Food is a symbol of our culture on a wide scale. Each one of us is raised eating the food related to our culture, we get recognized in other countries who we are based on our food habits. Food gives us national identity. Food is not only associated with happiness and health, but it also becomes what we seek throughout our lives. In challenging times food comforts us. Food culture globally is influenced by factors such as the local landscape and weather. For this reason, they vary in each country.

Cooking leads to healthier relationship with food; when cooked at home, it tends to be cheaper than eating out. When family members and guests compliment the food cooked by you the feeling is very satisfying. 

Food is integral part of our life. Sharing food with those we love is part of what makes us human. Globalization has made the world a global village. As the world grows smaller, it’s become easier to enjoy food from different countries, and many cultural traditions have developed around the celebration of food at religious holidays and family gatherings. We connect with our culture or ethnic group through food patterns. Food is often used as a means of retaining cultural identity. People from different cultural backgrounds eat different foods. The areas in which families live and where their ancestors originated influence food likes and dislikes.

Food culture consists of collective habits, rituals, beliefs, values, lifestyle, and practices around producing, procuring, and intaking food. The history of food defines our connections with our families, friends, and country at large. Food history is an interdisciplinary field that examines the history, the cultural, economic, environmental, and sociological impacts of food and human nutrition. It is distinct from the more traditional field of culinary history, which focuses on the origin and recreation of specific recipes.

If you are in Thailand, do not use a fork to push food into your mouth. Thailand offers a variety of delicious cuisines. One is spoilt for choice when it comes to the vast array of food items that are found in almost every nook and corner in Thailand. Just remember one thing – in this country, it is considered rude to use a fork to put food into your mouth. The people here believe that the fork must be used only to push food into the spoon. You can then use the spoon to eat the food.

Pakistanis will often use their hands to eat rather than cutlery. However, it is considered bad etiquette to pass, serve or spoon food to one’s mouth with the left hand. It should be used to hold the plate or assist the right hand in serving food. Pakistanis often offer their guests additional helpings of food.

In Vietnam, during the meal, make sure to pass dishes to another person using both hands. When getting a serving of food, place the portion in a bowl or on a plate. If eating from a bowl, lift the bowl close to your face and not let it sit on top of the dining table as this will be considered an act of laziness.

In the Middle East, never use your left hand while eating. Make sure you do not eat with your left hand while you are there. This is primarily because people in the region associate the left hand with other functions such as washing, bathing, and using the restroom. So, if you reach out for food or eat with your left hand, it might seem disrespectful and unhygienic.

Indian cuisine reflects an 8,000-year history of various groups and cultures. Indian food is heavily influenced by two religions – Hinduism and Islam. It is influenced by cultural choices and traditions. Historical events such as invasions, trade relations, and colonialism have played a role in introducing certain foods to this country. Trade with British and Portuguese influence added to more diversity in Indian cuisine.

Food portrays culture of a country.  Food brings people together. The French know this better, and they cherish the time they get to spend with each other over a meal. In fact, UNESCO declared French cuisine a “world intangible heritage”. The French believe that taking a meal should be done in the company of others to relax and enjoy the meal. That applies to workmates, families, and any kind of foodie event. Usually, a French meal will take at least 2 hours and is pretty much always accompanied by wine or cider depending on which part of the country you are in.  

World intangible heritage also involves oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, and festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe and traditional craftsmanship.

Cooking engages our senses, it activates memories. The aroma of a dish can remind us of our grandparent’s house, or a favourite restaurant during a vacation. Food allows us to immerse in these memories. Also, cooking is a therapeutic way to relieve stress and boost mood. When we cook, we are constantly focused, prepping ingredients, stirring the ingredients, adjusting the seasoning, and monitoring the cooking process. All of this is helpful to divert any stress or anxiety. It is like meditation, with tastier outputs.

When we visit any cultural-based festival for instance a Russian festival, Malaysian festival, or an Italian festival we find that food is the festival’s focal point. This is because eating food is a social act, also, eating is part of how we become human. It is as important as speaking and taking care of ourselves. What we eat, makes us the kind of human we are.

