All posts by Sumana Rao

Don't worry about the people in your past; There's a reason they didn't make it to your future.
Adzuki Bean Sprouts & Horse Gram Sprouts

Adzuki Bean Sprouts and Horse Gram Sprouts

Adzuki Bean Sprouts:

The name adzuki comes from the Japanese language, although the pronunciation often sounds like “azuki”. The scientific name of this bean is Vigna angularis, and they grow annually. Like most bean varieties, adzuki beans are high in dietary fiber, one of the key elements of digestive health and also contains rich  protein (25%), fiber and folic acid. A 1/2-cup serving contains 8 grams of protein and less than 1 gram of fat. They are source of Vitamins A, B, C and E, High in Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Magnesium, Potassium, Manganese, Fiber, All Essential Amino Acids except Tryptophan.

Health Benefits 

The most important health benefits of adzuki beans include their ability to aid in weight loss, prevent and manage diabetes, optimize digestion, contribute to growth and repair, increase energy, lower blood pressure, reduce birth defects in infants, and detoxify the body. It supports kidney and bladder function and detoxifies the body.

Horse Gram Sprouts:

Horse gram is rich source of calcium amongst all the legumes. It contains iron, folate and abundant protein content. Sprouted horse gram similar to other sprouts provides good protein, soluble digestive fiber and active enzymes.

Health Benefits

Traditional medicinal texts describes use of these sprouts for asthma, bronchitis, leucoderma, urinary discharge, kidney stones and heart disease. Ayurveda also recommends horse gram for persons suffering from jaundice, rheumatism and  water retention. Similar to other sprouts they reduce cholesterol content because of no fat and good for heart condition. They are also good source of anti-aging process.

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: March 23, 2022
« »
« »

Recommended for you

Green Fashion

Fashion Goes Green! Saris from Banana, Shawls from Lotus, Jeans from Bamboo

Indian fashion designers are using sustainable methods in fashion industry.

We all are contributing to landfills by throwing trash, plastic, and other materials that we don’t want. This includes polyester and cotton clothes too. Fashion industry and designers in India are turning towards sustainable fabric materials by moving away from polyester and cotton. There is no doubt that organic cotton is good for body and cotton clothes are the most desirable materials for all age groups. What we don’t know is, cotton needs more water to grow and to get one kilo of cotton farmers need more than 5000 liters of water and is expensive when it comes to organic cotton.

Banana fiber bangles

To combat growing concern of landfilling and the price hike, fashion designers are using alternate fabric from plants. While Mexican brothers successfully used cacti to manufacture jackets, Indian textile industries are using natural fibers extracted from many edible plants including hemp, jute, lotus, bamboo, flax, banana, pineapple, sugarcane plants by using their cellulose, lignin, pectin to convert into textile fibers.

Banana fabric saree

Traditionally India has been using Agave, Banana, Aloe, jute plants to extract fabric for various purposes. Coconut husk is used for making hard ropes!

Banana saree

Sekar from Anakaputhur is known for his Limca Book of Record for weaving a saree pallu using 25 different natural fibers!

In India, banana plants and leaves are used in day to day lives extensively for various purposes. This could be for decoration, food serving, packing materials etc. C. Sekar who hails from Tamilnadu’s Anakaputhur is president of Anakaputhur Weavers Association says banana stems are the best source to make yarn. Anakaputhur weaving community is associated with textile industry and they use banana, pineapple, bamboo, Aloe vera plants fibers to make yarns. They also have used lotus plants to get silk yarn.

Aloe Pineapple fabric

After extracting the yarn, they use natural dyes from turmeric and indigo. Yarn will be treated with herbs, spice and cow dung because of their antibacterial properties. Tulsi and mint plants are used to ensure a check on skin allergies so that saris should not cause any skin ailment! Using natural fibers this community weave saree and it takes 4 to 5 days to complete one saree. Ananafit is brand name of Sekar’s products.

