blog

Leaving sugar for Honey! But is it a better choice?
Honey is among the most popular and widely used sweeteners with enormous health benefits. Honey and sugar both fall under the category of sweeteners. However, the theory of “not all sugars are created equal” comes to the helm of affairs when the question arises about how honey is healthier than sugar.   Have you ever heard the phrase: “White sugar is empty calories?” That’s because white sugar contains sugars and nothing else. But raw honey contains additional nutrients, including amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. These phytochemicals have anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and... Read more...
True to Nature
20 years ago, Shillong was a quiet and quaint place in India. The drive from Guwahati Airport to Shillong on the single-lane highway was mesmerising. As we travelled across the lush green landscape, a river on the side of the road became our constant companion. Monsoons in Meghalaya are particularly beautiful. The name Meghalaya means ‘the abode of clouds’ and it is the wettest regions in India. One could literally touch the clouds here with the car windows rolled down. The beauty of Meghalaya was multiplied manifold by its people... Read more...
The Daughters of Himalaya
The seven states of North East are also known as ‘ the seven sisters’. This makes them a family unit in the foothills of the Himalayas.  But once you visit the North East you will realize that only 6 of these states are sisters. The 7th state, Assam is more like an elder brother who flexes his muscles occasionally and even resorts to bullying sometimes. The six sisters are quite similar and it’s hard to reach each one’s home. They have traditionally had no ports to reach them and are ‘landlocked’... Read more...
Tea & Trivia
Made In North East India Think of North East India and one imagines aromatic and subtle tea flavors, heartwarming music, tribal exotica, cottage industries, award-winning sportsmen and sportswomen, wildlife sanctuaries and stunning locales. But the seven sister states i.e. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura, along with Sikkim are all that and much more. Arunachal Pradesh has potential to produce 60,000 Megawatt (MW) of energy, or approximately 25 per cent of India’s current power generating capacity. It is amongst India’s leading producers of orchids and fruits like... Read more...
The Tussle Over Turmeric!
For most of us in North India, winter is a paradox – a troublesome yet enticing season marked with bone-chilling weather and finger-licking good food. It’s the time to enjoy nature’s bounty and to preserve some of it for the rest of the year as delicious pickles. Read more...
3 reasons why I am an Organic Farmer
We all love organic food – it’s good for the environment and it’s good for our bodies.  But let’s face it; organic food is mostly accessible to the elite and the upper middle class. The average Joe and ordinary Jane like you and me still find it unaffordable because it is considered so ‘exotic’. Read more...
4 things you did not know about Chillies
When it comes down to the Chilli, we are all divided on where we stand. Some of us love it till the tears come rolling down; while others do all they can to avoid it. Love it or hate it, this is a spice you simply can’t ignore. So here’s a Chilli lover busting some common myths for you! Read more...
Niangtaser: An insect, a festival, a story, a film!
An Insect that emerges once in four years on the surface of the earth. An insect which people wait for as a guest that comes once in four years. An insect that comes as a hope that turns life into a celebration with its unique color and taste. How many such insects do we know with so much passion? The answer is simple, not even one. But rural and tribal societies have many such creatures that are rich with life and are food for people.  Many of us have eaten... Read more...
2 reasons why Turmeric is not working for you
So you have Turmeric everyday, but does your body really absorb its goodness? Not really. Your body absorbs only a small amount of Turmeric in a day no matter how much of it you consume. So say no to downing several spoons of it just in the name of health. What really matters is whether your body absorbs the active component of Turmeric, Curcumin. Curcumin is important because it is known to have healing anti-oxidant properties that help fight Cancer, Alzheimers and even depression. Scientifically, your body metabolizes or breaks... Read more...
Sacred Groves: The Eternal Bond
“Mary all of 8 years, stood there with a deep sense of purpose. With her grandmother and the rest of the tribe in tow, she prayed sincerely for the prosperity and well being of the region. Soon, she took out the indigenous lemon sapling from her little bag and offered it at the ‘Sacred Grove’, hoping and believing that this unique fragrant plant flourishes throughout the region and grows here forever,” explained Mary’s mother. Our rendezvous at the Nungsten teashop in a quaint district in Meghalaya had me utterly fascinated and... Read more...
Bamboo: Spare the wood for the trees
Bamboo. A little word which evokes a thousand images in one’s mind. From luck-bearing Feng Shui plants and intricately crafted jewelry, lamps, bowls, baskets, boxes and mats to comfortable natural furniture, eco-friendly huts, and scaffoldings for construction and maintenance. In the recent times bamboo is also reminiscent of iconic forest martial art scenes from Chinese cinema and the loveable animated panda, ‘Po’ drooling over a green stem. In a world that’s struggling to discover new means for sustainable living this simple grass or tree, whatever you like to think it is,... Read more...
Have your Turmeric & Eat it too!
We all know that consuming a spoon of turmeric powder Turmeric adds to our everyday health by reducing the risks associated with several problems like cancer, depression, inflammation, common colds etc. But let’s be honest, consuming a spoon of raw or powdered turmeric with milk and a pinch of pepper everyday is no mean feat! Whether you are a 7-year old or a 70-year old you will make some excuse or the other to avoid it. So why not blend and twist flavors to whip-up a delicious healthy beverage that you can have... Read more...