At no time in the past was so much stress laid upon inculcating good eating habits as is now, thanks to Covid-19. This pandemic has brought with it a massive awareness about eating fresh and healthy food to boost immunity and keep illnesses away.
Sattvic food – a high fibre and low-fat vegetarian diet as per the principles of Ayurveda, earlier preferred by a few, is increasingly becoming a popular choice among masses. This is evident from the number of dedicated sattvic food restaurants that have cropped up in the recent past.
“Consisting of fruits and vegetables that are nature’s source of detoxification, the sattvic diet basically focuses on eating food that is provided to us by nature – seasonal fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds and non-meat products. A sattvic diet is pure, natural, easy to digest and energy-enhancing,” says dietician Shweta Shah.
“More people than ever before are adopting a Sattvic diet. Based on Ayurvedic principles, it is even devoid of onion and garlic,” says Amit Juneja, CEO, Annakoot, that opened its third outlet in Delhi last year. The Lajpat Nagar outlet not just offers sattvic Indian and Chinese dishes but sattvic freshly baked cookies as well. “We began with one outlet at Preet Vihar. In a few months after opening, sensing the public demand, we opened one each at Bengali Market and Lajpat Nagar. People have enthusiastically adopted the sattvic way of living and believe in the benefits of sattvic food,” reveals Juneja.
India is culturally inclined to vegetarianism, and especially now with more attention towards immunity-building to beat the coronavirus, people are turning towards a green and clean diet, says nutritionists. “People are moving towards sattvic as they are becoming more aware of the benefits of a healthy and a pure diet, and though we cannot ascribe an age group to it, even the younger generation now understands the impact of consuming meat on their health as well as the environment,” says Ritika Arora, Director, Sattvik that opened at Select City Walk in 2007 and continues to remain popular. “We had started it as a place to provide Indian vegetarian food, embodying the spirit of sattva,” she adds.
Innately Indian preparations like dal, rice, chapati, vegetables in basic masala are all sattvic. And since it’s all about the ingredients being used, a lot of dishes from different othercuisines can be made in a ‘sattvic’ way. In fact, one can also make Chinese and other Asian cuisine in a sattvic way with a little imagination!
“Though there have been some religious communities who have been consuming only sattvic diet since generations, the pandemic brought to light the unhealthy effects of fast food,” notes Juneja, adding, “People now realise that food that is not freshly made with natural and pure ingredients is harmful to the body and impedes the immune system.”
Agrees Shah: “Sattvik food can help attain not just optimum physical and mental health, but also spiritual health. It boosts digestion, improves your gut system, builds immunity and strengthens the body from within.”
Can it be the food of the future?
“Yes, definitely. With people becoming more inclined towards animal safety and environment-friendly products, we may soon see a shift in the pattern of food consumption. The pandemic has already created panic and increased self-consciousness with regards to the food we consume,” says Arora. “Sattvic has been here for thousands of years, and it will become more prominent with time,” says Juneja, with confidence.