A SUMPTUOUS DINE, Series: PART 2 - THE RIGHT DISH
I gave a gasp of astonishment and my jaw dropped open as I tried to digest the fact that four to six eggs, potatoes, and wheat toast; and every now and then fruit, bacon and oat meal comprised of the breakfast consumed by the Past U.S. President Mr. Barack Obama. Such a rich diet! 😲 As a matter of fact the Past President happened to be in his pink of health and was rated as one of the twenty 'Heros of Health and Fitness' in the Men's Health Magazine, October 2008 edition. It shows his passion not only for food but also to lead a healthy life.
'If some eat to live, some others live to eat.' They gorge on food, why only in the close confinements of their home, but the gourmets have a gala time binging food in restaurants, cafeterias, parties and even on street savoring the street food. With such a large appetite, I am sure they will give the comic character Dagwood Bumstead, the man with a love for food having a large appetite from the Blondie series, a run for his money.😜 A friend enlightened me to the fact that a lot of people around the world are passionate about tasting a variety of food. No wonder that being the reason we have the International Expert Chefs on demand and have been earning fame, name and big bucks for their culinary skills. I believe there is no harm in tasting food from not only different culture, but even different countries and continents as well. But the BIG question is, 'Are we eating right?'
There are many cities that are considered as food hubs. With the eat outs that have mushroomed in every other street, the hospitality industry has been earning well. Savoring every other eatery served, sadly people do not know when to stop eating. As the mouth watering treats excite their tongue, more food is consumed. Gone are the days when food was consumed for good health and to stay alive. Today it's only a matter of satisfying the taste buds. What really goes into our body has become a negligible affair. Probably the time that we are living in is such that man is seemingly focused outward. He is unaware of what he feeds his body and mind, unless and until it takes a toll on his health. Cholesterol levels soaring high; blood pressure shooting up; pancreas not functioning right; colons clogged; diabetes and obesity are detected both in children and adults; and the list can go on. Sadly people are happy with the momentary relief giving drugs that are taken in heaps. Anyways, who has the time to work on their body or for their body? It has also been proved that what we eat also determines the condition of our mind. "Calm mind brings inner strength and self confidence, so that's very important for good health", quotes the Dalai Lama. So what goes into our mind is equally important as to what goes into our body.
Off late a lot of talks have been going on on healthy diet by the health experts, doctors, and dietitians. If some people crave to savor vegetable bonda, dal fry, palak paneer, and more of vegetarian cuisine; the world that I come from consists of a huge number of people who relish fish fry, chicken biriyani, grilled chicken, mutton chops, and a variety of meat on their platter.😋 Both veg and non veg foods have their pros and cons. But the researches have proved that the vegetarian diet if planned properly to meet the nutritional requirements for all stages of life are considerably good for health as compared to non vegetarian food that contribute to many health diseases and infections. The latest fad is the Veganism. Where people abstain from the use of animal products, be it milk, butter or even honey; and other animal delivered substances.
Be it in the urban areas or rural, the convenience food or the packaged food is found in every other house. So much so they have become an essential part of the kitchen. The garam masala (the mixture of powdered spices); tea and coffee powder; bread; butter; salt and sugar; and many more add to the list. Munch, munch, munch,... one can keep munching on the biscuits, chips, cheeslings, and the ready to eat foods to his hearts content.😋 We even have the heat it and eat it kind of desi food sold in every other store. From the paratas and chapaties to the vegetable currys, both north and south Indian cuisins are readily available. To prolong the shelf life of the packed food and to keep the products from being broken down by micro organisms, Preservatives are added to these products. What people fail to realise is that these preservatives invariably cause harmful effects such as headaches, palpitations, allergies and can even lead to cancer.😱
If preservatives are added for the sustainability of the packed foods; the Agrichemicals are used for ridding insects and pests from the crops, trees and plants grown in the farms and fields. As the chemicals are absorbed by the plants and trees; the fruits, vegetables and grains that are harvested are filled with these poisonous chemicals. Hence there is a rise in diseases like cancer. Because of which human beings life expectancy has considerably reduced. Since people are being educated on right diet and food intake, the latest fad in the urban area is the consumption of Organic Food. These are fruits, vegetables and grains that are grown devoid of agrichemicals. The non vegetarians prefer consuming the meat of birds and animals that are bred naturally in a natural environment.