For example, in Japan slurping is showing appreciation for food. It shows you loved the meal. Often, in many countries, making sounds while eating is considered ill-mannered. And slurping is a big NO. However, in Japan, slurping noodles and soup is considered acceptable, many believe it improves its flavour. Additionally, it is meant to express that the dish is being greatly enjoyed. The middle of the table is the most honoured position, and the second most important person seated next. The host sits at the middle of the table on one side, and the honoured guest in the middle on the other side, opposite the host. The honoured guest sits on the side of the table farthest from the door.

Italians don’t pair fish with cheese The Italians are known for their love of food and are famous for their cheese like parmesan cheese and mozzarella. However, never ever try to mix cheese and seafood, while you are there. It is considered a culinary disaster in Italy.

In South Korea, when people assemble for a meal, they wait for the eldest person at the table to eat first, before the others join in. This is believed to be a great sign of respect for the elders.

In China, you must not leave your chopsticks upright in a bowl. This is offensive as this is a common practice during funerals when the Chinese make offerings to the departed soul. It is also considered rude to place your chopsticks pointing in someone’s direction. Finishing the food on your plate is considered rude in China. Even if you find the meal delicious, it is important that you leave a small portion behind. This is a way of complimenting the host that he has fed you enough. 

In Chile, people try to eat almost everything with a fork, spoon, and knife. Even if the food involves items that can be enjoyed more with the hands like chicken drumsticks and wings, it is customary to use a fork and a knife. Here, people believe that food should never be eaten with one’s hands.

If you are in Russia, if you put your hand on the lap while eating, it is a bad manner. You can put them on the table or anywhere else but not on the lap. So, think before you eat, when in Russia.

In Tanzania, being on time for your meal is an insult to the host. If you want to be polite, show up late and they will appreciate the gesture.

The history of the country also has an impact on the food culture and traditions of the people living there. In United States, you can easily see how layers of food culture have created the melting pot of cuisines that exists in the USA today. American cuisine is influenced by Europeans and Native Americans in its early history between 1492 and 1800. Colonisation brought European ingredients and cooking styles to the America. Today, there are several foods that are commonly identified as American, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, macaroni and cheese, and meat loaf.

Conclusion

People connect to their cultural through food recipes and patterns. Food is a means of retaining cultural identity. People from different cultural backgrounds eat different foods. The upbringing and part of globe in which families live and where their ancestors originated influence food like and dislikes.

Eating is something what is an extremely personal act. What we eat communicates to rest of the world our beliefs, enlightening and social backgrounds and experiences. It is a sort of evidence to how we think, who we are, and our intellectual qualities are portrayed through our style of cooking and eating. It is indeed interesting to note that food plays a major role in constructing our identities. This is across psychological, social and anthropological thinking because it also expresses how we are different than others. As humans we are used to differentiate ourselves on a daily basis.

In fact food is our national pride. It can be imitated but rarely duplicated.
Food experts argue that although globally food fusion is rampantly sold, the originality of a craft cannot be diminished. While fusion is not a new phenomenon, it has picked up impetus in the last decade as travel, trade, and ingredient accessibility have hit a new high. Fusion food definitely suits taste buds of some travellers, some staunch eaters feel otherwise – they feel fusion food is a strange-tasting gimmick.

Fusion food is a style of cooking that uses ingredients and techniques from around the world, especially one that combines Eastern and Western influences. It is a kind of fusion that gives the best of different cuisines and complements and enhances the taste of dishes.

Chinese, Japanese to Thai or Vietnamese or Singaporean, we evolve through Asia looking for our next favourite cuisine. Dhokla sandwiches, tandoori chicken, kababas, chicken tikka nazza, pizzas etc. They form part of the Indian fusion cuisine with a twist. But the questions that are an integral part of the chef and culinary debates are whether fusion is the evolution of our demand and understanding of the cuisine, or is it simply going be a gimmick of merging together any two flavours to produce a confused recipe? After all, a gimmick is a gimmick.

The food culture of the world has greatly evolved over the past 10,000 or more years.

