Doctors slam Mohanlal’s ‘cholesterol-free’ oil

His claims of cholesterol-free coconut oil not scientific, say medical professionals

A section of Indian doctors in the UAE have said they do not endorse a much publicised endorsement of a coconut oil brand by the Malayalam superstar Mohanlal.

Indian doctors at the All Kerala Medical Graduates Association (AKMG), a group of doctors practising in the UAE, said they are perplexed by the endorsement of a coconut brand by a superstar like Mohanlal, claiming that coconut oil is totally free from cholesterol.

What Mohanlal publicises through the advertisement is not scientifically proven and people may risk their health by blindly trusting a superstar endorsement, according to them. Earlier endorsement of a leading liquor brand by the superstar raked up controversy, similar to a celebrity brand endorsement by KJ Yesudas for a property firm that cheated hundreds of NRI investors.

“Coconut oil, like all saturated fats, should be limited to 7-10 per cent of calorie-intake because it can increase risk for heart disease, according to the AHA and 2010 Dietary Guidelines,” an Indian doctor said, quoting the American Heart Association.

A number of radio stations, television channels and newspapers are currently running an advertisement campaign for the new brand of coconut oil, claiming that the oil processed using a new technology will not cause heart disease or fat accumulated as spread by some foreign agents.

Mohanlal, one of the most popular Malayalam actors, acts as a Kerala King, sending out a Royal Decree, endorsing the specific brand of coconut oil.

According to marketing experts, celebrities are roped in to sell anything from gold ornaments to chit funds and financial products. The particular brand of coconut oil is claimed to be 100 per cent pure made with finest copra (dry coconut) pieces. Trans fats, saturated fats in coconut oils can be harmful and cause heart attack, doctors said.

In the advertisement Mohanlal, dressed as a traditional king of Kerala, says he is aware of a conspiracy hatched by foreign countries and is issuing a decree endorsing the pure coconut oil, free from cholesterol. Doctors say it is a highly misleading advertisement of Coconadu oil, because such claims are not scientifically proved.

“There are two basic categories of fats. Healthy fats are unsaturated and include vegetable oils, fish oils, and plant fats in nuts, avocados, and seeds. These fats should be the primary fats in your diet because they are either neutral or raise HDL cholesterol [considered good cholesterol] but don’t raise LDL cholesterol [considered bad cholesterol].

“The less healthy saturated fats found in animal fats and tropical oils, including coconut oil, are allowed, but in lesser amounts because they raise LDL cholesterol,” says Dr Hanish Babu.

“Trans fats in processed foods are the worst fats, capable of lowering HDL and increasing LDL, and should be kept as low as possible. Eating a nutritious diet that includes mostly whole foods and is balanced in calories is more important that worrying about specific nutrients and foods.”

“Coconut oil is an essential fat, saturated fat that can cause problem for heart by causing LDL cholesterol. Both coconut oil and palm oil can cause more cholesterol and can cause heart attack, which is scientifically proven. It is not misleading information spread by foreign countries, as Mohanlal claims in the advertisement. It is a scientifically proven fact that saturated fat can cause cholesterol,” said Dr Babu, who was speaking in his personal capacity.

He is also the Vice President of AKMG Emirates, but some officials in the Association have a different opinion.

Dr Babu said Keralites are more prone to heart diseases than people from many other Indian states due to many factors – increased use of red meat, egg and other fatty food items. About 7,000 tons of red meat is consumed every day in Kerala and now people are not doing enough physical exercise. High levels of stress, increased use of smoking and alcohol and negative attitude are factors causing heart ailments. It is definitely a misleading advertisement,” Dr Babu . There are different opinions on this issue and it is not the view of the organisation, he added.

According to studies, pure virgin coconut oil, containing no hydrogenation (the process of adding hydrogen to make a liquid fat hard), contains 92 per cent saturated fat – the highest amount of saturated fat of any fat.

“Most saturated fats are solid at room temperature, found in animal products (such as meat, dairy, poultry with skin, and beef fat) and contain cholesterol. Unlike animal fats, tropical oils – palm, palm kernel, and coconut oils – are saturated fats that are called oils but depending on room temperature can be solid, semi-solid, or liquid, and do not contain cholesterol.

