Blueberries - A Treat to eyes as well as to your health !!!

Hi all !!! Hope everything going good around you all. In this post, I gonna share about one of the fruits that I have admired the most , not just for its taste, but for its wonderful color !!! Oh God ! What was your creation ! I wondered and loved it much :) There were none other than Blueberries :) 

Blueberries are available in various colors such as green, greenish pink, bluish pink and also available in my favorite color purple / indigo color.  

Nomenclature : 

Scientific Name   :  Vaccinium corymbosum

Tamil Name        :   அ வு ரி நெ ல் லி  @ நா க ப் ப ழ ம் 

Hindi Name        :    Nilabadari @ Feera

English Name     :    Blueberry


Blue berries are said to be native to North America, Europe and Asia. Blue berries were highly ranked among other fruits for its antioxidant property. They were known as perennial flowering plants.

Lets look on to some colorful blueberry images that I have collected from web :

 










Blueberry Cultivation in India :

Blueberries are cultivated at many places around India as well. Most popularly and successfully it was grown at a firm called Abonna Plants located at Siliguri of Darjeeling District. Siliguri is loacted at the banks of Mahananda River and the foothills of the Himalayas(One of the Nature's paradise in the world) !!!

You can check about the agriculture practices of Blueberry in India through these links below :

abonnaplants.com
agriculturalproductsindia.com/fruits/fruits-blueberry
Facebook page : BlueberryPlantsInIndia


Astonishing Health Benefits of Blueberry :

        *Blueberries are said to be rich in manganese, magnesium, iron, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin K , riboflavin, niacin, folate and  fiber.

          *As per some studies, blueberries are said to have various phytochemicals which are believed to reduce the risk of cancer and inflammations. A well known University in U.S, has made a study which says that blueberries helps to block the growth of tumor cells.

           *Amidst, all its properties, Blueberry juice was said to have numerous benefits. It was believed to improve memory power and enrich brain. Moreover, it also helps in reducing blood sugar and symptoms of depression.

           *It helps against skin wrinkles which helps to make your skin to stay stable always. It was believed to soften your dry skin.

           *It was believed to reduce the risk and severity of allergies. Moreover, they help to preserve vision power, reduce digestive problems.

            *Blueberries such as cranberries , are said to contain some compounds which helps to prevent harmful bacteria affecting the bladder.

            *As per the study in New University of Michigan, blueberries are believed to reduce your belly fatness and reduces the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.

References :

health.com
care2.com/greenliving
Wikipedia

Here's the picture of BLUEBERRY JUICE taken in my office :)

It was a wonderful experience to try them for the first time and most importantly it was a visual treat(due to it's mind-blowing color)  !!! To be honest I enjoyed more watching it rather than drinking it !!!

Hope you all would try this treat as well !!!
Have a Blessed & Colorful week ahead :) 

Saffron - An expensive spice that has enormous values

Crocus sativus commonly known as Saffron is one of the well known and expensive spice used widely around the world. Saffron is said to be derived from the stigma of the saffron plant. The Saffron plant belongs to the family of Iridaceae. This plant is native to many places around the world such as Central and Southwest Asia, Greece, Central and Southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and the islands of the Aegean. Saffron is a perennial plant and it is believed to be originated about 3000 years back. The name Saffron is believed to be derived from the Latin word 'Safranum' and the plant is said to be cultivated first in Greece. Saffron is also called as 'Kesar' in Hindi and 'Kumkumapoo' in Tamil.

While searching about the history of this Saffron plant in India, I came to know that this plant was brought to India by Persians while they conquered Kashmir.

Saffron Flowers :

Saffron is a perennial plant whose height ranges from 15 to 25 cm. It is mainly cultivated for its flowers and the spice derived from the stigma of the flowers. It consists of purple color flowers with red stigmas inside which is called as 'Saffron'. Each flower comprises three red stigmas and these stigmas are the female part of the flower. Even though it is a perennial plant, the flowering period of the plant is said to be from mid or late October to first / second week of November and it is also said that sometimes it might vary depending upon the temperature during the spring and autumn. The purple buds can be seen in the autumn and only in October it get sets to bloom. The Saffron plant gets well adapted to a cool dry climate with rich soil conditions. As per some analysis, researchers say that it requires about 70,000 to 2,50,000 flowers to make one pound of saffron.

As we have seen already, Saffron is nothing but the three stigmas inside the flower and it is used commercially only after the stigmas are dried properly. Some cultivators of Saffron say that a Saffron cannot be duplicated so easily as their original aroma and color shows off how fresh it is. The word Saffron is said to refer the color 'yellow'. The flower of the Saffron flower is believed to possess a sweet honey-like aroma which also has the taste of little bitterness.

