Urban India has been facing a serious conundrum for a long time now. Short deadlines, long haul flights, late nights, early mornings, frequent eating out and rare balanced diets are all taking a toll on the health aspirations of today’s jet-setters. For most people, lack of time seems to be the biggest defence against eating healthy and exercising. However, unless one stops making busy schedules an excuse for poor health, they should be ready to face an onslaught of lifestyle diseases.
A startling report by the National Family Health Survey recently revealed that the number of obese people in India have doubled in the past decade. It also stated that a large number of the urban population was found have high Body Mass Index (BMI). Higher the BMI, greater is a person’s risk for conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and certain forms of cancer. Cardiovascular diseases are also witnessing an alarming rise in the country, especially among the young population. Unhealthy lifestyle compounded by high stress levels and poor diets have all contributed to this declining physical fitness. A survey by healthcare platform Practo showed a growth of 40 per cent in cardiologist appointments with hypertension as the most common symptom. Most of these appointments were booked by people in the age group of 25 to 35 years.
These studies are evidence of what the demanding schedules of modern lives are doing to our health. It is time to make a change and contrary to popular beliefs, a healthier lifestyle isn’t that hard to achieve.
Ms Wanitha Ashok,Fitness Expert, Bengalurusaid,“Eating healthy can be pulled off simply by switching the basic food items on your dinner table with healthier versions of the same. Start by swapping a meal time staple like butter with a healthier table spread, which is a much more wholesome option. Such table spreads contain 0% cholesterol, zero saturated and trans-fats but are high in healthy fats. They lower Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) which is bad cholesterol and raise High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) which is good cholesterol.”
Every health expert in the world will recommend reducing the intake of saturated fats and trans fats and replacing them with daily doses of good fats which are broadly categorised into two kinds— monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Table spreads comprise generous quantities of both. The benefits of MUFA were first discovered in the 1960s. A study showed that people from the Mediterranean region like Greece had low rate of heart diseases even though they consumed a high-fat diet. It was found that the main source of fat in their diet was not from animal produce, which was common in countries with high risk of heart rates, but from olive oil, a repository of MUFA.
Similarly, PUFA is also a key nutrient in an individual’s diet and is also known as essential fats. Consuming the right amount of PUFA can help reduce LDL or bad cholesterol and help build cell membranes. Cholesterol is terrible news for your health causing clogged arteries which can lead to a few vulnerable diseases. The essential fat is also required for several bodily functions including muscle movements and blood clotting.
PUFA, a key nutritional benefit provided by table spreads, is also known to be packed with omega-3 fatty acids. This is a boon for any human heart. Some of the ways omega-3 helps the heart is by reducing triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood, decelerating the spread of plaque in the arteries, lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of irregular heartbeat. Omega-3 fatty acids are also known to be important for cognitive functions, reducing excess fat from liver along with mitigating chances of cancer and arthritis as well as depression and anxiety.
“Since our body does not produce essential fatty acids on its own, it is a crucial nutrient to be obtained from food. Usually about 25 to 35 per cent of our total calories in a day should be derived from fat and most of these should come from healthy fats”, added Ms Wanitha Ashok, Fitness Expert, Bengaluru.
Table spreads are also rich in Vitamin A, D and E. Each of these vitamins contribute to our health in their own specific ways. Vitamin A is vital in regulating the growth and division of body cells, bone growth and keeping the immune system in good shape. There are 11 members of Vitamin B complex which help in enhancing memory and mood and is important for metabolism. Vitamin E, an antioxidant, protects cell membranes from damage and improves the immune system.
While it has several health benefits over traditional butter, table spreads do not compromise on taste in any way. Moreover, these days, there are more than one flavour of spreads available in the market, ensuring that meals are anything but monotonous. There are plenty of quick recipes that can be prepared with table spreads. Look them up because a little knowledge and restructuring is all it takes to tuck in a healthy diet in your active everyday schedule.
With cases of chronic diseases on a rapid rise among urban Indian population, making healthier food choices should be a top priority. Regardless of what your lifestyle is, a wholesome diet shouldn’t fall by the wayside. Even by making a small but smarter choice in opting for table spreads over butter, you’re taking a big leap towards a healthy life in the long run.
By Wanitha Ashok, Fitness Expert