Hemp is another alternative fabric plant used for garments. In India hemp cannot be grown legally. Neha Rao who is head of Hemp Fabric Lab of Bomby Hemp Company (BOHECO) says, they have to import yarn from China and other South Asian countries. Hemp garments are much softer and comfortable.

Lotus fabric

Arundhati Kumar from Kerala uses cork extracted from cork plant, pinatex from pineapple leaves and desserto from cactus pulp to make vegan leather. Her brand Beej makes handbags, belts and clutches using vegan leather.

Women’s garment made of plastic waste!

Priyal Turakhia based in Siliguri has taken recycling of plastic to a new level. She uses single use plastic to make plastic sequences and beads on handwoven organic cotton for wearable, eye catching fashion. She also has zero-dyeing approach to avoid water pollution in fashion industry. Her brand is named Could Be. Priyal was inspired by the Japanese philosophy of Kintsugi to create Could Be. It incorporates single-use plastics from various plastic scraps including bottles, colorful caps and turning them into something beautiful like skirts and in future to make contemporary designs including daily wear.

Jeans and comforts made of viscose from bamboo is a trend in many countries. Like other plants bamboo is 100 percent biodegradable and keeps water and soil clean. Bamboo fabric gives immense comfort for people who suffer from various conditions including cancer. Bamboo denim jeans in fashion industry is known for material health, recyclability, and traceability.

There is a new trend in Fashion designing. Focus of this new trend is to improve the fashion industry and the environment. While brands like Hugo Boss, Paul Smith, H&M are using Pinatex from pineapple leaves, Prada and Gucci are also opening for plant-based fabric. India’s handloom wavers are also willing to incorporate the new ideas. All they need is support from the public and Government.

References and images attribution:

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: March 16, 2022
« »
« »

Recommended for you

Thandai drink recipe for holi

Celebrate Festival Of Colors Holi With Nutritious Thandai

Festival of colors Holi is celebrated in India in a big way. Celebration of Holi with colors, delicious food is a tradition like other traditional festivals of India. A cold drink called Thandai is prepared specifically on Holi day. Thandai is to mark the beginning of spring and to beat summer heat. It is a sweet and cold drink loaded with nutritious substances and sugar with high calorie full fat milk.

You can prepare thandai with sugar or jaggery and use less fat milk too.

Benefits of nutritious thandai drink: Thandai helps to cool and refreshes the body. It contains dry nuts that are packed with nutrients like fiber, vitamin E, A and protein. Fennel seeds have cooling effect and supports digestive system health. Poppy seeds helps to reduce pain and any irritation in bowel. Saffron is not only antidepressant it also has immune boosting properties.

Ingredients:

  1. Walnut and cashews mix – ¼ cup
  2. Pistachio -1/4 cup (unsalted pistachio)
  3. Almonds – 10
  4. Sesame seeds – 1 Tbsp
  5. Poppy seeds – 1 Tbsp
  6. Fennel seeds – 2 Tbsp
  7. Melon seeds – 2 Tbsp
  8. Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
  9. Nutmeg -1/4 tsp
  10. Rose petals – 2 Tbsp
  11. Pepper powder– 1 tsp
  12. Saffron- ¼ tsp
  13. Jaggery or sugar – as per your taste requirement
  14. Honey – 1 Tbsp (optional)

Preparation:

  1. Soak almonds overnight. Next day, grind to a fine paste with skin.
  2. Grind all other ingredients (except rose petals and saffron) in a dry grinder, prepare a coarse powder.
  3. Now to cold milk add almond paste followed by grinded powder of other ingredients.
  4. Adjust sweet according to your taste. Either add powdered jaggery and honey mix or sugar.
  5. Garnish with saffron and rose petals. Chill the thandai.
  6. Serve thandai in a glass during festival.

