The unique aroma and taste of Irani chai and Madras coffee is an instant mood lifter, but they come loaded with undesirable calories and

caffeine.
If you must have your daily cuppa or cuppas, the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) advises switching to a healthier version of tea and coffee,

Barleria lupulina or Hophead is a mountainous plant that grows wild in the hilly regions of India. It is not native to India, Barleria was introduced into the country from outside. Thanks to its medicinal properties, local Ayurvedic and Unani practitioners included this herb in their pharmacopeia. The herb is also called the Philippine violet.

A cheaper alternative to saffron, Bixa Orellana is a natural dye that’s free of any toxicity. It is used as a colouring agent in food preparations, like saffron. Bixa Orellana is commonly known as the Lipstick Tree or achiote. It is present in many parts of the globe and has been used in local traditional medicines through the ages.

CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury on Monday dropped indications of a possible merger of his party and the CPI.

X eromphis spinosa or Mainphal is a shrub that’s native to north India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Mainphal is widely used in Unani and Ayurvedic as well as ethnic medication methods practiced by tribals in north India.
The Xeromphis is called an emetic nut as it induces vomiting and tribals have been using it to clean the stomach

Decalepsis hamiltonii or Swallow Root is an ancient herb that has been used for centuries by tribes deep in the jungles, down the Vindhyas. Though there have been several claims about its medicinal properties, it’s only of late that scientific studies have been conducted to verify some of these. The herb has been found to be good at

Parsley or Petroselinum crispum is a native of the Middle East. But it is now grown widely for its medicinal properties and health value. This herb is used in Ayurveda, Unani and even in the modern medicine.

It was the summer of 1994.

Sesamum indicum or gingelly is one of the oldest herbs known to man. In fact, man started cultivating this herb almost 4,500 years ago. Sesamum has been associated with a number of civilisations, including the Egyptian, Middle Eastern and Indus Valley. The medicinal properties of Sesamum have been exploited to their fullest in almost all systems of medicine. It is believed that the plant had its origin in Africa and later spread to the world.

We all know that Eucalyptus is a natural remedy for common cold. It has been used in folk and tribal medicines for thousands of years. It is now used in Unani, Ayurvedic and modern medical preparations too. But what many do not know is that Eucalyptus has special properties to fight infection (antibiotic), it helps in the excretion of urine from the body to provide relief from swelling and inflammation (diuretic) and prevents the formation of cancerous cells in the body (anti-tumour).