Nobody dares to question these words anymore – in fact, the concept of ‘nutrition’ and ‘diet’ have become so popular in the past few years, that the health and nutrition market has rocketed into a massive 170 billion dollar (SGD) industry globally. The upside to that is a lot more awareness/realization about the benefits of good health among people. The downside, though, is a lot more ambiguity and complexity that has crept in about the “how” of nutrition and diet, that businesses are taking maximum advantage of, to increase their bottom-line.
Nutrition (and diet) doesn’t have to be complicated, doesn’t have to have myths. Proper nutrition doesn’t translate to sacrificing the food that we like nor have to results in ‘weight loss’. It is about eating smart. All that means is balancing right amounts of (lean) protein, carbs and fats. Diets that are rich in fruits, vegetables, whole-grains and low-fat dairy reduce the risk of diseases, help strengthen bones and teeth, result in increased energy levels and improve brain health. Therefore, vegetarians are at an advantage by default. Nevertheless, the simple secret to a happy and healthy life is to eat more of these good nutrients and curb the intake of foods rich in cholesterol and saturated fat. As someone rightly said, ‘good health is about going back to the lessons we learnt as a kid’. We are what we eat!
– Ruthu Shree Ragavan