Saffron threads :

Images Courtesy : Internet

Cultivation of Saffron in India :

Kashmir is predominantly known for its Saffron cultivation. As we have seen earlier it is the Persians who are believed to have brought the Saffron plant to Kashmir. The Pampore town near Srinagar of Jammu and Kashmir is popularly known for its Saffron cultivation for about 2500 years !!!

Kashmir is considered one among the three prominent places of Saffron cultivation around the world. The Kashmir Saffron is believed and widely recommended by many legends for its innate quality. It is said that major part of the Saffron cultivated here are exported to many countries around the world. It is said that there are three grades of Saffron in India . They are Saffron Lachha, Saffron Mongra and Saffron Zarda. It is believed that the Saffrons of Kashmir has long deep red colored stigmas. The legends of Saffron cultivation says that the size of the stigmas determines the quality of it. Since Kashmir possess the rich alluvial soil, the saffrons grown here is said to have a magical aroma by its cultivators. Amidst all the Saffrons produced around the world, the Kashmir saffrons are always well known for its flavor, color power and its wonderful aroma. The Saffron cultivation is a boon for many cultivators because of its rich value . As per an article read in a popular newspaper, as on March 2013, it is estimated that the Saffron would approximately cost Rs. 2.5 lakh per kg.

Saffron at home

Uses of Saffron :

          ~*   Saffrons are mostly used for culinary purposes. It is believed that only a little amount of Saffron can be used and it is said to be more than enough for dishes. Consuming more than its normal level is not advisable.

            ~*  Saffrons are mostly used in culinary to add flavors, colors and taste to the food.

            ~* The kesari powder that are used for adding colors to the food is derived from the leftover bits of Saffron harvest. The kesari powder is obtained from leftover bits of Saffron and little turmeric added to it.

           ~*   The Kashmir saffrons were soaked in water to provide golden yellow color and it is used for fabric dye.
           
            ~*  Saffron is also used as perfume.

            ~*   Despite its culinary uses, it is also possess medicinal values. Saffrons are used to suppress cramps and are also said to be used for  anesthetic purposes.

            ~*  Saffrons are also used in herbal medicine for treating respiratory problems.

         ~* It is also used in the treatment of health disorders like asthma, paralysis, insomnia, heart diseases, hemorrhage, flatulence and gout.

            ~*  As per an article in Times of India, 'Saffron' has been named under the 'Eight Indian spices that prevents cancer'.  A natural carotenoid dicarboxylic acid called 'Crocetin' is identified to be the primary cancer fighting element of Saffron. It is believed that this 'Crocetin' acid not only prevents the progression of this disease but it also decreases the size of the tumor by half which helps to cure the cancer completely.  
I think the price of the Saffron doesn't matter when it does such a miracle to a person suffering from diseases like cancer.

Note : consult your physician before following the above points.

In Kashmir - the Kingdom of Saffron, no celebration is said to be complete without their traditional dish called 'Saffron Kehwa/ Kashmiri Kehwa'. Here I'm sharing about that beverage ,

Kashmiri Kehwa :

(Servings for 4)

Ingredients :
                                                                                       
Kashmiri Green Tea  - 4 teaspoons
Saffron threads        - 4  pinches
Cardamom               -  2 (crushed)
Almonds                  -  8 (blanched & chopped)
Cinnamon                -  1 stick
Cloves                     -  2
Sugar                      -  2 teaspoons                          

                                                         

                                                   

Method :

        Boil 3 cups of water along with cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. Then mix this with 4 teaspoons of green tea. Leave this mix to boil and infuse for a while in low flame. At the other end, dissolve Saffron in a little water by gently rubbing it . Now Once the tea is ready, strain it and add this Saffron liquid to it. Then garnish it with chopped almonds and serve hot.


References :

 kashmirkesarkingdom.com
 indianetzone.com  
 timesofindia
 Recipe Source : vegetalindia                         
               
          

Saffron cultivators in Kashmir says that not a single part of the plant is wasted. They say that after harvesting the Saffron in the late autumn, the petals of the flowers are used as vegetables and the stems are given to the animals. They consider the red stigmas - 'purest Kashmir Saffron' as 'The Golden herb'. Indeed it is a golden herb gifted by God with enormous values.

