Author: varun kn

The Food Invasion-Deciphered!

India has had invasions for several centuries, and with each invasion certain cultures and traditions have been entrusted upon us. Each invasion brought its own languages, arts, religions and of course food! The foods from foreign lands have now become a part of our food palette and it is impossible to imagine biryani not being Indian. Indian foods have always been considered too spicy and unhealthy and it was the main reason for entry of foreign foods to the average Indian. These foods which were eaten as substitutes few years back have now become our staple food and are threatening to make the next generation obese and over dependant on foreign foods. Some of these foods are having high carbohydrate and fat content and making most of the urban children sluggish and overweight. Imported food items, both fresh and processed, are filling shopping bags in cities and towns as the global food trade zeroes in on India as a prime market.

The urban, health conscious and educated Indian often sees foreign food with fancy packaging convince themselves it is nutritious and are eager to spend the extra bit on these foods without proper knowledge about them. Though there are several bad influences not all western food is bad. Some of them have positive effects on health and are actually quite good for us.

The Good

There are few western foods which are undoubtedly good for health. The best example for positive influence of western diet would be the introduction of salads and different kinds of fruits like watermelons and papaya. Salads are healthy and delicious at the same time. Indian foods are mostly over cooked which remove most of the good ingredients and make them less healthy. Salads on the other hand are eaten raw, and manage to keep the proteins and vitamins intact. Salads also have a pleasing appearance and properly dressed salads can be a treat both to the eyes as well as your tummy. Salads also help in satisfying your midnight cravings and provide a healthy alternative to cookies and potato chips. The other great thing about salads is that they are not monotonous. It is not always about cucumbers and tomatoes, you can experiment with your salads and there are thousands of salad combinations which can be tried.

Unlike certain foods, which are good for westerners but don’t suit Indians climate Salads are the perfect for the scorching heat in India. Since there is no cooking involved in salads you need not worry about adding heat from your oven!

Another great foreign influence is the introduction of fruit juices and certain ice creams with fruit salads. Fruit juices and ice creams are perfect for our tropical climate and are advised by many doctors for patients and children with less appetite. Soups are a positive influence on our body and it is the perfect meal for sick people and also serves as a great appetizer.

The Bad

Everyone knows that Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In most urban Indian families, cereals are the common breakfast foods given to children. Cereals are generally considered to be good for health and are served to the whole family. But in reality cereals are not exactly good. Some of them have heaps of sugar and salt which can entirely ruin your diet and might be a bad choice especially for kids. Instead of cereals the more sensible thing would be to eat oatmeal which is definitely one of the world’s healthiest breakfasts.

Chocolate, especially the dark variety is often advertised as a healthy food which is true in the sense that it gives immediate energy but they also have a negative side. Chocolate contains large amount of butter, sugar and cream, which can hamper your diet negatively. Occasional chocolate consumption is fine but over reliance might cause severe problems.

The Ugly

There are certain western foods which are actually a curse and should never have been encouraged. Mcdonalds and Pizza outlets like Domino’s entered the Indian market in mid 90’s and have effectively been the primary source of making the next Indian generation predominantly fat and unhealthy, especially the middle class urban children. These fast foods have high fat content and a very high energy density. Energy density refers to the amount of calories an item of food consists in proportion to its weight. Foods with high energy density have a detrimental effect on the human brain. The human appetite was designed for low energy density foods and foods like Pizzas, Burgers and fries are extremely unnatural and has severe effects on the human body especially children. Our bodies were never designed to cope with high energy density foods and that is the reason why fast food is contributing to a major rise in obesity. Fast foods can also clog the arteries and can result in increased blood pressure and heart attacks. Fast foods are high in saturated fats and low quality fats.

Our body requires fiber and other healthy fats. Fast foods represent a diet which is entirely unnatural and requires a serious consideration. They are as bad as smoking and drinking to health and should be restricted and curtailed before it becomes an epidemic.

All foreign foods are not bad foods. But we have enough nutrients in our own food and it is important that we understand our own bodies and eat accordingly and lead a healthy and happy life!

November 21, 2014
Dealing with Food Inflation
What is Inflation?

Inflation is an economical scenario when there is a sustained increase in prices of goods and services over a period of time. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Consequently, inflation reflects a reduction in the purchasing power per unit of money and it might vary geographically and sometimes with respect to time. Inflation is generally thought to be a negative impact on the economy, which is partially true because of the increase in the opportunity cost of holding money, uncertainty over future inflation which may discourage investment and savings. But on the other hand it can also ensure that central banks can adjust real interest rates, and encourage investment in non-monetary capital projects. Inflation may occur due to increased demand and limited supply, or due to increase in prices of raw materials.

Food Inflation

Food inflation can be defined as a consistent rise in the price level of all agricultural food items. This rise in price level is neither seasonal nor sudden, it keeps on increasing over a period of time. Food inflation is generally volatile because of the nature of food and its dependence on external factors like climate and soil. Despite this inflation in food prices is a very worrying phenomenon, and one which tends to increase every year because of lower production of agricultural products and higher consumption rate due to increase in population. Agricultural lands have become real estate mines, and this has come back to haunt the economy. In India a booming economy has GDP expanding at 9% a year. Official inflation is around 7%, but, headline food inflation is more than double at 17.8% according to a survey in 2011. Food inflation is a headache to any economy, but more so in developing economy because it can be a matter of life and death for certain sections of the society.

