Just like they say, one size does not fit all, one fixed diet chart does not fit all. One should understand their body type and their needs before choosing the type of diet or following a nutrition fad. In conversation with The New Sunday Express, nutrition and wellness expert Shalini Manglani says grandmother’s recipes are the ideal ones. She explains the importance of following a nutritious, healthy and well-hydrated diet to beat the summer heat and the stress. In fact, she suggests that nutrition should be taught in schools like a subject.
Excerpts:
How important is it to maintain a nutritious and healthy diet to beat the summer?
The first thing that comes to your mind when you say ‘summer’ is the sun and water. So, there’s nothing wrong with being in the sun. The sun is great for us, but you should always remember to keep yourself hydrated. Hydration does not mean just drinking tonnes of water. You can also get your hydration through vegetables and fruits and, of course, through water. Eat a balanced meal, your home meal.
Is there anything in particular for students to follow, because it’s exam time, and soon after, that they tend to be out?
During exams, it is important to plan and have snacks or meals ready for them. Either the family can help them or they can help themselves. Have food ready at all times, because even when you’re studying, you are spending energy, even if it’s not physical. Some kids tend to study into the night and that’s when you’re going to grab unhealthy food. But if you have food ready then they will not go for convenience food.
What should one do while going out as the summer is really harsh?
Hydration is important. Whether it’s through fluids — it could be milk, water or flavoured water, watery vegetables and fruits etc — these are the things that’ll keep you going besides your meals. Even in restaurants, try not to have fried foods and thick gravies.
What about meals?
A balanced plate is important. Make sure there are vegetables, proteins, and a little bit of carbohydrate….
What advice do you have for politicians, as it’s the election season, it’s summer and they will be out campaigning?
Ideally, if they can carry their food or if they have the facility they can carry home cooked food or from wherever they are stopping at for campaigning, if they can get some home cooked food, there is nothing like it. It is understandable it could be difficult but ensure to have a balanced diet….We’ll divide it into two parts. One is going to be the fluids and the second will be food. For example, suppose they’re getting out and they’re going to have breakfast, then we want to give them a combination of all. For vegetarians, suppose they’re eating puffed rice for breakfast, then the carbohydrates will be the puffed rice, the protein piece will be the dal or peanuts and vegetables. On the side, it would be nice to have buttermilk, yogurt or milk. If the person is a non-vegetarian, then it could be eggs with some chapati or bread, and with that some vegetables. On the side, a glass of milk, buttermilk or yogurt. When they are travelling on the road, instead of buying easy-to-use food, buy bananas and tender coconut water.
There are lots of fads these days, of vegan, keto, intermittent fasting and many others. Is there some sort of an ideal diet?
It’s very hard to tell someone not to jump onto a fad. So, it’s best that you — even if you start a fad diet — should have a ballpark plan to come back to. I think that’s the best way to handle it, because a fad is ultimately a fad. If one thing is popular today, something else will gain popularity tomorrow. Every fad doesn’t suit everybody. You have to be a bit cautious of everything. Having said that, intermittent fasting is similar to the fasting that our ancestors did. There are a lot of similarities in it and using that to stay healthy or to lose weight is not bad.
What are the benefits of tender coconut?
It’s hydrating. You have to treat the calories as food calories and be cautious about how much one is medically prescribed to have. If it’s a snack, one can even have the copra that’s inside. That’s also very nourishing.
What about eating cut fruits on road sides?
On the road, all kinds of fruits or tender coconut water should do the trick. Having cucumbers is also good, but we have to be careful about hygiene. The easiest thing is banana, orange or things which do not require chopping.
Many youngsters are into bodybuilding, which needs a balance of carbs and proteins. Can you give us more details on what is the right way and how it can be managed?
Before a workout, the body needs energy and carbs give that energy. So, before a workout that’s what you should focus on. This could be in the form of chapattis, sweet potato, rice, idli or bread. These are the things to be consumed pre-workout and that could also have some proteins. Then post-workout, to focus on protein, the easiest thing — if a person is non-vegetarian — is eggs. For vegetarians, it mainly comes from dal, sprouts or ‘cheela’ (sweet or savory Indian pancakes made with various kinds of lentil and cereal grain flour). Combinations are however ideal, like dal-rice… it’s easier to digest, and a little yogurt works beautifully.
Many people have vitamins B12 and D deficiency. How can this be managed?
Vitamin B12 mainly comes from milk and non-vegetarian products. Several studies show many Indians are Vitamin-D deficient. It’s great to go out in the noon sun. There is a lot of research on how people should look at the sun with bare eyes. It was called sun worship and many are going back to that.
Is it sufficient to have just two meals a day?
