Indian way of nutrition has made a comeback

Go for unpolished dals that are packaged by a trusted brand. (Representative image)

By Kavita Devgan

The pandemic has managed to bring about a paradigm shift in the way people are now looking at their wellbeing and the food they are now choosing to consume. Concerned about their health, today everyone takes a hard look at what they are eating, and also questions how and why we’ve moved so far away from our conventional way of eating and cooking. This is a very good sign, I believe, and it will not only benefit all of us individually, but the entire ecosystem and our society in the long run. The Indian way of nutrition is making a comeback, and I am ecstatic by this turn of events, because I believe that this truly is the route to sarvagunn sampan sehat.

Some specific trends I can see gaining strength are:

Poha, a go-to staple food

People are also trying to make wiser food choices at every move. Local staples and grain land traditional breakfasts are becoming more popular. I believe that the younger generation is becoming more interested in them now, as their health benefits are hard to dismiss. Poha is one of those basics that makes a comeback.

This makes me happy as it is one of my favourite breakfast staples because it is a great, easily digestible energy laden food. I also see more and more people experimenting with red rice poha because it contains high dietary fiber that helps to score more antioxidants that result in better immunity. However, always opt for packaged poha over loose as it assures 100% quality and has no residual powder at the bottom of the pack.

Spices with natural oils intact

Spices are finally being given the respect they deserve. The fact that turmeric can help strengthen our immunity naturally has percolated to the masses and now people are opting for turmeric that has its natural oils intact (because that’s where all the goodness lies) and has 3% curcumin (because that’s the magic compound that delivers the benefits).

Consumption of iodised salt

Organic jaggery and healthier sugar options are finding more acceptance. Similarly people have realised the importance of including iodine in their daily diet. The need for iodine is more especially for women during pregnancy and lactating mothers. Adding an acceptable amount of good quality branded iodized salt to your diet is the easiest source of Iodine and to prevent Iodine deficiency. Opt for a trusted and branded iodized salt that is vacuum evaporated.

Demand for unpolished dals

Unpolished lentils over their polished counterparts in the market are getting more popular as the awareness that we need to score the maximum possible nutrients from the food we eat is at an all-time high. This one switch alone can help boost people’s health tremendously. Also, with a lot of awareness of protein in our diet, I see more and more people sourcing unpolished dals of good quality and making sprouts at home. Instead of loose pulses sold in the market. Go for unpolished dals that are packaged by a trusted brand to ensure you get high quality product and health in return.

This perceptive shift towards more questioning, seeking correct information, moving away from fads, and sourcing high quality food is a good way to ensure sampann sehat. And I am hopeful this trend will continue and gain strength going forward.

(The columnist is Nutrition Expert, Tata Sampann. Views expressed are the author’s own.)