WHY GHAR KA KHANA ISN'T AS HEALTHY AS IT USED TO BE

From wholesome to refined, India's meals are losing their nutritional balance. Experts explain why and how to fix it

- Ruchika Garg

For generations, Indians have believed that home-cooked food is the healthiest. Yet new findings by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) raise a vital question: if our traditional diet hasn't changed much, why are lifestyle diseases on the rise?

The nationwide survey shows that 62% of daily calories now come from carbohydrates, mostly rice, wheat and sugar, creating a protein-deficient pattern linked to rising cases of diabetes, prediabetes and obesity.

Experts blame nutrient-depleted crops, refined foods and sedentary lifestyles, and urge a shift toward more proteinand fibre-rich meals to restore balance to the Indian plate.

SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE