A slice of good health

ADAM AND Eve were unlucky... they lived in an age that had not yet hit upon the art of cooking food and flavouring it. We, in the present, are much more fortunate... we have developed a palate for a variety of tastes and culinary skills have been raised to a fine art.

Food has become the focus of the circle of life. Life is and always will centre around food. But one needs to strike a healthy balance between 'taste' and 'nutrition'.

With globalisation, we are now exposed to several cuisines of the world. The purchasing power of the common man too is on the rise. But look at the flip side and you will find stress-related disorders like anorexia nervosa - a forerunner to adult obesity.

So, are we really eating junk food as many dietitians would have us believe? It is a misnomer to label 'fast food' as 'junk food'. One man's meat could very well be another's poison.

Food habits must suit the lifestyle of the person. Considering the sedentary lifestyles of modern times, fried food stuff, chips and aerated drinks could fall into the category of junk food as they add extra calories to an already heavy system.

With little innovation and creativity, items like pav bhaji, pizzas and burgers could easily pass off as standard meals that grandmas would approve of, and at the same time please the palate.

A survey of eating habits of about 200 teenaged girls from Chennai, conducted by the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics of the M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women, revealed that 96 per cent of them failed to meet target requirements.

Protein intake was disturbingly low with 82 per cent below the borderline while 83 per cent recorded low levels of iron intake. Only 12 per cent of the lot met the stipulated requirements when it came to Vitamin C.

The survey also showed that 60 per cent of the lot survived on fast foods. Samosas hit the top of the list with a record 72 per cent, followed by pizzas, burgers and chaat items. Junk food was the hot favourite among college goers, and chips emerged as the "king of junk food".

But why do college students prefer junk food? Smriti has no time for breakfast, and so she picks up samosas from the college canteen. Lavanya prefers burgers to home-made idlis, while Megha trusts a bar of chocolate rather than a glass of milk for energy. Arti is bored of the home menu. Deepa, Rachana, Supriya and Priya love to spend time together and end up ordering brownies and coffee at a coffee shop.

Further, about 40 per cent of the students skipped a meal regularly. The "time factor" was the main reason cited, while many did so to lose weight. They did not seem to realise that skipping ropes help reduce weight, not meals!

The traditional concept - breakfast like an emperor, lunch like a prince and supper like a pauper - has often been ignored. More than 50 per cent skipped breakfast and 36 per cent, lunch. Dinner seemed to be the only regular meal.

Eating out has become a favourite option for this generation. For the tired working woman, it eliminates the drudgery in the kitchen. The time saved can be spent with the family.

But one can still eat right even while eating out. Restaurants have started selling concepts of "healthy eating" by promoting salads, soups, soya and fresh fruit juice bars. Idlis and dosas have found a place in fast food joints. All these indicate a healthy trend in the "eating out" scenario.

* * *

Simple ways to stay slim

* Eat a balanced diet.

* Try the treadmill. Never miss your daily quota of exercise, even if you forgo an hour of sleep.

* Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, if possible with the skin.

* Consume a low fat and a moderate sugar diet.

* The body needs plenty of water. So drink lots of water.

* * *

Check these out...

* Top your pizzas with fresh vegetables like spinach, mushrooms, carrots, cooked beans and cottage cheese.

* Try a fresh fruit juice instead of the fizzy drinks to complement your pizza.

* Make bhel puri delicious. Add scoops of sprouts or some seasonal fruits like grapes, pomegranate or pineapple pieces.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Features
Previous : Unswerving will to serve
Next     : Footloose and fat free!