THE SCIENTIFIC BENEFITS OF SOME INDIAN TRADITIONS
The tradition of eating only fruits and vegetables and milk at least once a week, or on certain religious days, with taboo on salt and cereals ensured that a large quantity of fruits and vegetables got eaten. Plus not eating salt for 24 hours would increase the salt sensitivity of the body and decreasing the intake of salt during the subsequent week.
The tradition of cooking fresh food, at every meal is one of the great Indian traditions which prevent many diseases.
The tradition of making fresh bread (rotis) is a glorious Indian tradition which one should maintain. It ensures physical activity and fresh food and whole grain intake.
The tradition of cooking and different food items in different oils in different parts of India ensured the benefits of a variety of oils.
The tradition of making different cereal and food items in different seasons also ensured variety and complete nutrition. For, example, Whole bajra was ground and consumed in winter. Til (sesame) was made and eaten in the winter and specifically in the month of January. Certain pulses were the only pulses consumed on certain religious days. The tradition of thandai(which is made from almonds and Indian spices) on certain festivals ensured nuts and condiments were consumed at least on those festivals. Different days of the week emphasize the consumption of different cereals and pulses and use of different colored vegetable(whites on Monday, yellows on Thursday, black, purple, blue on Saturday, red on Sunday and Tuesday), ensuring variety in the Indian diet and total protein and other micro nutrients.
The tradition of looking after the young mother for the first month after delivery and not allowing her to do the household chores ensured rest to the young mother and the family support for it. The superstition that no one could eat her food ensured that she was given the extra nutrition without it being shared by other family members. Nuts and milk had to form an integral part of her diet which again was very beneficial for an adequate calcium intake and other health benefits.
The traditional methods of cooking using low heat in the villages with utensils made of mud and clay are not only environmentally friendly but also preserved vitamins and nutrition in the cooked food and also involved a lot of physical activity. Many vitamins get destroyed when food is cooked in high heat for example pressure cooking. Pressure cooking, although saves on time and fuel, destroys many of the B complex vitamins.
Home made remedies of ancient India also provided many health benefits. For example, the tradition of consuming a broth of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, tulsi etc in cough and colds strengthened the immune system and so did the tradition of consumption of 'banapsha' in Himachal and other states. The tradition of making many of the sweets with jaggery(gur) rather than sugar also provided greater health benefits when compared to refined sugar. The tradition of consumption of tulsi leaves everyday again provided many anti-oxidants, vitamins and macronutrients and other health benefits.
The tradition of having a bath everyday, wearing clean washed clothes, and not cooking unless one has had a bath provided a basic level of hygiene in the daily lives of individuals and families in India. This provided the basic level of hygiene especially important for the Indian climatic conditions..
Food
The tradition of eating only fruits and vegetables and milk at least once a week, or on certain religious days, with taboo on salt and cereals ensured that a large quantity of fruits and vegetables got eaten. Plus not eating salt for 24 hours would increase the salt sensitivity of the body and decreasing the intake of salt during the subsequent week.
The tradition of cooking fresh food, at every meal is one of the great Indian traditions which prevent many diseases.
The tradition of making fresh bread (rotis) is a glorious Indian tradition which one should maintain. It ensures physical activity and fresh food and whole grain intake.
The tradition of cooking and different food items in different oils in different parts of India ensured the benefits of a variety of oils.
he tradition of making different cereal and food items in different seasons also ensured variety and complete nutrition. For example, Whole bajra was ground and consumed in winter. Til (sesame) was made and eaten in the winter and specifically in the month of January. Certain pulses were the only pulses consumed on certain religious days. The tradition of thandai(which is made from almonds and Indian spices) on certain festivals ensured nuts and condiments were consumed at least on those festivals.
The traditional methods of cooking using low heat in the villages with utensils made of mud and clay are not only environmentally friendly but also preserved vitamins and nutrition in the cooked food and also involved a lot of physical activity. Many vitamins get destroyed when food is cooked in high heat for example pressure cooking. Pressure cooking, although saves on time and fuel, destroys many of the B complex vitamins.
Home made remedies of ancient India also provided many health benefits. For example, the tradition of consuming a broth of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, tulsi etc in cough and colds strengthened the immune system and so did the tradition of consumption of 'banapsha' in Himachal and other states. The tradition of making many of the sweets with jaggery(gur) rather than sugar also provided greater health benefits(iron) when compared to refined sugar. The tradition of consumption of tulsi leaves everyday again provided many anti-oxidants, vitamins and macronutrients and other health benefits.
The tradition of having a bath everyday, wearing clean washed clothes, and not cooking unless one has had a bath provided a basic level of hygiene in the daily lives of individuals and families.
