashmi has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
14 hours ago
Q. #asktheexpert hi this is Sarika here . my question is how to encourage my baby to latch because he get irritated whenever I try to latch him
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
14 hours ago
A. It’s very important that when you ask a question please provide us the age of the child currently I would say that if your child is unable to latch properly so whenever you’re feeding Press your breast with your hands for the feeding of the milk is better because the milk flow is going to be better and hopefully that you do the trick
Mohammad amin has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
4 hours ago
Q. my baby have gastric problem..
Mohammad amin
Guardian of a 2 yr 11 m old boy
3 hours ago
A. use colimex df drops
Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 1 month
3 hours ago
Q. #asktheexperts red scretch marks
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
3 hours ago
A. You can mix coconut oil and Kapoor together and that is what you can apply regularly want to your stretch marks is one of the best options that you can use currently other than that also I would recommend you that if you feel any kind of a burning sensation or irritation then you can have a word with your gynaecologist
Dr Vandan H Kumar has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
13 mins ago
Q. left side pain kyu hota h
Dr Vandan H Kumar
Paediatrician
10 mins ago
A. many times and the most common cause would be due to accumulation of milk clots and sometimes it can be neurogenic pain and sometimes it might be a partx any local mass like lymph nodes or tissue pain.
if it is not improving with simple massage as well as simple hot compressesx and expression of accumulated milk then meet your doctor at the earliest for local examination.
you can take paracetamol for pain.
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