Good to pick' on your food

We all know someone who watches their calorie intake, and guards their diet with their life. As much as a lot of us have gotten accustomed to seeing a bevy of healthy eaters around; millennials and young adults often take the mantra to an all new level altogether! Clearly, the picky eater is back. But this time around, it’s only the uber-healthy treats that shall make the cut. It is the era, where healthy eating reigns supreme and absolutely no compromises are made in achieving the same. Indian millennials are shifting gears – towards clean eating, and are investing in super foods which are pegged as mainstream this year. Be it the tolerable yet unrealistically pricey avocadoes, golden milk, pea milk, Tahini bars or the crunchy-zero-caloried Lotus seeds; ‘healthy eating’ is what takes the cake and on which the moolah is spent, irrespective of the price tag it comes with. We take a deeper look as health buffs tell us more.

“For me, healthy eating is one investment with super high ROI. I spend close to Rs 5,000 to 10,000 per month on dry fruits, which include a super rare variety of brazil nuts. To keep up with the right iron levels, I include spirulina, which is a super plant-based food,” begins entrepreneur Veena Ashiya Chindlur, who adds this is indeed the right era to be picky in terms of eating for Indians. 

“Luckily, we are living at a time in India, where in addition to the treasure house of herbs like Ashwagandha, there are ample superfoods to pick from, which are hugely popular in the west. I am a girl on the go, so my diet comprises a lighter version of Keto ( 40 percent fat, 30 percent protein and 30 percent carbohydrates) I avoid grain for five days a week.” 

Another youngster, Trishala Ashok, who runs a healthy baking venture, believes in deriving nutrition from different sources, but keeping it simple while at it. “80 to 90 percent I try to eat healthy. I count my macros  (my intake of carbohydrates, protein and fats)  and that gives me a fair idea of what to include. Additionally, I include a lot of nuts in my diet and food thats locally produced in the market, sunflower,  pumpkin seeds and kefir. I also ensure that I’m on a steady diet of avocados and berries, with most of my pancakes, salads and other meals that are usually prepared with cold pressed olive oil. 

Roughly I spend around 10k including protein supplements and cold pressed oils. I’m a believer that no matter what, health is wealth. So, spending wisely on food makes me happier about myself.” 

Gauging the trend, health, athlete and fitness expert Swetha Dev concludes, “My daily diet is a supergreens smoothie for breakfast which is a blend of spirulina, moringa, wheatgrass, alfalfa, flax etc. I mix it with coconut milk, chia and isagbol. It’s convenient for busy mornings. My lunch is usually red or brown rice or quinoa with  vegetables. I vouch for unived sports greens, which is alkanising, antioxidant and fibre rich blend of plant based ingredients, ideal to help me kickstart my day.

The trend of people being  conscious about their diet is very impressive and needs to be appreciated. Everyone knows prevention is better than cure. It’s always better to have a grocery bill that’s larger than your hospital bills. I think instead of  most of these inane challenges that go viral, it should be a superfood challenge that should be viral. Let’s make it sound cool to eat and spend well on living well!”