Causes of Food Inflation

Food inflation has two major causes,
- Cost-Push Inflation
- Demand Pull Inflation
Food Inflation can increase because of natural causes like bad weather and destruction of crops due to natural calamities. For example, Sugarcane is in high demand in Tamil Nadu during the months of January and February and if there is a situation when the main sugarcane producing areas are affected by rain, and there is a decline in production the cost of Sugarcane is bound to increase because of excess demand and limited supply.

Another major reason for food inflation is the increase in demand for bio fuels, which results in agricultural lands being used for producing energy crops and cash crops. The fertile agricultural lands are often not used properly and are wasted. There is also the problem of insufficient utilization of available lands due to unskilled labor and lack of proper education.

Rise in food prices cannot be put under these general issues always. There is a broader reason, which is the aversion the newer generation has towards agriculture which is mainly due to the migration to cities in search of better jobs, education and facilities. There is also lack of proper irrigation facilities and over 60% of India’s fertile land is not irrigated. There also black marketers and hoarders, who buy products at a lesser rate and sell it in the black market for much higher prices when demand increases.

Effects

Food inflation has adverse effects on the economy and prevents the Government to concentrate on other key issues. Food inflation makes certain basic commodities like fruits a luxury. People would rather spend the money on an evening meal rather than a banana or papaya. People will have to cut back their spending on other amenities as food is the basic necessity. Industries take a hit due to these cut backs. If the mere basic necessity of people, food and water are not provided adequately it is impossible for a nation to thrive successfully and prosper in various fields.

Ways to tackle Inflation

The most important thing is to avoid wasting food. According to UN, India wastes more food than any other country in the world. While the prices of onions are steeply increasing due demand supply mismatch hundreds and thousands tons of onions are being wasted due to lack of proper refrigeration and storage facilities. It is a fact that over the 30% of the onions produced every year are wasted. No wonder Onion prices are increasing! We are already living in high demand less supply environment and wastage due to improper storage should be avoided and controlled immediately. Storage does not refer to just dumping these vegetables onto bamboo stacks but actually providing proper ventilation and sunlight to these storage facilities.

We can also tackle inflation by increasing the production according to increase in demand by providing a more constructive environment and convenient environment for farmers and encouraging them concessions and perks. They should also be educated about modern farming techniques and importance of proper storage.

We have seen Governments tumble due to increase in vegetable prices and it is a very real and serious issue every citizen must be made aware of. Food inflation is a natural phenomenon but it is up to us to keep it under check and manageable. Sending space shuttles and moon missions might all turn out to be useless if people are still struggling for food and water.
November 21, 2014
Food Addiction-A real problem
As a kid, most of us were asked to eat a lot. Growing up in an Indian family, if the child skipped a meal it was a sin and the mom would never forgive herself for letting her child skip a meal. We were forced to eat and sometimes just because some of us didn’t like normal food our parents introduced us to the world of junk foods! Pizzas, Burgers the chief culprits, and not to forget our first junk food the potato chips which we kept munching while watching our cartoons! Junk foods have now become a part of us. Most of the kids these days are addicted to junk foods and there are a lot of older people who have a craving for these monsters too!

Even though junk foods have been identified as a problem for a long time, until recently no one realized the actual enormity of this problem. Junk foods like drugs have become an addiction for today’s younger generation. Eating junk foods has now become fashionable and the problem of food addiction is huge and very real. Despite their best intentions, people repeatedly find themselves eating large amounts of unhealthy foods, despite knowing that it is causing them harm.

What is Food Addiction?

Food addiction is the extreme urge to eat junk and unhealthy foods, so much so that it affects your behavior and routine causing stress and tension. Food addiction is, quite simply, being addicted to junk food in the same way as drug addicts are addicted to drugs. It involves the same areas in the brain, the same neurotransmitters and many of the symptoms are identical. Food addiction is a relatively new term and there are no solid statistics available on how common it is.

Food addiction occurs because of the effect certain junk foods have on the human brain. They have the tendency to directly affect the neural system involving neurotransmitters and can clog brain functioning like how drugs do. Food addiction like other addictions cannot be diagnosed completely by medicines and they don’t necessarily have biological symptoms. They can be identified by certain behavioral symptoms.

How do we know someone is a Food addict?