Like all fats, coconut oil is a blend of fatty acids. Coconut oil contains an unusual blend of short and medium chain fatty acids, primarily lauric (44 per cent) and myristic (16.8 per cent) acids. It is this unusual composition that may offer some health benefits,” an Indian doctor said quoting relevant studies.

VM Sathish

 

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Warwick Students Compete to Win $1 mn to Help Slum Dwellers in India

A team of five students from Russia, India, Bahrain, Canada and the UK are competing to win USD1 million of funding for their social enterprise to help slums in Mumbai in the Hult Prize Global Challenge, a competition judged by former USA President Bill Clinton.

The full-time MBA students from Warwick Business School are aiming to address the main issues that urban slum dwellers, one stage from the very bottom of the pyramid, face on a day to day basis.

The team consists of Supriya Mundra, of Mumbia in India, Mohamed Matar, of Manama in Bahrain, Adam Lawrence, of Solihull, Birmingham in the UK, Nikolay Samoylov, of Moscow in Russia, and Jane Kwong, of Vancouver in Canada.

They have prepared a short video to describe their comprehensive solution, which styles itself on a “smartphone” concept. The winning video is the one that gets the most “Likes” on and the team are using every channel they know to raise awareness of their solution to the problem.

The solution takes parts of existing solutions that are inefficient and do not work together, and brings them all together under one umbrella. The FEED model comprehensively addresses empowerment through education, renewable energy solutions, distribution and waste management problems simultaneously.

The team strongly believe their idea could make a huge difference to the lives of 100 million people in India and beyond – over 1 billion people worldwide live in slums which is unthinkable in this day and age.

The Warwick team narrowly lost out to Hult San Francisco in the previous round of the Hult Global Challenge, where they competed at the Hult Campus in San Francisco against 45 other world-leading business schools and universities, and defeated the likes of Harvard, Berkeley and Stanford en route to the final four.

“Even though the Warwick MBA by full-time study is a challenging undertaking, we strongly believe that it’s crucial to apply our learning to try and help those less fortunate than ourselves,” said Lawrence, 34, who previously worked as a property developer.

“We firmly grasped the opportunity to help the millions of people living in urban slums worldwide with both hands.”

Only one team progresses to the Global Finals in New York in September and the team are thankful for the support they have received from Warwick Business School.

Team leader is Indian Mundra, who has first-hand experience of the difficulties faced in urban slums and experience in strategy consulting.Lawrence has a background in economics and property; Kwong is an operations and human resources practitioner; Mr Matar is a chartered financial analyst; and Nikolay Samoylov is an energy professional.

Sizzling Female Chefs Around The World

“Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.”

 

 – Alice May Brock.

Cooking is their passion, Food is their ultimate love and kitchens are their devotional institution. Yes! Chefs are known for such qualities they carry on their shoulder. These Chefs are not only identified as the hottest but also known for their best gastronomic skills that wooed food lovers around the world.

 

1) Rachel Ray

 

Rachel Ray is one of the world’s highest earning chefs who won several audiences by some catchy phrases like “EVOO” (for extra virgin olive oil) in her first show, 30 Minute Meals. The owner of $25 million has four food network programmes which include Tasty Travels and $40 a Day. She is keen towards spreading the knowledge and love for food through cookbooks. Her ‘Every Day With Rachel Ray’ magazine has more than 1.5 million readers. The ‘Book of Burger’ is the 20th and the latest book by her.

 

2) Devin Alexander

Celebrity Chef Devin Alexander is New York Times Bestselling author, media personality and weight loss expert. She is a perfect example of beauty with the brain. Keeping healthy meal as the main mantra of cooking, Alexander even can tickle the taste buds of fitness-conscious food lovers with a sumptuous burger or pizza. Her unique approach of healthy cooking make her published eight books, including “The Biggest Loser Cookbook” series. This hottest Chef is the host of ‘Healthy Decadence’ on Fit TV and her perspective on being healthy have gave her scope to appear on several weight loss shows on Television, , as listed by MENSXP.  

3) Angela McKeller

The former model Angela McKeller is one among the hottest pastry chef and gastronomic marvel. Angela has published several books on cooking which are filled with mouthwatering recipes.  Her cookbooks are called Passion on a Plate: Affordable and EASY Gourmet. This curvy foodie teaches gourmet cooking as well.

