Moderation not deprivation

Develop a healthy relationship with food and follow the 'eat mode' of your digestive system to stay healthy, suggests Rujuta Diwekar

Recently, a headline declared that research has now proven that eating meat is not dangerous to health and that all these years we have been misled. They had looked at the same data as the studies which said limit meat intake and found their results to be statistically irrelevant. The keto community felt vindicated. On the other hand, the vegan community had lots to cheer about too.

The documentary The Game Changers was successfully converting once hardcore meat-eaters to plant-based diets. Virat Kohli even tweeted about how he felt much better being a vegetarian athlete. It’s really not about meat but eating it in a sustainable manner without it taking a toll on our body or the planet. So, if you are from a traditional meat-eating community, go back to the practice of eating meat sometimes, two to three times a week max, and with rice or bhakri and sabzis, just like your grandmom taught you to. And if you are a vegetarian, don’t worry about protein, just eat your dals and pulses with rice and bhakris and sabzis, just like your grandmom taught you to.

Carbs: friends, not enemies

I’ve learnt, over time, to diplomatically say nothing when someone tells me they are ‘off carbs’. But keeping quiet doesn’t seem to help, not with so many people succumbing to the ‘no carbs’ school of dieting. So here’s another stab at demystifying — and yes, trashing — the ‘avoid carbs at all costs’ theory. First, some short answers: Are carbohydrates bad? No. Should I avoid them? No. How about not eating carbs for dinner? Bad idea. Carbs consist of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in a continuous dance with each other. Depending on how loosely or closely they are tied to each other, we classify carbs as simple or complex. And we need both. You will find carbs in all fruits (simple), in all grains like dals and lentils (complex) and in all processed foods like cakes, biscuits, pizza, breads, ice creams, chocolates (not so complex, i.e., fibre-stripped grains and lots of sugar). The carbs we need to restrict are the processed ones. Why? Because they come with their share of trans-fats, sodium, preservatives, added colours and emulsifiers. They clog arteries, raise blood pressure, lead to mood swings and, of course, a bulging waistline. So, restrict such treats to once a week, preferably before sunset, when your digestive system is still in ‘eat mode’. Grains like rice, wheat, jowar, ragi, bajra, and dals, lentils and fruits provide our body not just with energy-giving carbs but also with essential fatty acids, amino acids, fibre, B vitamins, micro minerals like selenium, zinc, chromium and many other nutrients. Taken together, they are anti-ageing, help lower blood pressure, increase peristalsis, improve fat-burning, lead to a slimmer waistline and a healthier heart. Further, when you eat roti with sabzi and dal, you improve both nutrient delivery and absorption. Avoiding carbs reduces your body’s ability to burn fat.

(Excerpted with permission from ‘Eating in the Age of Dieting’ by Rujuta Diwekar, Published by Westland.)