There are certain behavioral symptoms which point towards food addiction. People who are addicted to junk foods tend to become restless when they haven’t had their daily share of junk food. Few of the common symptoms are:
- People who have become addicts to certain kinds of foods have a craving for the food, and as soon as they eat it they get a feeling of guilt and sadness. They try to stop themselves from eating it but are not sure how to control the urge.
- Food addicts get a sudden craving for a particular kind of food, and this doesn’t have any particular time or pattern. Despite being full they crave for their favorite food and after eating it they realize they should never have eaten it
- Another common trait is that Food addicts generally convince themselves that the particular food is good for health or sometimes they just convince themselves by saying it doesn’t matter what they eat things will remain the same.
- They know they shouldn’t have eaten that food in the first place, and try to hide this from everyone to save themselves the embarrassment of not being able to follow a thing as simple as controlling what they eat.
A real problem

Food addiction might not sound as bad as drug addiction or alcoholism but it is every bit dangerous as them. The symptoms and behavioral changes are the same according to some doctors. The social consequences are not as severe as drug addiction but the effects are equally bad to the addict. Food addiction might result in severe stress, obesity, increased blood and sugar levels and a high level of irritation. Food addiction can make the addict lose his self-esteem and become highly unhappy with his body and make one’s life miserable. It can lead to severe distress to the addict and affect his personality completely, sometimes making them prone to suicides and mental problems.

Ways to overcome Food addiction

Like any other addiction the first step in overcoming food addiction is self-acceptance. The addict must realize the harm it is causing to his body and must be in a state of mind to overcome this. The easiest solution is to avoid junk foods completely but in extreme cases it is not possible. Just like how a chain smoker can never become a casual smoker there is no question of a food addict eating junk foods occasionally. If the addict wants to get over it he should get over and done with it completely.

The best way to overcome food addiction is to find an alternate food, which is natural and healthy and at the same times satisfies your craving for junk food. Identify the fast food places which provide healthy food in your locality, this is important in case you are hungry and not in a mood to cook.

Mostly, it is not the lack of will, but the lack of proper planning which prevents people from getting over their addiction. It is important to plan your diet and healthily in order to overcome food addiction. It is high time people started realizing the importance of this, and overcome food addiction because the threat is enormous and requires significant effort.
August 1, 2014
The Mr’s and Mrs’s of Food!

Every hero needs a heroine. Similarly, certain foods taste better when they are served with their other half. There are times when their names itself are synonymous with one another. Every time you order certain foods, you will know they will be served with the other. Some times when they are served alone it doesn’t feel right. Some foods taste incomplete without their mate. They are so desperately in need of the other to look and taste better.

1.    Idly and Sambar

This is a common South Indian breakfast pair. Idly a steamed rice cake is one of the perennial South Indian breakfast dishes. You will not find any restaurant which serves Idly without sambar. If Idly is served without sambar, there is a high possibility that the customer might walk out of the hotel or create a scene about it. A couple of idlis with sambar is the best way to start your day. Idli sambar, unlike what many people feel is not a monotonous dish by any means. Idli sambar can be served in different ways. You can eat it the traditional way. Put idlis in a plate and sambar in a separate bowl. You can also pour the sambar over idli and sprinkle a little ghee over it to make is taste absolutely delicious. There is also the mini-idlis, where small baby sized idlis are soaked in sambar and eaten until our stomach is full with food and happiness.

2.    Poori and Channa

Poori and Channa is another dish which goes hand in hand with one another. Poori is made by mixing atta with salt and little water, and kneading it well until it forms dough. The dough is taken and flattened before being put in oil, and they are taken out within few seconds to prevent them from being burnt. Poori is a little heavy meal, but it is the all time kid’s favorite. Most kid’s who would run away hearing the word food, tend to eat a lot more on “Poori Days”. Poori’s are generally reserved for special occasions and Sundays. Poori is incomplete without its twin side dish “Channa Masala”. Channa masala is another kid’s favorite and it is extremely rich in proteins. According to dieticians, every channa has the same protein content as that of one full egg. The carbohydrates and protein content in Poori-Channa combo is very high and with its fantastic taste it is one of the most favorite vegetarian dish for people in India, especially the children.

3.    Roti and Dal

Roti and Dahl in North India, is what Idly and Sambar is to the people in South. It is the common man’s dish. Though roti tastes good with many side dishes like paneer butter masala and butter chicken the elegance it brings with dahl cannot be substituted. Roti is made with atta or wheat flour which is mixed with salt and water. They are made into dough and cooked in a pan or by exposing it to direct flame. Dal has slight variations in different parts of the country. Gujarati Dal is a refreshing change from the usual everyday dal. The flavors are complex, tangy and sweet with a hint of spice.

4.    Popcorn and Butter

If there was ever a theatrical combination this is it. Popcorn and butter is mostly eaten in theaters and there is nothing like munching on butter popcorn while watching an action flick. Popcorn was discovered by native Americans but became very popular during the Great Depression because of their low cost. Popcorn and butter are bound to be together forever!

5.    Pizza and Coke

Pizza might be Italian, but it is probably the most popular food across the globe along with noodles. There is nothing like ordering and eating pizza on a Saturday night. Anyone pizza lover will say it definitely tastes better with Coke. The hot pizzas and cold coke is a match made in heaven and one of the most romantic ones definitely. All the pizza chains have their own beverage partner and it is common to see coke being given as a complementary to pizza.

6.    Burgers and Fries

Although french fries may date back to the 1600s-1700s, their popularity sky rocketed when they began to be sold worldwide through fast food chains, especially McDonald’s. Most fast food chains quickly paired the fries with burgers, creating one delicious meal. Nowadays, burgers and fries are treated like a single meal and even a kiddie meal in most fast foods would serve burgers, fries and an aerated drink. They are inseparable and are meant to be that way!