4) Anjum Anand

Considered as one of the first food writers, Anjum Anand is known to bring a fine twist to Indian recipes. Her experiment with Indian cuisines have not only triggered the taste buds if foodies but also to people who follow strict diet. Anand’s recipes are the combination of mixed traditional dishes recreated with healthy ingredients and less oil. She tried her hands at different restaurant’s kitchens based in New York, New Delhi and Los Angeles. Her passion for food made her publish ‘Indian Every Day: Light Healthy Indian Food.’ Her thought of adapting healthy meals from traditional Indian food came from her personal experience while growing up. From 2004 to 2007, Anand was a usual guest for a show called ‘Great Food Live’ on UKTV and then featured in BBC for a two series of Indian Food in 2007.  The brand ‘The Spice Tailor’ has been launched in the middle of 2011 that combines seven authentic Indian sauces, mainly prepared to deliver restaurant quality dishes that fascinate foodies who love to gorge delicious Indian cuisines.

5) Eden Grinshpan

After graduating from London’s A Le Cordon Bleu, Eden Grinshpan, the hottest chef travelled to different parts of the world including India, Southeast Asia and Israel to taste cuisines and get in-depth culinary knowledge from local chefs.  She even realized that to enjoy and experience global delicacies, passport to travel to that very place is actually not needed. This beautiful chef has the degree of “Grande Diplome,” in pastry and cuisine. Eden, the culinary adventurer hosts her own show called ‘Eden Eats,’ on the Cooking Channel. The show on traveling is to hunt best global dishes in cities throughout U.S.
6) Casey Thompson

Hottest Chef Casey Thompson contended on Top Chef Season 3 and was one among the two runners-up to Hung Huynh. She is a winner of fan favorite. On Top Chef Season 8, Thompson competed and was eliminated fifth. She is the executive chef at the Brownstone in Fort Worth, TX. Adding to it, Thompson is the ambassador for ‘Terrazos de los Andes,’ the Moet-Hennessey brand.

Saturn’s Satan – A monster hurricane with an eye of over 2,000km ..#NASA #Saturn

Nasa spacecraft captures stunning image of a cyclone at Saturn’s North Pole

In an undated in this false-color image from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft and provided by NASA/JPL shows stunning views of a monster hurricane at Saturn’s North Pole. The eye of the cyclone is an enormous 1,250 miles across. That’s 20 times larger than the typical eye of a hurricane here on Earth. The hurricane is believed to have been there for years.This image is among the first sunlit views of Saturn’s north pole captured by Cassini’s imaging cameras. (AP)

Nasa’s Cassini spacecraft has captured stunning views of a monster hurricane at Saturn’s North Pole.

The eye of the cyclone is an enormous 1,250 miles (2,010 kilometers) across. That’s 20 times larger than the typical eye of a hurricane here on Earth. And it’s spinning super-fast. Clouds at the outer edge of the storm are whipping around at 330 mph (531 kph).

The hurricane is parked at Saturn’s North Pole and relies on water vapor to keep it churning. It’s believed to have been there for years. Cassini only recently had a chance to observe the vortex in visible light.

Scientists hope to learn more about Earth’s hurricanes by studying this whopper at Saturn.

Cassini was launched from Cape Canaveral in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004.

UAE Residents wake up to lightning and rain on Sunday morning

UAE residents woke up to overcast skies, lightning and slight rain on Sunday morning. The roads are wet and motorists are warned to drive carefully.

 

The weather is expected to be partly cloudy in general today, with the cloud cover increasing over the islands and some northern and eastern areas.

According to the National Center for Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS), the amount of clouds will increase over scattered areas, with a chance of rain. A slight fall in temperatures is also expected over some areas .

Winds will be moderate in general, fresh at times. However, it may kick up dust in some internal areas.

Sea will be moderate becoming rough gradually by night .

Meanwhile, the maximum temperature in some internal areas will hit 44 degree C, with a minimum of 23 degree C.

Humidity is also expected to touch 95 per cent in coastal areas.

 Rain in forecast for the next couple of days in the emirates.