Societies have nurtured and grown plants and animals which greatly increased the food supply for their food style and taste. The development of states and industries contributed to changes in vegetation and soil, new fuels for cooking, emergence of new seeds, and the blending of soils, crops, and fertilisers. The boost in travel, trade, and immigration led to the discovery of new culinary routes, spices, and tastes, and the merging of cuisines. In the era of colonisation, cultural identities remained desolate but cuisine paved the way for interesting inspirations and fusions due to the mixing of food habits and sourcing of products from across the colonised territories and the home countries of the colonials. In this way came the French-Vietnamese style of cuisine after a century-long control by the French over Vietnam.

Same is the case with Anglo-Indian cuisine which is a by-product of the British colonial influence in the region. The Anglo-Indian cuisine has become another culinary genre with stratified accessibility. This culinary evolution and intermingling of food habits has led to a fusion of culinary styles and ingredients.

When chefs push the barriers of the evolution of cuisine, fusion happens. With the world becoming a global village, access drives the so called fusion. For instance, Norwegian Salmon was never available in India historically. But now that it is, we have seen the birth of Salmon Tikka. Basically, fusion occurs when ingredients traditionally not found in the cuisine culture of a region make their way into a dish. So now, instead of using Indian River Sole to make tandoori fish, it is salmon that has found its way into the tandoor and so “Salmon tandoori” now is decorated in your plate. The same is the case with some exotic salads and dressings along with herbs imported from other part of world.

A variety of social, cultural and economic factors contribute to the development of our preservation and change of dietary patterns. The way society grows, the development, influences of other cultures and physiological, psychological factors and acquired food preferences and knowledge, can be distinguished from interpersonal or social factors such as family and group influences.

But, I am of an opinion that the originality of food and its authenticity cannot be restrained. If liking truly is that important a determinant of food choice, health practitioners should focus their efforts on preparing original styles  in order to develop food habits. However, claiming that one determinant is dominant over the others implies knowledge about how the various determinants inter-relate in their influence on food choice. After all, “authentic” means enduring, or timeless; umpteen dishes have been evolved from so many cultures in the world. Many chefs and families struggle to maintain the local cuisine’s taste; because an “authentic” dish is one that captures the spirit of the originality!

Ayurvedic Principal applied: Even today, the Indians food contains an Ayurvedic principal which is based on the food pyramid. Food Pyramid is a triangular nutrition food guide which tells us how much of what food to eat. This pyramid has been in use for decades now. In India we have a food guide pyramid given by the National Institute of Nutrition. In the US, the pyramid has been given by their USDA (United State Department of Agriculture). Even, in parts of Europe, Africa, Americas, Australia and Asia their versions exist.

All of these pyramids and recommendations speak a similar language: more of complex carbohydrates, less of fat and protein, and adequate fruits, vegetables and fibre. Generally speaking, complex carbohydrates come at the bottom of the pyramid, next up are fruits and vegetables, higher up and in lesser quantities are the pulses, dals, dairy foods, and meats. Right on top in the narrowest section contains fats and sweets.

Plating in India was also influenced by vaidyas (royal physicians) and hakims who were employed to evaluate what the king and his men should eat on a regular basis. In most royal courts, the vaid would decide not only the level of spices, but also the seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Every thali consists of pickles and chutneys; because they add flavour and act as a foil to mild dishes and sweet chutneys do the same to spicy dishes and they aid digestion. Most Indian thalis feature palate cleansers. In the Manipuri Chakluk, it’s the cabbage salad. In Uttar Pradesh, it is the kachumber and in Odisha, a small cup of ripened papaya or coconut meat with mint serves the purpose. Palate cleansers help diners experience flavours better and also negate the need to drink water, which hold back digestion during a meal.

One of the jewels of Indian thalis is the Kerala banana leaf sadhya thali which takes into consideration the three biological energies found throughout the human body the vatta, pitta and kapha. According to the classics of Ayurveda, the Charaka Samhita and Susruta-samhita, any food that has been cured and preserved is high on vitamin and antioxidants, and hence, works on the principle that less is more. The best example is the pickles. The pickle making is both science as well as an art.

Seasonal and local food included: Indian thalis are highly seasonal and local. They display indigenous cooking techniques such as steaming, fermenting, grilling, deep frying, baking, smoking, boiling, stirring, peeling, slicing to name a few. The other common thing you will see in a thali is the use of clarified butter or ghee, which is considered to have medicinal properties that help digest food and build immunity while lending a rich aroma to the dish.