7.    Milk and Cookies

The most common western breakfast is a tall glass of milk along with cookies. It is traditionally the most filling and easiest dish to prepare and eat. Milk goes along with all types of cookies, especially the Oreos. It is often dubbed as “Milk’s favorite cookie”. The chocolate cookie along with milk is as tempting as it could get.

There are a lot of other such food pairs which go hand in hand. These foods are great when eaten separately but the entire experience becomes beautiful when eaten with their pair. Certain foods are meant to be eaten that way to make the feel complete and satisfying. After all, there would be no Tom if there was no Jerry!

July 27, 2014
Madras Filter Kaapi!

The coolest hangout for today’s generation is to sip on a coffee in a costly coffee shop. Every street corner has a coffee shop these days, where they serve the regular cappuccinos and hundreds of other varieties of coffee. It is a relatively new trend in India, but people of Chennai and their neighbors are accustomed to this more than anyone else. New age coffee shops, with their swanky couches and bloated prices, may have introduced the culture of drinking coffee to a new audience, but many youngsters have chosen to keep alive a living tradition, where the filter coffee is not just another drink. In a traditional South Indian restaurant, you will see young and old people sipping on their coffee after every meal. The Madras Coffee is the primary stress buster and the perennial favorite drink for most of the people in South India. You will see a lot of self confessed coffee addicts who have travelled around the world say No other coffee can match the taste of the traditional “filter kaapi”. Most people cannot start of their day without drinking “Filter Kaapi” and reading “THE HINDU” newspaper.

The Madras Filter Kaapi

The Madras Filter Kaapi is a part of South Indian tradition. It is the most widely served drink to visitors in the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. During the British Rule, all the four South Indian states were under the Madras Presidency and all of them have similar roots and traditions which has a stark variation from other parts of the country. The other common names for “Madras Kaapi” are “Kumbakonam Degree Coffee” and “Mysore Filter Coffee”. The traditional South Indian Coffee used to be served in aluminum tumblers and until the 1960’s it was served with honey or jaggery instead of sugar.

Roots

The coffee bean itself is a very foreign substance which has its roots in Ethiopia. How coffee made its way to India has several theories. Though it is said to have reached the shores of India, along with tea, in the 17th century, it was not until the end of the 19th century that coffee and it’s ‘cultural other’, tea, became a phenomenon in India. Coffee, unlike tea was mostly a drink for the upper class society. Even thought “filter kaapi” is very much a South Indian specialty, even North Indians especially those who have settled in South India have taken a liking to this wonder drink.

The first person to bring Coffee seeds to India was Baba Budan. Folklore has it that, Baba Budan went on a pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca and while returning brought seven coffee seeds as a gift for his people. It is said that, he actually smuggled those coffee seeds from Yemen, the biggest coffee bean producer in the world back in the 17th century. These seeds were planted on the Chandragiri Hills, which from that day came to be known as the Baba Budan Hills.

Indian Coffee Market

When recently, Starbucks, the world’s biggest coffee retail chain decided to open in Chennai, they knew it was one of the biggest battles they would face because of the competition they were likely to face from local rivals like Saravana Bhavan, Kumbakonam Degree Coffee and Café Coffee Day. Chennai is undoubtedly the coffee capital of India. The Indian Coffee Market is an ever growing one, with more number of people taking to coffee every year. According to the Coffee Board of India, over 30,000 metric tons of coffee is consumed per annum in Tamil Nadu with filter coffee cornering 54% of the market and instant coffee 46%. Pan India, over one hundred thousand metric tons of coffee is consumed per annum and this market is growing at 5-6%.

How to make the Traditional Filter Kaapi?

You’ll need a traditional percolator which is made of 4 parts. Buy grinded coffee powder, if you are not a person who is patient enough to grind the coffee seeds, though I would recommend you to try doing it occasionally. Use a clean filter, remove the lid and umbrella. Put 2 heaped table spoon of coffee powder per person and press it down with a spoon. Keep the umbrella back and gently pour fresh water and wait until the water percolates down slowly depending on the quantity of powder placed. Six to eight table spoons of coffee powder will take the decoction almost 6-8 hours to collect at the bottom. If you’ve put a lot of coffee powder, you wouldn’t have a chance to put enough water to percolate resulting in very concentrated but less quantity of decoction at the bottom. In such a case, you might have to add more water every time and do it repeatedly three or four times.

Now, to prepare the traditional Madras Filter Kaapi take a tumbler(a steel cup) and pour up to 3/4th level milk and add decoction with constant stirring to make a coffee to suit your liking, mild or strong and add sugar if you wish. You can also use jaggery or honey instead of sugar to get the traditional “kaapi” flavor.

Traditional kaapi is best served hot. Drink it when it is steaming hot and slowly get lost in the aroma and flavor of the most wonderful drink in the world- The Madras filter Kaapi.

