India needs home-grown GM food to stop starvation

Indian scientists must develop domestic genetically modified crops rather than rely on unsuitable foreign technology, says Anurag Chaurasia,a biotechnologist with the National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms in Kushmaur, India.

 At the beginning of this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a road map to guide India’s science and technology over the next two decades. Launched during the Indian Science Congress at the University of Mysore, the plan signalled a cautious approach to techniques such as genetically modified (GM) crops, noting that “some aspects of biotechnology have posed serious legal and ethical problems in recent years”. That is true, but a different and much larger problem looms for India. According to the 2015 United Nations World Population Prospects report, India will surpass China by early next decade as the most populous country on Earth, with the most mouths to feed. India is already classed as having a ‘serious’ hunger problem, according to the 2015 Global Hunger Index of the International Food Policy Research Institute. There is a danger that many of these new Indians will not have sufficient food.

Where can additional food come from? Grain production is stagnant, and rapid urbanization is reducing available land. To increase food production, India needs to invest in modern agricultural methods, including GM crops.

Read the column in Nature

15 energy-boosting snacks for weary IT pros

1. Dark chocolate for a boost

Working in tech can be stressful and have serious health consequences. And let's face it: IT folks aren't known for having the best diets.

So. Are you feeling a little run down? Here are some snacks guaranteed to awaken and energize your overworked, inner code monkey.

You can have chocolate daily, but it had better be the type that actually improves your health. Filled with antioxidants, dark chocolate releases lots of feel-good endorphins, the same kind you get when you're falling in love -- which is very convenient when you're feeling frustrated with those adorable idealists over on the design team.

2. Walnuts to cut down on distracting cravings

Nuts in general are great snacks, but the walnut in particular is a great source for Omega-3 fatty acids.

According to scientists at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, eating 6 to 7 walnuts a day can help scavenge almost every disease-causing free radical from your body. You don't actuallylike taking sick days, do you?

3. Fried grasshoppers instead of potato chips

If you need to persuade your office manager to stock up on bugs, point out it's what people in at least 113 countries munch on. That includes China, which is where everybody who's anybody is sourcing their hardware these days.

Protein, which helps the brain develop and keeps it running, is something grasshoppers have lots of -- and these bugs also are lower in cholesterol than pork or beef. Just don't look 'em in the eye when you pop 'em in your mouth.

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12 Indian foods that cut fat

You don't have to acquire a taste for olive oil, seaweed or soya to maintain a low-fat, healthy diet. Indian cuisine can be healthy too, if it's cooked with oil and ingredients that take care of your heart and health.

Ayurveda suggests you include all tastes — sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent — in at least one meal each day, to help balance unnatural cravings. Here are 12 foods that can help you lose weight and gain health:

Turmeric; Cardamom; Chillies; Curry leaves; Garlic; Mustard oil; Cabbage; Moong dal; Honey; Buttermilk; Millets; and Cinnamon & cloves.

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A-Z of superfoods for weight loss

According to the British Nutrition Foundation, eating fruits and vegetables, which are low in energy density (i.e they provide fewer calories per gram) has been shown not to just help lose weight but also to keep it off long term.

Know the A-Z of Fruits & Vegitables

How to lose weight without dieting

While there are plenty of fad diets that may help you lose weight, they also leave you feeling hungry and food-deprived. For all those who don't have the time or inclination to undertake a crash diet or even hit the gym, we've got some great news. If you want to slim down the healthy and painless way, try the following strategies. After all, it's not what you eat but how you eat.

CHEW MORE, EAT LESS
DON'T SKIP BREAKFAST
CONCENTRATE ON YOUR FOOD
DON'T OVERCOOK YOUR MEALS
FRUITS BEFORE MEALS
HAVE SMALLER MEALS, MORE OFTEN
AVOID EATING AFTER 8 PM
THINK AND DRINK

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Food FAQs during pregnancy

Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about food during pregnancy

What are the sources of protein for a vegetarian?

Vegetarians get their supply of protein from pulses and grains, milk and milk products, and soya products. You should be aware that animal sources such as milk and milk products are complete sources of protein. Whereas vegetable proteins are incomplete and need to be combined with other foods to be complete. For example: grains and lentils (dal and chapatti/rice), and nuts or seeds with grains are excellent vegetarian protein sources.

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Watermelon

Watermelon is a good source of potassium, magnesium, beta-carotene, vitamins B1 and B6, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin C, lycopene, antioxidants and dietary fibre. It is rich in lycopene, a carotenoid associated with lowering the risk of prostate cancer, and the essential amino acid arginine, which plays an important role in healing wounds.

Read more and learn a recipe.