Looking past the pandemic - Food habits that could change forever

It should not come as a surprise if you know some hard core fizzy drinker shifting gears and guzzling down carrot-ginger juice, post pandemic.

As the pandemic sweeps across the globe, consumers are getting aware of the importance of healthy foods to boost immunity and reduce vulnerability to various diseases.

But the new normal of WFH (work from home) comes with a price. Being stuck in the house all day can create negative emotions like anxiety, frustration, boredom and depression, which can further trigger poor eating habits and binge eating.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is extremely important during the pandemic.

What you choose to eat can mean the difference between feeling energetic or fatigued and between strengthening or weakening your immune system,” says Amy Keating, R.D., nutritionist at Consumer Reports.

Steps to take to stay healthy during pandemic:

1. Meal-planning - Plan your meal ahead and save the frequent trips to grocery shopping.
2. More importance to plant-based foods including wholegrain, vegetables, fruits and nuts.
3. Use fruit puree and reduce sugar intake.
4. Stock some flavoring agents such as dried herbs, vinegar, cheese and Indian spice-mixes.
5. Mindful eating - Avoid over-eating, and grazing on unhealthy snacks high in salt, sugar and additives.
6. Fill up on fibers - fibers feed the good bacteria in our guts and protect us against various diseases.
7. Broiling, grilling, baking are much healthier ways of cooking.
8. Hydrate well, mostly on water.

Consumers are rethinking how they eat post pandemic

The pandemic is stressing out our global food-system in unprecedented ways.

Local markets have collapsed, trade flows have been disrupted and there is a broken food-supply chain with stressed farmers and hungry consumers.

As certain perishable foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables have become scarce, one of the most important lessons that the pandemic has taught us is the appreciation of the goodness of affordable shelf-stable food products.

This is the time to reach out to food products that are made shelf-stable using the technique of drying, freezing and canning. Look out for sauces, wholegrain snacks and ready-to-eat packaged foods which are minimally processed and have no additives in it. All you need to know is to read food labels.

Most of these shelf-stable products are not only nutritious but they help prevent food waste and create food security in the times of uncertainty.

Our Diets are changing for better

There has been a sudden surge in demand for healthy products. The above picture at our office reinforce our belief in the time.

We have been ramping up the production to meet the demand for multiple orders from Bigbasket, Amazon and Flipkart past few months. There are incidences where customers have directly approached us for self-dispatch option of their order, as many online platforms refrain from delivering to containment zones.

Most diseases are caused by a combination of the complex interactions between our genes, diet and environment. Nutrition and lifestyle changes can alter the course of most of the diseases.

This pandemic is quickly revolutionizing how consumers are thinking about their health, apart from changing their purchasing behavior and preferences.

Local foods and ingredients in natural form or with minimal processing are growing in demand. People want to eat their way to stronger immune systems.

Well, there is no “magic-bullet” to boost immunity. However, having a healthy diet plays a vital role in supporting a great immune system.

A healthy lifestyle doesn’t guarantee a long life, but it will add life to your years!

Go, grab that salad bowl and drink your amla juice..