Eating healthy with Indian meal

"Eating healthy" is a buzzword these days and in the ever confusing world of nutritional information, people often misunderstand what this means. In an attempt to actually eat healthily, stay fit amidst all the chaos of work-family life balance, I have tried multiple crash diets, deprived myself of foods that I enjoy, all of which worked ok for a while but did not stop my cravings. It wasn't too short before I began to binge eat.

I went back to my roots, re-assessed what I not only enjoy eating but also what helps my body & mind. I have realised that eating healthy is as simple as a straight line. It is about welcoming a variety and finding the right balance in what you eat. It also means eating real, clean food free from preservatives or chemicals.

Being born and raised in India for almost 20 years, I find it really easy to find this balance with Indian food. Indian food is based on the ancient concept of health called 'Ayurveda' (reference taken from 'Contemporary Indian Cuisine' by Anil Ashokan and Philosophy of Indian Food)

dating back to 1000 BC which explains food is not just about taste buds or sustenance but also about maintaining a healthy body, mind, and soul. The famous phrase 'We are what we eat' has originated from here.

According to Ayurveda, our bodies contain three key elements of fire, air, and water in different proportions which react differently to the types of food we eat. An undesired proportion of these 3 key elements is what causes diseases. Therefore, the fundamentals guiding Indian meals has always been about balancing these 3 elements through the right composition of food. Spices used in Indian food are nature's best medicines. Not only do they intensify the flavour of any dish but are also loaded with antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-cancerous and detoxifying properties making them suitable for any weather condition.

It is difficult to generalise an Indian meal as it differs from state to state but more or less, follows the same style. To keep it simple and sum it down, a regular Indian household meal (reference taken from 'Contemporary Indian Cuisine by Anil Ashokan) consists of a plate (thali) with carbohydrates (rice or bread), proteins (lentils, meat or fish), vegetables (leafy, starchy, seasonal), dairy (raita), pickles and sometimes a dessert (on special occasions). Fresh seasonal fruits are often enjoyed as a snack in between meals - A perfect eye pleasing satisfying balanced meal! This type of meal plan also concurs with the NHS guide for finding the right balance.

You might be thinking, you wish you had that time and energy to make that kind of food. I've been there and I understand your situation. If you are working and have children to look after, that's two full-time jobs. Suddenly, no time to cook starts meaning eating "whatever" is available which may not necessarily be good for your body or mind. Everybody deserves a long healthy life and 70% of that depends on what we eat, hence my motivation behind starting Vamaya. With nutritious, mouth-watering Indian delicacies, Vamaya not only inspires you to eat well but also makes it easy by delivering them at your doorstep. Leave the meal making to us and enjoy your time for yourself.

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