Image credit: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/633178028870384527/

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/84794405476180499/

 

 

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: March 15, 2022
« »
« »

Recommended for you

Seed mother Rahibai Popere

Seed mother Rahibai Popere

On this International women’s day, we remember contributions of many women in the field of food and agriculture system like Vandana Shiva, Alison Cayne, Brenda Hastings and others whose works made us think about agriculture and food positively. And our Seed mother Rahibai Popere from Maharashtra is one among them. Even though Rahibai has no formal education what she learnt from her forefathers is helping farmers of Maharashtra and other states in India to save and grow native crops. Rahibai Popere fondly known as “seed mother” was honored recently by Maharashtra Government and also by Indian Government Padmashri awardee. Read more…

In the age of modern Agriculture system, we see hybrid varieties of vegetables and crops that yield bigger in terms of size and quantity. They look nice, are also disease resistance and promise more nutrition value. Many companies have taken over today’s Agriculture system and companies are lobbying for mother earth. This has caused tremendous change in the way we look at crops. While farmers focus was on yield and size, the native crop varieties started suffering a lot and were threatened. As a result, many native crops are almost reached extinction.

How many of us know the importance of native crop varieties? Native crop varieties are not just disease and drought resistant but are nutritive and help in retaining soil fertility. Conservation of wild food resources and agro biodiversity is need of the hour for seed nutritional security and seed sovereignty especially in places where there is less and uneven rainfall and minimum water sources. To retain the native seeds heritage recently Maharashtra government inaugurated a seed bank where agriculture scientists and students can visit to learn about seed from “seed mother” Rahibai Soma Popere!

Rahibai Popere, 54-year-old mother who never went to a school learnt the importance of native crop in a hard way. She is a self-made expert in the field of agro-biodiversity, landrace conservation and several other innovative techniques in paddy crops cultivation. She hails from Kombhalne Village of Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. She is known for her work on conserving and multiplying 48 indigenous landraces of 17 different corps including, hyacinth bean, paddy, pulses, oilseeds and millets!

Rahibai who grew up in a simple village background explains in confidence about her work. She offers training to students and farmers regarding seed selection, soil fertility, pest management and control. In addition, she supplies seedlings of native crops. She urges farmers to grow local varieties rather than hybrid varieties.

“Villagers were falling sick frequently after eating food prepared from hybrid crops”

Rahibai started collecting native crop seeds many years ago. After seeing her grandson falling ill Rahibai was convinced that food grains and vegetables that contain ‘poison’ had made child unhealthy. She told her son to stop buying hybrid seeds, fertilizers and chemicals. She started collecting and saving indigenous seeds, which need just water and air for cultivation as per her experience. She established a small seed bank in her small mud house. Today Rahibai shares her knowledge on crop diversity. She is associated with BAIF Development Research Foundation (Formerly Bharatiya Agro Industries). Her work started in a nursery with black berry and hyacinth beans (nine types), rice, vegetables, beans landraces and shared them with 210 farmers of seven villages of Akole. Rahibai is an active member of Kalsubai Parisar Biyanee Savardhan Samithi a community seed bank in her small house for seed conservation and crop diversity revival along with wild food resources.

Rahibai established this seed bank to work towards a goal. Farmers are given seeds with the condition from her seed bank -that they return twice the quantity of seeds they borrowed!

‘One is the pioneer of one’s own life’: Currently there are about 122 native varieties of 32 different crops are under conservation in the seed bank. “Seed mother” prepares and sells seed packets for kitchen garden. Her expertise is not just for paddy cultivation, it is also in tomato, hyacinth bean cultivation, participatory seed selection and organic farming. Her four-step method to cultivate paddy resulted in 30% increase in yield. She also learnt how to rear poultry in her backyard and established nursery with support from MITTRA (Maharashtra Institute of Technology Transfer for Rural Areas). In addition, Rhaibai involved in improving women life – is helping women to stand on their own legs and to be independent. This woman self-help movement teaches villages sanitation, clean kitchen, wild food importance and seed conservation method! Seed mother Rahibai’s work is appreciated by scientists and Government, she has several awards in her kitty.

