Not long ago, I had the privilege of not thinking about the change in size of my waist and how much I would weigh after eating my favourite dish. At 36, those days are long gone for me now, thanks to the vigilant #FoodPharmer (Revant Himatsingka), the ultimate guardian of our pantries. Let’s have a look at the perilous journey (Pun intended) of food shopping in a world where almost everything is red flagged!!
First on our list is #ProcessedFood. Revant mentioned in one of his posts that as per a study spanning over 4 lakh products across the world it was found that Indian packaged food has the most sugar, salt, saturated fat and #calories compared to other countries. FoodPharmer advocates ‘Ghar ka khana’ over ‘Ghar pe khana’ which means we need to inculcate #healthycooking in addition to the #healthyeating and should believe those food items which have been prepared under our own roof from raw materials. (Source: George Institute for Global Health)
PROCESSED FOOD (
We know that #Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Today, breakfast equals #SugaryCereals. I remember having brown coloured crunchies full of ‘chocolate’ and then, there were these colourful loops. It seems, we were having dessert first thing in the morning. Thanks, FoodPharmer, for revealing that our breakfast was a ‘candy aisle in disguise’.
Require a rapid recharge? Go for an #EnergyDrink! Perhaps not. These are now off-limits due to the high #sugarcontent and #caffeine content, which is equivalent to powering a small rocket. I suppose we can go back to the tried-and-true coffee now—wait, is coffee still okay?
Craving something crunchy? #SnackChips are off-limits too, thanks to their unhealthy fats and artificial additives. Looks like carrot / cucumber sticks are the new chips. Just close your eyes and imagine the crunch.
Lunch options aren’t safe either. #InstantNoodles were always our the go-to for a quick meal. But those packets of flavour? Packed with enough sodium to rival the ocean. Seems like tall claims from Noodles to be having fibres as much as 3 rotis also don’t land right.
Feel thirsty? How about a #Soda? Whether it’s regular or diet, the FoodPharmer says no. Too much sugar, too many #artificialsweeteners. Water, anyone? With a twist of lemon for excitement?
Dinner isn’t spared either. #FrozenDinners used to be the saviour of busy weeknights. Now, they’re red-flagged for high sodium and preservatives. Looks like it’s time to channel our inner #masterchefs.
Got a sweet tooth? #Bakery products like muffins and cookies are out, thanks to trans fats and artificial ingredients. Time to learn baking—with approved ingredients, of course.
SWEETENERS YOU MAY FIND IN YOUR FOOD (
As per Revant, even seemingly healthy options like #FlavouredYogurts aren’t safe. Those fruity, sweet treats are loaded with added sugars and artificial flavours. Plain yogurt with fresh fruit might be the new norm.
Finally, for the kids (or even the kid in all of us), Fruit Snacks are off the table. Those gummy, fruity shapes are more sugar than fruit. Whole fruit is the way to go, apparently.
In the grand adventure of modern eating, the FoodPharmer has made sure we’re more informed than ever. And while it might seem like everything #delicious is may not be healthy, maybe it’s just a push to embrace fresher, healthier options.
LABEL PADHEGA INDIA (
It is understandable that checking on everything before purchasing/eating is not much viable but with FoodPharmer to our rescue with his ‘Label Padhega India’ we now are more educated than ever to choose which food item to select off the shelves from the #grocerystores.
Here’s to navigating our pantries with a sense of humour and a healthier perspective!
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