Bite of Tradition, Boost of Nutrition

“EAT RIGHT FOR BETTER LIFE”

Traditional snacks from India's varied culinary heritage are a treasure trove of flavor and nutrition. Snacks like these, which are based on traditional methods and made with components like millet, pulses, legumes, almonds, and jaggery, demonstrate the profound relationship between food, health, and culture. They are an important component of community nutrition and everyday meals because they are inexpensive, sustainable, and include critical nutrients like protein, fiber, calcium, and iron. India possesses a diverse heritage of wholesome regional snacks, predominantly crafted from locally sourced food items.

In the northern region, sattu paratha and beverages derived from roasted gram offer protein and fiber, whilst til laddoos, composed of sesame and jaggery, are abundant in calcium and iron. Rajasthan's bajra raab provides warmth and immune-boosting advantages, while sprouting chana chaat functions as a protein-rich, light repast. In the southern region, steamed and fermented staples such as idli and dosa are conducive to gut health and easily digestible, whereas sundal from Tamil Nadu offers plant-based protein via seasoned legumes. Karnataka's ragi mudde and malt are superb sources of calcium and iron, while Andhra's pesarattu (green gram dosa) provides an additional nutritious, protein-rich alternative. The western and eastern regions also provide a diverse array of nutritious snacks. The poha and thalipeeth of Maharashtra, along with the dhokla and handvo of Gujarat, are nutritious, satiating, and abundant in fiber and protein. In the eastern region, puffed rice snacks like as muri and jhalmuri offer energy and lightness, but rice-based pithas and cottage cheese confections like chhena murki or sandesh contribute protein and calcium. The North-East showcases distinctive combinations, such sticky rice with sesame and jaggery, as well as vegetable-based snacks like eromba, which is probiotic and nutrient-rich. These traditional cuisines, prevalent throughout areas, emphasize the incorporation of millet, legumes, fermented batters, nuts, and jaggery, rendering them culturally significant, healthful, sustainable, and nutritionally rich options in day-to-day life.

The increasing availability of processed and quick food is slowly eroding the daily presence of these traditional regional snacks, despite the fact that they are the vital sources of nutrition and wellness. Malnutrition and micro-nutrient deficiencies are still common in India, but reviving and incorporating them into our normal diets to avoid lifestyle-related disorders like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity and other nutritional disorders is declining. Communities can embrace more sustainable and culturally grounded eating habits by highlighting certain items that are easily accessible, inexpensive, and culturally acceptable. They can help make healthy eating a regular part of people's lives again by working with schools, families, and public health initiatives.