The lesson we learn from women like Rahibai is crops that are indigenous responsible for our good health. The selection, conservation and cultivating of native seed (crops) are central to both global food security as well as sustainable agriculture.

References:

  • https://foodtank.com/
  • https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
  • https://www.thebetterindia.com
Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: March 8, 2022
« »
« »

Recommended for you

Star fruit chutney

Star Fruit Chutney Recipe

Carambola, Bimbili or star fruit contains Vitamin C. It is good source of fiber and helps to reduce chronic inflammation. Eating star fruit once a while helps to improve metabolism, reduces anemia and promotes skin rejuvenation and helps night sleep. It is a low-calorie fruit and promotes weight loss.

Fruits are about 5-15 cm long and when sliced looks like star. Unripe fruit is green or light green and rich in juice. Taste of the fruit ranges from sour to sweet. Apart from eating raw fruits one can prepare jam, chutney and sweet curry using bimbili fruits. Star fruit chutney is a simple vegan recipe and chutney can be served with rice, chapati etc.

Ingredients For chutney:

  1. Starfruits -3
  2. Dry Red Chilli-2
  3. Turmeric Powder-1/4 tsp
  4. Jaggery powder – 1 tsp
  5. Salt- to taste
  6. Mustard Seeds-1 tsp
  7. Urad dal – 1 tsp
  8. Curry leaves – few
  9. Asafetida – pinch
  10. Oil – 2 Tbsp

Preparation:

  1. Select un-ripened starfruits for chutney making. Wash and cut them to thin slices.
  2. Heat a Tbsp oil on medium heat, add red chili, urad dal, turmeric powder and star fruit slices. Fry them.
  3. Remove the fried star fruit from heat source, allow it to cool.
  4. Add jaggery powder and salt and grind to a paste.
  5. Season chutney using, curry leaves, mustard, and asafetida. Transfer seasoning to start fruit chutney.
  6. Serve star fruit chutney with rice, chapati, idli, paratha or bread.

Image credit: Image by Paresh Biswas from Pixabay  (CC by 0)

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: March 6, 2022
« »
« »

Recommended for you

Choice of finger foods for baby

Finger Foods For Growing Baby

Parents with babies who just started solid food sometime will have tough time to find proper finger foods and recipes. Even though it is a thrilling experience to feed baby not all babies will show interest eating the food that parents wants them to eat. Transition from mushy foods to finger foods means baby will start eating by using her little fingers. Picking food and putting in mouth helps baby to develop coordination between hand and mouth and improves motor skills. Baby also will start developing taste buds and will show tantrums to eat.

When to start finger foods? Introduce finger food when baby is between 7-9 months of age. This is when most babies start grasping, learned how to use hands and putting fingers in mouth.

Before starting finger food make sure your baby is ready for:

  1. Sitting on high baby stool
  2. Has control on head and trunk
  3. Able to bring hand to mouth
  4. Shows interest in food and while you eat wants to grab food from you.

Which are the best finger foods parents can provide for baby?

