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10 Easy Snack Ideas to Stay Energized During Office Hours
During busy office hours, a healthy snack can pacify those inevitable hunger pangs between meals. Finding nutritious, dry, and easy-to-store snacks keeps office employees energized and focused. Here are ten simple and healthy snack ideas that can be easily incorporated into a busy workday.
10 Healthy Office Snack Ideas to Keep You Productive
Almonds: The Powerhouse Nut
Almonds are a perfect snack for busy employees during office hours. They offer numerous health benefits and are packed with healthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium, and vitamin E.
Almonds help lower cholesterol levels, reduce hunger, and manage weight. Their high protein content supports muscle repair, while magnesium boosts energy levels and promotes relaxation. The antioxidants in almonds also protect against oxidative stress, making them a nutritious and convenient option to keep you energized and focused throughout the workday.
Read more: Health Benefits of Different Types of Nuts
Cashews: Nutritious and Convenient
Cashews are a convenient and nutritious snack for everyone. Rich in healthy fats, protein, magnesium, and vitamins, cashews support heart health, boost energy, and improve bone strength. Their high magnesium content helps reduce fatigue and muscle cramps, while the protein aids in muscle repair and keeps you feeling full longer.
Cashews also contain antioxidants that protect against cellular damage and promote overall well-being. Easy to keep and enjoy, cashews are a perfect mid-morning snack during office hours.
Walnuts: Brain-Boosting Goodness
Walnuts are an excellent snack choice for busy employees needing a nutritious boost. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamin E, walnuts support brain health, reduce inflammation, and improve heart health. Their high fiber content aids digestion and keeps you feeling full longer, while the protein provides sustained energy throughout the day.
Walnuts also contain essential minerals like magnesium and phosphorus, which help maintain bone health and muscle function. All these benefits make walnuts a convenient and healthy snack option for staying focused at the office.
Read more: Top 10 Healthy Seeds to Eat
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds: Crunchy and Nutritious
Roasted pumpkin seeds are a nutritious and convenient snack for busy employees. They are packed with antioxidants, magnesium, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids, offering numerous health benefits.
These seeds support heart health, regulate blood sugar levels, and boost the immune system. Their magnesium content aids muscle function and relaxation, while zinc enhances cognitive performance and immunity. Roasted pumpkin seeds also provide a satisfying crunch and are easy to store, making them an ideal mid-morning snack.
Dried Mangoes: Sweet and Healthy
Dried mangoes are a tasty and nutritious snack during office hours. Rich in vitamins A and C, fiber, and antioxidants, dried mangoes support eye health, boost the immune system, and improve skin health. The natural sugars in dried mangoes provide a quick energy boost, while the fiber aids digestion and keeps you feeling full longer.
Additionally, the antioxidants help protect cells from damage. Easy to store and carry, dried mangoes are a convenient and healthy option to keep you energized.
Read more: How to Make Baklava at Home: Versatile Recipes from Different Cultures
4 months ago
Healthy Alternatives to Cakes and Cookies: 7 Delicious and Nutritious Swaps
Cakes and cookies or biscuits, with their delightful flavors and textures, have carved a special place in the ever-evolving culinary culture. Their universal appeal transcends borders, making them beloved indulgences across the globe. However, beneath their sweet charm lie potential health concerns. This article explores the health risks of Cakes and biscuits, offering seven nutritious alternatives to satisfy your cravings.
Health Risks of Cakes and Cookies
Cakes and biscuits, though tempting, come with a set of health risks that should not be overlooked. Here are the key concerns:
High Sugar and Refined Flour Content
Cakes and cookies usually contain sugar and refined flour, causing rapid spikes in blood sugar levels.
Consistent high sugar consumption can lead to insulin resistance, paving the way for diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Read more: Natural Sweeteners: 7 Healthy Alternatives of Refined Sugar
Saturated Fats and Cholesterol Levels
These baked foods often contain solid and highly saturated fats like butter and palm oil, which can increase low-density cholesterol levels.