If it works for you there’s nothing wrong. Just make sure that it’s a balanced meal. When you say two meals, you can’t suddenly cheat and have a snack in between. That’s a meal as well.
Is it wrong to snack between meals?
It’s bad unless you find yourself in a space where you’re getting acidic or you feel like you’re not doing alright. Then you need to add a meal. But it is individual-based. What works for one, may not for the other. We have to follow our own and what we’ve been brought up with. A plan has to be based on how you function.
What should ideally be consumed first when you are breaking a fast?
As the body has been in starvation mode, it’s ideal to start with the easiest thing. Any liquid like cumin water or any water that can ease one into other foods is ideal, followed by semi-solid and then solid foods. One can even start simply with warm water and then something simple like idli with a little bit of chutney and then some fruits.
Protein shakes and health drinks have become popular. What exactly should one consume while gymming, especially those who follow their favourite celebs?
Followers should know that celebs have a bunch of people looking after their needs, how much of what they should be eating. Where protein is concerned, protein bars are convenient foods. If one can go home and eat a meal there is nothing like it. But if it’s far, then there is nothing wrong with a protein powder, but make sure to speak to the trainer to understand what and how much is needed.
The trend of consuming green tea is on the rise. Along with, it is thought that it helps reduce weight. Is it true?
If one has green tea after 5pm, it is difficult to sleep as tea has caffeine. It is also a decent filler. Instead of telling someone to have just warm water they say have green tea. This is also personal. I don’t think it promotes weight loss per se, but it’s an adequate filler to have between meals.
People nowadays are stress-eating. What is it, and should it be done?
Eating serves many purposes. It’s ideally supposed to be just fuel for the body and nothing else. So that’s why it’s said that it’s nicer if you can just sit in a calm environment without your phone and be grateful for your food. But that’s not how we live now. It’s a different situation now. For some, for every emotion that happens, food becomes the answer. It becomes like an automatic response and it needs to be broken down psychologically and ensure that emotions do not depend upon food as an answer.
Do you think there is awareness among people in choosing their food?
There is, but it can increase a little more. There are some foods that our palate has become used to. We’ve grown up with some foods. People should be able to read nutrition labels better. Younger kids are becoming better aware. It should be taught in schools like a subject.
Is the government doing enough?
There is a government organisation called NIN (National Institute of Nutrition) in Hyderabad. They publish material about nutrition and health. But it should reach the people and to mainstream schools. NIN does a lot of research.
What do you say of the government’s mid-day meal programme?
It’s a boon for children. It brings a lot of kids to school so there’s no taking away unless something dubious is happening. Region-wise food division is no problem. For example, if millets are grown in one region and given to children instead of rice, there’s nothing wrong. There might be sambar in one place and eggs in another, there is nothing wrong in that too. As long as you find that your meal is balanced, it’s fine. Diet should also be based on children’s age group and their nutritional requirement. Like young girls aged 10-13 years, they need more iron so that they do not get anaemic. In boys, when they shoot up in height, their nutrition needs will be even more than their fathers. So a balanced diet with more carbohydrates is needed. Any paediatrician or anganwadi worker will be able to give details on this.
Nowadays there is a lot of debate on how eggs should be consumed — fried, boiled, scrambled, omelette etc. Some eat only the egg white and leave the yolk. How should it preferably be eaten?
The difference between different varieties of egg is only about how much oil you put on it. That way, boiled is the best because you don’t need to put in any oil. Egg yolk is cholesterol-rich. Egg white is protein. So, it depends on you and your body condition. But studies show that having a yolk a day doesn’t harm.
What time gap should one give between a meal and sleeping?
Ideally, two to three hours. If you’re someone who wants to follow intermittent fasting, and you’ve eaten very early the previous day, you could start early (the next day). There are some people who like going straight into lunch, like a two-meal person.
There’s a lot of buzz about superfoods, like chia seeds, spirulina, microgreens and then low-fat proteins. Where does that fit in in our traditional Indian diet?
As Indians, we have tonnes of superfoods which we don’t even talk about. There’s nothing wrong with these superfoods. If it’s something you can afford then go ahead.
If planning is so difficult, then what is that one needs to avoid?
We have made it difficult. It’s actually not. If we just eat what’s given to us at home, it’s healthy. Where avoiding foods is concerned, don’t refry in oil as much as possible. Eat as little convenience foods as possible, which come in packets.
People seem to be returning to old food habits … What is your take on this?
It is a cycle. One day one thing is popular and then another day something else. It happens over the years and research will also keep telling you what to follow. Where oil is concerned, rotate oil as much as possible. There are also very interesting ways to cook without oil. Your grandmother’s kitchen and recipe is the ideal one.