World has evolved with time so has been its inhabitants. But the changes we are witnessing in many of our life are leading to life threatening problems. Food has always been the basic need of human life and the food culture has evolved with time. Food is represented as a part of cultural traits of an ethnic community. Food habit is a symbolic to a particular culture. Eating tradition of every country & culture are the result of millennia of history. India with its vast size has always boasted about its diversities. Truly, the diversities are also seen in the cuisines of this country where you can find dal-chawal or idli- sambar or roti-sabji or mach-bhat . We indeed have a wide range of cuisines which we are proud of but are we having a healthy diet or not is the billion dollar question. Our country was dealing with challenge of under-nutrition from the day of its existence. But in the last decade we are facing a double burden which includes both over and under nutrition.
Nutrition can be stated as the science of food and its relationship to health. It is mainly concerned with their roles played by nutrients in body growth, development and maintenance. Over the last 20 years, total food grain production in India increased from 198 million tons to 269 million tons. Despite increase in food production the rate of malnutrition in India remains very high. The energy and protein intake from cereal has decreased in both rural and urban India largely because of increased consumption of milk and dairy products, oils and fats, relatively unhealthy food such as fast foods, processed food and sugary beverages.
From 2005-2016 prevalence of low (<18.5 kg/ m2) body mass index (BMI) in Indian Women decreased from 36% to 23 % and from 34% to 20% among Indian men. During the same period the prevalence of over-weight or obesity (Body mass >30 kg/m2) increased from 13% to 21% among woman and from9% to 19% in men. It is recorded that 20% of school going children in India are obese. It is also noted that 70 million people in India are categorized under obese with 70% of urban population also classified under the same category. Our country is considered to be the Diabetes capital of the world along with other ailments such as heart diseases, high cholesterol, PCOD, Infertility etc also increasing among our societies. Rapid transition in health over the past several decades has seen a shift from infectious diseases to Non communicable diseases (N.C.D’s). In 2017, India witnessed 61.8 % of death due to N.C.D’s.
So the first question to be answered is “Are our Indian dishes really healthy”? Yes, of course, they are. But the real problem lies in adapting the Western food habits and neglecting our traditional foods without properly analyzing what exactly is beneficial for our body. A food habit of a region is formed by the geographic & climatic condition of a region along with what is grown in that area. A sudden shift from the usual food habit can disturb the equilibrium in the body. As per Ayurveda, the science of life, Ahara has been termed as the one which is consumed orally or which is consumed as long as one is alive. Ahara is considered as one which is predominant in taste or rasa while Bhaishajya or medicine is the one which is predominant in potency or Virya. According to Ayurveda, Ahara provides with complexion, satisfaction, clarity, good voice, long life, happiness, growth, strength and intelligence mainly based on the quality of food. Ayurveda had even lauded Ahara as“Mahabhaishajya” i.e., “best among all medicines” because of its infinite uses. Even Ayurveda has classified Ahara as Hita(good) and Ahita(bad). So the best food for you is determined by the criteria’s which will be suitable for your body needs.
The excessive intake of carbohydrate diet and sugar by the Indians along with too much indulgence
in fried oily snacks as well as fast foods has made our society prone to many diseases. A decade ago eating outside was considered as a luxury but now having food from outside has become a necessity. When we thrive on outside food we knowingly or unknowingly feed on a lot of salts, oils, sugars which on a long run make our body diseased. Now we are living in a society where a healthy person feels insecure as he in midst of a majority of unhealthy obese people, as the majority thinks the odd one is having some ailments and advice him to take medication.
So do we really have a solution to these problems? Yes, we do. Knowledge of what we are having and knowing our body can ensure our healthy life. Controlling your portion size i.e., knowing that every extra roti will gain a surplus 80-90 calories in the body, refrain from fried food items and hog on to boiled, steamed, sautéed foods, reducing salt and sugar intake, usage of spices in food items, relying on different grains like having roti’s made with bajra, jowar, makkai etc., having a lot of salads in foods with fibers. Legumes, beans, grains, fruits and vegetables provide us with ample amount of fiber, fat, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins & minerals. But healthy food alone cannot solve this puzzle. We have to drain out our excess calories through exercise. An active body will always have a healthy and vibrant mind. Yoga and meditation is the way forward along with physical exercise of minimum 30 minutes a day can really help us to counter the stress of our day today life. We have to understand that body was never meant to be treated as a refuse-bin holding all the foods that the palate demands.
