PANAJI
Will the small and big parties in Indian homes, whether for birthdays, naming ceremonies or exam success, now go sugar-free and oil-free? Will the neighbour who knocks on the door with a box of sweets during festivals think twice before buying them, fearing they might be refused? Will family gatherings, promotions, birthday parties and picnics start avoiding oily snacks?
This follows a new directive from the Union Health Ministry asking all ministries, departments and autonomous bodies to display ‘oil and sugar boards’ that show the sugar and oil content in snacks like samosas, kachoris, pizzas, French fries and vada-pavs. The aim is to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce obesity and lifestyle diseases.
The announcement has received mixed reactions. India is a country of festivals, with something to celebrate every few days. Most celebrations involve something sweet or oily. “What about our business?” asks a Panaji baker known for his cakes and pastries.
“Will customers still buy snacks once they see the oil and sugar content? Sooner or later, we will have to find ways to reduce these, and it may change the taste,” says a sweet shop owner in Margao’s New Market.
“Eat a balanced diet and all is well. All food is fine if eaten in moderation, but excess leads to illness,” says Manoj Sinai Talaulikar, a businessman in Goa.
“Forgive me for being a good eater. I am diabetic but I still enjoy oil and sugar. Living in Mumbai, how can I say no to vada-pav, samosa or ragda pattice? Oil and sugar can go to hell!” laughs Sujala Bhende, a Goan living in Mumbai.
“Sugarcane juice without sugar is good for health. But where will you find it?” jokes Manguesh Kamat, a civil engineer from Margao.
Homemaker Sharmila Marol says, “I always thought chicken was the culprit. We eat too much of it, and who knows what they feed them to make them grow so fast.”
“Sugar and oil are needed by the body, but too much is harmful. The quality and quantity matter. Sugar in fresh, dried and frozen fruit is good, but refined sugar is bad. Oil in raw nuts and seeds is healthy, but refined oils are not,” says nutritionist Archana Tiwari. She adds, “Fat is needed by the body. Sugar is not. The liver makes the small amount of sugar the body needs. Without sugar, the body uses fat for energy instead of storing it, making fat healthy in this situation. If you want to stay healthy, stop eating refined sugar. The less you eat, the better.”
Goan oncologist Dr Shekhar Salkar feels that, like tobacco products, sugary foods and drinks should carry health warnings if consumed in high quantities and regularly. “Eating too much sugar can lead to obesity, diabetes and heart disease,” he warns.
He suggests that sugary drinks, baked goods, chocolates, sweetened juices, energy drinks and even jalebis and samosas should have clear warnings, so people can make informed choices and companies may reduce sugar in their products.
Alternative therapist Dr Damodar Dicholkar from Yeshwant Wellness believes the government should ban refined oils, sugar and polished rice, and promote cold-pressed oils and coconut oil for cooking instead. “Many hotels in Goa use palm oil. Pizzas and fast food should be banned. Chemically grown fruits and vegetables, and even excessive mobile use, are the main reasons for diseases like PCOD, cancers, obesity and infertility in young people,” he says.
Dr Damodar adds that in his practice, he sees many patients with lifestyle diseases caused by poor food choices like pizza with cola or energy drinks and pastries when stressed. Their health improved when they left junk food and switched to a healthy, satvik diet. He himself eats two meals a day with no snacks in between to stay healthy.
Obesity is a silent epidemic that could become severe by 2050. India is taking steps to raise awareness about the health risks of sugar and fat as obesity and lifestyle diseases rise. The government’s decision to put up health warning boards in all government-run canteens, restaurants and eateries aims to curb obesity. The Ministry of Health has ordered all central institutions to display boards showing the sugar and oil content in food served.
But does this mean the public must stop buying or eating snacks that contain sugar and oil? Or will these warnings end up like those on cigarette packets, often ignored? People still smoke despite the warnings, but will eating a samosa now be seen as harmful as smoking a cigarette?
