Phase

Naan Kadavul

One reason why I love to watch Tamil movies is that most of them have fantastic and least expected story ideas and twists. Most of them are offbeat and dont do well in the box office. As it usually happens, the general public being more keen on commercial stuff..

Yesterday I watched Naan Kadavul. Naan Kadavul (I am God) is a 2009 Tamil film co-written and directed by Bala, based on the Tamil novel Yezhaam Ulagam by Jayamohan who also penned the dialogues for the film. The film stars Arya and Pooja Umashanker in the lead roles. The music is composed by Ilaiyaraaja.

The movie begins with a man coming to Kashi in search of his son — a boy he abandoned 14 years ago on the advise of astrologers, who said he would only bring ill-luck to the family. Walking along the numerous ghats, in search of him. He finds him there but is shocked to learn that he has become an Aghori.

He begs his son’s guru and takes him home to Malaikoil in Tamil Nadu, but a boy used to the ways of the aghora can never adjust to the rules of society.



Rudra leaves his house and takes up residence among sadhus on a hilltop shrine, where physically challenged people are forced to beg by a syndicate run by the devilish Thandavan (Rajendran). The story continues..

I liked the Aghori idea and Arya's acting... But I had to FF most of the scenes with beggars coz, they were too long and detailed beyond my patience.

Baki thek hai.. :)

NOKJ

Saw 'No one killed Jessica" yest.. I liked the movie. SOme scenes are very dragging and I waited to watch Rani Mukherji's action till the interval came.. Some scenes are also unnecessary.. Donno y the hell they were there. Overall good. Worth watching.. A lil over acting by Rani Mukherji.. Vidya Balan excellent.. Overall fabulous work done by all,..

I was jus wondering one thing..
The murder was kind of accidental like Salman khan's hit and run case.. Both drunk and lost control. Manu Sharma asks for liquor which Jessica refuses since they close the bar. Manu Sharma, to threaten her, aims the gun at her. He shoots the ceiling and tries to threaten her.. SHe is stubborn.. He isnt wearing his glasses and has his eyesight, a lil blurd. He again with an intention to threaten her tries to shoot close to her and ends up bursting her head..

Its been a great job by all those who joint hands and fought for justice for the Lal family. I really like Salman Khan and he is a fabulous actor. Known for being easy going and good at heart person, he managed to escape. But isnt his deed more worse then this? He ended up killing many.. If u remember the case when Drunk Salman Khan lost control over driving and ran over ppl sleeping on the foot path..

This is just my view about both cases and no intention to hurt or harm anyone's sentiments. Its jus what I thought and i welcome ur views.. I really wanna know whether this thought that crossed my mind was right.

Manmadhan Ambu

Manmadhan Ambu written by Kamal Hassan, he stars himself alongside R. Madhavan and Trisha Krishnan in the lead roles. As expected, Kamal steals the show throughout the film. He is so so very stylish.. Audience will enjoy the rib tickling funny styles all the way. Trisha is cute and graceful and Madhavan is excellent as a villy. Usha Uthup’s entry was a surprise and she was amazing too, and so were the two kids.. Remarkable casting has resulted in some fine performances by all players.

I loved the beginning and the over all story initially, which twitches your emotions with in seconds. A moment your heart would pump high with sympathy and the next moment you would giggle.. This was very tactful and done fantastically, must say!!! Cleverly written and sharply cast, it is a film that delivers hearty laughs.

But for the end.. Ya the end was like a doop.. Confusion confusion close to the end, did create comedy and the hall roared in laughter.. Post confusion, the ending was something like Jack a Jill story.. Nothing so great to boast about, but for the acting and comedy, it did its job.. Fultoo entertainment..

Something I realized while walking out of the hall. Today people really crave for comedy movies… All want to relax from the tiring schedule that they go through.. Light movies to jus chillax.. Simple is beautiful.. The same old ‘dirty talking’ comedy has become really boring.. High time they thought of some quality jokes then struggling with cheapstick comedy and wasting money making movies..