July 26, 2014
Food of Gods

Waking up to the smell of ghee and sweets! The heavenly aroma of sweet pongal or “paal guava” the milk based sweet which never fails to satisfy your taste buds and the hot vada’s and payasam the typical festival food in any South Indian home. The Gods are served with different types of foods and over the years, festivals are being identified by the food which is served. It is not diwali if there are no more than three varieties of sweets and not Christmas if you don’t have cakes or Ramzan if you can’t find the biryani! The practice of extensive cooking and baking on festivals is an age old practice. So what do God’s eat? Do they get hungry like us humans? According to people who study food cultures this basically started because it is on these occasions that families and friends get together and there is no good outing without good food.

What did Greek Gods eat?

The Greek mythology revolves around its Gods and heroes. According to them, the Greek Gods walked, ate, fought and roamed the world just like humans. According to myths Greek Gods ate Amborisa the food, sometimes the drink, of the gods, often depicted as conferring immortality on who ever consumes it. Nectar is another drink derived from Latin nectar meaning drink of the gods, a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants.

What do the Hindu Gods eat?

In Hinduism, food plays an important role in rituals and worship, and the food offered to the gods is called prasada. The Sanskrit word “prasada” means “mercy,” or the divine grace of God. According to Hinduism, serving food to God is considered to be a kind of meditation and the food served is exclusively vegetarian as they feel any food obtained from pain caused to other living organisms cannot be served to God.

Foods like Onion, garlic are also avoided as ancient Vedic scripts explain that these foods excite the more passionate elements of the human psycho-physical constitution. Another important thing is that food served to God cannot be tasted and are meant to be served pure.

Lord Ganesha

Modak:

Lord Ganesha is a complete foodie. The enormous pouches on his body leaves no doubt that Ganesha just loves food. So, the easiest way to Ganapati’s heart is through his stomach. Modak or Kozhukattai is a particular kind of sweet that looks like dumplings. They are Ganesha’s favorite sweets and must be offered to him on Ganesh Chaturthi.

Fruits:

Coconuts and bananas are Ganesha’s favorite fruits. Ganesha’s head is of an elephant and thus has a weakness for bananas and all parts of the plantain. His idols are usually surrounded by banana leaves and also the stem of the banana plain.

Lord Krishna

In the Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna states, “If one offers me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, I will accept it.” From this verse it is understood that we can offer Krishna foods prepared from milk products, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and grains. Meat, fish, and eggs are not allowed though.

Islam

In Islam offerings to God are not made as food. Offerings could include:

->Charities to the poor.

->Sacrificing animals only for Allah’s sake at different occasions or even without an occasion.

Muslims have days of fasting and feasting. Fasting is considered an opportunity to earn the approval of Allah, to wipe out previous sins, and to understand the suffering of the poor. Fasting is also partly to be in control of appetite and to avoid food addiction. It is the fourth ritual observance in the Five Pillars of Islam.

Fasting includes abstention from all food and drink from dawn to sunset. Voluntary fasting is common on Mondays and Thursdays. Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, is a mandatory fasting period that commemorates the period when the Qur’an was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad. Feast days include Eid al-Fitr (after finishing the fasting months of Ramadan), Eid al-Udha, and Maulud n Nabi.

Christianity

Like Muslims, Christians too don’t offer food to Gods, but Christians joyfully celebrate the goodness of food and drink as part of God’s glorious and abundant creation. They do not have any rules relating to food or drink which they are expected to keep. They believe that freedom is the consequence of the salvation that Jesus has brought to men and women. The freedom to eat and drink everything that is healthy is part of that.

From very soon after the life of Jesus his followers felt that they had been released from the restrictions that bound their fellow Jews. However, they were insistent that they would not do anything that offended other people. Instead of adhering to rules, they felt they should be led to do what is right by considering the impact they were having on others. In modern culture, Cakes are an important part of Christmas and Easter Eggs are synonymous with Easter.

Every Religion has deep linking with food and these food habits and food offerings have a lot to do with where these religions originated. Most of the religions which originated in the Middle East encourage meat eating whereas the ones which originated in the sub continent have a vegan influence. Despite all the differences all of us are linked through one common thing- Food, especially good food.

July 11, 2014
FOOD-ball

As the FIFA fever is gripping the world with its flair and fast paced games, it makes us wonder where these players get their stamina from! Most of these players are from European and North American countries where the climate is entirely different from those witnessed in the Samba land. The temperature in Paris at this time of the year would be between 10-15°c which is much lower than the sub 40°c climates in Rio. The players are extremely fit which is natural for sportsmen but the current crop of players are fitter than any of the previous generations because of the importance given to the fitness and diet routines of these players. Every player has his own set of physics and dieticians who monitor his every move and all the food that he eats and they even decide whether the player can play the next match or not.