Petrofac in $3.7bn Abu Dhabi deal

Petrofac Emirates is partnering with Daewoo Shipbuilding

British oil and gas group Petrofac said on Thursday that its Petrofac Emirates joint venture firm has won a $3.7-billion (2.8-billion-euro) contract to develop a key field in Abu Dhabi.

“Petrofac is pleased to announce that Petrofac Emirates, its joint venture with Mubadala Petroleum, has been awarded a contract by Zakum Development Company for the Upper Zakum, UZ750 field development in Abu Dhabi,” said a statement from the London-listed firm.

“The contract is worth approximately $3.7 billion and has been secured by Petrofac Emirates in consortium with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co Ltd.”

The group added that Petrofac Emirates’ share of the contract was valued at $2.9 billion.

Boston bomb suspects are brothers of Chechen origin

Police tell residents to stay indoors and ‘stay away from windows’

This combo shows handout images taken from a video released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and acquired by AFP on April 19, 2013 shows the two suspects together (L) in the crowd before the blast at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013 and “suspect 2″ (R) standing behind a lady in the crowd. (AFP)

Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis confirmed early Friday that one of the suspected Boston marathon bombers is dead and the hunt for the “armed and dangerous” second bomber is still on.

“One suspect dead. One at large,” Davis said on his official Twitter account. “Armed and dangerous. White hat suspect at large,” Davis added.

Prosecutor said one Boston suspect died at hospital after shootout and he threw explosives in chase.

Boston bomb suspects are brothers of Chechen origin, said NBC News. Dead Boston bomb suspect identified as 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev, it said.

Police have told residents of the town of Watertown near Boston to stay indoors and “stay away from windows” as they hunt a second suspect wanted for the attacks in which three people died and about 180 were injured.

Police captured one of the Boston marathon bombing suspects and were chasing a second in a wild, deadly manhunt near the US city early Friday, local media reported.

One police officer was shot dead and a second wounded in the dramatic nighttime operation, authorities said.

One suspect was caught in Watertown near Boston after a chase in which explosives and gunfire were heard, the Boston Globe reported.

Special police forces sealed off much of the town as they hunted the second man, the newspaper and other media said.

The authorities made no comment on whether there was a link between the manhunt and Monday’s bombing in which three people were killed and about 180 injured.

But the operation came only hours after the Federal Bureau of Investigation released photos of the suspects they believe planted the bombs.

A robbery at a gas station was followed by the killing of a police officer on the campus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a car chase to Watertown, media reports said.

A second police officer was wounded in a gunfight in the town, they added.

Powerful #Earthquake could hit #Iran in the next 48 hours

World Earthquakes predicts high seismic activity in Iran and Japan may in the next 48 hours

There is a possibility of a powerful earthquake hitting Iran in the next 48 hours, according to the World Earthquakes data.

“High seismic activity may occur for the next 48 hours” in Iran, the World Earthquake said on Friday.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has also predicted that a powerful earthquake that could hit the region between Thursday, April 25, and Tuesday, April 30. But UAE’s National Center of Meteorology & Seismology said that it’s a rumour and earthquakes cannot be predicted.

On Thursday, A 5.2-magnitude earthquake hit northwestern Iran on Thursday, only days after a deadly temblor struck near the border with Pakistan, media reported citing the seismological centre at Tehran.

Last Tuesday, a huge earthquake measuring 7.8 struck southeastern Iran killing a woman and injuring more than a dozen other people. At least 40 people were killed across the border in Pakistan where hundreds of mud homes were levelled. The tremors from the earthquake were felt across the Gulf region.

Iran sits astride several major fault lines and is prone to frequent earthquakes, some of which have been devastating.

Tuesday’s earthquake was the strongest to hit Iran since 1957.

A double earthquake, one measuring 6.2 and the other 6.0, struck northwestern Iran last August, killing more than 300 people and injuring 3,000.

The World Earthquakes also warned of another powerful quake possibly hitting Japan in the next 48 hours.

On Friday, a major 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck off northern Japan on Friday, seismologists said, but no tsunami warning was issued.

Saudi Arabia asked to lift driving ban on women

A human rights group in Saudi Arabia has pressed the Shura (Consultative) Council to launch a debate on the right of women to drive.