Facts on Fats

Health benefits of fats. Sounds quite confusing doesn’t it? And the debate goes on. Are fats good or bad for us? How much fat is consumable? How much is the requirement to the body? What types of fat are good for health? The list of questions often knock our mind in this struggle to stay healthy and look fit besides protecting from diseases.

When it comes to cholesterol, most of us worry about too much of the 'bad' kind, low-density lipoprotein (LDL). It causes plaque to build up in and potentially block the arteries that supply blood to the body from the heart.

But we shouldn't overlook the 'good' cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL). It helps remove excess cholesterol from arteries and eliminates it from blood. Lifestyle changes can also improve HDL cholesterol. One milligram per deciliter (mg/dL) of blood can reduce heart attack risk by as much as 3 per cent.
Overall, it’s best to have a low level of LDL cholesterol and a high level of HDL cholesterol. For women, an LDL level below 100 mg/dL and a HDL level of 50 mg/dL and above is recommended and for men, it’s best to have the same LDL level, but an HDL level of 40 mg/dL and above. If HDL falls below 50 mg/dL, the person is generally at increased risk of heart disease and heart attack.

Oils and fats form a critical ingredient in any food application. They help make the food nutritious and enhance its taste. Fats are the highest energy source. One gram of fat supplies 9 kcalories. Fats are used in food preparations to provide structure flavour and nutritive value. They provide the essential fatty acids (linoleic and linolenic acid) required by our body for its proper functioning. Fats act as carrier for oil soluble vitamins like A,D, E, K.

Fats and oils are made up of basic units called fatty acids. Each type of fat or oil is a mixture of different fatty acids. “Fats provide many important attributes to foods like flavour, palatability and mouth feel. Apart from making the food more tasty and palatable fat acts as an excellent heat transfer media in cooking, frying and baking applications,” states Dr K D Yadav, vice president, technical, Kamani Oil Industries Ltd.

Depending on their degree of saturation, fatty acids are classified as either saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, or polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA).

MUFA Monounsaturated Fatty Acids, refers to the healthy fatty acid, which lowers the levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides without lowering good cholesterol levels.
MUFA are found mainly in vegetable oils such as canola, olive, mustard and groundnut oils. They are liquid at room temperature. The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests that MUFA rich diet reduces risk of heart diseases. MUFA oils have a higher oxidative stability as compared to PUFA oils and hence have a better shelf life.

PUFA lowers the levels of good and bad cholesterol. This is not beneficial as low good cholesterol increases the risk of developing heart disease. PUFA fulfils several functions in human physiology. PUFA is found in dietary fats and oils, and is known as essential fat. Like vitamins, fatty acids are essential for life; they cannot be made in the body and must be obtained via the diet.

PUFA is found mainly in vegetable oils such as kardi sunflower, corn, soya and cottonseed oils. Polyunsaturated fats are also the main fats found in seafood. They are liquid at room temperature. According to Yadav, “Specific polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic (omega-3) acid, are called essential fatty acids. These are not synthesised in our body but are vital as they are necessary for cell structure and making hormones.” Essential fatty acids hence are obtained from foods we consume. PUFA oils lower both the HDL and the LDL cholesterol.

Commercially prepared salad dressings also may be high in saturated fats and, therefore, careful inspection of labels is important. The word "hydrogenated" on a label means that some of the polyunsaturated fat has been converted to saturated fat.