With the poison in the vegetation, preservatives in our food, the increase in the intake of junk food, man has started dying an early death. That's a thought that even a humble farmer whom I confronted vouched on. Give it a thought, even the tribal lot who live in the forest amidst the natural habitat stand in an envious position. I would consider consuming freshly cooked food at home. Bethenny Frankel, an American telivision personality, author and entrepreneur quotes, "Your diet is a bank account. Good food choices are good investments." Let us take care as to what we feed our body and mind. After all 'this body is the only place that we have to live in'.😊
'If some eat to live, some others live to eat.' They gorge on food, why only in the close confinements of their home, but the gourmets have a gala time binging food in restaurants, cafeterias, parties and even on street savoring the street food. With such a large appetite, I am sure they will give the comic character Dagwood Bumstead, the man with a love for food having a large appetite from the Blondie series, a run for his money.😜 A friend enlightened me to the fact that a lot of people around the world are passionate about tasting a variety of food. No wonder that being the reason we have the International Expert Chefs on demand and have been earning fame, name and big bucks for their culinary skills. I believe there is no harm in tasting food from not only different culture, but even different countries and continents as well. But the BIG question is, 'Are we eating right?'
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| Dagwood Bumstead from the comic strip Blondie 😊 |
There are many cities that are considered as food hubs. With the eat outs that have mushroomed in every other street, the hospitality industry has been earning well. Savoring every other eatery served, sadly people do not know when to stop eating. As the mouth watering treats excite their tongue, more food is consumed. Gone are the days when food was consumed for good health and to stay alive. Today it's only a matter of satisfying the taste buds. What really goes into our body has become a negligible affair. Probably the time that we are living in is such that man is seemingly focused outward. He is unaware of what he feeds his body and mind, unless and until it takes a toll on his health. Cholesterol levels soaring high; blood pressure shooting up; pancreas not functioning right; colons clogged; diabetes and obesity are detected both in children and adults; and the list can go on. Sadly people are happy with the momentary relief giving drugs that are taken in heaps. Anyways, who has the time to work on their body or for their body? It has also been proved that what we eat also determines the condition of our mind. "Calm mind brings inner strength and self confidence, so that's very important for good health", quotes the Dalai Lama. So what goes into our mind is equally important as to what goes into our body.
Off late a lot of talks have been going on on healthy diet by the health experts, doctors, and dietitians. If some people crave to savor vegetable bonda, dal fry, palak paneer, and more of vegetarian cuisine; the world that I come from consists of a huge number of people who relish fish fry, chicken biriyani, grilled chicken, mutton chops, and a variety of meat on their platter.😋 Both veg and non veg foods have their pros and cons. But the researches have proved that the vegetarian diet if planned properly to meet the nutritional requirements for all stages of life are considerably good for health as compared to non vegetarian food that contribute to many health diseases and infections. The latest fad is the Veganism. Where people abstain from the use of animal products, be it milk, butter or even honey; and other animal delivered substances.
Be it in the urban areas or rural, the convenience food or the packaged food is found in every other house. So much so they have become an essential part of the kitchen. The garam masala (the mixture of powdered spices); tea and coffee powder; bread; butter; salt and sugar; and many more add to the list. Munch, munch, munch,... one can keep munching on the biscuits, chips, cheeslings, and the ready to eat foods to his hearts content.😋 We even have the heat it and eat it kind of desi food sold in every other store. From the paratas and chapaties to the vegetable currys, both north and south Indian cuisins are readily available. To prolong the shelf life of the packed food and to keep the products from being broken down by micro organisms, Preservatives are added to these products. What people fail to realise is that these preservatives invariably cause harmful effects such as headaches, palpitations, allergies and can even lead to cancer.😱
If preservatives are added for the sustainability of the packed foods; the Agrichemicals are used for ridding insects and pests from the crops, trees and plants grown in the farms and fields. As the chemicals are absorbed by the plants and trees; the fruits, vegetables and grains that are harvested are filled with these poisonous chemicals. Hence there is a rise in diseases like cancer. Because of which human beings life expectancy has considerably reduced. Since people are being educated on right diet and food intake, the latest fad in the urban area is the consumption of Organic Food. These are fruits, vegetables and grains that are grown devoid of agrichemicals. The non vegetarians prefer consuming the meat of birds and animals that are bred naturally in a natural environment.
With the poison in the vegetation, preservatives in our food, the increase in the intake of junk food, man has started dying an early death. That's a thought that even a humble farmer whom I confronted vouched on. Give it a thought, even the tribal lot who live in the forest amidst the natural habitat stand in an envious position. I would consider consuming freshly cooked food at home. Bethenny Frankel, an American telivision personality, author and entrepreneur quotes, "Your diet is a bank account. Good food choices are good investments." Let us take care as to what we feed our body and mind. After all 'this body is the only place that we have to live in'.😊
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