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The tradition of looking after the young mother for the first month after delivery and not allowing her to do the household chores ensured rest to the young mother and the family support for it. The superstition that no one could eat her food ensured that she was given the extra nutrition without it being shared by other family members. Nuts and milk had to form an integral part of her diet which again was very beneficial for an adequate calcium intake and other health benefits.
The traditional methods of cooking using low heat in the villages with utensils made of mud and clay are not only environmentally friendly but also preserved vitamins and nutrition in the cooked food and also involved a lot of physical activity. Many vitamins get destroyed when food is cooked in high heat for example pressure cooking. Pressure cooking, although saves on time and fuel, destroys many of the B complex vitamins.
Home made remedies of ancient India also provided many health benefits. For example, the tradition of consuming a broth of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, tulsi etc in cough and colds strengthened the immune system and so did the tradition of consumption of 'banapsha' in Himachal and other states. The tradition of making many of the sweets with jaggery(gur) rather than sugar also provided greater health benefits when compared to refined sugar. The tradition of consumption of tulsi leaves everyday again provided many anti-oxidants, vitamins and mocronutrients and other health benefits.
The tradition of having a bath everyday, wearing clean washed clothes, and not cooking unless one has had a bath provided a basic level of hygiene in the daily lives of individuals and families.
The glorious traditions in northern India
The tradition of using flour ground in the local chakki should be encouraged- grinding eating flours of various cereals - whole wheat, maize, bajra, channa flours from the local chakkis should be encouraged, reinforced and followed. - Consumption of missi roti, channa roti, bajra roti makki roti should be reinforced.
Whole pulses like rajma, channa, sabut urad are popular besides dehusked dals.
People consume variety of seasonal local fruits like phalsa, jamun, bael, baer etc.
Guava is a fruit very rich in minerals, micronutrients, anti-oxidants and vitamins is consumed in abundant quantities in northern India in the winter.
Varieties of seasonal greens are consumed for e.g. radish leaves cauliflower greens, shepu in winter etc.
- Use of food accompaniments like coriander/mint/raw mango/tomato chutney, oil-less pickles with condiments and spices are beneficial.
- Onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes are used liberally in Punjabi cuisine which is also healthy
- Usage of protective spices like methi, hing, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, fennel, mustard in their food preparations also provided health benefits.
- All kinds of vegetable oils like mustard, sunflower, and ground nut oil are being used & this practice of using variety of oils should be reinforced and encouraged.
Nuts are consumed as a part of their diet, especially in the winter. Consumption of unsalted nuts is a healthy practice which should be continued and reinforced.
- Home made masalas & spices are preferred to ready made masala. This needs continued reinforcement.
- Tandoor is the preferred medium of cooking. |