To lower the bad cholesterol the role of Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) & Mono-unsaturated Fatty Acid (MUFA) is important in the food items. As per recommended dietary guidelines of WHO/ Japanese Heart Association/ American Heart Association, the ideal ratio of SFA: MUFA: PUFA should be 1:1.5:1

According to a study in PLoS Medicine, the replacement of dietary saturated fatty acids with polyunsaturated fatty acids reduces coronary heart disease events, bringing much needed scientific evidence to an issue debated by experts and clinical guidelines. Dariush Mozaffarian and colleagues from Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials studying the effects on coronary heart disease of increasing polyunsaturated fat in place of saturated fat. They reviewed 8 trials involving over 13,000 participants and found that among those substituting SFA for PUFA (the intervention group), there was a 19% reduced risk of CHD risk compared to participants in the control groups. The consumption of PUFA accounted for 15% of total energy intake in the intervention groups on average but only 5% of total energy intake in the control groups. As such, the researchers report that each 5% increase in the proportion of energy obtained from PUFA reduced the CHD risk by 10%.
Furthermore, they found that the benefits associated with PUFA consumption increased with greater duration of the trials.
While reducing consumption of saturated fat (contained in meat, cheese, and butter, for example) is recommended as a way to prevent CHD, recent large meta-analyses of observational studies have suggested no overall benefits of reducing SFA consumption on CHD events. Few clinical studies have investigated the effects on CHD events of replacing saturated fat in the diet with specific alternative energy sources like carbohydrate, protein, or other types of fat such as polyunsaturated fats, which include vegetable oils. In fact, some experts argue that eating PUFA actually increases CHD risk and some guidelines recommend PUFA consumption should be limited. As a result, there has been a strong need for more scientific study.
"Rather than trying to lower PUFA consumption, a shift towards greater PUFA consumption in place of SFA could significantly reduce rates of CHD," stated the authors.

DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS
RECOMMENDED DIETARY INTAKE IS 2000 CALORIES/DAY

• TOTAL FAT - 30% or less

• SAFA- 7-10%

• PUFA- 10%

• MUFA- 15%

• TRANS < 1%

• OMEGA 6 AND OMEGA 3

RATIO- 10:1 TO 5:1

• CHOLESTEROL < 300mg /DAY

Saturated Fatty Acids (SAFA) are found mainly in animal sources such as meat and poultry, dairy fat, vegetable oils like coconut oil, palm kernel oil and palm oil. Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature. Saturated fats contribute to the risk of heart disease by raising blood cholesterol levels. These fats are commonly found in many takeaway (‘fast’) foods, in commercial products such as biscuits and pastries, and in dairy products.

Trans Fat is the common name for unsaturated fat with trans-isomer fatty acids. Trans fats may be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated but never saturated. Trans fats are formed when previously healthy liquid oils are hydrogenated, or hardened, a process often used to improve the texture of packaged foods and increase shelf life.

The manufacturers prefer trans-fat as they increase a product’s shelf life. These oils pose detrimental concerns for an individual's health and the nation's obesity pandemic.

Research shows that trans fats, even in small quantities are worse for us than saturated fats. They raise our Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) bad cholesterol, lower our High-density lipoprotein (HDL) good cholesterol, and increase triglyceride levels in the blood. They also promote inflammation in the body, which can damage blood vessels, a quadruple whammy for the heart.

Unless there is at least 0.5 grams or more of Trans fat in a food, the label can claim 0 grams. Today we find many products with bold label claiming: No trans fat! Especially in items like chips, bread, cereals, and cookies most grocery shops lure consumers towards such products.

This hysteria of trans-fat has manipulated the technique of food, manufacturers select their ingredients, advertisers market food products and consumers get ample of variety brands to choose and buy.

Fat replacers: They are ingredients designed to replace all or part of the fat in a product with minimum impact on the organoleptic quality of the food product. Since fats provide many important attributes to foods like flavour, palatability and mouth feel, but are hold negative attributes, many opt for fat replacers which are meant to serve the above mentioned functions.

Fat replacers are of 3 types: Fat mimetics, Low caloric fats, Fat substitutes

Fat substitutes are compounds designed to replace fats on a weight-by-weight basis

Fat mimetics are compounds that reproduce physical and sensory physical attributes associated with fats

Low calorie fats are low-calorie synthetic triglycerides consisting of unconventional fatty acids to a glycerol backbone.

Refined oil: This type of oil has been purified with chemicals to remove any suspended particles, toxic substances, flavour components, colour and odour, thereby leaving behind a clear and bland oil.