Use of hand and no wastage of food: Traditionally, we eat our food using our hand. Therefore, do not ask for spoons and forks while eating. Use only one hand (usually the right one) to eat. The other hand should not touch the plate; it is not to be kept on the table. This hand can be used for re-serving yourself from the main bowls. The original culture of eating is by sitting on the floor to eat. You are not supposed to get up in the middle of a meal. It is considered rude and disrespect of food and the people you are eating with. Most important message is: DO NOT WASTE FOOD. If you are unsure of the quantity of food you want to eat, serve yourself small portions and go for a second round. It is completely okay if you end up serving yourself thrice, but wasting food is out of question.

Food is integral part of culture: According to the distinguished and celebrated mythologist Devdutt Pattnaik, a culture can be destroyed by destroying the originality of food preparation. Food is an important part of any culture. Nearly every culture has its own food, and its own customs associated with eating food. After all, the culinary traditions tell from where we come.  It is difficult to restrain originality of food and its authenticity. After all, “authentic” means enduring, or timeless; umpteen dishes have been evolved from so many cultures in the world. The biggest and greatest fact even today is, many people and families struggle to maintain the local cuisine’s taste; because an “authentic” dish is one that captures the spirit of the originality!

Clean eating is an idea that eating whole foods in their most natural state is good for our body because it offers certain benefits and to avoid processed foods such as refined sugar, refined oil etc.  There are variations in the clean eating diet which excludes gluten, grains, milk and dairy products. It advocates the consumption of raw food. The principals of clean eating are: eat for nourishment, eat regular balanced meals and healthy snacks that are nourishing and not too rushed. Eat at home more often and prepare food in healthy ways. Pack food to eat away from home when on the road, at work or at activities. When you do eat out, choose wisely. Eat more plant-based foods. Ramp up on plants by eating more plant-based proteins, such as beans, lentils and peas, and high-protein whole grains, like quinoa, barley and buckwheat.

But, regardless of being discussed nearly everywhere, and by many, clean eating has no specific definition. Normally, it means avoiding packaged and processed foods and eating food as close to its natural state as possible. This doesn’t mean that all food must be eaten raw. Characteristics of clean food generally include: home cooked, basic, whole ingredients, no preservatives, no food coloring, or other additives and minimal processing.

I have seen many of my young students, and many of my upmarket friends falling prey to the clean eating concept. In my opinion, it is an overriding concern for parents and the dieters themselves. The idea of weight loss and obsession of eating healthy is killing. Most of the clean eating people look weak and pale. They literally need to drag themselves; they are left with no energy. They can’t walk up the flight of stairs. The muscle mass reduces in legs, shoulder, head and hand. They are left with no energy. After few days of clean eating they are left with no enthusiasm.

Many are depressed: They complain of being tired all the time, they struggle to concentrate because the brain does not support on grasping. The brain requires a steady supply of glucose to function properly and the diet deprives it for some time. Their body is so desperate for nutrition — especially carbohydrates which binges for a high-calorie, sugary foods as a last-ditch attempt to keep the brain going. But, after having a good sugar rich food, they feel guilty because they have broken their ‘clean eating’ habit.

The problem is that clean eating is not plainly defined: it’s vague in nature. Primarily, it became famous for eating more whole, nutritious foods. But, as days passed, it’s just not about eating better; it is a privilege of consuming nicely packaged foods with influencer-approved ingredients many of which do not reap the claimed benefits. We can’t ignore that clean eating is for those who have access and can afford to shop at upscale grocery stores or fresh farmers markets.

It implies a weird lifestyle: Some proponents of clean eating have an air of superiority; I don’t know when eating style started defining your worth? Plus, the pressure to eat clean can cause anxiety or excessive fixation, too many restrictions around eating. Eating clean unfortunately becomes a competition of who can have the best-looking food or the cleanest list of ingredients. The fact is that most food has been processed in some way, because washing and cutting are technically a way of processing, and there are several processed foods that are used in preparations; nutritious like peanut butter, whole wheat pasta and canned beans.

Make meaningful associations with healthy food: A former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says that training yourself to stop craving salty, sugary, and fatty foods can’t be a cognitive process alone. If your emotions do not accept depriving your body of salty, sugary food do not torture it, instead listen to your body. Emotions play a huge role in our eating habits. That’s where your imagination comes in. Many of us connect positive, nostalgic feelings with unhealthy foods.

