Food for thought in the wake of pandemic !
In addition to worrying about having an ample supply of food in the house and feeling anxious over shopping in crowded supermarkets, people are also concerned about whether they can evade COVID-19 by consuming certain foods.
Though the science around coronavirus is still continuing to unfold, the idea is that a healthy and well balanced diet would boost the immunity, lowering the risk of infection.
Maintaining a healthy diet to help boost your immune system gives you an edge over fighting COVID-19. Though no research has been done on foods that help fight against the disease specifically, previous studies have found that eating certain foods can improve your health and strengthen your body's ability to fight all kinds of invasive viruses.
Renowned culinary expert Dr. Publis Silva addressed this topic while presenting some creative and heart-friendly recipes to add to your diet.
Over the past few decades, koththu, burgers, pizzas, samosas, doughnuts, rolls, wraps, frankies, french fries, etc have penetrated every corner of our country. You step out of your house and you see them being served everywhere from malls, restaurants and roadside corners to office and college canteens.
The consequences that these kinds of food have on your health are terrible, irrespective of whether you have them once in a while, twice in a week or every day.
“The emphasis that the world has towards adding healthy food to their diet is evident by the increasing number of people who succumb to non- infectious diseases. Now coronavirus has been added to this list as an infectious disease. We in Asia might not be able to evade this pandemic but we have an inheritant food tradition that has kept us safe from diseases for generations,” he said.
ingredients of medicinal value
He notes there are 42 ingredients of medicinal value used in our local cuisine. We also use Thuna Paha, curry pieces and curry powder to add flavour to our cooking.
“These are three separate entities though many mistake them for one. Since housewives juggle their housework with their professions, factories have taken over making these products to sell at supermarkets. We cannot rely on the quality of these products as we are not sure whether they clean these ingredients properly,” he added.
According to him, COVID -19 is nature's way of setting off the alarm to send across an important message: value your local natural resources.
“For years our ancestors have used local ingredients of high medicinal value to ward off none-infectious diseases but today we rely on capsules and injections to keep ailments like diabetes and cholesterol at bay. For example feed a Goraka (Garcinia) curry to a person suffering from cholesterol for three straight days. You would find that his cholesterol levels have gone down significantly. Likewise, a diabetic patient should develop the habit of drinking a glass of lukewarm water first thing in the morning. Eat a one-inch cinnamon stick and then drink another glass of lukewarm water. Your illness would be cured naturally without tons of medicine. Curry leaves work miracles in curing both these illnesses, ” he pointed out.
Garlic
Garlic is another powerhouse ingredient with immeasurable health benefits. Not only is it full of flavour, but it is packed with health benefits such as lowering blood pressure and reducing risk of heart disease. Garlic's immunity-boosting abilities come from its heavy concentration of sulfur-containing compounds, which can help fight off some infections.
Dr. Publis advises people without any health conditions to avoid putting these methods to practise as their cholesterol and sugar levels will decrease drastically.
“This is not good for the system as your body needs a certain amount of fat and sugar. If these levels are not met then you would become prone to illnesses again. We use pandan and curry leaves in our cooking without knowing whether they are included in the condiments we add to flavour the curry. Have an idea about the ingredients used in the curry powder you are using and avoid adding them separately. Too much of these ingredients is not good for your health too,” he warned.
To make Thuna Paha you need 250 gms cumin seeds, 50 gms fennel seeds, and 500 gms coriander seeds. Grind these and make it into a ball. Turmeric, chili, pepper and mustard too should be ground into balls.
“We can use this mixture for about a week. What most people usually do is roast all these ingredients and make them into one ball. This is incorrect,” he expressed.
Preserve the taste!
He emphasised the need to prepare meals while preserving the taste, colour and smell of the ingredients.
“For example if you prepare a bean curry, you should get the taste, smell and colour of beans, not the curry powder. Preparing dishes so that you can distinguish their original taste, smell and colour is the correct way in getting their nutrients into your body,” he opined.
The body is made of about 75 percent water. The usual recommendation is eight glasses per day of fluid. As we are less active during the 'work from home' period, and may not feel as thirsty, it is important to set regular reminders to ensure we are hydrating our bodies. For flavour and additional nutrients, add slices of cucumber, lemon or orange to the humble glass of water. Avoid sweetened beverages such as soft drinks and soda because of high sugar content.
Dr. Publis requests readers to add only one dish made of ingredients like potatoes, dhal, green gram or sweet potatoes to the meal as these belong to the starchy food category. Then include a bit of fish, meat, a piece of dry fish or an egg to the meal. You should also add some green leaves made as either a sambol or a mallum.
“Do not divert your attention to other things when you cook. It should be done like a form of meditation. Engage all your senses in this process. Bless the meal summoning it to be a healthy and palatable feast for your family,” he concluded.
source http://www.dailynews.lk/2020/04/09/features/216175/food-thought-wake-pandemic
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