  1. Fruits: Mango, papaya, fresh blueberries cut into half, raspberries cut into small pieces,  watermelons, cherries (seeds removed and cut into 4 pieces),  apple slices, muskmelons, banana, cut grapes, cut pear  are best finger foods. You can give all of them together in a baby’s bowl or give one fruit finger food at a time.
  2. Vegetables: Cooked sweet potato or baked sweet potato, carrots, pumpkins, small cut and boiled broccoli, cooked squash, green peas, roasted zucchini – these are best for babies. Add little butter or ghee with slight touch of salt for extra flavor.
  3. Raw veggeis: Cucumber slices, cut grape tomatoes or regular tomatoes,
  4. Avocado diced and smashed pieces are recommended
  5. Teething biscuits, lightly toasted pieces of bread, dry cereal (like cheerios)
  6. Peanut butter puffs, puffs, pancake cut into smaller pieces
  7. Pieces of tofu is good for baby. Dice and sauté it slightly or steam it. Shredded cheese is healthy too.
  8. Boiled corn that is sweet and soft can be served
  9. Well cooked spaghetti pieces with boiled veggie pieces is recommended.
  10. If you are planning to give beans, well cooked bean is good source of protein.
  • Babies make faces when they eat. Do not assume that they don’t like what you gave. They want to scrunch the nose and don’t fall for it!
  • For each meal choose 2-3 foods from food groups. Include some fats and protein. Mixing food groups is a good idea. When they grow up it serves as healthy snack item.
  • Prepare fresh food and serve slightly warm food. Make sure whatever you serve is cut into small pieces and baby can hold it and can put in little mouth
  • Start with small portions and see how baby feels. Give importance to texture of food – food should be soft but not mushy. Baby should have a grip on food. Best is to start with stick shaped foods.
  • Keep separate baby bowl. Fill the bowl with food or in a small baby plate that also has puree to dip into.
  • If you have leftovers put food in airtight container and keep in fridge. Do not feed cold food to baby. Make sure to warm food before giving it to baby
  • Sometimes the food you cook for family with less or no spices can be smashed and given to baby. If you are serving curry – take few pieces of vegetables, wash in water before giving it to baby so that there is no spice in the veggie. It takes time for baby to get used to spices and flavors. Best is to give bland food with little salt, butter, or ghee.

Which finger foods should parent avoid?

  1. Any hard vegetables and fruits and larger pieces that baby cannot handle and cannot put in mouth
  2. Do not give fruits with seeds. Remove seeds from fruits. Seeds can go inside windpipe and create difficulty.
  3. Do not give chewing gum or jelly type of food
  4. No popcorn, pretzels, and hard crust food
  5. Avoid giving nuts – sometimes nuts can cause allergy. Till you find out about baby’s nuts allergy do not give nuts.
  6. No candies, marshmallows, and spicy foods.
  7. No sweets, potato chips or junk foods.

Watch baby eating, interfere only when you feel she has not eaten the quantity that she should be eating for her age. Encourage eating healthy foods. Parents should join baby or bring baby to dining area and make her sit with you for meal. As parents and family eat, baby will also get curious and imitates. This will make baby eat her food.

Image credit: Image by avitalchn from Pixabay (CC by 0)

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: March 3, 2022
« »
« »

Recommended for you

Bilva For Health and Energy

Bilva Plant For Health And Energy

Bilva tree is an ancient tree which is auspicious. Also known as Bael, it is an important tree that is known for its spiritual as well as medicinal importance. It is considered as very auspicious in Hindus as per the belief this plant and leaves are liked by Lord Shiva. Most of the Bilva leaves grow as ternate represents Tripatra and compared to Lord Shiva’s three eyes. On Shivarathri day all most all Hindu temples offer Bilva leaves for Lord Shiva. Tree is grown in forest and found near Shiva temples.

Leaves of Bilva is used by Indians for many purposes. Its use is mentioned in Vedas which are oldest and ancient period on earth. Botanical name for Bilva is Aegel mermelos and it belongs to Rutaceae (curry leaf ) family. Tree grows up to 30-40 feet. Tender stem and leaves, fruits are used in medicines.

Medicinal properties of bilva:

Fruits: Helps to cure vata and kapha dosha imbalance, it has a pungent and bitter taste and juice of the fruit contains anti-inflammatory property. It improves metabolism and digestive system. Because of antioxidants content and laxative properties, fruits are used to cure stomach related conditions such as dysentery, diarrhea, vomiting.

Roots: In traditional herbal treatments, a mixture of  bael’s dried root powder with clarified butter -ghee and turmeric powder was used to treat fractured bones.

