Forget your body count

Tracking calories, proteins, water and portions is tiring. Data isn't wisdom. There are better hacks to eating well

- Taranna Khetpal

We track everything: Calories burned, steps taken, minutes of deep sleep, inches lost. A good workout means closing the ring on your watch. Dinner comes with a data trail too. How small is the average roti? Does boiled egg have more protein than steamed fish? How much fibre is too little fibre? Do five small meals deliver a lighter intake?

This obsession with food maths didn't come from nowhere. It's becoming tougher and tougher to eat right – even with home-cooked meals. So, it's tempting to believe that precision control might do what traditional knowledge cannot.