Each one has unique food needs: Each person’s daily intake of food is different. Each diet is quite diverse, and therefore ‘’one size fits all’’ is wrong notion. It is simply not possible. Each person’s dietary intake is macronutrient balanced by his body. This being the fact, all of the main meals through the day have a balance of complex carbohydrates, protein and fats. It need not be overly controlled.

To conclude, all extremes and restrictive practices of clean eating only lead to disordered eating patterns. I call it just a damaging obsession.

I strongly recommend the ABC Drink – this juice prepared from apple, beetroot and carrot for consumption each morning on empty stomach. There is no strict quantity required for this juice. I take half of apple, beetroot and one whole carrot, I add two amalas, pudina and a small piece of ginger in it and let me tell you it tastes yummy!! Of course you need to remove the stems of and seeds from the fruits, wash them clean and then put them in juicer and get the juice.

This juice is terribly nutritious; full of antioxidants since apple is full of Vitamins like A, B1, B2, B6, C, E and K along with nutrients like Folate, Zinc, Magnesium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Calcium, Sodium and Iron. While carrots are known to have vitamins like A, B1, B2, B3, C, E and K along with Niacin and Pantothenic Acid supported by minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium and Selenium. It is said that maximum advantage can be gained from carrots in their juice form rather than the vegetable eaten directly. Beetroot is a vegetable which is known to help the heart in prevention of any cardiovascular diseases which are full of nutrients like Vitamin A, C, B-complex, iron, copper, magnesium and potassium along with several anti-aging agents like amala (Indian gooseberry), ginger and pudina(mint leaves). It has numerous advantages for both brain and body.

It seems a research was conducted by a group of nutritionists; the pure ABC drink without any other ingredients was suggested to few patients suffering from lung cancer for 3 months continuously after which it was found that the patients were completely healed. The traces of cancer were not seen at all. This drink is not just limited to lung cancer but also is known to treat all types of cancers. This miraculous juice restricts the growth of cancerous cells. This drink is lifesaving energizer.

The ABC drink improves health of various organs like kidney, liver and pancreas saving them from various problems while also strengthening of heart and lungs. It keeps the skin glowing making you feel younger. It improves health of the entire digestive system protecting stomach from ulcers, controlling the bowel movements and relieving chronic constipation. It also helps providing brain with all the necessary nutrients which in turn increases the memory and helps in proper functioning of brain. It prevents Alzheimer’s disease.

The list of benefits is big: the ABC drink is beneficial for eyes too.  It is especially good for those who sit in front of computers for long hours. It saves eyes from drying and itching. Also it saves body from variety of allergies and in curing any sort of throat infections. This miracle drink is also known to detoxify the liver and blood purification thereby helping in increase of red blood cells production. Women suffering with too much pain during menstrual cycle can also go with this drink since it is known to relieve from any pains and cramps. It also acts as a great antidepressant.  I have experienced great benefits from this juice. It keeps mind and body highly active throughout the day.

For best results one needs to consume the drink continuously for three months minimum. Make it a daily habit for its worthiness.

Do you know, okra promotes a healthy pregnancy – an extremely important B vitamin for producing and maintaining new cells, ‘folate’ is an essential compound for finest pregnancy. The vitamin helps prevent birth defects in child and helps the baby to grow sufficiently. Vitamin C is also essential for fetal development. As mentioned above Okra is rich in both folate and vitamin C.

It also helps in keeping the kidneys healthy. It supports the colon’s health too. Okra is full of dietary fiber, which is essential for cleansing the colon, and digestive health as a whole. The fiber in Okra helps to clean out the gastrointestinal system, allowing the colon to work at greater levels of efficiency. Additionally, the vitamin A contributes to healthy mucous membranes, helping the digestive tract to operate suitably. Its Vitamin C property helps keeping the respiratory problems away; like asthma and wheezing symptoms. What more, okra promotes healthy Skin. Vitamin C helps keep the skin looking young and vibrant. The vitamins aid in the growth and repair of bodily tissues, which affects collagen formation and skin pigmentation, and helps to rejuvenate damaged skin.

