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It can be okay to consume some processed food, as long as it’s balanced with fresh food throughout the day.
Photo credit: Unsplash
It’s a slow Sunday at home, and my daughter has asked for “good food.” I’ve got whole wheat, seed-kissed bread baking in the oven, after two slow rises in a warm spot on the kitchen counter. I’ve put half a pumpkin into the pressure cooker, diced nice and easy, along with a few pods of garlic, cinnamon powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. I fill it with two cups of water and add a splash of fresh cream and a generous dollop of butter. I turn the stove on, and the oven off, and inhale the aroma of freshly baked bread wafting in the air. I open a new pack of salted pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top of the soup, thinking to myself, this is as good as food could get.
As dreamy as that sounds, there could be issues with some of the ingredients I’ve used. Let’s dig into that a little... what is processed food? Food that has been subject to washing, cooking, freezing, drying, packaging etc., is processed, and includes chopped/ peeled and packaged fruit and vegetables, milk, and eggs. Ultra-processed food like cereals, flour, spice blends, nuts, seeds, juices and soda, chocolates, snacks, and meats has gone through multiple processes like milling, chafing, high-temperature extrusion, texturisation, etc. Most nutrients are stripped during these processes, and there’s usually lots of added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium in these kinds of foods.
While there is enough research that shows the negative impacts of ultra-processed food on health, it’s important to understand that it can also be okay to consume some of it, as long as it’s balanced with fresh food throughout the day. For example, consuming sugary desserts and soda regularly is arguably worse for the stomach than eating packaged nuts, seeds, fibre-rich bread and cereal with zero or minimal added sugars. Also, eating out often makes it harder to maintain a healthy gut, whereas balancing it with fresh fruits and vegetables at home would help.
Cafés have become a hub for freelancers and consultants to work out of while sipping on endless cups of caffeine and eating mostly pre-made or packaged fast food, or what’s typically referred to as convenience food. As of last year, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) warned that junk food intake was causing 4.2 lakh deaths, not including 6 crore infections. The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) recently shared that more than 55% of the total disease burden in India is due to unhealthy diet choices. The 2023 Household
Consumption Expenditure Survey showed that about 5% of urban households spent an average of Rs 500 per month per head on packaged and processed food items.
To change the way we consume food, we need to look at our overall lifestyle. A sedentary one makes it that much harder to be disciplined with dietary guidelines. An active one may still afford some cheat meals now and then. If we look at how we eat at home versus how we feed guests, how we order in versus eat out, there may be more clues to help us figure out a plan that works best. Above all, we need to really understand that the way we eat has serious implications for not just our health, but that of the environment, and society. Good food, no matter how you think of it, should encompass ethical production, environmental sustainability, and community well-being. It should comprise what is agreeable to our bodies, what can sustain the environment, and celebrate nature and our farmers.
The singular rule to live by when it comes to good food should be to eat fresh and local as much as possible. By sourcing food from local producers, we reduce the carbon footprint associated with transportation, support local economies, and enjoy fresher, more flavourful produce. Local food systems are often more resilient to climate change, as they are less dependent on fragile global supply chains. Moreover, they contribute to biodiversity by preserving traditional crop varieties and promoting agro-ecological practices.
As I stir the soup and slather the toast with butter, I can’t help but wonder if I’ve checked all the boxes for good food. Here’s a handy checklist with parameters to help balance what we eat, when and how we eat it and more importantly, where:
♦ Include a bowl of fresh, local and if you can help it, seasonal fruit, with your breakfast, and a side of some form of freshly prepared protein. Sprouts and overnight-soaked nuts and seeds are great choices, as are eggs, boiled legumes, nut butter on fresh breads, and homemade paneer.
♦ Consume whole grains of your choice (rice, barley, oats, millets) for lunch, and two or three vegetable preparations, one fresh greens variety, with a protein and some form of fermented food (yoghurt, pickles). Follow this with some fresh fruit.
♦ Make sure you get lots of vegetables for supper, either in salad or soup form. Carbs and proteins can be reduced.
♦ Eating while honouring the seasonal calendar, local foods, and a fine-tuned circadian rhythm is ideal but not practical. Eating millets just because they’re local isn’t always healthy for everyone. Consuming meat from local butchers, or vegetables procured from local markets, aren’t always the healthiest options. Understand where your food comes from, under what conditions it’s grown or raised, and how it reaches you. Above all, listen to your body and feed it accordingly.
Don’t let the calendar or diet chart take away the joy of eating.
(Ranjini is a communications professor, author, and podcaster, straddling many other worlds, in Bengaluru. She’s passionate about urban farming and sustainable living, and can mostly be found cooking and baking in her little kitchen, where, surrounded by heirloom coffee kettles and mismatched tea cups, she finds her chi.)