'If You Don't Take Time To Cook Food...'

'If we are blessed enough to eat fresh food, why go for other options?'

• Part 1: Why most Indians don't get enough daily protein
• Part 2: 'Your Body Only Needs 4 Tsp Oil Per Day'

In modern Indian homes, it is natural to heat or reheat foods in the microwave.

Thanks to technology, air fryers are the fanciest addition to our kitchens, promising healthy snacks prepared in zero to minimum oil.

Apart from saving time and effort, are such gadgets benefitting our health in any way?

In our pursuit of convenience, are we compromising on healthy and mindful eating habits, passed down through generations?

"Laziness is the biggest problem. We want things to happen quickly and that's where the trouble starts. We ignore small issues that lead to bigger problems," Dr Rajeshwari Panda, head of the dietetics department at Medicover Hospital, Mumbai, tells Divya Nair/Rediff.

"If you're not taking time to choose or cook your food, you're ignoring your health," Dr Panda warns in the concluding part of her interview, where she explains the numerous health benefits of consuming freshly prepared home-cooked food.

Do air fryers and microwaves reduce the nutrition value of food?

Yes, any type of processing -- washing, cooking, boiling, etc -- causes some nutrient loss.

Microwaves and air fryers are relatively new is still controversial. We don't have adequate research to label them as safe or unsafe yet.

Until we get that, it's better to stay cautious. For any new research or product, we don't have 20 years of data to see long-term effects.

I think laziness is the biggest problem. We want things to happen quickly and that's where the trouble starts. We ignore small issues that lead to bigger problems.

If you're not taking time to choose or cook your food, you're ignoring your health.

Try to avoid using microwave and air fryers as much as possible. I would recommend eating healthy and freshly cooked food.

Many people prefer to freeze food to make it last longer. Is it a healthy habit?

There is no comparison between fresh food and processed food.

Nutrition is always higher when you consume fresh food. Whether it's heated, boiled, frozen or microwaved, some nutrient depletion always happens.

If we are blessed enough to eat fresh food, why go for other options?

The idea of earning money is to eat well and live a healthy life. If that is compromised, then there's no point in working hard and being a slave to the corporate world.

Can using certain cookware cause cancer? Which cookware is safe and healthy for Indian cooking?

There are studies that say some cookware is safe while others say it may be carcinogenic; it's still controversial and needs more research.

Until it's proven safe, we should stay cautious. But yes, if food might get spoiled, you can heat it once in a while; doing it every day is not recommended.

What about superfoods like chia seeds or flaxseeds? Are they healthy or do you think they are over-promoted?

They are healthy, no doubt. The problem is people don't consume them enough.

Labelling them as 'superfoods' is unnecessary because, as a dietitian, I know every food has its own benefits.

Every food we eat supports our body -- heart, liver, kidney, skin or brain.

I believe all foods are superfoods when eaten in the right quantity and combination.

Food labels can be so confusing and misleading these days. How can consumers read them correctly and know what's actually in their food?

Currently, FSSAI decides the labelling and standards.

There can be up to 10 per cent variation in what's mentioned on the labels and what is actually inside and that is acceptable.

While reading labels, you shouldn't just check the calories; you must cross check the ingredients and the quantity as well.

Sometimes the front label claims 'rich in protein' or 'high fibre' but when you read the ingredients, it's only one to six per cent; the front label and ingredient list often don't match.

Label reading is very important. Sometimes you don't even recognise ingredients because they are written as codes like INS196 (INS 1 to 199 is for colours, INS 200 to 299 is for preservatives, INS 300 to 399 antioxidants and acidity regulators, 400 to 499 for thickeners, etc).

Consumers need to learn to read labels to understand what's actually in the product.

So when a product is advertised as zero sugar, what should people read in the label?

Sometimes a product labelled as 'zero sugar' may still contain sugar under different names like oligosaccharide or other scientific terms. There are approximately 60 alternate names for sugar.

Similarly, products claiming to be 'rich in protein' or 'high in fibre' may have very small to negligible amounts of fibre.

You must also check the serving size. Sometimes the label is for 100 grams but the packet contains 200 grams; so the calories and nutrients also double. People need to calculate accordingly and not be misled.

The government needs to educate people about label reading because most consumers focus on discounts rather than ingredients.

Some cheap supplements may have poor-quality or insufficient ingredients.

Decisions should not be based only on price or marketing; the full content and quantity of ingredients must be checked thoroughly.

Disclaimer: All content and media herein is written and published online for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. It should not be relied on as your only source for advice.

Please always seek the guidance of your doctor or a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. Do not ever disregard the advice of a medical professional, or delay in seeking it because of something you have read herein.

If you believe you may have a medical or mental health emergency, please call your doctor, go to the nearest hospital, or call emergency services or emergency helplines immediately. If you choose to rely on any information provided herein, you do so solely at your own risk.

Opinions expressed herein cannot necessarily provide advice to fit the exact specifics of the issues of the person requesting advice.