Margarine or butter used in cakes can contribute to raised cholesterol levels in the blood.
Dental Issues
The sugary and starchy nature of cakes and cookies can contribute to cavities and dental problems over time.
Weight Gain
Cakes are rich in carbohydrates and fats, making them calorie-dense and conducive to weight gain.
Read more: 10 Best Teas for Weight Loss
Blood Glucose Spikes
Sugar is one of the most common ingredients used in baking cakes. The sugar in cakes can lead to higher blood glucose levels, increasing the risk of developing diabetes over time.
1 year ago
Seeds For The Future competition: Eight Bangladeshi students fly to Thailand
The winners of Huawei's Seeds For The Future 2022 Bangladesh recently left for Thailand to take part in the Asia Pacific regional round of the competition.
They will compete with 112 students from 10 other countries.
Seeds for the Future 2022 Bangladesh round ended in July with nine winners. The competition is now heading to its regional round.
Read: 'Seeds for the Future 2022 Bangladesh' inaugurated
In the upcoming round, the participants will be involved in several interactive activities, including cultural tours, workshops, and lectures focused on digital innovation, Metaverse, sustainability, and leadership.
Based on their performance in different activities and idea presentations in this regional round, 30 winners will be move forward to the "Tech4Good accelerator camp," which will start on August 29 in Singapore.
2 years ago
Quinoa: Cultivating the 'mother of all grains'
One of the world's most popular health foods that have its roots in South America, quinoa is now being grown in Bangladesh for the domestic market.
High in protein, dietary fiber, and amino acids, quinoa is often referred to as the mother of all grains. It is basically a herbaceous annual plant grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds. Its cultivation has already spread to 70 countries, including the US.
Also read: Provide digital cards to farmers: Speakers
And in Bangladesh too, after five years of research at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, the cultivation of the rainfed crop has begun in isolated pockets in the districts of Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, and Patuakhali. However, its farming is still at a nascent stage.
"Following my application, the Ministry of Agriculture approved the cultivation of quinoa in Bangladesh in September 2020,” Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University's agronomy Prof Parimal Kanti Biswas told UNB.
"After five years of research, I have started cultivating quinoa at the field level. The results are expected," he added.
Read Manirampur farmers making money by broccoli farming
3 years ago
Terrace Gardening: Tips, Tricks, and Guidelines for Beginners
Gardening is a great way to keep our body and mind fresh. Besides, it is also a popular way to pass our lazy time. But, for urban people, gardening might be a dream as there is not enough space. Still, some enthusiasts started to make a garden on their roof whether it has large or small space. Rooftop gardening is an old concept, but beginners may find it difficult to make a garden on the rooftop. So, understanding the idea and process is necessary before making up your mind to start a rooftop garden. Hence, we have focused on rooftop gardening tips, tricks, and guidelines for Beginners.
Benefits of Gardening
Gardening is not just about giving your home a good look. It is beneficial for your own physical and mental well-being. A good amount of physical exercise can keep your body fit. However, gardening can contribute to your physical exercise, which can eventually improve your mental health. And it is more useful during this COVID -19 pandemic.
You may need to spend hours to take care of your garden; hence it can burn your calories, and gardening is comparable to some sort of intense exercise. One hour of active gardening can burn about 330 calories from your body, and it increases your body’s metabolism. Therefore, your body’s immunity system gets boosted.
Gardening is correlated with stress reduction and ultimately fights against depression and anxiety. In other words, it can be said that your body and mind will stay fresh. It is evident that we may face stress due to the current coronavirus pandemic; even the healthy person can get stressed too. So, gardening can help you out to divert your mind and get you to relieve yourself from stress.
Read Terrace farming gains traction in cities
Basic Guidelines of Terrace gardening for the Beginners
Want to start rooftop gardening, but not sure how to start? Here we will provide you some basic guidelines for your ultimate rooftop gardening. Let’s go through the basic preparation first.
