We consume lesser purple foods as most of us have not been exposed to their benefits. Now that they have gained traction, we will see them featured more prominently in menus across homes, say experts
In the recent months COVID has brought a plethora of changes in every aspect of our day-to-day life. If we talk of food habits, there is a preferential shift from taste and experience to health and safety. The focus is now on nutritious food. Casting aside dieting, calorie counting and food weighing — a new wave of healthy eating is slowly gaining ground in a steady manner. The eating habit starts with your attitude (tuning in and really enjoying what you are eating), food that makes you full and really satisfies you and the amount of nutritional value that comes along. A certain amount of mindfulness is coming in, which is indeed a good sign.
This healthy lifestyle incorporates more vegetables into the diets in search of better, more natural nutrition. Purple foods have been found to be supportive in this search and have thus begun to slowly replace existing vegetables, as they are only different variants of regular food items. For example, one can replace regular cauliflower in their meals with purple cauliflower or regular cabbage in their salads with red cabbage. Both these replacements help raise the level of anti-oxidants and phytonutrients compared to their colourful counterparts. An important feature of purple foods is the ability to help repair and heal cell damage. These food items were already an integral part of traditional eating habits but their recent backing by science has boosted their presence, bringing them to the forefront.
The recognition of these benefits has led to a great increase in the demand for purple foods, which is now being met by farmers who previously only cultivated the regular versions of the same food items. For example, ever since the discovery of different types of carrots beyond the usual orange variety, many farmers have begun to cultivate purple carrots to meet their soaring demands.
Even though purple foods has gained prominence amongst the masses, there is not enough of it produced to say that it will ‘take over’ the green foods. Only a part of the population knows that such foods are equally good or better than green ones. It currently runs parallel to green foods and will definitely increase over time, given the proper awareness. One way to explain the growth of purple foods is by examining how their benefits are stacked up against their usage. For example, lavender flowers are used in food as a garnish, they not only enhance the appearance but also add health benefits such as glowing skin. The discovery of this benefit has led to a greater demand for lavender and hence, greater cultivation. Purple foods follow a similar pattern of increased demand and we must ensure that the supply aspect for it is handled in a robust manner.
Local production of such foods, in particular, must be encouraged, given its benefits. In terms of awareness at the local level, people must be sensitised to the fact that purple foods are not a version of regular foods. By encouraging the use of these foods as part of their daily life, people can be convinced to grow more of such vegetables and contribute to the demand.
Another important aspect is that such foods do not require any special treatment while cooking. One can easily replace normal vegetables with them during cooking. This includes using purple potatoes instead of regular ones while making Aaloo Jeera. The key here is to determine the quantity one should use. Purple foods contain anti-oxidants and based on your requirement of the same, you can determine how much food needs to be incorporated into your diet. These anti-oxidants become even more important when it comes to the ability to combat cancer. Previously, we would discard the skins of berries and grapes during preparation and use only the pulp. The discovery of the benefits the skin contains has now convinced people to eat them as a whole for maximum nutritional impact.
The use of purple foods in meals in our country is still low as much of the population has not been exposed to their benefits. It will be a gradual process of growth, but it is only a matter of time that foods like purple rice and pomegranate are incorporated into our diets. Encouraging signs such as the increased use of lettuce in salads are the first steps towards this and with time people will recognise how such foods can enhance both, the flavour of the dish as well as its health benefits.
In the current situation, a trend has emerged where individuals have begun looking for healthy food that meets their need for better immunity. Foods like berries and red cabbage, which have been used as part of diets for many years, have always had the potential to meet these needs. It is only recently with the drive towards incorporating more purple food into our diets that these benefits have been discovered. As these foods have now gained traction, we will see them featured more prominently in menus across homes, thereby meeting the nutritional requirements.
The nutritive value of food gives the body the vitality it needs to generate energy. This is important for our heart, lungs and a balanced body temperature.
The only positive impact that COVID-19 will leave us with will probably be the realisation that the value sustainable eating brings along. As a result, there is a growing demand for farm-grown and organic food items. With the lockdown being imposed and restaurants shutting their doors for dining, people have started to replace their favourite junk food with healthy and home-cooked food. Along with this, veganism is also being considered as a food preference by many.
This can go far in bringing back the delight of taste and experience alongside well-being and security. Overall, the change in eating habits amongst people is a great move and is the need of the hour.
(The writer is Chef Prabhakar Nagaraj, Managing Partner, Elior India.)
