Our Cultural Food Science

Food nourishes not only body but also mind. Food is essential part of our life.

In 2020, I learnt and read more about our food culture, science and tradition. This pandemic taught me, how to remain rooted with our old traditional food – traditions that build our immune system as well as gives us joy. 2020 was very difficult year for humans but it also taught us how home made food and home remedies play an important role in our healthy life.

What we eat, how we eat and how we prepare food is largely determined by our culture. Food habits may have existed in people through centuries. These patterns reflect the social organization of the people including their economy, religion and belief. So, our cultural aspects play their role on our food habits and our health.

Our body absorbs all the nutrition according to the season and prevailing food culture where we live. There are scientific reasons behind that. When we eat local and seasonal food, it gives you full nourishment and helps us to improve our gut health.

We should consume food that is good for our environment also. Nowadays, research shows that we should not consume meat and switch to plant based diet because all nutrients we can obtain by eating nutrients rich plants. So eat less meat to save our planet.

In India, staple of Indian cuisine include millet (bajra), rice, whole wheat flour (atta) and a variety of lentils, such as masoor (red lentils), urad (black gram), and moong. Earlier in India people cooked their food in Iron vessels. Iron vessels contain iron and also helps in maintain hemoglobin levels. Earlier there used to be typical types of vessels for particular food items. Eg. If you prepare Kheer, you have to use particular big vessel, cow milk and hand pounded rice only. There were no refrigerators that time so they are all food that was fresh and healthy.

Old vessels and what they are made up of play an important role in maintaining our health. Now we cook things in microwave, and get deficient on iron or hemoglobin – and when we add calories, we hit the gym to burn it all.

So I learned from 2020 that our old traditional and cultural food cooked using traditional utensils is best for our immune system and also good for our children’s health.

Traditional food and ways to prepare it gives us not only healthy life but also keep us rooted with our culture and people.