Sports Diets

An average footballer runs about 9-10 kilometres during the 90 minutes of a match and can lose up to 2kgs during the course of the match in this extreme heat. The amount of workload on the body is immense and in a month long tournament it can be downright gruesome! In order to overcome this, the most important thing for the players is to keep themselves hydrated. Hydration involves drinking the right amount of liquids, never too high and definitely never too low. Dehydration could affect the performance as well adversely affect the body of the player, sometimes even affecting his career. The diet consciousness came about at the end of 20th century and has picked up pace during the 2000’s. Arsene Wenger, manager of one of the most successful teams in Europe inherited an Arsenal team which was fond of eggs, fried foods and junk foods. He took it upon himself to introduce the team to light and healthier foods which saw them transform into a super power in English football!

It is a given that the performance of these players is heavily dependent on their training, skill set and extraordinary workout regimes. But no amount of skill could compensate for the need of a proper diet. A footballer or for that matter any sportsperson cannot have a long career if he/she doesn’t follow a proper and balanced diet.

Gerard Pique, the Spanish defender who is considered to be one of the best in the business, revealed his diet in an interview sometime back. He has six meals a day out of which two are heavy meals and two are snack meals and two meals between the heavy ones. He consumes foods which are rich in carbohydrates but low in calories. He also says that he avoids foods and drinks which have high sugar content.

Generally a good sleep followed by Breakfast comprising whole grain breads, milk and fresh fruits can bring about a prolific uplift in a players performance on field.

Proteins

Proteins are very helpful for a balanced diet. They can be converted to fat and stored like carbohydrates which are very necessary for quick muscle recovery thus reducing the risk of cramps and muscle tears.

Isotonic Sports Drinks

One of the huge improvements in sports diets have been the introduction of isotonic sports drinks. The science behind it is that when sodium is absorbed into blood it takes water with it which replaces the salt that has left the system through sweat. Electrolytes are the salts that are lost through sweating and these are found in isotonic drinks and getting them into the system will aid in digestion and osmosis of fluids entering the body and muscles. The energy within these drinks is in the form of glucose. Drinking this during training will help your muscles work for a longer time and drinking them after training will help your muscles recover more quickly for next training session.

The complete diet

Breakfast should generally comprise of cereals, preferably bran flakes and shreds of wheat. Bagels and blueberries are also considered to be good breakfast supplements. Lunch should generally consist of baked potatoes with beans. Sandwiches are also a good source of nutrition but the butter content should be kept to minimum and the sandwich should be a healthy filling of a proper foods. Dinners can consist of pasta, chicken, rice, baked potatoes and green vegetables.

Snacks such as chocolates can be an energy booster when taken during training but can affect the body and be stored as fats when they are taken otherwise.

The modern sportsman

It is often commented, sometimes with greed about the amount of money the modern sportsmen make through commercials and through sports. But it has to be kept in mind that in order to attain that level these men strive for years putting their minds and bodies in line. These sportsmen keep their body fit and some of them have better physique than models and actors, who spend the entire time trying to look their best. The extreme levels of fitness in modern sportsmen is due to heavy training and workout regimes and very strict and balanced diets which prevents them from eating what they like throughout their professional careers, which begin at early teens and goes on until the late 30’s in some cases. Thus while enjoying a global tournament like FIFA world cup we should pause to look at how these players prepare themselves for the big stage which could even be useful in our own lives where we often get depressed when there is one less chicken piece in our everyday briyani!

June 24, 2014
How Food Affects your mood

It’s a known fact that fast foods are harmful to your health. It has been well documented and has been explained a lot. But you might be surprised to know that eating the wrong food might affect your mood severely. Recent researches have shown that the food you eat adversely affects your mood and it is necessary to eat foods which have certain nutrients which are called “happy nutrients” to lead a healthy and happy life. Turns out our fast-food diet, with all those processed chemicals and hardly any nutrients, throws off our body’s feel-good chemistry. Drew Ramsey, M.D., co-author of “The Happiness Diet”, says that eating the wrong foods can add to our daily stress and make us feel anxious, lethargic, and downright grouchy. What’s worse, a diet that deprives our brains of much-needed “happy” nutrients also makes us fat. When you’re stressed out, you’re more likely to reach for high-calorie junk foods that pack on the pounds, fueling a never-ending unhappiness cycle that goes like this: You eat bad, then you feel bad, so you eat worse, and then you feel even worse.

Happy Food

There is no such thing as food which gives instant happiness but certain foods have the tendency to give a positive vibe which might have a positive effect on our mood. Imagine a pleasant day, a plate with bright green spinach topped with caramel-colored crunchy nuts, dried fruits and a generous serving of chocolate syrup garnished on top. Immediately you feel a sense of happiness. You start feeling light. Food has such positive effects on your brain. Your favorite food can keep you happy. Omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, tryptophan, folate and other B vitamins, low glycemic foods, and chocolate have all been studied to assess their impact on mood. These foods are part of a healthy diet and when you have a healthy diet you feel about your body and confident that your food is not going to affect your body. This ultimately has a positive impact on your mood.

