'I love junk... but...'

A deep crusted pizza oozing with cheese, fresh crispy burgers, a thick strawberry milkshake and a plate of pani puri. These comprise the staple diet of most of the students in the City. Mouthwatering these food items may be, the youngsters very well know that they are harmful to their health. Metrolife speaks to some students to know what they are eating and finds out what according to them constitutes a healthy diet.   

Being an athlete, Kadambari Chakravarthi, a student of final year BBM of CMS understands the need to eat healthy. “The growing health problems amongst the students underline the importance of eating healthy,” she says. She feels that the students can be divided into two sets when it comes to eating healthy — aware and unaware. “While one set consists of those who want to eat healthy in order to feel healthy, the other set comprises those who want to eat healthy and keep fit, owing to peer pressure and the need to look good.” Kadambari admits that she used to love eating fast food at one point of time. “I would opt for McDonalds over a salad bar. But today, I think twice as I am training for marathons, which requires me to eat healthy.”

Jwanita Monis’ mother ensures that she eats healthy. “She makes a variety of food. In fact, when my sister Jane used to go for tuitions early mornings, mom used to make her eat a bowl of fruit,” recollects the engineering student from BNMIT. It is during holidays that Jwanita eats out. “My stomach gets upset due to the unhealthy food,” she laughs. “Otherwise I carry food from home to college as the canteen in college is not very hygienic.”
Bangalore-based Sumukh Rao is currently pursuing engineering in Tanjore. “The eating habits of students vary according to places,” he feels. “For instance, over there I am compelled to eat Brahmin food in a mess which can get boring at times,” he laughs. “Plus hygienic eat-outs are a rarity.” But even when he comes home to Bangalore, he prefers to eat pizzas and burgers. Doesn’t he get bored of those? “Yes I do. I get bored if I keep eating the same food everyday.”

Sumukh is described by his friend Nikhil Mukunda, as a “bottomless pit” when it comes to eating. Says Nikhil, an engineering student from Vemana Institute of Technology, “Even I am a glutton, who eats out of everyone’s boxes. But sometimes, I eat so much junk that I start feeling unhealthy. Then I go on a diet of home-cooked food, fruits and water,” he claims. However, Nikhil does love eating outside and swears by the dosas of Vidyarthi Bhavan.

“No one is eating healthy these days,” he feels. “Junk food is easily available everywhere, and the youth think it is hip to eat junk.” Says Nikhil’s mother Geeta, “He eats a lot of junk and I want him to stop eating outside. But being a working mother, I can’t prepare as many dishes at home the way my mother used to prepare.”

But what is the students’ perception of healthy food? “Healthy food is that which is hygienic and doesn’t spread epidemic,” feels Jwanita. While Nikhil thinks it is the food that “makes you feel fresh”. And Kadambari sums it all saying, “Even the canteens are tending towards the demand for healthy food. For instance, the sandwiches are being made out of wheat bread instead of maida.”