Pulsing It Strong
12/7/2015 12:00:00 AM |Coconut,Detox,Diwali,Sugarcane
Indian food has cracked the code of mixing cereals and pulses in the right proportion to create plant protein combos that are easy to assimilate- Alright, the price of pulses is soaring; dal is no longer the ghar ki murgi, for she is now Rs 200 a kilo. Surely raids on hoarders will bring the prices down, but the real issue here is that we are no longer growing as much of pulses as we used to. To encourage cultivation of pulses and legumes all around the world, especially in the developing world, the UN FAO (Food and Agricultural Organisation) has declared 2016 as the ‘Year of Pulses’. Pulses, as we all know, are a great source of minerals, fibre and amino acids. The trick is to mix them with cereals, and we have a complete source of proteins. So whether its regular food like dal chawal, khichdi, idli or delicacies like puran poli and dal kachori or even street food like missal and vada pav—Indian food has cracked the code of mixing cereals and pulses in the right proportion to create plant protein combos that are easy to assimilate and high on biological value. The United Nations says that it’s plant protein that the world needs to counter the double burden of malnourishment. Obesity costs the world $ 2.1 trillion annually, as much as armed conflict. On the other hand, there are starvation deaths. Eating plant protein, which is wholesome, can cut the risk of what is now called as ‘Diabesity’. That’s diabetes and obesity rising out of chronically unregulated blood sugars, the root of that trillion-dollar cost. The answer lies in understanding that it’s sustainable food systems that lead to better health. For too long, we have put agriculture and health in separate brackets. Good health, not just of the body but also of the economy, comes from a felicitous and fruitful marriage of the two.