India Food Stats

Maintaining a balanced diet is central to good health, reducing risks of chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions. Both the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) of India and the World Health Organization (WHO) provide science-based guidelines on the ideal proportions of nutrients to include in daily diets, as well as recommended limits for salt and sugar. Here’s a handy chart to decode what (and how much) you should eat each day for optimal health - Nutrient/Substance NIN Recommendation WHO Recommendation Carbohydrates 45–65% of total energy 45–60% of total energy; e.g., 225–325g/day for a 2,000 kcal/day diet Protein 10–15% of total energy (~0.83g/kg body weight) 10–15% of total energy (~0.8g/kg body weight) Total Fat ≤30% of total energy (prefer unsaturated fats) ≤30% of total energy (prefer unsaturated fats); e.g., 44–...

The NPTEL course on Food Oils and Fats: Chemistry and Technology  delivered by Prof Hari Niwas Mishra of IIT Kharagpur is of 12-weeks with 60 lectures of 30 minutes each. It covers the following topics - Course Overview and Introduction Food Lipids - Nature & Occurrences Edible Oils - Chemistry & Properties Expelling of Oils from Plant Sources Solvent Extraction of Edible Oils Edible Oils Refining & Deodourization Modifications of Oils and Fats Recovery of Fats from Animal Sources Commercial Cooking & Frying Oils Speciality Oils and Fats Products By-product Utilisation & Valorisation of Oil Processing Industry Waste  QA/QC, Laws, Regulations and Policies Suggested Readings: Bailey's Industrial Oil and Fat Products - Fereidoon Shahidi Edible Oils: Extraction, Processing and Applications - Smain Chemat Fats and Oils: Formulating and Processing for Application - Richard D. Obrien Food Chemistry - Srinivasan Damodaran, Kirk L. Parkin. Owen R. Fennema Food O...

The glycemic index ranks foods based on how quickly they raise your blood sugar levels after eating. High GI foods are very easily broken down into glucose. Glucose is the defining standard and has a GI value of 100.  When glucose triggers insulin release from the pancreas, it also causes the release of leptin and ghrelin. Leptin suppresses appetite, while ghrelin increases it. Foods with a lower glycemic index (GI), like whole grains, proteins, and those low in glucose, are believed to suppress ghrelin, helping to regulate satiety.  Barley has the lowest GI among grains, scoring 28. Millets have a GI ranging from 54 to 68, including Foxtail Millet (Italian Millet, Kangni/Kakum in Hindi), Pearl Millet (Bajra in Hindi), and Finger Millet (Ragi/Nachni in Hindi). Basmati rice has a GI of 50 to 58, making it a low to medium GI food. Brown rice scores 66, and white rice 72.  Avocados have an insulin index of 6. Mangoes have a GI between 51 and 60. Low-GI foods include green v...

Image source:  Open Food Facts It's rare to see a milk brand that openly states they add water to their milk. It was udderly surprising to see Red Cow mentioning it in the ingredients list! When you buy milk, you imagine it’s come straight from a happy cow or buffalo. But in the modern world, packaged milk takes quite the journey before it reaches your doorstep. The presence of “milk solids” could mean reconstituted milk — made by mixing milk powder back into water.

Next time you're grocery shopping in India, try this experiment: pick up any packaged product and look for text in your regional language. Chances are, you'll find very little or nothing at all. Most Indian product packages are covered in English text. You'll see British spellings like "colour" and "flavour" detailed ingredient lists in English, and usage instructions that assume you're fluent in the language. Sometimes there's a token Hindi translation Despite India's 22 official languages and hundreds of regional dialects, most packaging has details mentioned entirely in English. This can be a challenge for rural consumers who represent roughly 65% of India's population. They mostly rely on images, colors, and brand recognition to understand products. They can't easily read ingredients, expiry dates, or usage instructions on products made for them, in their own country. Data from Open Food Facts shows that some regional brands are b...

French beans are called so because they were introduced to Europe through France and became popular there before spreading to other parts of the world. It’s more about culinary influence than botanical origin . The common bean plant (Phaseolus vulgaris) is originally native to Central and South America . After the Columbian exchange in the 15th and 16th centuries, beans were brought to Europe. They became widely cultivated and consumed in France, especially the tender green variety (what we now call “French beans” or “green beans”). Over time, this slim, delicate variety got associated with French cuisine and was commonly referred to as “French beans”, especially in English-speaking countries. They are also known as snap beans, green beans, or string beans in other regions. Raw green beans are 90% water , 7% carbohydrates, 2% protein, and contain negligible fat. In 2020, China led as the top producer, contributing 77% of the total, with Indonesia and India following behind. To pick ou...