Let’s take a look at our own lives for a moment, many of us can look back fondly on our childhoods and remember our, aunts, uncles, grandparents and so on showering us with love in the form of food. The majority of us were, and are being raised in an environment where affection and comfort are shown through food. In the majority of cultures in India feeding guests and loved ones is the purest sign of adoration and respect, it’s something that brings Indians joy in not only watching others enjoy food but also in enjoying food prepared by your loved ones.
In India, it has become a way of life and this is why it is so hard for us to adopt a mindset of dieting because we have become so accustomed to a life where food has become a sort of haven for love and comfort. In a way, many of us develop an unhealthy relationship with food as we start to look to it for comfort sometimes even unknowingly. In today’s day and age, it’s become even easier to enjoy these kinds of foods in your own home with the help of food delivery apps, you can simply order comfort and the nostalgia of your grandmother's cooking to your doorstep.
These apps however convenient they are, promote unhealthy patterns as people become accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle with immediate gratification of their desires. This subconsciously creates food dependence and in enables individuals to stop finding solutions to their problems in real time and causes them to turn even further to food for comfort rather than actualizing the true root of their obstacles.
We must become aware of this pattern to control it. It is always good to indulge once in a while given that the majority of the time you prioritize your diet and focus on it becoming balanced. Instead of just ordering these foods online or on an app, there are many healthy alternatives to this action, you can go to the grocery store, find the right ingredients, and learn how to prepare them in a healthier way. Homemade food is always healthier than food that you order from a restaurant as you are able to gauge the amount of salt, spices and oils you use. If you choose to do that you’d not only be learning a new skill but you’d also feel a sense of self-accomplishment and responsibility for taking your nourishment and the nourishment of loved ones into your own hands. In addition to that, the next time you feel a craving for such foods, why not take a walk there, or a quick bike ride or jog to help you balance out what you are about to eat.
It is important to remember that dieting is not always about food restriction but it’s more
about food replacement and substitution, you don’t necessarily have to eat less you just have to eat smarter. Double up on your vegetable servings and cut your rice serving in half. There is a multitude of healthy Indian dishes such as daals, rajma, sambar, the list goes on and on.
In addition to that there is such a unique array of vegetables and grains in the Indian market place that offer you all the vitamins, minerals and even proteins that you need to have a balanced diet and also make appetizing dishes. You can always have these dishes and make them taste delicious with less oil, less salt, less masala, and use more fresh herbs, garlic, ginger etc. which are also so easily available in the market place to intensify flavors without having adverse effects on your body.
The great thing about today’s day and age is having the internet at your fingertips ready and abundant with healthy and tasty recipes for all your favorite dishes, all it takes is a quick search on google to find alternatives to help you start living a healthier and more vibrant life. I will leave some links below for some websites that offer a multitude of healthy recipe ideas.
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/19710/cuisines-regions/indian/?page=2
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/healthy-indian