Check the drainage system
Although most of the roof has a good drainage system, some roof may block the water or does not have enough slope to pass the water. Since the rooftop garden requires more water than the regular garden, you may expect an overflow of the water. So, it is mandatory to check out the roof’s drainage system. If there is any problem with that, you will need to fix it before starting the garden.
Also read: 3 Ways To Live Eco-Friendly in Dhaka
Soil
The important thing is to grow your garden. For the novice gardener buying a balanced soil consisting of fertilizer is recommended. You can get by that from the nearby nursery. But the amount of needed soil depends on your garden size. So, it is necessary to know the pot or container you will use to plant your trees.
Equipment
Before starting the gardening process, you should collect some basic equipment such as gloves, hoses, water cans, rakes, trowels, and other tools. Apart from these, you may choose your own relevant tools too.
Temperature
Checking out your rooftop’s temperature is highly essential because, depending on that, you will need to buy plants. You will also need to check the roof’s position measuring the sun. And you cannot grow any kind of plant on your roof due to Bangladesh’s humid weather. In high humidity or tropical areas, plants need extra care. So, it would be better if you educate yourself about the sunlight on your roof.
Also read: Best Home and Office Shifting Services in Dhaka
Water
Though the water necessity depends on the plant, you are planning to grow. However, it is always better to have easy access to water on your roof so that you can water your garden whenever you need it. On the other hand, overwatering can hinder your plants. Educating yourself about the plants is highly recommended to know the needs of water.
Grow you plant
Now that you have everything ready, you are ready to grow your plants. Whether you want to grow the plants from seed or put want to grow flower trees, the raised beds or pots are necessary. So, get your required pot or raised beds and then fill the half portion with soil and then rope your desired tree and then fill the rest of the part. And then continue this step for other pots too. Gradually you will see your garden growing.
Read IFAD supports smallholder farmers with nutritious homestead vegetable gardening kits
Tips and Tricks for Rooftop Gardening
Gardening is fun, but sometimes it can be difficult to manage if you don’t plan properly. Some tips and tricks can make your gardening life easier.
Firstly, put your pots or raised bed in the appropriate places, depending on the plant’s characteristics. For example, you should put sun-loving plants in the open space, where they can get enough rays. And keep other plants under the shades.
Secondly, watering the plants carefully. As we have mentioned earlier, overwatering can damage the root. As a result, your plant may die. However, there are some plants that need more water than others. So, make sure you know your plants well. Do not grow some plants that have a deep and aggressive root system.
Thirdly, for the better growth of your plant, try to feed liquid fertilizer that contains high potassium and low nitrogen. The appropriate amount of potassium can increase the growth of flowers and fruits.
For the rooftop garden, balancing while planting can ensure the overall growth of the plants. Make sure you maintain diversity when selecting the plants. A combination of large plants, small trees, shrubs, ground cover can balance your garden. Besides, it can be eye-soothing too.
Read Possible Food Crisis: Vegetable gardening at courtyards of 6.5 lakh houses planned
Where to Buy Terrace Gardening Supplies Online?
If you want to buy all the gardening stuffs such as seeds, fertilizers, plants, tools, etc., online, there are many websites that can get your job done. For example, Daraz, garder.com.bd, mygardenbd.com, bonayon.com, and aci-bd.com.
Online Courses to Learn Gardening
If you have no idea about gardening and want to get practical experience in gardening, you can take some online courses. If you have an international credit card, you can visit udemy.com, skillshare.com, or masterclass.com and enroll in some world-class gardening courses. For example, you can try Ron Finley’s gardening class on masterclass.com and Gardening 101 on skillshare.com.
Although there are not enough online courses available in Bangladesh for gardeners, you can try different channels to learn gardening. You can search on YouTube about gardening in Bangladesh. Besides, you may also visit oregonbd.org/online-course to get a complete idea of gardening.
Read Rooftop Gardening: Way to Release Stress and Promote Health during Pandemic
3 years ago