Filtered oil: Obtained by the traditional cold pressing method, this is filtered once or twice to remove suspended particles.

Deficiency of fats

Deficiency of fats causes a deficiency of essential fatty acids, linoleic and linolenic acids, and subsequently a deficiency of arachidonic acid. The deficiency results in characteristic eczemadry, scaly skin, hair loss, low body weight, cold intolerance, bruising, poor growth, lower resistance to infection, poor wound healing, loss of menstruation. Deficiency of fat may result in a deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins, and growth and weight may be affected in children. Since fat is present in minute quantities in almost all foods including the deficiency in adults is unlikely. Today the greater concern is the problem related to excessive intake. Excess intake of fat causes obesity when more kilocalories are consumed than required by the body. The excess fat gets stored in the adipose tissue. Excessive consumption of saturated fats can elevate blood cholesterol levels. A high intake of saturated fats and cholesterol are predisposing factors for cardiovascular diseases, while foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids have protective effect.

Oil Combinations
Oils combinations are the best recommended for healthy and nutritious diet with right amount of combination of nutritional benefits. To derive maximum benefits from oil, it is beneficial to consume a mix of oils in order to maintain a balance between the three fatty acids.
Manually combining oils wouldn't be a smart move. But today the market is flooded with a variety of blended oils. For instance, blends of ricebran and sunflower oils by companies like Sunrise, Sundrop Heart. Such products are the best buys and are suitable even for frying.
Another alternative could be using two or more different kinds of oils that could be used for different purposes or using them alternately. Some oils can be used only for specific purposes. For example, olive oil for salads, groundnut oil is suitable for frying and soyabean oil for other cooking purposes. Such combinations help to take advantage of the health benefits offered by each oil.

Wholesome diet? Never thought about it!

Nutraceuticals, dietary supplements and functional foods market is on a superfast growth orbit. With increasing health awareness among people to maintain good health and take preventive measure for diseases, the market is being fuelled with high growth potential. The contemporary lifestyle categorised by growing stress levels, poor eating habits and lack of exercise has increased the level of health disorders around the world. Problems like obesity, blood sugar, digestive disorders and heart ailments have become very common among the people today.

Nutraceuticals, functional food & drinks and dietary supplements are catergorised as modern day ingredients. People are becoming aware of these issues and are trying various means like nutraceuticals, functional food & drinks and dietary supplements to fight health problems. The market for these products is strongly accelerating around the world in recent years and India is one country that is bagging on it in lump some. Today the market is flooded with them and are fast moving from the shelves. The irony here is that most of the consumers, including the educated class, are quite unaware of what they exactly are called. Most of them might be consuming a protein drink and running to gym on daily basis with the sole knowledge that they are good for keeping the body in shape. Little do most of them know that they are consuming a functional beverage.

A vital point to be noted here is that the terms nutraceutical, dietary supplement and functional food & beverages are being commonly used in marketing but there is no regulatory definition. The regulatory bodies are yet to define nutraceuticals, functional foods and dietary supplements. The defining of the same has proved to be a herculean task earlier due to the interchangeable functions of the three and has resulted in several controversies and instigated debates.

Nutraceuticals

Nutraceutical, a term combining the words “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical”, is a food or food product that provides health and medical benefits, including the prevention and treatment of disease.

Well, when the appellate authorities in the country are struggling to know what a nutraceutical actually is, the struggle of the respondents to explain it theoretically was anticipated.

The term nutraceutical was coined in the 1990s by Dr Stephen DeFelice. For him, “A nutraceutical is any substance that is a food or a part of a food and provides medical or health benefits, including the prevention and treatment of disease.”

Traditionally the nutraceutical was contained in a medicinal format such as a capsule, tablet or powder in a prescribed dose. Nutraceuticals can be broadly categorised as products which are extracted from natural sources (nature-like) or manufactured synthetically (man-made), which supplement the diet to provide nutrition over and above regular food and help prevent nutrition related disorders.

