UNIT 7 HOW HEALTHY ARE OUR MEAL How Healthy are
Our Meal
PATTERNS? Patterns?
Since India has a vast population spread over different states, there is great
diversity in the food habits and food consumption patterns. A large section of
the population is vegetarian, while a minority consume flesh foods. In this
unit, we will discuss the adequacy of the various meal patterns.
Structure
7.0 Objectives
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Foods Commonly Consumed in Our Country
7.3 Our Meal Patterns — Vegetarian and Non-vegetarian
7.4 Nutritional Adequacy of Our Diets
7.5 Let Us Sum Up
7.6 Glossary
7.7 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises
7.0 OBJECTIVES
After studying this unit, you will be able to:
• list the variety of foods selected and consumed in India; and
• discuss the nutritional adequacy of vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets.
7.1 INTRODUCTION
India, as you are probably aware, has an economy based mainly on
agriculture. Though there has been a considerable increase in the production
of food grains over the past several-decades, the concomitant increase in
population has offset the balance. The nutritional status of the population is a
reflection of their food consumption patterns. Thus, before making any
attempt to improve the nutritional status of our people, it is essential to know
how healthy our meal patterns are.
7.2 FOODS COMMONLY CONSUMED IN OUR
COUNTRY
It is a well-known fact that cereals or millets form the main food item (staple
food) in Indian diets. The commonly consumed ones are wheat, rice, jowar,
bajra, ragi, maize and barley. People living in the North, North-Western and
Central regions of India mainly eat wheat and millets while those residing in
the South and the North-East consume mainly rice.Another common food
item consumed in our households is pulses. The common pulses are bengal
gram, red gram, black gram, green gram and lentil.
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Food Choice, Depending on the region, a wide variety of green leafy vegetables, roots and
Preparation and
Preservation
tubers, other vegetables and fruits are available. Therefore, seasonal
variations and availability affect the consumption of these foods.
In India, there is a sizeable population of milch cattle, and thus milk is an
important food-stuff consumed in the country. A very large proportion of this
milk is also converted into various products for consumption like curds,
buttermilk, butter, ghee, khoa, malai and chenna (cheese). Animal foods
consumed in India are eggs, meat and poultry and a large variety of fish.
Since, India is also one of the largest producers of oil-seeds such as
groundnuts, sesame, mustard, coconut, etc., they are included in our diets in a
number of ways. A variety of spices and condiments are an essential part of
an Indian diet. These include chillies, pepper, cardamom, cloves, cumin seeds
and mustard.
Practical Activity 1
List the foods which commonly form part of the diet in your region as per the
three basic food groups.
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7.3 OUR MEAL PATTERNS—VEGETARIAN
AND NON-VEGETARIAN
The dietary pattern followed in India is mainly a vegetarian one. Such a
dietary pattern consists of inclusion of food-stuffs like cereals, pulses, milk
and its products, fruits and vegetables. This pattern has evolved over a period
of time based on the philosophy of non-violence practised by Mahavira
Buddha and King Ashoka. Religion and cultural sentiment forbid many
people from eating foods of animal origin requiring slaughter of animals.
This is the reason why some vegetarians do not hesitate to include eggs in
their diet.
Only a small percentage (about 20%) of the population in India is non-
vegetarian. This means, they include foods like meat, fish, poultry, etc.,
besides the above mentioned foods in their daily diets. However, the staple
food in the Indian non-vegetarian pattern still remains a cereal. Meat, fish or
poultry preparation is served merely as an adjunct. Even among the non-
vegetarians, inclusion of animal foods in the diet is not generally a daily
feature. This is due to the low purchasing power as well as conscious choice
with respect to one’s diet. Besides, religion forbids the consumption of flesh
foods on certain days, occasions and festivals. It is also due to religious
beliefs that Hindus do not consume beef, as the cow is considered a sacred
animal.
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Whether the dietary patterns are vegetarian or non-vegetarian, a wide How Healthy are
Our Meal
difference exists between the dietary patterns of the poor and the affluent Patterns?
classes. The diets of the poor population in our country are predominantly
made up of cereals with very little intake of other foods that are rich in
proteins, vitamins and minerals like pulses, seasonal vegetables and fruits.
Differences in dietary patterns also exist between the rural and urban
populations. Since the rural people are engaged mainly in agricultural
activities, they have a better intake of seasonal foods. As cattle rearing is also
a common occupation with them, milk and its products form a part of their
diet. On the other hand the poor urban population which constitutes mainly of
the industrial labour force tend to consume inadequate diet. The high prices
prevailing in the cities combined with poor knowledge of food value on the
part of the workers are the reasons for this state of affairs. With improvement
in the economic status of the urban population there is a tendency to spend
more money on clothes and entertainment than on food. Even when more
money is to be spent on food, the tendency is to spend more on refined and
prestigious foods rather than on protective foods. For example, people show a
preference for sugar instead of jaggery, milled rice in place of parboiled rice
and more of confectionary items. While cost of the diet is on the incline its
nutritive value is on the decline.
7.4 NUTRITIONAL ADEQUACY OF OUR DIETS
After having a basic idea about the types of food — vegetarian and non-
vegetarian — consumed by the people of our country, let us now look into
the nutritional adequacy of our day-to-day diets. Most people think that the
vegetarian dietary pattern is nutritionally inadequate. This image is being
revised in the light of recent research. Various studies have been made to
compare the nutritional adequacy of vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets.
