What’s on your plate?

Eating out is unavoidable these days: breakfast and lunch at the office canteen, tea, samosas and mirchis in between meals, and dining out with family and friends are hallmarks of city life. The drift towards eating out means we all have less control over the food we eat.

While in a restaurant, how many wonder what oil was used to cook the food – was it heart healthy sunflower oil, or artery-clogging palm oil? Worse, is it reheated oil full of trans fats? Amid the heavy spices and sauces, can you tell if the ingredients are fresh?

Restaurant food often has a higher fat/calorie ratio compared to home-cooked food. No surprises here - after all, eating out is supposed to be a treat for the tongue, and fat gives taste and richness to food. Restaurant food is usually richer in salt and trans fats, and contains less calcium and dietary fibre.

Youngsters who eat regularly in canteens and fast food joints risk their health in later years. Many chronic diseases such as the current epidemic of diabetes and heart disease have their roots in poor childhood dietary habits.

In India, if we cannot stop children and teenagers from eating in canteens and messes, we should at least regulate the quality of food served there. School meals in the West are a good example. In 1993, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) examined the nutrient quality of school meals. As a result, in 1994, Congress passed an Act requiring that meals served under the National School meals programme meet the requirement of the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans”.

Cooking food at home may be tiring, especially for those with a 9 to 5 job. However, health-wise, it is worth the effort. Meals for breakfast or a lunch box need not be time-consuming. Ready-made options are available: milk, whole-wheat bread, low-fat bread spreads, fruit, curd rice and boiled eggs are good choices. Cooking food the previous evening and storing it in the refrigerator eliminates the stress of cooking in the morning.

It is neither possible to eliminate eating out, nor is it desirable or sensible. However, all of us should try to improve the quality of food served in the places we eat regularly. Otherwise, the food you eat may be your doctor’s meal ticket.

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