Food for thought

Dishes that are generally included on the menu of a wedding or any function that calls for a celebration are centred around rich and indulgent food.

Eat healthy

We have always come across this proverb – “Change is the only constant, and it’s the biggest rule of nature.” Accordingly, dietary changes, habits, dependency on home-cooked food and lifestyles are changing. And this has created too many complications in our body. The root cause of all the health-related issues is our dependency on fast food or processed food, in our fast-paced modern world.

Watch that plate

Going to a social gathering, be it a wedding or any function that calls for a celebration — what is the first thing that strikes your mind when you think of any of these events? Yes, that’s right! Food. These events are centred around rich and indulgent food, and often that is the big draw for the guests who attend. However, did you know these food options that sound so delicious are often highly processed, fried, are sugar-based and lack nutrients? 

Unfortunately, that is true. Dishes that are generally included on the menu of such events are deep-fried, like bondas, pani puri and samosas, or use processed ingredients like noodles, pastas, pizza, burger, cake, biscuits and cookies. You encounter food that is often cooked in too much oil or desserts loaded with sugar and fat; all of which are neither healthy nor nutritious.

Eat right

So let’s focus on changing for a better, for a healthy you, and a healthy future. Whatever we eat should always be a balanced, nutritious diet; but treating yourself with such dishes once in a while (maybe once or twice a month) is completely fine. Your plate should always comprise of a varied colour of fruits or veggies, with nuts and seeds or a pulse and grain combo, to get a good amount of plant-based protein or grains with some amount of organic lean non-veg protein (egg, fish or chicken). Also, include a generous serving of salad to keep one’s gut health in check. So have a balanced meal to be healthy, and treat yourself once in a while to satisfy your cravings, but make sure when you do, you have it in moderation and then try to compensate by doing detoxification and by staying active.

Health warnings

• Fast food and processed foods have high amounts of fat, sodium and sugar to improve the taste and shelf life of the product.
• Packaged food, energy drinks and some biscuits contain artificial colouring, preservatives, ajinomoto, pesticides and additives. All of these are kid’s favourites, which when given to them causes a nutrient imbalance, and also, weight gain.
• The sugar in processed food affects the brain and then induces hunger pangs as a side-effect because fast foods are specifically designed to be addictive. Consumption of too much salt, sugar and oil increases your cravings for them — so much so that your brain craves them even when you are not hungry.