Chocolates are the most common happy foods. They have a very strong effect but the happiness is short lived. But if you want to feel good most of the time rather than in short bursts, then you need to build up your neurotransmitter levels in your brain. Neurotransmitters are the chemicals that send and receive information around the brain and body. One of the best ways of doing this is to ensure that you have enough folate in your diet. A diet with plenty of dark green leafy vegetables, Brussels sprouts, endives, spinach and silver beet provides plenty of folate. Folate is killed by heat, so it’s important that the vegetables aren’t cooked too much. To improve your overall mood, you need to work on improving your serotonin levels. Anyone affected by seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, will be low on serotonin. Walnuts and Lentils are high serotonin foods. The food which has highest degree of happiness in them is fish, especially salmon. Salmon is packed with vitamins D and B12 as well as omega-3 fatty acids. And it is also good for boosting your serotonin levels, helping to fight off depression and lift your mood. Another common “happy food” is banana. Eating bananas boosts the dopamine levels in your brain, which reduces depression. They are also high in vitamin B6 and magnesium. Foods high in magnesium and B6 help you make GABA, the neurotransmitter that calms people down. People who don’t have enough GABA are anxious and tend to be less happy.

The Foods to Avoid

Most people suffer from hypertension and increased sugar levels because of their depression which is caused by work pressure. But researches show that the food you eat can also negatively impact your life in general your mood in particular. It is important to avoid certain depressing foods. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. If you have a history of a mood disorder, proceed with extreme caution. Your central nervous system is responsible for taking in information through the senses, controlling motor function, as well as thinking, understanding, and reasoning. It also controls emotion. Alcohol slows all this down, exacerbating symptoms associated with depression.

According to some experts, even a modest amount of caffeine can contribute to depression and anxiety. Caffeine disrupts sleep, making it more difficult to fall asleep and to stay asleep; those disturbances affect mood. It can cause agitation, tremors, and nervousness. Energy drinks, particularly, are bad news as some of them contain the caffeine equivalent of 14 cans of soda. Anything that is cooked with hydrogenated oils and contains trans-fats could potentially contribute to depression. Also watch out for saturated fats, found in animal products such as high-fat dairy, butter, etc. They can clog arteries and prevent blood flow to the brain.

Think before you Eat!

The next time you sit down to eat, before filling your plate think whether you deserve happiness. If you feel you deserve happiness then avoid those which are likely to depress you. Keep your food habits clean. Keep your stomach happy and it will automatically keep your mind happy and stress free!

June 13, 2014
The Dairy Industry-Not so White!

The Indian Dairy Industry is the fastest growing milk and milk product industry in the world. India is the leading producer of dairy products in the world. India with 134mn cows and 125mn buffaloes has the largest population of cattle in the world. More than fifty percent of the buffaloes and twenty percent of the cattle in the world are found in India.

Dairy products are a major source of cheap and nutritious food to millions of people in India and the only acceptable source of animal protein for large vegetarian segment of Indian population, particularly among the landless, small and marginal farmers and women. The major boom for dairy industry was during 1971-1996 when the “Operation Flood” was organized by the Indian Government. An integrated cooperative dairy development programme was implemented in three phases. The National Dairy Development Board was designated by the Government of India as the implementing agency. The major objective was to provide an assured market round the year to the rural milk producers and to establish linkage between rural milk production and urban market through modern technology and professional management. Milk production grew from 21 million tons in 1970 to nearly 69 million tons in 1996 – more than threefold, at the compound growth rate of 4.5 per cent.

The Ugly Side

In spite of the employment opportunities and massive boom to the economy The Dairy Industry has several critics for the way in which the cattle are handled. To meet the growing demand for milk, farmers impregnate cows repeatedly. Male calves are either sent to be killed or left on the roads to fend for themselves by rummaging in garbage cans. Many farmers cannot afford to feed their cows, and so they leave the animals on the road and only take them in for milking. Once a cow is deemed no longer useful, she is either sent to an illegal abattoir or abandoned in the city to starve. Calves are taken away from their mothers and often sold as veal calves after spending months chained unable to walk, stretch their legs, or even turn around. The adults are also forced to endure months, even years of needless suffering and cruelty.The stress caused by poor conditions on factory farms leads to lameness, disease, and reproductive problems, rendering them virtually useless at just 4-5 years old while their natural life span is 20-25 years. Cows are beaten into submission and artificially inseminated so that they will keep producing milk. Although this practice should be performed by trained professionals, most cows are repeatedly inseminated by “barefoot healers” who ignore the most basic hygienic standards and use equipment that has not been sterilized, exposing cows to infections and diseases.

Most of a cow’s day is spent confined to a narrow, filthy stall. Cows are injected with Oxytocin, an illegal drug that causes them to produce unnaturally large quantities of milk and suffer severe stomach cramps as though they were in labour. Cows are impregnated repeatedly. They grieve for every calf they deliver who is ripped away a few days after birth.

A global problem

Cruelty in Diary Industry is not restricted to only India. It is a very global problem and there have been several cries to stop this cruelty and save these cattle. The major producers of milk and milk products such as Australia, New Zealand among others are criticized heavily for the way the milk products are made and the unfair treatment meted out to the cattle. Australia has been particularly targeted by Cattle Welfare Associations for the manner in which they treat these cattle. The calves are separated from the mom within 24 hours of their birth and transported long distances for butchering. The Australian Media has been very critical and have highlighted some of these issues extensively. The government has taken note and the dairy farming standards have improved over the past few years.