Get rid of blood sugar: 

Take two pieces of Okra/Lady Finger and remove both ends of each Piece. Also put a small cut in the middle and put these two pieces in glass of water. Cover the glass and keep it at room temperature during night. Early morning, before breakfast simply remove two pieces of lady Finger from the glass and drink that water. Keep doing it on daily basis. Within two weeks, you will see remarkable results in reduction of your blood sugar. You may chop the lady fingers into small or medium size pieces and put them into water and drink it up the next morning. Please try it as it will not do you any harm even if it does not do much good to you. But, you have to keep doing it at least for few weeks.

This has cured diabetes of many people. And it is a fact. Lady Finger stabilizes the blood sugar in diabetic patients by controlling the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract. Many scientific journals have published studies on the superb capability of okra to cure diabetes. So if you are suffering from diabetes, (even border line) it would be a great idea to cure it by trying this easy treatment at home.

Relevant tip for glowing skin: Boil a handful of okra until soft. After letting it cool, mash it, and apply it on to your face. After 5 minutes, wash your face and see your skin glowing. You will also feel your skin smooth and rejuvenated.

How cooking brings you closer to your near & dear ones

Guys if you don’t cook you are losing out on a fantastic skill to have. Not only does it save you time and money on food which you buy from outside, it can also contribute to improved health, bring you closer to your near and dear ones besides it is a great stress buster.  While stress numbs your senses, cooking stimulates them. It’s a sensory experience: touching, washing, cutting, chopping, grating, aroma, seasoning, the visual delight and even the sizzling sound everything can just rouse your senses.

How cooking is therapeutic

A psychiatrist working in London, Mark Salter suggests that cooking and baking activities could be therapeutic for patients with depression. They can stimulate cognition, get people working on memory tasks and allow patients to connect with a feeling of nurturing and protection. I’d argue that cooking and baking have another benefit: the possibility of sharing, and the enrichment of interpersonal relationships that occurs as a result.

His claims are supported by some counselors, therapists and mental health treatment centers all over the world which use cooking therapy as a tool for their patients. In addition to helping people learn skills for independence and self-care by teaching them how to cook wholesome, balanced meals, cooking can also help patients get more active, grounded and connected with their environment. And evidently the focus on tasks can be beneficial for a brain in turmoil.

How cooking can open a world of opportunity

You don’t have to love cooking, but knowing the basics and feeling competent in the kitchen can open a world of opportunity to improve your quality of life. We are busy doing so many things in our lives. We have better things to do than slave away in kitchen cooking a breakfast, meal or a dessert. Until you champion the task of cooking the planning, shopping, chopping, cooking, preserving and cleaning involved in making a meal can bore you to death. Frankly speaking it does.

I feel there is nothing else than cooking which offers instant gratification. If you’re cooking for people whom you love and care for, your cooking can nurture relations further. The praise and appreciation that you get for cooking from your loved ones is a feeling of elation. Cooking involves innovation, imagination, novelty and thinking. You can go on innovating mixing ingredients, styling your preparations with a variety, using different materials while dishing out new recipes.

Why Cooking is an honest work

Another thing about cooking is that it’s honest work. It takes you on a delicious ride and gives you a different high and yet keeps you grounded, in touch with reality. It helps you clear your mind, it stimulates new ideas, and it refreshes your outlook. It keeps you occupied – keeping you busy and helping you to forget about worries for some time.

So friends please don’t give up on cooking. It’s a great reliever. 

There are quite a few people who skip their morning breakfast. During a busy morning, people have many other priorities such as making a reminder phone call, reading the important news, going through important papers and travelling to far off places for work. With the busy schedules people keep, especially in the city, waking up just 10 minutes later could mean being an hour late for work. So leaving the home at just the right time becomes crucial, and often they tend to sacrifice their breakfast for attaining something else.

Ignorantly, we let breakfast fall low in our list of priorities, but taking just a few minutes to have something to eat can really make a difference to our day. But, do you know that skipping the most important meal of the day can do more harm than we realize? Yes, morning breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The fact is breakfast provides the body and brain with fuel after an overnight fast. That’s where it has got its name: breaking the fast! Without breakfast we run on empty stomach, it is like trying to start your vehicle with no petrol in its tank!