VIBGYOR Series - 'B' for 'Blue' - Bluebirds

This post is part of the Chennai Bloggers Club's CBC VIBGYOR BLOG TAG where some
of us will write a post on the colours of VIBGYOR each day starting 1st of September to 
the 7th of September. The colour theme for today's post is BLUE

My most ever favorite color would always be blue & all of its shades. I'm so happy to post about it :) 

The blue color is said to be the coolest color and its meaning is often related to sincerity, spirituality, trust, loyalty, serenity and  the color of inspiration. It is said that it would be liked by many conservative people and mainly it symbolizes peace and the Virgin Mary.

Since I have already posted about some plants under Violet and Indigo, I have opted to choose a bird here under Blue. So let us see about a bird called 'Bluebird' and also about one of the blue-colored birds of India.

Bluebirds are said to be omnivorous or insectivorous birds and they fall under the genus Sialia of the thrush family. Many would say that the color of the bluebird's back is the piece of sky as they possess the sky blue color.The native of this bird is America, especially North America in particular. There are three different species under this single Genus of Sialia . They are,

                            *Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis),
                            *Western Bluebird ( Sialia mexicana)and
                            *Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides ).

Eastern Bluebird

         

Western Bluebirds. The dark one is male and light one is female

Mountain Bluebird

Images Source : Internet

The male bluebirds are said to be brightly colored when compared to the female bluebirds. These Bluebirds are well known for their sweet songs. Bluebirds feeds on small fruits and insects. Coming to their nest, it is the male bird starts off building the nest, but it is believed that only the female bird has to complete the nest finally and decides about the place of the nest. Bluebirds are said be in royal blue color and they are well known for their chirps like 'chir-we'. They prefer to live in open fields or grassy areas with some scattered trees.  The Eastern Bluebirds is said to be the state bird for both New York and Missouri. The Mountain Bluebirds can be found in rocky mountain areas and they are entirely blue compared to eastern ow western bluebirds which has some orange spots in them.

Sources of information :

state.nj.us
http://news.nationalgeographic.co.in

Blue(colored)bird in India - Himalayan Bluetail :

Similar to the above Bluebird, here in India, we do have a blue-colored bird which is somewhat similar to that bluebird which is known as Himalayan Bluetail ( Tarsiger rufilatus) . Coincidentally this Himalayan Bluetail bird also fall under the same family of Bluebird, the 'thrush' family and it is native to Asis. It is a small passerine bird an it is also related to Red-flanked Bluetail and considered as its subspecies. But these two birds differ as Red-flanked Bluetail is a long-distant migrant and it has more intense blue color in their upper parts whereas Himalayan Bluetail is a short-distant altitudinal migrant.These birds can be seen at Himalayas, Sikkim, Nepal, Northeast India, Thailand (during winter) and South China. The habitat of these birds is said to be coniferous hill forests.

They are often seen flicking their their tails and wings. The adult male birds are said to have blue upper parts whereas the female bird has brown upper parts. They can be identified with a blue tail.

Male Himalayan Bluetail

Female Himalayan Bluetail

Images Source : Internet


It would really be a wonderful experience to witness them directly. It is so pleasing to see the blue colored birds. Hope you all would have seen any of these birds or may get a chance in future :)

Nutritious Pomegranate - Invaluable gift from God's paradise

Pomegranate ( Botanical Name :Punica granatum) is one of the oldest well known fruit which has stupendous values. It is categorized under shrub which is also said to be tree by some researchers. Its height ranges from 16 to 26 ft. Pomegranate is said to be a native of Persia. But it is widely cultivated in Africa, The Mediterranean, Europe, Indian subcontinents and in the Southeast Asia. It is considered under one of the powerful fruits.

As we move back to history, Pomegranate was said to be one among the oldest fruits since it was seen right from 100 B.C. The pomegranate is considered as a sacred tree in various religions. Almost every religion considered that the fruit has an eternal value. Many believe that it symbolizes prosperity,resurrection of Christ, fruitfulness, ambition and fertility. Ancient peoples considered this fruit as 'King of all fruits' and the most interesting fact about this fruit is that the crown shaped edge at the top of this Pomegranate fruit is said to be one of the reasons behind design of crowns that was used to honor the kings.

Pomegranate cultivation in India :

                  One of the major advantage about Pomegranate is, its drought - tolerance capacity. Hence it can also be cultivated in areas with hot climatic conditions. Among the world countries, India comes under a part of largest Pomegranate productions. As per National Horticulture Board in India, Pomegranate is commercially cultivated in Maharashtra at large scale. Whereas in states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan there are cultivated at small scale. I read somewhere that about 60-70 percent export of Pomegranate from India comes from Maharashtra. In India, the Pomegranate plants generally grown throughout the year. It is said that the tree takes almost 4 to 5 years to bear fruits and once the fruit starts appearing it takes 120 - 130 days to get ready for the harvest.