Leaves: Rich in vitamins and minerals and other important nutrients such as, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, riboflavin, calcium, potassium, fiber, Vitamin B1, B6, and B12. Hence the leaves are included in Ayurvedic tonics for improving immune system health. Leaves are also helpful in controlling diabetes and improves heart health. It reduces bad cholesterol and hypertension condition. Leaves are used in skin conditions to reduce odor, removes spots and reduces rashes on skin. It helps to rejuvenate skin.

Other health benefits of Bilva plant:

  • Drinking fruit or leaves juice improves hair health.
  • For peptic ulcer: Soaking leaves overnight and drinking the water in the morning daily helps to relieve sinusitis, gastritis, and indigestion.
  • Appetite: Bilva roots are used for increasing appetite. Mix one Tbsp of dried bilva leaves in glass of buttermilk, add little cumin powder and drink daily to increase appetite.
  • For lungs: Traditionally, leaves are used in curing asthma and cold related issues of respiratory organs
  • For diabetes: Adding bilva leaves in recipes helps to control blood sugar level.
  • For constipation: Bilva juice with salt and pepper is a good remedy to get rid of constipation problem.
  • For intestinal worms: Pungent and bitter taste of fruit juice helps to eliminate intestinal worms. One can also use dried bilva leaves powder -simply add it to warm water and drink twice a day for up to three days. Or consume fruit pulp with little jaggery.
  • For wounds: Use bilva leaves, fruit pulp, roots to make juice. Add honey for juice and drink. This juice helps to heal wound fast.
  • For hair health: Fruit pulp can be massaged on to scalp with coconut oil. Leave it for half an hour or so and wash using lukewarm water. Doing this twice in a week for couple of months will help hair to improve texture.
  • Bilva is memory booster: Eating ripe fruit with jaggery helps to improve memory
  • Blood purifier: Prepare fruit juice using lukewarm water, add one tsp honey and drink daily morning.
  • Did you know that growing bilva at home garden removes all negative vibes and increases positive energy in and around house. Yogis used to light lamps under bilva tree to impart knowledge to all.
  • Tender stem and leaves of bilva can be cooked to make chutney and soup. Both these recipes are diabetic friendly. For bilva chutney recipe please click here.

How to prepare  bilva fruit  soup?

For bilva soup you need following ingredients:

  • Green gram-1/4 cup,
  • Barley -1/4 cup
  • Bilva fruit dry powder – 2 Tbsp
  • Salt
  • Ghee
  • Mustard
  • Curry leave
  • Cumin
  • Asafetida
  • Buttermilk – 2 cups
  • Water -1 cup

Preparation;

  1. Soak and cook green gram and barley separately in a pressure cooker.
  2. Place a thick bottom vessel on medium heat, add ghee, and add bilva fruit powder and sauté on low flame.
  3. Transfer cooked green gram and barley to ghee -bilva fruit powder mix.
  4. Mix well by adding half cup water and let it boil for couple of minutes
  5. Turn off heat and allow mix to cool.
  6. Once the mix cools, add butter milk and salt. Mix well.
  7. Prepare seasoning with ghee, cumin, mustard, curry leaves and little hing. Add this to soup and serve.

Bilva leaves, fruits and dry powder of bilva plant are available in market. Keeping dry leaves and fruit powder will be helpful for many conditions and can be used in above mentioned conditions as home remedies. Pregnant women should avoid consuming bilva. Like any other herbal medicines avoid mixing bilva medicines if you are taking any allopathic medicines.

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: March 1, 2022
« »
« »

Recommended for you

Baking soda tips

16 Benefits of Baking Soda In Day To Day Life

Keep baking soda at your kitchen cabinet all the time. There are many uses of baking soda that help us to save money. The alkaline quality of baking soda is great for cleaning purposes and eliminates odor. This property also makes it safe on skin and one can use it as an exfoliant. How to use baking soda for various purposes at home?