Many people on a diet make the wrong assumption that skipping breakfast would help them cut calories. In fact, it is just the opposite. Many studies have proved that when we skip morning breakfast, our body craves for high calorie foods, and we somehow consume more food. Starting our morning with breakfast boosts our metabolism and keeps our blood sugar levels stable during the day. Maintaining normal blood sugar levels is a very important part of avoiding long-term health issues, managing our weight and just feeling good, visit https://livingwellnessmedicalcenter.com/phentermine-online/. When we eat carbohydrates, glucose enters our blood stream and a special hormone called “insulin” is released which encourages your cells to absorb the glucose as fuel.

A morning meal helps energize our body, keeping us active and productive until lunch. A nutritious breakfast reduces risk for overeating and cravings later in the day. It is worth to note that eating breakfast has been associated with a lower incidence of heart disease. Also, morning meal is necessary not only for our body but for the brain as well. Eating a nutritious breakfast helps improve your concentration and productivity.

Nutritionist’s advice: breakfast should be eaten within two hours of waking; a healthy breakfast should provide calories in the range of 20-35%. Apart from providing us with energy, breakfast foods are good sources of important nutrients such as calcium, iron and B vitamins as well as protein and fiber. Eating breakfast has long term health benefits. It can reduce obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

Eggs, yogurt, Oatmeal, Berries, Indian foods such as Upma, Khichadi, Poha, Idali, Dosa, Thepla, Besan Cheela etc are good for breakfast. Most important advice is to have few fruits during breakfast. Fruit and vegetables are good sources of vitamins and minerals so try to include a portion of fruits daily at breakfast, whether that is a banana or glass of fruit juice. Fruits such as watermelon, berries, apples, bananas, muskmelon, and pineapple are highly nutritious.

A research shows that breakfast can be good for reduced waistline: Those who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight and more likely to be within their ideal weight range compared with breakfast skippers. If you skip breakfast, you are more likely to reach for high sugar and fatty snacks mid-morning. Many studies have even shown how eating breakfast can improve memory and concentration levels and it can also make us happier as it can improve mood and lower stress levels. In studies amongst children, breakfast can improve attainment, composed behaviour and it has been linked to improved grades. Just like any other organ in the body, the brain needs energy to work at school.

So friends, skipping the morning meal can throw off your body’s rhythm of fasting and eating. When you wake up, the blood sugar your body needs to make your muscles and brain work is usually low. Therefore, if you don’t eat, you aren’t likely to get all of the nutrients your body needs. It is said that the best way to live is to breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper; the science has proved that the historical maxim is absolutely correct.

Across the globe food industry is scaling heights. It is one of the industries which is growing each day, although the food industry is very vulnerable to innovation, quick changes and style it is the only one which has sustainability power. It requires hard work and consistency.  Indian food is in high demand on the world’s culinary map. Credit goes to many chefs, who have made Indian food well-known. Some of our talented and young and well groomed, stylish chefs have become stars in their own right. They are no less than our Bollywood stars. In addition to their kitchens, these brilliant chefs have dominated social media, and are in high demand in restaurants and parties.

One of the most important human activities is eating and drinking. The scripts on the cooking shows are well crafted which describe the goal of the program, the host’s viewpoint, the distinctive style of narration of the anchor and how a typical episode would be structured. The chefs play the lead role because of their unique style of presentation.

It won’t be wrong to mention that cooking shows have literally become obsession with many viewers. A good team can portray an eating experience on screen with an absolute delight! An average person spends more time watching, scrolling and reading about food on social media and television than cooking his/her daily meals. I know many diehard cooking enthusiasts who like try cooking a dish which they watch on various shows.

Chole Kulche by Ajay Chopra 

According to a British survey, seven in ten enjoy watching cooking programmes, in which  half have been inspired to try and cook something they’ve seen on screen. Cooking is an art which anyone can master with practice. But to master it, one needs to have patience and good imagination. Yes, cooking takes imagination, instinct and creativity to try out new dishes.

Chef Sanjeev Kapoor needs a special mention for making Indian cuisine globally famous. The secret to Kapoor’s success is his ability to take an ordinary dish and give it the kind of twist that makes people wonder. He made the daily food items of breakfast, lunch and dinner famous in the globe. Similarly the late Tarla Dalal made Indian food famous in world.