With more than 40 per cent deaths in developing countries attributable to risk factors linked to nutrition, nutraceutical is gaining momentum. Nutraceuticals is today one of the booming markets in India. This promising term reflects lucrative market opportunities for domestic as well as international pharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies. Nutraceutical has a spectacular annual growth rate of 25 % in Indian healthcare market.

In the global nutraceuticals market of $117 billion (Rs 547 billion), India's share is less than one per cent and is estimated to be around Rs 44 billion in size. US bags the largest share with 36 per cent share in consumption. China remains the largest producer of nutraceuticals.

However, India's growth rate for consumption of nutraceuticals is surprisingly at the rate of 18% for the last three years, functional foods and beverages being the driving forces. The global industry though grew at 7% CAGR. China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan were the leading Asian countries where the awareness and consumption of nutraceuticals were high. The potential Indian market for nutraceuticals is estimated to be at least two to four times than the current market size ( between Rs 89 billion and Rs 172 billion).

Companies leading the way in this Indian market include Sami Labs, British Biologicals, Plethico Pharmaceuticals, Parry’s India, Elder Pharma, Ranbaxy, Raptakos, Paras, Ce Chem and Tablets India, although several global pharmaceutical companies also dabble in India’s nutraceutical market. Companies competing in this market are finding a competitive edge in the areas of branding, pricing, promotional activities and channel partners.

Nutrients, herbals and dietary supplements are major constituents of nutraceuticals which make them instrumental in maintaining health, act against various disease conditions and thus promote the quality of life. They are convenient for today's lifestyle and are natural and bioactive chemical compounds that contain health promoting and disease preventing properties.

Functional food & beverage

According to the wikipedia, functional foods are designed to allow consumers to eat enriched foods close to their natural state, rather than by taking dietary supplements manufactured in liquid or capsule form. Functional foods have been either enriched or fortified, a process called nutrification. This practice restores the nutrient content in a food back to similar levels from before the food was processed. Sometimes, additional complementary nutrients are added, such as vitamin D to milk.

The category of functional drinks include sports drinks, energy drinks, fortified beverages which cover health and wellness drinks, nutraceutical drinks and enriched drinks, in addition to herbal drinks.

Fortified beverages are drinks that have vitamins and minerals. There are also a range of sports drinks, energy drinks and nutraceuticals which are targeted at specific medical or health benefits. The development of these products are now becoming the focus of many companies.

Functional food & drinks are known to help digestion, calm nerves and detox. There are several medicinal drinks which have been popularised over the years. These are appetite enhancers, digestive aids and sleep restorers. With the importance of the good health practices, pharma and dedicated nutraceutical companies are promoting drinks which are viewed as functional and convenient to the consumers.

The leading functional drinks in the country are health drinks like Horlicks, Bournvita, drinking chocolate, herbal teas and herbal preparations which are known to provide the required nourishment.

Despite a small base, the functional food & beverages market is poised for exponential growth in the forthcoming years as mentioned before, disease prevention and health & wellness are the focus areas for market participants and consumers in India and worldwide. According to a report by Frost & Sullivan, the malted health beverages market is currently worth Rs 2000 crore with strong double digit growth rates. This segment is poised for wide expansion in terms of both product and infrastructure. The FMCG giants have now started to develop functional foods, which are not of conventional origin: for instance, beverages that are sugar-free, low in cholesterol, foods such as granola bars.

The domestic malted health beverage and overall functional foods market is expected to witness exponential growth in the next 4-5 years with increasing products available off-the shelf, new entrants in the form of FMCG multinationals and domestic business groups venturing into the market and also an increasing consumer base. There is a distinct change in the regulatory space as well with organizations such as Foods Safety and Standards Act (FSSAI) framing set rules for governing production, labeling, packaging and marketing of such new age products. Increasing consumer awareness coupled with market development efforts from manufacturers and government agencies is likely to pave way for better growth in this space. Sports drinks also come under the category of functional drinks.