  1. Clean fruits and vegetables: Baking soda removes surface dust and attached microbes on fruits and vegetables. For one big bowl add 2 Tbsp baking soda and mix. Soak freshly bought veggies and fruits in water containing baking soda water and leave it for 15 to 20 mins. Remove and wash in regular tap water before using them.
  2. Use it as mouth wash: Oral hygiene is critical for our health. Sometimes mouth can give out bad odor. To reduce the odor and to keep gum healthy, mix 1 tsp baking soda in 100 ml water. Mix and use it to rinse mouth. It removes bad breath and foul odor from mouth.
  3. For body odor control: Did you know? You can use baking powder and lemon juice mix to eliminate sweat odor? It is a natural deodorant. You can mix both to prepare paste and apply in arm pit. You can also apply just the baking soda in armpits to eliminate the odor.
  4. Get rid of itching: Insect bites can cause itching. When bit by mosquitoes especially, mix a tsp of baking soda to a cup of water. Apply this on affected skin area, leave it for few minutes and wash using warm water.
  5. Teeth whitener: To naturally whiten teeth, take two strawberries and 1 tsp of baking soda. Mix by crushing strawberry. Apply this mix onto teeth and leave it for 5 to 7 mins. Brush teeth. Do this at least twice a week to get white teeth.
  6. Use it for cleaning: Sprinkle baking soda on cutting board, apply lemon juice or vinegar. Leave it for some time and wash using dish soap. You will have clean cutting board. Use baking soda to clean fridge, microwave –for fridge- to warm water add one tsp baking soda and little lemon juice. Leave the container in fridge for couple of hours. Run microwave with container (microwavable) for about 5 mins. Wipe the inside of microwave. This eliminates odor and helps to remove the stains.
  7. For Sunburn: Baking soda helps to reduce impact of sunburn. Prepare a cold press using baking soda and cold water. Wet a towel in a mix of baking soda and cold water and apply the compress on burnt skin. This reduces burning sensation and redness.
  8. Use for tired foot: Soak feet in a bucket or big bowl of water containing baking soda. Use warm water. Sit for 30 mins. Remove feet from baking soda water and wash using normal water. This tip helps to reduce tiredness in legs and feet.
  9. Cleaning toe and fingernails: Apply baking soda on nails of toe and fingers. Use a nail brush and clean the nails.
  10. Apply between toes: Applying baking soda between toes helps to reduce any itching and cleans the area.
  11. To get clean skin: Apply a mix of baking soda and lemon juice paste on face. Avoid eye area. Leave it for five mins and rinse face using warm water. This mix acts as cleansing and exfoliating agent leaving behind clean skin.
  12. Acts as a fire extinguisher: Did you know that baking soda is good fire extinguisher. Keep boxes of baking soda in kitchen shelf. In case of fire, pour baking soda on the fire to stop disaster.
  13. To eliminate odor of garbage cans: Sprinkle baking soda inside garbage can, leave it for an hour and wash. Or, mix baking soda in water, apply this inside the cans.
  14. To remove oil stains: As soon as you spill oil on cloth, pat excess oil with a tissue and then apply baking soda and water mix generously on oil stain. Leave it for an hour or so then brush the area.
  15. Carpet cleaner and deodorizer: To remove dirt and grime from carpet, sprinkle baking soda on carpet followed b vacuum. You can use essential oil like tree oil and mix baking soda in a sprayer bottle and apply on carpet and then vacuum too. This technique removes dampness from carpets and eliminates any hidden germs.
  16. Keep clothes clean and odor free: During monsoon and winter clothes can remain dampen. This could cause mold to grow. Same issue is with dampen shoes. Sprinkle baking soda on clothes and on shoes. This not only removes moisture, also eliminates odor and protects clothes and shoes from fungus.  

Image credit: Image by Monfocus from Pixabay (CC by 0)

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: February 28, 2022
« »
« »

Recommended for you