Many people have an aversion for cooking; they think it is messy and tiring.  On the contrary, cooking is therapy, making meals helps to reduce stress; it can heal a broken heart, among other benefits. It can soothe clanked nerves, and cure boredom, insomnia and anxiety. Cooking is a great therapy.

“There is no sincere love than love of food” this quote says it all! The most beautiful thing in world is food. Eating is the most powerful motivation. Even if we cannot have the gorgeous dishes being cooked on-screen, just knowing that something like that exists makes us happy and this happiness is an addiction. We love watching the process, because the camera only shows the vital portions of cooking, the kitchen appears spick and span, and we don’t get to see the mess on screen. We see only perfection on screen. Sometimes, we hope to recreate it. We keep going to the same restaurant to eat the same food again and again, because the experience elevates our mood.

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Some of these world famous cooking shows have the best of TRPs: Top Chef, Hell’s Kitchen, The French Chef, Iron Chef America, Master Chef, Chopped, The kitchen, Food Network Star etc. Our Indian television food channels Living, Food, Food -Food have already become world famous.  There is a saying – you can win anyone’s heart with your cooking.

Like actors entertain us by playing various roles, chefs entertain us with the culinary skills on their shows. Cooking shows also educate us how to cook right, eat healthy, how many ways we can cook a particular thing and not get bored up of eating the same food but cooked in a different way. Eating is a never ending activity, we like variety, we like different spices, different aromas, different colors of foods. The most compelling part of this experience is the fact that any food and cooking show becomes popular with tons of positive comments on social media handlers, which goes on to reveal that the awareness of these shows is cheering and very well-liked among viewers in any part of world.

Kadi Patta: Its leaves are used in many dishes in India, Sri Lanka, and neighbouring countries. Because they are often used in curries, the leaves are generally called by the name ‘curry leaves.’ They are packed with carbohydrates, fibre, calcium, phosphorous and irons as well as vitamins like C-vitamin A-vitamin B-vitamin, E-vitamin. Curry leaves help your heart function better, and they fight infections and can liven up your hair and skin with vitality. It contains plant sterols, amino acids, glycosides, and flavonoids which makes it very dominant and therefore is used in high quantity in kitchen.  Many people do not throw the curry leaves used in seasoning, they consume it.

Ginger: Ginger contains Gingerol which is a powerful medicine. It has a very long history of use in various forms of traditional and alternative medicine. It has been used to help digestion, reduce nausea and helps fight the flu and common cold, to name a few. Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice. It is a very common ingredient in recipes. The unique fragrance and flavour of ginger come from its natural oils, the most important of which is gingerol. It has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect. The health benefits of ginger include relieving nausea, loss of appetite, motion sickness, and pain. Ginger does not have an immediate impact, but may be effective at reducing the day-to-day progression of muscle pain. And, it also has anti-inflammatory properties. A research has proved that ginger has powerful anti-diabetic properties too. I know a lot of people who consume ginger juice regularly and they all are strong people both mentally and physically.

Coriander: It is a wonderful source of dietary fibre, manganese, iron and magnesium as well. In addition, coriander leaves are rich in Vitamin-C, Vitamin-K and protein. They also contain small amount of calcium, phosphorous, Potassium and Thiamin, Niacin and Carotene. Coriander consumption helps in lowering blood sugar, easing digestive discomfort, decreasing blood pressure, it helps in fighting food poisoning, heals urinary tract infection, helps women in healthy menstrual function, helps in healing neurological inflammation and diseases. It grows easily in our balcony, and its lush greenness adds beauty to your balcony garden.

Green Chillies: Not many know that green chillies are rich in dietary fibre, which is important for a healthy digestive system. Green chillies take care of skincare system. Green chilli is a rich source of vitamin-C and eating it helps in keeping skin healthy and glowing. It is a rich source of vitamin B6, vitamin-A, iron, copper, potassium and a small amount of protein and carbohydrates. Eating green chillies boosts immune system, perhaps that’s the reason for there are people who consume it regularly. Daily wages labour and farm labour consume it raw with jowar or bajra roti, and they have a good stamina.