Dietary Supplements

A dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids, that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantity in a person's diet.

Dietary supplements can also be extracts or concentrates, and may be found in many forms such as tablets, capsules, softgels, gelcaps, liquids, or powders.”
Dietary supplements do not have to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before marketing. Although supplements claim to provide health benefits, products usually include a label that says: “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”
Many companies like Amway, Herbalife, Modicare, etc. manufacture and sell dietary supplements. Many hardcore pharmaceutical companies are also into the business of manufacturing and sale of food supplements.
The companies claim that normal food intake of every individual does not fulfill the body needs and make a complete diet. According to a dealer of Herbalife, who does not wish to be named, states, “with the fast moving world and increase in stress level, people hold a very poor diet. These dietary supplements which are easy to make, is equal to a complete diet. We have the temptation to eat more even after finishing a meal is due to the reason that the body hasn't received necessary nutrition. People just get into a fast food joint and pick up a burger or a packet of wafers to fill the hunger. But the craving doesn't stop, this is due to the deficiency of nutrients in the body. The only solution to this is eating a complete diet full of nutrition and the easy way is taking food supplements.”

The Indian market for nutraceuticals, dietary supplements and functional food & beverages is dominated primarily by pharmaceutical and FMCG companies with very few pure play nutraceutical companies. Pharmaceutical and FMCG players active in the nutraceuticals space have diversified by introducing product extensions and developing variants under existing brand names. Many new players have announced aggressive investment plans.

Functional foods constitute 23.9%, functional beverages 6% and dietary supplements 14%, presently.

Considerable amount of raw materials that run into making these products is contributed by India. A number of eminent research institutions in India are marching forward to add new ranges of products into this industry. This promising term reflects lucrative market opportunities for domestic as well as international pharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies.

Such products may range from isolated nutrients, dietary supplements and specific diets to genetically engineered foods, herbal products, and processed foods such as cereals, soups, and beverages.

With recent breakthroughs in cellular-level nutraceuticals agents, researchers, and medical practitioners are developing templates for integrating assessing and assessing information from clinical studies on complementary and alternative therapies into responsible medical practice.

Competition in the industry is driven by several factors such as price, safety, efficacy, packaging and brand loyalty, among others. With growing similarity among products and formulations, maintaining consumer brand loyalty is emerging as a critical yet complex issue. Global nutraceuticals market is characterised by intense competitive conditions, as a result of which consolidation activity has gathered momentum. Consequently, large pharmaceutical companies are taking over smaller and regional players to boost their position in the intensely competitive market.

Affordability, awareness and accessibilty are the major factors that depend on consumption of nutraceuticals in any country. With India's major chunk of population striving to win even their daily bread, it can be predicted that a number of years will have to pass before nutraceuticals become a household name in the country.

Challenges:

In the global market, there are significant product quality issues. The products from the international market may claim to use organic or exotic ingredients, yet the lack of regulation may compromise the safety and effectiveness of products. Companies looking to create a wide profit margin may create unregulated products overseas with low-quality or ineffective ingredients.

The challenges before the sector is the lack of regulations and clear-cut guidelines for development of these sectors. There is a need to provide adequate, reliable clinical data for the health benefits to enable the formulators to have a label claim. In addition, there is a serious need to create an awareness about the health benefits of the ingredients.

Opportunities:

In order to tap a huge latent potential market and to pave the way for nutraceuticals to supplement India's quality healthcare agenda, the government should lay down rules to govern quality and claims of nutraceutical products. To ensure implementation of these rules, the government should ensure availability of resources. Encouraging R&D in the field of nutrition and deploying PPP models to serve needs of the undernourished segment of population will further boost sector growth.

The private sector as well has a significant role to play. Companies should focus on developing customer focused products addressing specific needs of different consumer segments. It is important for players to create product differentiation by credibility building and/ or lowering prices of products. Product promotion to increase awareness of the benefits of nutraceuticals through advertising and physician.