Possible Solutions

Milk in general is a rich source of proteins and is a very good supplement for humans. It is also a fact that cows produce more milk than what is necessary for its calves the main reason why our ancestors started milking cows. But the practice which was once considered to be good for both cows and man has now become a pain for these innocent animals. Cows have been worshipped in India for a long time, but the steady decline in cattle population is due to uncivilized and brutal treatment meted out to these creatures. The possible solution to this would be to milk cows in an organic way and use only what they give us naturally and avoid techniques like artificial insemination. This can only be achieved if we reduce the consumption of milk and milk related products. There are several other supplements for these products which can be obtained with less harm to other living organisms. The whole situation can be improved by educating the farmers about better practices which can be achieved by sensible media coverage. Everything is a part of cycle of life and all practices has been in existence for a very long time, but this unnatural cruelty towards animals is very shameful and disrupts the very meaning of being human.

June 13, 2014
Colors of Food

Everyday Importance of Colors

Most people have a preferred color when it comes to making choices. It varies from person to person and some people have a lucky color which they never let go off. I had a friend who swears by red and everything from his car to his room paint to his shirt is red or shades of red. For some people color is a matter of luck and they feel that things never go wrong when they wear that particular color. Colors in general are fascinating and we cannot deny the fact that sometimes the color changes our mood. A bright colored room is generally considered to give a more energetic atmosphere rather than a dull one.

Impact of colors on food

But you might be surprised to know that the color of our food impacts us as much as the taste or calories present in our food do. Every color has its own distinct feature we don’t realize generally but these colors can alter our food habits massively. Scientists have gone to the extent of saying “people who wish to lose weight should use a blue colored plate”, as the color blue is a unappetizer and so is black. A variety of colors in your plate is necessary for a proper and balanced diet.

Colors and their meanings

Greens:

A great source of vitamins, they also provide minerals and fiber. Some green foods like spinach contain lutein and zeaxanthin, compounds from a group of antioxidants known as carotenoids that can protect aging eyes from developing cataracts and macular degeneration. They may also help protect against blockages of the carotid arteries in the neck. Cabbages help in reducing the risk of cancer.

Our mind interprets any green food as healthy food and there are generally no qualms when it comes to eating green foods.This is because ‘safe’ foods used to be green, such as lettuce, apples and cucumber. It was quickly established that most green foods could be eaten without a big risk of death.

Oranges/Yellows:

Sweet potatoes, carrots, mangoes, apricots and other yellow or orange fruits and vegetables are also rich in carotenoids and other antioxidants that protect the body from oxidative stress. Orange fruits and vegetables also give you vitamin C and folate, needed to reduce the risk of heart disease and prevent certain birth defects.

Yellow food is very appetite simulating and it is the reason why most restaurants have yellow lights, paint and decorations. It gives a very homely atmosphere and encourages us to eat more.

Reds:

Tomatoes, watermelon, papaya, and pink grapefruit are among the red pigmented fruits and vegetables that contain lycopene. This powerful antioxidant helps prevent the development of heart disease and some types of cancer, particularly prostate cancer. The lycopene in tomatoes is more available to the body when you cook them, especially in a little olive oil.

Red food (as well as the color red itself) is also appetite stimulating, creating feelings of intimacy and energy. If you are having a problem with your appetite, bring in some red into your kitchen!

Whites:

Garlic and onions contain allicin, a phytochemical that may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Raw garlic is a potent antibiotic that is especially active against fungal infections.

Blues:

Blue food is generally considered to be a no-no on the food plate. Traditionally we have never been exposed to much of blue colored food and there are no blue leafy vegetables or blue meats. The human mind is naturally averse to blue colored food.Million years ago, when our earliest ancestors were foraging for food, blue, purple and black were “color warning signs” of potentially lethal food.

Despite the natural aversion, there are certain blue foods which are very good for us. Blueberries are especially potent: a half cup provides antioxidant activity equivalent to five servings of peas, carrots, apples, squash or broccoli. Blueberries also give you almost three grams of fiber per half-cup serving. It comes with the advantage of delicious taste.

Color Appeal:

Color is very closely related with the appeal of food. In a research, subjects were served food in dark and were asked to eat their food in complete darkness. They said that the food lacked something which they couldn’t explain. For a person with eyesight, food is recognized by its appearance and the look of the food is very important in savoring its taste. Most of the foods in market lose out even before they are tasted because of its appearance. A platter of food with proper dressing, and even distribution of attractive colors is likely to have more takers than the one with monotonous appearance.

The McDonalds packaging is considered by many as the best because of its clever use of colors. Both red and yellow are appetizing colors and they are also very friendly colors, which helps in increasing the consumer’s appetite. Most restaurants use yellow and red as their packaging colors because of its natural appeal as a food appetizer.

So the next time you decide to cook or serve or eat make sure you use the proper colors because the human brain is like a little kid and it is bound to get influenced by appearances. Make your food colorful and in case you are a person who can’t resist hunting the fridge for food try putting a blue bulb inside your fridge. It is likely to reduce you craving for food!

June 5, 2014