Pomegranate Tree at Vellore

Images Courtesy : Internet
The image at the right is from my capture taken during an evening at Ratnagiri temple, Vellore, Tamil Nadu


The Pomegranate fruit may take such a long time to harvest, but I would say its quite worth waiting for such an astonishing fruit. The reason behind the words 'worth waiting' can be found below :

Astonishing values of Pomegranate :

                    ~* Pomegranate are said to be purely antioxidants. These Pomegranate seeds avoids blood clotting and it is said that it acts like aspirin tablet.

                    ~* Pomegranate seeds are very much good for the human heart. It is said to increase oxygen levels to the heart when consumed as juice.

                    ~* Pomegranate helps to reduce the risks of heart diseases, breast cancer, atherosclerosis (disease of arteries) and cholesterol. It also helps to control high blood pressure.

                    ~* It helps you to control your weight, fights against cell damage and it minimizes aging. This fruit helps you to avoid wrinkles in skin and helps to have a healthy skin.

                    ~* Pomegranate is used in the Ayurveda medicines over thousands of years. It is used to cure diarrhea, dysentery and intestinal diseases.

                    ~* The Pomegranate juice helps to prevent the risk of heart diseases, prevents viral infections and it helps to slowdown the worsening of human cartilage.

                    ~* Pomegranate is rich in fiber which helps proper digestion. Regular intake of this fruit helps to improve immunity and blood circulation since it is also rich in Vitamin-C.

                    ~* It also helps in reducing dental plaques(that causes tooth decay). The juice helps for strong teeth.

                     ~* The fruit and juice is used is said that it may prevent stroke and helps in reducing Alzheimer's disease.

                     ~* Since this fruit has natural sugars it is said to be safe for diabetes.

                     ~* It helps in fighting bone loss and helps during menopause.

Culinary Use :

                    ~* The seeds of the fruit can be taken directly or can be consumed in form of juice which has more advantage.The Pomegranate juice can be added in soups, sorbets and can also be used as flavors in cakes.

                    ~* Pomegranate seeds can be used in salads to increase the taste as well as to garnish.

                    ~* One of my personal experience is my mother used to sprinkle the Pomegranate seeds over the curd rice and give it. Just try this if you like. It tastes good and also adds nutritious value.


After reading this now, you might have understood why I said its worth waiting for this fruit. Make use of this wonderful invaluable gift from God's own nature.

I hereby thank my mother for suggesting me to post about Pomegranate.

Sources :  globalhealingcenter.com
                nutrition-and-you.com
                wikipedia.org
                National Horticulture Board.

Thanks for reading :)

Solitude with Nature

              

Solitude  is the state of being alone or a state of isolation, this is the meaning you could see in a dictionary.. But if you ask me, I would say solitude is somewhat connected with Nature..Its not about loneliness, its about spending some time alone with your inner self through God and with what God has gifted us(i.e.nature)..When solitude is merged with Nature, you could find your way in defining and discovering more about your inner soul.. You could discover your prime purpose in this world.. As said by Thomas Browne, 'All things are artificial, for nature is the art of God'.. You can never ask for more, when God has already gifted us with his own beautiful creations which serves us in many ways.
     
 -*    "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.." - John Muir

 -*    "Solitude is essentially the discovery and acceptance of our uniqueness" - Lawrence Freeman
  
  -*     "I love people. I love my family, my children… but inside myself is a place where I live all and alone and that's where you renew your springs that never dry up " - Pearl S.Buck

  -*     "Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.. " -John Lubbock

Image Source : Internet

In solitude one can quest for true intentions.. It helps to face our fears, to pray for our family, our loved ones whom we miss and it also helps in restoring our energy to make our-self ready for our next assignments..It heals all our misunderstandings, broken hearts and more than that makes us to realize what we are and what we are ought to do.. God has set a best way to understand our-self through solitude..If you closely observe our environment, you could witness many lessons that God has in store for us.. It starts from the busy working ant,honey bee to the magnificent mountains, each and every creatures in our environment stay as an example for us..It is proved by some researchers that if you closely observe the nature's greeny environment you can conquer your stress.. Its absolutely a stress-buster. Whenever you feel stale, just have a gaze or walk with Nature, its consequence would definitely be euphoric..

Here's a video that I have created for solitude with Nature :

Have some time in solitude to discover , to renovate and to restore your energies back..  Enjoy the Nature..

Thanks for reading..