‘Bring back traditional food items at home’

CHENNAI: The shift in dietary habits from consumption of natural fruits and food items to dietary supplements has impacted the overall health of the people, dieticians say.

With increased intake of packaged supplements and sugary drinks, several natural fruits, vegetables, spices, food grains and millets have disappeared from our platter.

Some of the fruits that were traditionally consumed include Indian jujube (elandhapazham), gooseberry (nellikka), tapioca, monkey pod (kodukapuli), Indian date (eecham pazham), karonda (kallakai), and ice apple (nongu) but these are out of sight in everyday households. Botanists opine that all kinds of traditional fruits need to be brought back into our homes.

“There are traditional vegetables and fruits that can be picked from the wild but their availability in the market is very less. They’re a rich source of nutrients, antioxidants and other minerals. They’re still a part of the everyday diet in the rural areas and in several city suburbs as well, but they have disappeared from city markets,” points out Prof D Narasimhan (Botany), who is also an expert in herbal and flowering plants.

Neighbourhood countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia and others have made use of these fruits and vegetables to make products such as juices, jams and others. “City-dwellers need more awareness on the scientific evidence-based benefits of these food items,” he adds.

Choosing food supplements in pursuit of holistic health instead of consuming natural food items in the diet has led to adverse impact on the health of children.

“Today, parents are keen on giving the best of everything for their kids, which also includes healthy food and lifestyle. Since they can’t spend much time in preparing healthy dishes at home, they choose the quick fixes sold as nutrition supplements in the market,” avers Dr Bhuvaneshwari Shankar, senior consultant dietitian at Apollo Hospitals.

Even if every ingredient in the product is organic and all natural, a health drink and/or a supplement cannot replace healthy meals.

“Irrespective of their claims, manufacturers don’t always use natural ingredients. The supplements are high in sugar and make children overweight and sometimes, obese. Parents must consult a qualified nutritionist for their kid’s diet and adhere to their guidelines,” she adds.