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sunflower, pumpkin, melon, chia, flax and sesame are some examples of seeds that can provide you with important minerals like magnesium, selenium, copper and zinc. They are small in size, but big in effect; these little powerhouses pack a big immunity-boosting punch.

Spice It up: you know the saying, ‘Variety is the spice of life’, right? I think that should be turned around on its head: ‘spice is the variety of life.’ Traditionally, Indians—as well as people of other ancient civilizations like the Greeks and the Chinese—have used spices to both improve taste and reduce the inflammatory effect of what we eat. herbs and spices really should be a few of your favourite things!

The therapeutic value of herbs and spices (see more in Chapter X) comes from their high antioxidant content. Many spices (such as turmeric) are anti- inflammatory. Green chillies, mint, pepper, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, thyme, rosemary, basil leaves and basil seeds (sabza), nigella (kalonji) seeds and poppy seeds; these are just a few of the herbs and spices that have health benefits. black pepper, for instance, was so prized as a condiment that European adventurers vied to find a sea route to India to control the pepper trade!

DAILY DOSE OF GOODNESS
• 2–4 cups of vegetables, raw, steamed or lightly cooked
• 1–2 seasonal fruits
• a variety of nuts
• a handful of herbs
• a fistful of seeds
• a soupçon of spices
• some sprouts, raw or steamed

Fats: all fats are not equal. There have been many myths about fats, which became perceived wisdom. They have been debunked as more studies have shown that fats are not the true villains of the diet; sugar, as I had mentioned in part 1 of this book, is a bigger dietary culprit than fats, but has stayed under the radar of the diet police. some fats are harmful and they should be avoided (see the section headed ‘pssT’ in Chapter XI). but many fats are not just healthy, they actually improve digestion, gut health and insulin response.


To be continued...