The move by the Saudi Committee for Human Rights is based on a study supported by 3,000 Saudi men and women from various parts of the country.

They have called for an open debate to allow women to drive ‘in accordance with religious and social norms’, Gulf News reports.

Under the by-laws, the Shura Council has to respond to all questions, queries and petition.

According to Saudi news site Sabq, Sulaiman Al Zayadi, the former head of the rights and petition committee that submitted the petition and requested a date to debate on the issue, said debating the issue of allowing women to drive gives the Council greater credibility.

He added that if women were given the right to drive it will promote trust among the people who will view the Council as their representatives who are ready to engage in the debates they suggest.

The petition was handed before the end of the last session to the committee that approved it and suggested its debate by the Shura Council members.

The study argued that local social and economic developments in Saudi Arabia and the international covenants endorsed by the Saudi kingdom require that Riyadh allow women to drive cars.

According to the report, the study said that an advisory and executive committee should be set up by Saudi Arabia to draw the religious, social and security regulations to allow women to drive as a prelude for social changes that will make the society more recipient to the idea of women driving.

Related articles

• Saudi women to have a say on whether they can get behind wheel (thetimes.co.uk)

Skin Care Tips for Summer

With the enhanced flow of skin’s oily discharge, epidermal layer may be prone to dullness, loss of luster and blemishes. Secondly, owing to the increased susceptibility to the damaging UV rays of sun, there is a consequential increase in the formation of patches and wrinkles. In order to overcome the seasonal blemishes and loss of collagen, it is important to comply with certain skin care regimen.

• Drink at least 15-20 glasses of water to keep yourself hydrated. Other than providing the necessary moisture, it will help flush the toxic content.
• Make sure that the sunscreen used is applied at least fifteen to thirty minutes before stepping out in the sun.
• According to dermatologists and skin care specialists sun protective formula meant for summer should have a higher SPF content. SPF-30 should be used during summer.
• Similarly special care should be taken to have it applied twice or thrice during summer, other than using the same prior to stepping out in the sun.
• For those choosing to swim and bask in sun, sun protective formula should be applied every hour and twenty minutes to overcome the damaging impacts of sun burn, rashes and blister formation.
• Use of moisturizer watery in base is necessary during summer. Rose water which happens to be an effective toner cum moisturizer may be used as part of toning and moisturizing.
• Juice extracted from cucumber or watermelon may be similarly used for moisturizing facial skin.
• Application of moisturizer containing aloe extracts or for that matter application of aloe gel serves to be an effective summer healing option.
• As far as caring of feet and hands are concerned, soaking hands and feet in water enriched with a pinch of salt will help boost blood circulation.
• Make it a point to resort to the same at least once in a week.
• Avoid wearing closed shoes that block free circulation of air, in its place go for flats and sandals that make for necessary circulation.
• Other than avoiding moisturizer with oily base, it is also necessary that one avoids using synthetics and silk preferable during winter.
• For excessively dry skin types, olive oil may be used as an alternative to oily based moisturizers and toners.
• In order to make for healthy breathing and free circulation of the epidermal layer, tight fitting clothes blocking circulation should be avoided.
• Exfoliating the facial skin by means of a homemade scrub prepared out of half a cup yogurt, five table spoons of gram flour, a dash of turmeric and six drops of rose water can prove to be an effective option.
• Exfoliation followed by the application of facial pack consisting of three table spoons of mashed papaya , one table spoon of honey or lemon juice and white of an egg will serve to revive radiance and glow lost during summer.
• In case you want to avoid the use of egg white, the resulting blend of cucumber, honey and yogurt may be used to provide cooling touch to the skin
• In order to get rid of uneven summer tanning, go for a blend of gram flour, yogurt and squeezed juice of half a lemon, to apply the same on parts affected.
• Mixture consisting of honey and potato juice serves to be a good option for overcoming tan.
• Honey is similarly effective in overcoming conditions of scars and rashes.
• Avoid carbonated drinks containing soda and high doses of sugar. Instead go for juices extracted out of fresh fruits like lemonade and that extracted from unripe green mango.
• In cases of bites and stings during summer, soothing the affected part by means of an ice pack will prove to be healthy.