De-Junkifying the Indian : Junk foods and You

Those were the days when evening snacks comprised of nothing more than the home-made yummy treats like Bhajjias, Pakodas,Channa. Cutlets used to be a bonanza. Well!all  of this were  good, healthy(Mind you!....All prepared at home by mom).I still remember the mouth-watering channa with Puris served piping hot when I returned from school. I know you will have lovely stories to add this.

Fast forward.......Circa 2014

Mom rushing out of her office, picking up her children dashing straight in to a Junk Food outlet namely Mc D's, Dominos ,KFCs and the likes. Or take the case of those funky college goers who are regulars to these joints and only need a very simple reason to do this......perhaps the spending power of these kids have leapt up so high;  and  it seems the parents also don't mind. The junk food culture is a kind of 'nothing else to eat syndrome'(though I know most of them don't have a choice) in the sprawling food courts  for the corporate lot. This could be my stretched imagination but just thinking how many of us actually do eat junk foods on a regular basis. Eating out always existed in our social culture for over two decades now but the food we ate out was not JUNK!. 

       Let me clarify something before we start to know more on ‘Junking’. Fast foods most misinterpreted food under the sky. All junk foods are almost ‘Fast foods’ but all Fast foods are not junk! They are some readymade foods made in a ‘jiffy’. But when such foods are prepared in ajiffy they need to use some unhealthy ingredients to make it tasty. How can we define junk food? Any food that contains empty calories with no nutrients and made up of highly processed foods, high Sodium contents and tastes great!!! The best thing is that the taste always makes you eat more than one!

                 In India Junk-eat outs have become the norm of the day today these so-called fast foods or junk foods are a part of imported western culture.

Let ‘s see how Indians became Junkified:

1.       Work meets eat junctions:

Enter IT revolution in India. The time period saw a beginning of all new lifestyle,eat@work in sprawling food courts with many MNC food brands with a few Indian ones luring to some great variety of food. Lest we knew this would kick off a slew of health hazards.

2.       ‘Mall’ified culture:

We did have big complexes of shops in the nineties. They did have one or two eateries in them. People did shop-n-eat but had limited choices.But what mall culture did to an average Indian eating habits was way different. It threw up a variety offering a range of foods from world cuisines such as Chinese,Italian,Mexican and so on with our very Indian Cuisine favs like Chaat,Tandoorie  etc and made it available at one place-one go!It changed the way people shopped.They shopped for food than for other things.

3.       Working couples:

Down the years with evolving nuclear family system and the number of working women increasing eating out has become more of a necessity than luxury.The problem is most them left with unhealthy food choices. With little or no time to spare for cooking,a major chunk of Indian were Junkified this way.

4.       More Spending power:

Well, that is a certainly news !Standard of living of an average Indian has increased by atleast 50% in last 2 decades.So have the life styles and food styles.Then this Junkified Indian is born.And then burger becomes most part of his meals and Colas become their staple drink.Lo!

5.       The Western Hype:

When we great varieties of foods,especially snacks back home.But thehype created by the MNC eateries are being luring that people are flocking into them.Also if you see closely most of them have Indianised with a ‘Masala’twist to their menu.

What the junk foods can do for you?

1. Early onset of Hypertension
2. Over-weight and obesity
3. Lethargy and fatigue 
4. Kidney problems even at a very early as 45 years
5. Infertility 
6. Hormonal irregulation

How to get De-junkified?

1.       Change to Indian snacks more

2.       Try carry out snacks to office

3.       Shift to more ‘real’ food like fruits and salads for munching time

4.       Go more whole grained snacks.

5.       Do away with cola drinks and replace them with healthier alternatives.

6.       Teach kids about junk-eating,treat them with more Indian snacks

7.       Have a budget for food,see to it you work within that range.

Indians are meant to have healthier generations ahead with rich culture and eating habits.The way things are moving we are heading towards creating a sub-standard generation.Go for freshly prepared food,more real.Create your own magic in the food,stay away form the artificila one.

Choice is your,make a wise choice today!