Essay On Indian Food

VADAS TO DOUGHNUTS- CHANGE OVER TIME

Food is the basic necessity of life and existence. All of us need food to eat, to grow, to develop physically and mentally, to work at our optimal capacity, to build our defenses against infections, and maintain good health. Indian traditional diets are of immense variety and the diversified preparations not only offer the whole range of nutrients but also activate digestion and several physiological functions.

Until a few years ago, people used to prefer natural foods over refined foods, and light foods over heavy foods. Traditional meals were mostly plant based with spices, and were cooked and eaten fresh at home. They were a combination of cereals, millets, pulses, and spices such as pepper,

Vegetables and fruits contribute to the intake of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants required for supportive functions. Edible oil is an important source of fat in the Indian diet. Besides being a source of energy, oil adds a special flavour to the food. “The foods were balanced, diversified and freshly prepared but not stored. The taste and variety was very different from the food available now-a-days”, says, Mrs.Vasanti, 80 yr old resident from Chennai.

Food habits, in general are culture specific, but in the last few decades dynamic changes have occurred due to the fast growing economy, a shift from traditional to modern technologies, globalization, industrialization, constant travels across the world, evolving tastes and increased demands for “fast” and processed foods throughout our country.

Where in one hand we have poverty and under-nutrition, but on the other there is a substantial increase in unhealthy, fat –filled food leading to obesity and other health disorders. Due to numerous options available people have become more addicted to outside food and have been ignoring home cooked