These studies have shown that pure vegetarians can be well nourished if the
diet includes foods from all the basic food groups (as discussed in Unit 5),
thus providing sufficient energy and other essential nutrients. It has also been
observed in these studies that the work performance and, endurance in
vegetarians is superior to that of the meat eaters. The Sherpas from the
Himalayan regions have demonstrated the adequacy of a non-flesh diet to
prepare young men to endure the most severe stress on the human body like
extreme altitudes and unbearable low temperatures. In addition, a well-
balanced vegetarian diet has nutritional benefits such as a trim body and a
tendency towards lower serum cholesterol. The traditional non-vegetarian
pattern of diets as followed in India are distinctly different-from the Western
non-vegetarian pattern. As discussed earlier in this unit, the staple food
preparation in the Indian nonvegetarian pattern is a cereal preparation while
in the Western pattern it is generally a flesh food preparation. Hence, the
Western non-vegetarian dietaries have an excess of protein and fats which are
associated with degenerative diseases of heart, kidney and colon. Those who
follow the traditional Indian non-vegetarian pattern do not normally have the
kinds of problems like obesity and heart diseases associated with the Western
non-vegetarian dietary patterns.
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Food Choice, The Indian dietary pattern whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian also has
Preparation and
Preservation
roughage in fairly good amounts. This is one of the major reasons for the low
incidence of cancer of the colon in India. We can, therefore, say that the
Indian dietary pattern whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian is a healthier one
compared to the Western dietary pattern.
One aspects however which needs to be noted in todays context is that with
globalisation and increased purchasing power eating out has become
fashionable (among Indians) leading to an increased consumption of fast food
which is high in calories and lacks the essential nutrients. The easy
availability of the fast food and its frequent consumption has lead to the
problem of obesity among Indian adults and children. If this trend continues
then the situation may become more worse as obesity is a risk factor for
several problems like diabetes, cancer, heart diseases etc.
However, the nutritional inadequacy of the diets of the poorer population in
our country, which is of great concern. As mentioned earlier, their diets
mainly consist of cereals and there is a lack of foods which are rich in
proteins, vitamins and minerals. Poor purchasing power and large families
are the main reasons for the diets being nutritionally inadequate. Lack of
education is also a major contributory factor.
Malnutrition and undernutrition are, therefore, widely prevalent among the
low income groups of the population. Deficiency diseases like protein energy
malnutrition, anaemia and vitamin A deficiency have therefore become the
major nutritional problems of our country. The diets of these people can be
improved by using suitable combinations of foods, and by promoting
methods that can be easily practised at home, like sprouting and fermentation.
This improves the nutritional content of the diet without increasing the cost.
Check Your Progress Exercise 1
1) Discuss the nutritional adequacy of the vegetarian and the non-vegetarian
dietary patterns in 10 lines.
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Practical Activity 2
Conduct a survey among families in your neighbourhood to find out the
prevalence of vegetarian and non-vegetarian meal patterns in your locality.
Select a poor family, middle income family, and a high income family and
list the types of foods consumed among each of these families. Compare and
study the difference.
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7.5 LET US SUM UP How Healthy are
Our Meal
Patterns?
A variety of cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables and also flesh foods like
meat, fish, egg and poultry are available in India. Cereals are the staple food
supplemented by pulses, milk and its products, seasonal fruits and vegetables.
The diets of nonvegetarians, include cereals and pulses besides the flesh
foods. If sufficient food from all the basic food groups is consumed, the
vegetarian diets will not only be nutritionally adequate but also suitable for
highly active individuals like athletes, runners, bicyclists, labourers, etc. It is
not surprising, therefore, that more and more people are now adopting a
vegetarian diet pattern.
The majority of the Indian population being poor, their dietary patterns are
nutritionally inadequate. Their diets consist predominantly of cereals with
negligible amounts of other foods. This is the reason for widespread
malnutrition in India especially among women and growing children.
Therefore, there is a strong need to educate the people on the importance of
eating a mixed diet consisting of a variety of foods whether vegetarian or
non-vegetarian.
7.6 GLOSSARY
Cancer : A serious disease in which cells in a part of a person’s
body increase in number rapidly in an uncontrolled way
producing abnormal growth.
Meal pattern : Pattern of food consumption.
Milch cattle : Milk producing cattle
Obesity : A condition of excessive body weight above the normal
Staple food : Food used in maximum quantity as the main item in the
diet
7.7 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS
Check Your Progress Exercise 1
1) As commonly believed the vegetarian dietary pattern is not normally
nutritionally inadequate. If foods from each of the basic food groups are
included in adequate amounts in the vegetarian diet, it is nutritionally
adequate. In fact, vegetarian diets have been shown to improve work
performance and endurance.
Non-vegetarian diets are equally nutritious, but if the meat foods are
included in plenty there are chances of having excess proteins and fats in
the diet which in turn increase the chances of causing heart and kidney
disorders. However, in India the non-vegetarian diets have cereals as the
staple food while those in Western countries have more of flesh foods.
Therefore, the non-vegetarian Indian diets do not necessarily have excess
proteins and fats like those of the West.
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